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    Home » DIY And Crafts

    DIY Wood Slice Coasters: The Easy Way

    Published by Pam Kessler | 583 words. · About 3 minutes to read this article. - 18 Comments

    Super easy DIY Wood Slice Coasters made from craft store wood slices. No fancy wood burning tools required. Includes free printable templates for the arrows and instructions on How To Seal Wood Coasters!

    I was sort of excited when I started seeing more and more arrows showing up in home decor in the last year or so. I've seen them described as "tribal" decor, but I prefer to think of them as "camp" decor.

    As in summer camp. That magical place where you learned how to make a lanyard, sew a leather wallet, use wood burning tools and first tried your hand at the sport of archery.

    Super easy DIY Wood Coasters made from craft store wood slices.

    You know, all those skills you still use today.

    So this weekend, I decided to throw together a summer camp inspired DIY project for you that is so super easy and so super quick that I'm pretty sure I may have to turn in my Arts And Crafts patch from the Brownies.

    DIY Wood Coasters

    They're like a wood burning project you would have made in camp, but without the blisters on your fingers!

    (This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. You can read my full disclosure policy here.)

    Supplies Needed:

    • Wood slices from the craft store (these are roughly 3 ½ inches wide)
    • Sharpie Ultra Fine Precision Marker
    • Polyurethane suitable for outdoor use
    • Paper and Pencil

    How to seal wood coasters and other wood slice crafts

    Instructions:

    For the arrows, you can go into Picmonkey and make them yourself (arrow bits and pieces are under the Overlays section). Or if you're all artsy fartsy, you can hand draw them yourself.

    And if you want to use the ones I made in Picmonkey, you can find them below:

    Printable arrows for wood slice coaster DIY project

    Printable Arrows For Wood Slice Coasters
    If you are not hand drawing your arrows you will need to print them out, flip them over and rub a pencil across the back.
    How to transfer image onto wood

    Position your arrow right side up on the wood slice and draw around the outline of the arrow to transfer the image to the wood slice.

    Instructions for transferring images onto wood

    When you remove the paper you will see a faint outline.

    Instructions for transferring images onto wood

    Take your Sharpie and redraw your outline and then fill in the rest.

    An easy Sharpie craft

    After the marker has dried, spray them with polyurethane and let dry completely. Use the directions on the can, but with mine it suggested spraying a few very light coats.

    Learn how to seal wood coasters and other wood slice crafts

    (no manicures here)
    The poly I used was Ace Hardware brand, but it is similar to the Minwax Helmsman Spar Urethane which is an exterior grade polyurethane. I thought that would hold up to condensation from glasses better than the indoor polys would.

    How to make wooden coasters

    Once dried, you are ready to go off to the woods and drink some ice cold beverages out of your vintage thermos.

    DIY wood slice coaster -an easy Sharpie craft

    If this post spoke to your heart and you think, "Wow, I could sure use some more outdoorsy camping type posts, Pam!", throw these in your rucksack:

    For more vintage camping eye candy - Let's Go Camping

    If you prefer a more solid roof over their heads while camping - Vintage Trailer Palooza

    For more on my beloved thermoses - A Listing Of Posts That Have Thermoses In Them

    Proof that camp stools don't need to be ugly - Faux Grain Sack Camp Stool

    On a somewhat related note - Painting A Vintage Motel Chair

    Super easy DIY Wood Slice Coasters made from craft store wood slices. No fancy wood burning tools required. Includes free printable templates for the arrows and instructions on How To Seal Wood Coasters!

    Have you caught the arrow bug? Not that I recommend you catching actual arrows. That might be dangerous.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. taryterre

      May 18, 2015 at 4:44 pm

      Always looking for unique coasters. These are definitely cool. A fun project for sure. LOVE the camp theme.

      Reply
      • Pam

        May 19, 2015 at 6:42 am

        Thanks! I always get in a camping mood this time of year.

        Reply
    2. MarissaSanchez

      May 18, 2015 at 4:50 pm

      LOVE them...They turned out perfect

      Reply
      • Pam

        May 19, 2015 at 6:42 am

        Thanks, Marissa!

        Reply
    3. Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces

      May 18, 2015 at 5:19 pm

      Love, love, love these, Pam...pinning!

      Reply
      • Pam

        May 19, 2015 at 6:47 am

        Ah thanks, Linda! They were fun to make!

        Reply
    4. Judie

      May 18, 2015 at 9:20 pm

      Love theses. To make them even cooler, you can take them outside and use a magnifying glass to wood burn the arrows. The area where you used the marker makes the wood burn much faster. Using the magnifing glass to direct the sunbeam is easy, and even kids can do it.

      PS. You inspired me to buy a vintage Stanley thermos. It was only 10 cents.

      Reply
      • Pam

        May 19, 2015 at 6:43 am

        No way! That is a GREAT tip!!! I'll warn you, once you start down the thermos collecting road, you'll start seeing them EVERYWHERE!

        Reply
    5. Ruthie

      May 18, 2015 at 9:56 pm

      I think these are so adorable! They look great Pam! I love your tip on transferring the design onto pieces of wood. Brilliant!

      Reply
      • Pam

        May 19, 2015 at 6:44 am

        Thanks, Ruthie!

        Reply
    6. Pam

      May 19, 2015 at 6:46 am

      They added 3 days onto the end of the school year because of all the snow days this year, so now it's June 5th. I bet you can't wait for summer to start 🙂

      Reply
    7. Erica

      May 19, 2015 at 9:35 am

      Fun! And as you know from my IG posts, I love to enjoy ice cold beverages outside during the summer so these are a perfect project for me!

      ~Erica

      Reply
      • Pam

        May 19, 2015 at 6:04 pm

        You? Drinks? 🙂

        Reply
    8. Musings from Kim K.

      May 19, 2015 at 9:41 am

      You know I have to make these for our A-frame. This scream lake house! I'm going to show these to Chris. I smell a weekend project!

      Reply
      • Pam

        May 19, 2015 at 6:03 pm

        I was going to try to draw a tent and a canoe on some also, but those were too far above my artistic skill level 🙂 I'm strictly a stick figure and straight line person.

        Reply
    9. Pam Spencer

      May 20, 2015 at 8:49 pm

      Pam, You have done it again! We have cut lots of those wooden circles from trees we've had to cut down. I Love
      the arrow designs. I agree they are more camp looking than trendy tribal. I have that same greenish wooden
      chair I use as a prop for our vintage trailer (she is OLD, UGLY, and COZY and decorated with vintage camp
      items. These will be perfect to use with all the other "stuff". I will try the canoe and maybe a lantern. Oooh,
      a hanging mobile! Thank you again!

      Reply
    10. [email protected] this top that

      June 03, 2015 at 9:16 am

      i love your coasters. great tutorial for those of us who want to do this.

      Reply
    11. GWS.

      July 10, 2016 at 9:05 am

      For a wedding, cut slices of berch, 3-5" round on bandsaw, place circles with names of bride & and groom with paper glue to one side of slice & name of Guest to the other side for seating arrangements . Enjoy dinner, and coaster gift to take home!

      Reply

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