How to Make a Cork Hot Plate
- 1). Cut the corks in half using a sharp knife and cutting board. Cut the corks exactly in half so that the finished cut corks will all be the same size. Uneven corks will make an uneven hot plate.
- 2). Sand each cork with a piece of 200- or greater grit sandpaper. Sand only the cut sides. Sand each piece until the edges are completely smooth and the height of the corks is evened out.
- 3). Arrange the corks in the pattern in which you want your hot plate to be shaped. Use a flat surface, such as a table or countertop, and set the corks flat end down.
- 4). Heat up your hot glue gun. Working your way from the center out, begin gluing the corks together by applying a thin, vertical line of glue down its side. Push another cork onto the glue and hold it in place for about one minute or until the glue has began to cool and set. Once the center row is glued together, glue the next row of corks to it in the same manner. Alternate working from the left and right sides until the hot plate is glue together completely.
- 5). Glue the ribbon to the outer edge of the hot plate. Place a small bead of glue on the crevice between two corks that make up the perimeter of the hot plate. Glue down one end of the ribbon and allow the glue to dry for a moment. Work your way around the hot plate by placing a bead of glue in each crevice and using pushing the ribbon into the glue.
- 6). Apply a bead of glue into the last crevice and cut the ribbon to size. Secure the end of the ribbon and allow the hot glue to dry for at least one hour before using the hot plate.