All about wood coasters

Hot coasters can combine functionality and decorativeness. Especially if they are made of wood - an environmentally friendly material that adds coziness and warmth to almost every kitchen. They are very different, you need to be able to choose such an accessory, and if you really want to, you can learn how to make them yourself.

Wood is a relatively inexpensive material, and therefore the stand is unlikely to cost a tidy sum. It is the availability of the product that will be the first obvious advantage of wooden coasters. What are the other advantages of the products:

• functionality;
• durability (if you properly care for the product);
• beauty and charm (wood is pleasant for its texture, naturalness);
• combination with anything - it seems that wood is able to "make friends" with any kitchen detail;
• variations in shapes, sizes, shades leave a choice for the buyer;
• the opportunity to find a truly original product.

The disadvantage of wooden stands is insufficient strength, but this indicator is conditional. Yes, the tree dries up, and it can crack, and defects easily remain on it. But a big plus covers this minus: even a slightly twisted tree retains its naturalness and charm.

First of all, they will differ in material, a specific type of wood... So, you can buy stands from apple, juniper, cherry, pine, beech - these species are most in demand. And the differences lie in the sizes: for example, a round stand can be made from only one round cut, or maybe from several such cuts (small).

The supports also differ in shape, they are round, oval, rectangular, asymmetrical. There are stands with a pattern burned out on the surface, there are completely smooth ones, without inscriptions and drawings. Coasters with a natural woody aroma also attract buyers; this smell is pleasant, unobtrusive and appropriate in any kitchen. Smelling coasters are a hit.

And it is also very convenient to give them to loved ones, such gifts conquer even by the fact of aromatherapy. It is interesting that even hot coasters differ in purpose, because their initial functionality is conditional. Yes, they all imply that they can only stand a pan or saucepan from the stove. But today they make unusual beautiful coasters for dishes, table settings, which will be a self-sufficient element of an "elegant" table.

The main requirement for such a product is resistance to hot. And heat resistance will be the first principle of choice. Most of the wooden accessories can easily withstand thermal stress, but if the model is painted, unpleasant surprises are not excluded - hot dishes will deform the color at least. Here's what else to look for when choosing a stand.

• The surfaces (both front and back) must be perfectly flat, otherwise, the dishes will simply slide off the rack. Irregularities can occur with glued products, therefore special attention should be paid to them.
• The stand must be of high strength, not all products are well glued (even with the factory ones, unpleasant moments happen). These gaps will quickly turn into problems with heavy use.
• Uniform, homogeneous - if there are incomprehensible spots, non-original color transitions, this may be a sign of marriage or fake. You need to hold the stand in your hands - if something confuses, it is better to put the goods aside.

In general, the product should not leave any questions for the buyer. One-piece, without visible deformations, work with a good shade and an even surface is immediately perceived positively. But if at least something is alarming, you should not cover up the shortcomings with a low price (and it is not always low).

In principle, these rules overlap in many respects with the moments of caring for wooden cutting boards. The principle is the same: you need to clean and impregnate the tree in time so that it retains its original appearance as long as possible.

Let us examine what will help the stand to remain beautiful and serve for a long time.

• Vaseline oil impregnation... It is inexpensive, but it will be used for its intended purpose - it helps the tree not to crack over time. Yes, and cutting boards, of course, are impregnated with it too.
• Cleaning after use... This is not always necessary, but if a trace remains from the dishes, it must be removed. You can use liquid detergent and a damp, natural cloth. If someone fundamentally does not use household chemicals, you can take salt: the stand is simply sprinkled with salt, and then this salt is washed off with a lemon. Then the stand only needs to be rinsed.
• You should not dry the support along with the dishes. It just needs to be laid on a flat surface. But if you put it on its side (which many, by the way, do), over time it can noticeably bend to one side.
• No need to wash the product in the dishwasher... These coasters are extremely sensitive to water and can only be washed by hand.
• No need to leave the stand in the sink either... Used, washed, sent to their place - that's the only way.

What the craftsmen do not do: stands decorated with decoupage images, varnished products, options with burning. Someone is looking for a varnish with a tint to cover a wooden element, someone decides that it is better to paint the stand first. Perhaps, for self-production of an accessory, you will need blanks, drawings, templates.

Juniper cuts are ideal coasters for hot dishes. But instead of this wood, cuts of acacia, oak, apricot, ash, and apple trees will do just fine. Progress.

• Pick up branches of the given tree species, the thickness of which is 3-6 cm.
• It will be more comfortable to cut the branch with a miter saw. But an ordinary wood saw should do the job.
• Each cut from the "face" needs sanding.
• The bark is easy to peel off with a knife, but if it fits snugly, you can leave it as it is.
• This will be one combined stand made of slices of different diameters, the front side should be facing inward.
• The less the stand has links, the easier it is to glue it. Kruglyashi ideally should articulate with each other in several zones. Cuts are placed on top of the connection zones, they will be fixed by "floors" with the help of PVA.
• Then the finished work must be sent under oppression for drying. For example, it is convenient to use a sandbag. Everything should stick together in 5 hours.

For work, you will need the simplest wooden clothespins, superglue, acrylic paints, and also varnish. First, all the clothespins need to be disassembled into two parts.

• Glue two pieces of clothespins together with equal parts. That is, as if to turn out a clothespin. This craft took 15 clothespins, but the size of the stand can be larger.
• Pairs of halves are glued together with superglue, beveled elements to each other.
• It often turns out that the last pair does not always fit clearly, and therefore it is delicately grinded with sandpaper.
• Then the clothespins need to be glued once more with superglue.
• You need to choose a color, because, most likely, if you just process the craft with varnish, it will not be so original. In this case, we decided that the stand would be soft pink.

It remains only to cover the product with varnish. But this is not the only option for assembling the craft: you can not glue the wooden elements in pairs, but glue them with oblique parts together. This does not change the essence, just the drawing of the craft becomes different.

For information on how to make wooden coasters for hot with your own hands, see the next video.