How to build a pinboard!

When I decided I wanted some oversized pinboards above my desk, I didn't have in mind a boring pine-framed option! I already had two large poster frames in white sitting around, so I decided to turn them into the pinboards instead. This is a pretty easy project that's a great way to turn an old frame into something useful!

Here's what I started with;

- The backing board from the frame
- Liquid nails (you can use construction glue or even PVC here, but liquid nails dries quickly, making it easier to stick the tiles down)
- Cork tiles (available at Bunnings)
- A ruler, pencil and stanley knife

I decided I wanted to create a pattern with my cork tiles, since the joins are visible when finished. I worked off a diamond pattern, by marking out the centre of the board first.

I used this as a guide to lay my first tile. You may find they vary slightly in size but I just pushed them together as neatly as possible. You can lay out your pattern first if you prefer, but I started gluing down each tile as I went.

When you get to the edges, simply use the ruler to mark the edge of the board, and cut with a stanley knife.

Eventually you will end up with your board completely covered in tiles...

You may find the tiles are quite stuck solidly yet, so I popped it into the frame while it dried overnight.

When it completely dried, I placed it correctly into the frame using the existing metal foldable pieces. I found they were a little short, considering the tiles are thicker than glass, but they managed to fit over properly. I do have to be gentle when pinning near the edges to make sure my backing board doesn't pop out, but I haven't had too many troubles.

I loved the way they turned out; the white frames are much more attractive than the standard pineboards you can buy from office stores!