Have you ever wanted to make your own coasters with a vintage feminine flair? These DIY vintage floral wood coasters are incredibly easy to make and beautiful too. They can be put together in only 1 day, for vintage chic decor, perfect for spring!
How to Make Your Own Vintage Floral Wood Coasters
I fell in love with this idea many years ago, but hadn't gotten the chance to try it until now. I was surprised at how easy they were to make. This is a great project that works well as a gift, or is just something nice and feminine to decorate your home.
Getting Your Items Together
With just a few simple items, these coasters can be put together quickly and easily. You'll need:
- Wood Slices – about 3 to 4 inches in diameter. These can be purchased at a local craft shop, you can find them online. Or, they can be purchased by a local arborist!
- Mod Podge Paste – This is an acrylic sealer that’s perfect for craft projects. I love using mod podge because it’s really easy to use and projects end up turning out great!
- Mod Podge Sealer – This comes in an aerosol can and is sprayed at the end to help seal and add a glossy finish. I prefer using the spray because the end result comes out nicer and more glossy than only using the mod podge paste.
- Vintage Floral Paper – You can buy this online or find it at the craft store. I ended up using some vintage floral drawer liners I had on hand. Photographs can be used too, as well as dried flower petals from small flowers if you have them.
- Paint Brush – I prefer using an artist brush for this project. The bristles should be high quality so that no bristles get left behind in the project. Be sure to use solid, slow brush strokes as you want to prevent bubbles from forming.
Related: Chalk Painting for The Beginner
Using Mod Podge On The Vintage Paper
When using mod podge, there are a few things to consider before starting. Be sure to use the dishwasher safe version of mod podge for this project. This will ensure that the sealant will be strong enough to prevent any condensation from a cool glass from penetrating into the coaster.
Getting the Paper on the Coasters
Brush a small amount of mod podge onto the back of your vintage floral paper and then affix it to the coaster. Use a ruler or your finger to gently push down on the floral paper to ensure that an extra mod podge is pushed out from under the floral paper. This will get rid of any bumps or bubbles that formed under the paper. Wait at least 30 minutes before moving on to the next coat.
Securing the Vintage Paper with Mod Podge
Gently use a small amount of mod podge on your artist brush and brush over the floral paper, going from one side of the coaster to the other. Be sure all the brush strokes are going in the same direction.
If your floral paper is old or bleeding from the moisture, you may need to wait until the mod podge is completely dry before continuing. This could be a few hours depending on the heat and humidity of your location.
Once your top coat has dried, add another thin coat across the top of the coaster, going top to bottom this time instead of side to side. Doing your brush strokes this way will allow a smoother looking finish with fewer visible brush strokes.
After you have applied two coats, allow the coasters to dry and cure for a few hours.
Sealing the Floral Coasters
Using the aerosol mod podge sealant, spray the coasters from about 10-12 inches away. Using broad strokes like you're using spray paint. This ensures that there is no buildup of sealant in any one location on the coasters.
Start with one coat and wait until the sealant is completely dry (this should be about 20 minutes). Once dry, decide if you would like a second coat depending on how glossy you would like your coaster to be. In this tutorial, I only used one coat of sealant.
Everyday Use
Once the sealant is completely dry, feel free to use these as you would any coaster. Remember, they are made out of wood, so water submersion is not recommended. When needed, wash these coasters with a damp cloth and allow them to air dry.
These gorgeous little DIY floral coasters look stunning in a girl’s room, and would make a great gift for Mother’s Day or a birthday. They would also really spruce up your baby shower, or a spring wedding shower!
MORE POSTS TO CONSIDER: Need more DIY gift ideas? Check out Small Homemade Gifts for Any Occasion. You could also check out Hand Sewn Lavender Sachets.
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Monique says
Thank you so much for your post. I have used floral serviettes for my wooden coasters which worked well but after I mod podged them and sealed them, they became sticky upon placing glasses on them. I read somewhere that mid Podge takes 4 weeks to cure. Is this why they were sticky? Or is it the sealant I used? I used a gloss spray/sealant but but not the mod Podge spray. If you can please help, that would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much.
Victoria says
Hi Monique! Depending on how thick of a layer it was, the mod podge can take longer to cure. I would just put them aside and let them fully dry for a week or two before checking. :-)