Festive Sustainable Craft: Upcycle Corks into DIY 4th of July Decorations
Are you looking for a fun 4th of July project? Are you interested in making DIY 4th of July decorations? You’ll love this quick, easy sustainable craft that stars used wine corks!
“Man, I wish I had more homemade cork trivets,” said no one ever.
Not to hate on DIY cork projects, but one homemade trivet or bulletin board usually goes a long way in a household. So, when I opened a drawer at my parents’ house and found it overflowing with years worth of saved corks, it seemed wise to find an alternate cork project before we all wound up with trivets for Christmas.
What can you do with old wine corks? The possibilities are endless, really, because cork is an interesting and versatile material to work with, but I was in the middle of my Independence Day tablescape, so I had DIY 4th of July decorations on the brain and some extra patriotic scrap paper in my craft bin. Thus, today I’m teaching you how to upcycle wine corks into decorative firecrackers!
What makes this a sustainable craft? Let’s talk about (natural) corks for a minute.
- Did you know we pop about 13 billion corks each year?
- Cork stoppers are recyclable, but only about 2-3% of cork stoppers are recycled.
- Cork oak forests provide rich ecosystems.
- Cork is actually harvested from the bark of the cork oak tree without killing it.
- A cork oak tree replenishing its bark absorbs 5 times more CO2 than one from which no bark is taken.
- Cork can be recycled endlessly.
- Cork stoppers can also be composted.
These DIY 4th of July cork firecrackers are awesome because they’re very easy and quick to make, and you can make them out of natural OR synthetic cork stoppers. They’re also incredibly versatile. While I strung mine together as the world’s cutest and most patriotic garland, you can also enjoy this 4th of July project by arranging the cork firecrackers around your dining room table, mantel, or favorite bookshelf.
Now, while everyone loves a blog post with a lengthy intro, you’re probably ready to get started. First, though, let me tell you about my childhood…
Just kidding, let’s get (fire)cracking.
DIY 4th of July Decorations: Upcycled Cork Firecrackers
Note: Every great sustainable craft starts at the thrift store, y’all. Bags of corks are common finds at neighborhood thrift stores, but you can also ask a Buy Nothing Group if you don’t fancy drinking 12-15 corked beverages between now and July 4th. I also found my 4th of July sparkle garland at a thrift store.
Materials for Upcycled Cork Firecracker 4th of July Decorations
- 12-15 natural or synthetic used wine corks
- Drill with a long, narrow drill bit or screw extractor (This will need to be long enough to go through the cork to the other side. I used the thinnest screw extractor in my husband’s toolkit and set it a bit forward in the chuck so that the end would fully penetrate the cork.)
- Red, white, and blue acrylic paint
- Paintbrush
- Patriotic-colored scrap paper
- Hot glue gun and cartridges
- Scissors
- 1.5-inch diameter bottle cap, such as this rice vinegar cap, and pencil for tracing circles
- Ruler
- Pencil
- Wire and plastic star garland (mine came from the thrift store)
- Embroidery thread in red, white, or blue
- Large embroidery needle (to pass through the cork)
How to Make Upcycled Cork Firecracker 4th of July Decorations
Note: If you’re just making upcycled cork firecrackers and not a garland, you can skip steps one, eight, and nine.
- Drill holes in the approximate center point, lengthwise, of your corks. You may want to wedge each cork between two bricks or heavy books to keep it in place while you work. If your drill bit or screw extractor is not quite going all the way through, you’ll want to drill in from the opposite side as well. These holes through the center of the corks from side to side will allow you to thread them together as a garland.
- Paint the sides and bottom (where the corkscrew went in) of your corks. You can paint the smooth top if you want, but that will be covered by the paper cap. Leave the drill holes clear, or push a push pin or paperclip through the opening to keep it open. Unless you’re using thin paint, this should take about two coats. Expect it to dry quickly due to the cork’s absorptive nature. Turn on a ceiling fan to help it dry even faster.
- While the paint dries, trace one circle per cork on the backsides of your scrap paper, making them roughly 1.5 inches in diameter. Use the ruler to find and mark the approximate center point of each circle.
- Cut out your circles and make one clean cut from the edge of each circle to the center point. Plug in your glue gun, and let it heat.
- Then, working one at a time, twist your circles into cones by sliding the left and right edges of your center cut over each other. Make each cone a bit larger than the top of your corks so that there’s an overhang. Secure the cone shape by adding a small dab of glue under the top piece of paper at the fold.
- Once the paint on your corks has fully dried, drill a small hole through the corkscrew-damaged end of your corks. Cut two 2-inch lengths of star garland per cork. Wedge two pieces of star garland into the drilled hole, pulling back any stars as necessary to push the wire part in. Then secure the fit with a small dab of hot glue.
- To attach the paper cones or caps to your DIY cork firecrackers, run two or three small dabs of glue around the smooth top edge of your corks and press them into place.
- To turn your cork firecrackers into a DIY 4th of July garland, measure twice the length of embroidery thread as you like your garland to be and cut. (Mine was 4 feet long, so I measured for 8 feet.) Thread one end of your thread through the eyehole of your needle, pull it through to the center point so that the cut ends meet, and double-knot the ends.
- String your corks onto your garland, leaving approximately 3 inches between each cork, and tie off the remaining loose ends when finished to allow an additional 3 inches as your other hanging loop.
Enjoy your garland over your front door, along your mantle, or hang it behind your 4th of July tablescape! When the holiday has passed, you can store your garland for the next Independence Day or dismantle your firecrackers and use your corks in another craft. (Did somebody say trivet?!)
All photos via Reese Moore Photography
If you enjoyed Sustainable Craft: Upcycle Corks into DIY 4th of July Decorations, you may also enjoy:
Sustainable Craft: Uncle Sam-inspired 4th of July Tablescape
How To Make a DIY Egg Carton Succulent Garden
2-Ingredient DIY Sugar Scrub Recipe
About the Author
Reese Moore
Reese Moore is a photographer, content creator, and pickle connoisseur who divides time between Charleston and Lake Lure. When she’s not behind the lens shooting stunning images for Reese Moore Photography, Reese loves to spend her time wandering the woods with her dog Gatsby or adventuring with her husband Logan in their Airstream Basecamp.
DIY Upcycled Cork Firecrackers
Festive firecracker decorations made from upcycled corks to make the perfect low-waste 4th of July decor.
Materials
- 12-15 natural or synthetic used wine corks
- Red, white, and blue acrylic paint
- Patriotic-colored scrap paper
- 1.5-inch diameter bottle cap, such as this rice vinegar cap, and pencil for tracing circles
- Embroidery thread in red, white, or blue
Tools
- Drill with a long, narrow drill bit or screw extractor (This will need to be long enough to go through the cork to the other side. I used the thinnest screw extractor in my husband’s toolkit and set it a bit forward in the chuck so that the end would fully penetrate the cork.)
- Paintbrush
- Hot glue gun and cartridges
- Scissors
- Ruler
- Pencil
- Wire and plastic star garland (mine came from the thrift store)
- Large embroidery needle (to pass through the cork)
Instructions
- Drill holes in the approximate center point, lengthwise, of your corks. You may want to wedge each cork between two bricks or heavy books to keep it in place while you work. If your drill bit or screw extractor is not quite going all the way through, you’ll want to drill in from the opposite side as well.
- Paint the sides and bottom (where the corkscrew went in) of your corks. You can paint the smooth top if you want, but that will be covered by the paper cap. Leave the drill holes clear, or push a push pin or paperclip through the opening to keep it open. Unless you’re using thin paint, this should take about two coats. Expect it to dry quickly due to cork’s absorptive nature. Turn on a ceiling fan to help it dry even faster.
- While the paint dries, trace one circle per cork on the backsides of your scrap paper, making them roughly 1.5 inches in diameter. Use the ruler to find and mark the approximate center point of each circle.
- Cut out your circles and make one clean cut from the edge of each circle to the center point. Plug in your glue gun, and let it heat.
- Then, working one at a time, twist your circles into cones by sliding the left and right edges of your center cut over each other. Make each cone a bit larger than the top of your corks so that there’s an overhang. Secure the cone by adding a small dab of glue under the top piece of paper at the fold.
- Once the paint on your corks has fully dried, drill a small hole through the corkscrew-damaged end of your corks. Cut two 2-inch lengths of star garland per cork. Wedge two pieces of star garland into the drilled hole, pulling back any stars as necessary to push the wire part in. Then secure the fit with a small dab of hot glue.
- To attach the paper cones or caps to your DIY cork firecrackers, run two or three small dabs of glue around the smooth top edge of your corks and press them into place.
- To turn your cork firecrackers into a DIY 4th of July garland, measure twice the length of embroidery thread as you like your garland to be and cut. (Mine was 4 feet long, so I measured for 8 feet.) Thread one end of your thread through the eyehole of your needle, pull it through to the center point so that the cut ends meet, and double-knot the ends.
- String your corks onto your garland, leaving approximately 3 inches between each cork, and tie off the remaining loose ends when finished to allow an additional 3 inches as your other hanging loop.
