DIY Project: Scrabble Coasters

Scrabble Coasters have been popping up on my Pinterest feed lately and I decided it’s finally time to try them myself.  I loved thinking of four different themes for the coasters and coming up with words that would fit within each.  These Scrabble coasters make for an easy, customized gift for any holiday: birthdays, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, weddings, anniversaries, Christmas, graduations, etc! 

You’ll need:

1 large package of Scrabble Tiles (Double check on the picture that the package includes every letter you are planning on using!) 

It’s time to craft:

First chose 16 four-letter words (four words for each coaster).  I decided to theme each coaster: Coffee, Tea, Beer and Wine. 

After you’ve chosen all your tiles, use leftover letters to test the polyurethane spray.  Some people have reported back their wooden tiles reacted to the spray causing the letters to dissolve.  Spray a couple of the leftover tiles with the polyurethane and watch to see what happens.  If the tiles have a reaction, you may need to try a different kind of sealing spray to be sure the coasters do not get ruined! 

Using the E-6000, glue each letter by row to cork.  I tried to get a little glue in between each letter so they would adhere together neatly.  Align top of first word to top of cork square. 

Continue glueing for each letter on each coaster, trying to keep letters in line and straight. 

Once each coaster is done, stack under a heavy book to ensure they dry flat.  As you can see, the pre-cut cork coasters I bought were larger than my planned square size, but it helped for aligning the letters first to the top.  It was simple to trim cork after drying. 

Allow coasters to dry for 1 hour.  Using sharp scissors or an X-acto knife, carefully trim excess cork from square. 

Place tiles on paper bag or newspaper.  Follow directions on spray bottle of polyurethane to coat tiles.  I coated mine with one layer, let dry for 10 minutes and then coated again.  The spray sealed the tiles from water damage and gave them a semi-glossy sheen. 

I love the way the coasters turned out and am having a hard time with the thought of giving them away.  Maybe I’ll make a second set for a gift and keep this one for myself! 

How did your coasters turn out?  What words did you decide to use?  Tag your pictures on Instagram with @Gourmet_Gab or #gourmetgabDIY.  I can’t wait to see them!  Happy crafting. 

Love food.  Love self.  Love life. 
Gabriela

*Update: After several years of using these coasters, the polyurethane coat has begun to peel off the letters due to liquids repeatedly resting on them.  I just want to forewarn you this may happen overtime.  When I created this DIY tutorial, I was not sure the longevity these would have, but I think getting four+ years out of the coasters is a great turnout! 

So easy!  I followed your instructions & they came out perfect.  My only suggestion is to maybe super glue the sides of the tiles together so that they’re more stiff.  The cork underneath tends to wiggle them around.  Thanks!  ☺️

This was such an awesome idea!  I made these for my boyfriend’s family for Christmas, and they loved them.  I just visited their house last weekend, and unfortunately saw that the coasters were ruined.  The polyurethane spray somehow wore away, and the cork board warped and the coasters were now curved.  I even applied 2 coats of the spray, just like you described.  Did you run into any of these issues?  Is there a different kind of coaster base that would work better and not warp? 

[…] the second half of my party favor wasn’t my idea so you need to visit this Scrabble coaster tutorial.  I have been saving it for something fun and the stars happened to align when a 4 letter wine […]

[…] You can grab a pack of 100 Scrabble tiles from Amazon for around $5 to make some of these.  They’re very easy to create and can be extremely personalized DIY gifts!  You can get the instructions for these bad boys here. […] 

[…] Scrabble Coasters – Scrabble coasters are a great way to make a truly personalized gift for yourself or a loved one.  With a bit of cork board and tiles you can make these fun home goods!  This idea could be realized with other game pieces too to bring a cherished game into your home. […] 

[…] Scrabble coasters.  This was one of my first Pinterest crafts, and they were a resounding success.  Get the Scrabble tiles at Savers (they’ll likely have many games to choose from), then hot glue the pieces together and adhere it to cut out sheets of cork.  Shellac with modpodge and enjoy! […] 

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Hey there!  I'm Gabriela Rodiles, also known as Gourmet Gab.  I write about simple, healthy recipes and love making cooking videos.  You can watch me on Food Network Snapchat Discover.  I am always cooking behind-the-scenes on my Snapchat and Instagram, so give it a follow below.  Thanks for coming by!  Read More…