DIY Numbered Wood Slice Coasters {easy Sharpie craft!}

Gee, sometimes I think I sound like a broken record around here – how many ways/times can I say “quick and easy?” Bottom line: I really can’t do anything that seems complicated right now (did I ever?). Stenciling entire walls? No, no. Painting stripes? Maybe someday. Sewing clothes? I have, but I’ve never found that easy. Straight-stitch sewing is my preferred sewing now. But painting small areas is a yes, and creating fun DIY projects in a few minutes? ALWAYS. 🙂

Like these numbered wood slice coasters that I think took a total of 20 minutes of hands-on time. It’s a simple matter of slice (made quick with a power tool, admittedly, but can be done by hand in just a few more minutes), dry, stencil, spray, and glue. I love how they turned out and think they are a fun industrial-rustic-cottage accent for our living room. Plus useful, which is always my favorite!

When we cut up some of our backyard branches for cute little place card holders and table decor, I also found a larger branch to slice into coasters. Now, I know what you may be thinking: wouldn’t just leaving them ‘au naturel’ be the easiest way of all? To which I’d have to answer, of course! But aren’t the numbers fun? And they really only took me a few minutes to add using the super easy technique I finally came to after a craft-painting fail:

Sad, right? Ha! Sometimes you gotta just keep trying. I thought about not sharing this stage with you all – you know, to keep that illusion that everything always just turns out perfect the first time around here. Oh, wait – you didn’t think that? 😉

Well, crafting is fun, but sometimes there are little frustrations like the painted stencil that ran under the lines and looked silly. I have found, though, that often it’s the second (or third, fourth…) time that’s the charm and these wood slice coasters are the perfect example, because I love the final outcome much more than my first idea!

How to Make DIY Numbered Wood Slice Coasters

1. Materials (affiliate links included for your reference): 1/4 to 1/2″ wood slices cut from tree branches about 4″ around (ours wasn’t completely round and the slices are 3-1/2″ x 4″ and we cut them just like we did the place card holders), 1-inch number stencil (one of the stencils from this pack is what I used here), pencil, black permanent Sharpie marker, optional sanding block, clear spray topcoat, felt, glue gun (or purchased felt stickers). Note: if you are cutting your own wood slices, you will need to allow them to dry before crafting with them. It is important not to stack them, though, or they could mold. Dry in a single layer for about a week at a warm temperature. You can sand the edges and tops, if you want, before stenciling. I only sanded after since I wanted a rustic look.
2. Use pencil to outline number stencils on wood slices. You can center or add them to the side like I did.
3. Fill in the pencil outline with the permanent marker.
4. Optional: use a sanding block to gently blend the stenciled number. I liked how it made it look less like I had just drawn a number with a Sharpie, if you know what I mean. Do wait for the marker to dry first or it will bleed (the #6 above did, since I didn’t – but the others are fine).
5. Use a clear spray topcoat (or brush on a poly or whatever topcoat you have on hand) to add a couple light layers of protection to the tops of your stenciled coasters. Let dry completely.
6. Add felt to the bottom of the slices to protect table surfaces. You can add small pieces or purchased felt stickers, but I used what I had and simply covered the whole bottoms (to cover up my fail, too!) with felt circles I hot-glued onto the bottoms.

While I’m loving these for our own home, I think they would make fun gifts, too. And talk about inexpensive? I actually had all the materials already so these cost me nothing new to make. Okay, now that’s cheap – though thankfully not cheap-looking!

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I’m sharing this at Monday Funday and That DIY Party.