DIY linen covered cork boards

I Love the look of  linen covered cork boards and have been wanting to add a few to my office to use as inspiration boards. I've seen some really nice ones through Pottery Barn and Ballard Designs, but at $50 bucks a pop, they are way to pricey for this chicky!  I wanted 4, so that would cost me around $200+. So I decided to make my own. AND the whole project only cost me around $20. Much better:)

1.  I came across a pack of 4 12" x 12" cork tiles at Target on sale for $5, then headed over to Micheal's to pick up 4 12" x 12" stretched canvas boards that were on sale (a 2 pack cost $3.50). A yard of linen from Joannes for $6 (cut into 16" x 16" squares) and a pack of upholstery tacks for $2 and I'm good to go. 

2.  Using a spray adhesive (I used Elmers Craft Bond, but any permanent spray adhesive will do) I sprayed an even coat onto the face of the canvas. Make sure to have lots of paper down to protect your work surface from over spray. It gets sticky!!

3. Place the cork tile on top of the canvas, making sure the edges are all lined up, then press down evenly to ensure a good bond.

4.  Spray another even coat of adhesive on to the face of the cork tile, then place your square of linen over top of the cork, making sure it is centered. Smooth out the linen to make sure there are no are bubbles or wrinkles. (The nice thing about the spray adhesive is that if you screw up, the fabric is easily removed and re-positioned before it dries.)

5.  Flip the canvas over. Spray the edges of the canvas and fold up one side, making sure you smooth out the fabric as you go.

6.  For neat corners, I just folded the edges on a 45 degree angle and added a staple with my staple gun to hold in place.

7.  Make another fold as you smooth up the adjacent edge and pull the fabric taught as you add another staple.

8.  Repeat for all the corners, then add a few more staples to keep the fabric on nice and tight.

I wanted each of my boards to have a slightly different look, so I used a combination of nail-heads, ribbons and wire to decorate them. You can get really creative here, and the best part is that since the boards are cork, you can remove the tacks and re-position them at any time if you tire of the look!


Est Voila! 4 inspiration boards for a grand total of $20. I'll show you exactly how they fit into my office as soon as I finish my command center! I'm working on a DIY dry erase calendar and to-do list, so stay tuned!

Sarah:)