DIY Cork Bath Mat

A new bath mat is an exciting way to add style and personality to your bathroom. But where’s the fun in purchasing any plain old mat? We found 3 bath mats that will put your DIY skills to the test, including a wine cork bath mat we made, that will serve as a great addition to your bathroom space.

Here are some things you’ll need before you can get started making your wine cork bath mat.

• Rubber for the mat
• 100-150 wine corks
• Silicone adhesive
• Caulk gun
• Box cutting knife
• Rubber coating

The amount of wine corks you’ll need will depend on how large you want your bath mat to be. For our mat, we used exactly 112 wine corks. As for the base of the mat, we used a sheet of rubber that we cut down to the size we wanted. You can also use old exercise mats as well. The rubber coating is also important when making your wine cork bath mat, as it will prevent the corks from soaking in any moisture and getting moldy.

After you’ve gathered everything you’ll need for your wine cork bath mat, you’ll need to cut all your corks in half. We found that it was easiest to make smaller notches around the corks instead of trying to slice through them. Make sure you take your time so that the cork halves are even and you don’t end up injuring yourself.

Once you have all your wine corks cut in half, the next step is to lay them out on your mat. This step is where you can be really creative and make the cork mat your own. We decided to alternate the pattern of our corks between laying them vertically and horizontally. If you’re feeling extra creative, you can even make extra cuts in your corks to create a herringbone pattern. Once you’ve finished laying out the corks, make sure to take note of the size of the mat, is it the perfect size for your shower or bathtub area? You can even place a cork mat in front of your sink like we did.

Now that the layout of the cork is finalized, you’ll need to cut the mat to size. Ours turned out to be 23 ¼ in. long and 13 ¾ in. wide. The size will vary depending on how many corks you have available. We felt this size was perfect for most bathrooms. Make sure your lines are straight and square, as trying to fix any unevenness is difficult once you start gluing down the cork. Scoring the mat with a ruler before cutting all the way through will make this job much easier.

After you have finished cutting the mat to fit your layout, it’s time to secure the corks. We used a waterproof, mold and mildew resistant silicone adhesive with a caulk gun to secure the corks to the surface of the mat. Our process involved adding the corks row by row using our pattern from earlier. We applied the silicone to the mat then spread it out with a piece of cardboard so there was a thick layer of adhesive. We then pressed each cork into the mat and repeated this until all the corks were on the mat.

The next step is to seal your wine cork bath mat with the rubber coating. Wait until the silicone is dry before doing this so you don’t mess with the adhesive. The rubber coating will protect the corks from any moisture build-up which could lead to mold. The sealant also helps protect your cork bath mat so it lasts longer and you can enjoy it for many years to come.

After the sealant has dried, your cork bath mat is complete! The cork texture provides your feet with a nice massaging surface while stepping out of the shower and gives your bathroom a rejuvenated look.

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