DIY Farmhouse Cork Board Organizer

Create a Farmhouse Style Cork Board Christmas Card Organizer to hang on your wall using any plank of wood with this DIY tutorial

Farmhouse Style Cork Board Christmas Card Organizer

We recently took down all of the Christmas cards that we keep on our refrigerator doors all year long.  It is a wonderful landscape of family and friends, and it helps me to remember to pray for the people in my life.  That being said, after our housekeeper had made the doors sparkle I realized how much bigger it made my kitchen look to have the doors clean and bare.  SO . . . I needed a different place to display our many blessings!  Enter the DIY farmhouse cork board organizer.

 

Farmhouse Style Cork Board Christmas Card Organizer

This random plank of wood came from my grandfather’s 200 year old barn.  It has been sitting in our garage, and it became the frame for my cork board!  Find any piece of plank wood and note it’s dimensions.  Make sure you can get 4 pieces out of it for the frame.  In this case, I cut vertically this plank in 4 equal pieces to give me a rectangular frame.

Supplies:

• Plank of wood for frame
• 1/4″ plywood for backing
• 8 flat L plate brackets
• Cork squares
• Self adhesive mounting squares
• Hot glue gun
• Fabric

Tools:

• Table saw
• Miter saw
• Brad nailer
• Circular saw
• Power drill

Farmhouse Style Cork Board Christmas Card Organizer

#1  Cut your plank to give you the 4 frame edge pieces.

I love my DeWalt table saw.  I actually found this new table saw on Craigslist for half the price.

Farmhouse Style Cork Board Christmas Card Organizer

#2.  Miter the ends of the 4 edge pieces

Once your framed edges are cut, use a miter saw to cut your 45 degree angles.

My sweet little helper wanted to sweep up the saw dust.  This worked better than his previous attempt at blowing the dust around with our tire pump  . . .

I threw in a couple brad nails with my Ryobi Brad Nailer (one of my FAVORITE tools) in the corners to help keep the frame together.

Use any thin (1/4″ – 1/2″) piece of plywood for the backing.  This is what you will cover with cork board.

 

Farmhouse Style Cork Board Christmas Card Organizer

#3.  trace the plywood backing

Lay your frame over the 1/4″ plywood and trace along the inside edge to create a border for the backing.  As you can see below I had to to use two pieces of plywood because my frame was too big.

After you have traced it take a straight ruler and extent those edges approximately 1/2″ or as much as it takes to overlap the back of your frame because you will need to screw it in to the back of the frame.

 

Farmhouse Style Cork Board Christmas Card Organizer

#4. Cut the plywood backing

Cut the plywood backing with a circular saw.

When I remeasure and create a different line I ALWAYS make myself a note.  Hey stupid, don’t cut the wrong line 🙂

Once the plywood is cut to fit as the backing to the frame, it is time to secure your frame and attach the cork board material!

 

Farmhouse Style Cork Board Christmas Card Organizer

#5.  Brace the 4 Frame edges with l-plates

For this frame I used two L plates for each corner.  A 2 inch brace for the inner aspect of the corner, and a 2 1/2 in brace for the outer aspect of the corner.  Place the L plates in the corners and fasten with screws to secure your frame.

Little man was in charge of the screws.

“Watch my fingers, Mommy!”

Double and triple check that your screws are not too long for the width of your wood or they will go right through to the front!

He takes his jobs very seriously 🙂

With old barn wood you have be very careful at the power of your drill.  Use a low setting or else you may split your wood.

Speaking of splitting your wood, here you can see that I did not bother with a screw in that lower bracket.  There is already a split directly where I would have placed a screw.  There was no need to put one here as it was already anchored everywhere else.  Not worth completely splitting your reclaimed piece of 200 year old barn wood.

Farmhouse Style Cork Board Christmas Card Organizer

#6.  SEcure the backing to the frame

Once you have secured your frame with the L plates then lay your plywood on the back of the frame.  Secure with only a couple screws to hold in place.  You will need to take the back off again to cover your cork board with fabric.  This is to keep the board in place while you attach the cork board.

Farmhouse Style Cork Board Christmas Card Organizer

#7.Attach the cork board to the plywood backing

Flip it over and start attaching your cork board.  I used cork squares just because they are easier to handle, but you can also buy a roll of cork.

Gracie was in charge of peeling off the sticker backings!  I used self adhesive mounting squares as well as a hot glue gun to attach the boards to the plywood.

Last board!  You are ready for the fabric.

Farmhouse Style Cork Board Christmas Card Organizer

#8.  Cover the cork board with fabric.

At this point you need to unscrew the backing, flip it to the front, and cover the cork board with fabric.

Farmhouse Style Cork Board Christmas Card Organizer

#9.  Glue the fabric to the backboard

Cut around the edges leaving approximately 2-3″ extra to glue to the plywood.  A fabric scissors is recommended if you have one.

Glue the fabric to the back of your plywood and secure the plywood to the frame with screws.

Add any other decorations you may want such as fake flowers, accent fabrics, or other decals.  Find style-appropriate push pins for your board.  I am using these natural wooden push pins.

Voila!

Let the Christmas cards begin!  Merry Christmas and Happy DIY!  🙂

I just cleared it of last year’s Christmas cards. Let the Christmas cards begin!

Merry Christmas!

Pin any of the images below.