Cork To Barrel

44th Annual Spring Home Show

Kristin and I are currently attending the 44th Spring Home Show in Salem Virginia. It is a large show held at the Salem Civic Center in Southwest Virginia. The three day event spans Friday through Sunday. This is our first Home Show. Prior to the vent, we wondered if our business would fit the show venue. We have a 10x20 double booth in the Community Room. This room is seperate from the Arena, however a great location.

After our booth setup yesterday, I decided to stroll the arena to see the type of vendors the show had to offer. I was impressed by the diversity of home products offered. Everything from a/c systems, to tiles and windows, to landscaping. I also saw "non-home" businesses. There were companies such as Vitamix and even a company who sold massaging shoe insoles. These companies were very few and most did relate to the home building or home improvent process.

The day progressed and Kristin and I met so many wonderul folks. We had nothing but positive feedback regarding our products and display.

We hadnt realized that this particular event was judged. Three marketing professionals came by to assess our booth and display. Some of the categories judged were:

Originality/ Creativity
Information available on product
Product display
Use of exibit space

Later on that evening the three judges stopped back with an award for us. Cork to Barrel placed first in show. Wow, this was unexpected as we werent even sure this event would recieve us well. We will be displayed on the Home show facebook page and our display will be used in a promotional video for next years event.

Today we recieved a distributed flyer where we were recognized with our position.

We were even posted on the Roanoke Regional Homebuilers Association Facebook page!

https://www.facebook.com/#!/rrhba/posts/10152357120328746?stream_ref=10

Wine Barrel Bistro Table

For wine lovers who take great pleasure in displaying wine barrel furniture from of their own home, Cork to Barrel includes this bistro table appropriate for the occasion. Uniquely shaped staves and an inverted wine barrel lid are reclaimed to create this stylish furniture piece.

The wine barrels we use are retired from wineries in the state of Virginia and have been aged from years of making wine. Each component shows the red wine staining from the wine that was inside the barrel. Stave and lid shape, size, and color variation is to be expected depending on the size of the barrel and the variety of wine made in each particular barrel. As no two barrels are exactly the same, every finished product is unique!

Each barrel is broken down, the lids and staves are cut, and each piece is sanded and stained with a transparent finish which allows the natural variations in the wood to be seen. The table is then assembled and finished with several coats of a natural polymerized tung oil for luster and durability. The tung oil finish brings out the richness of the wood and gives a much nicer, more natural finish than a polyurethane product. Where some table tops have the lid showing the exterior of the barrel, some have the lid inverted where the red staining is displayed. Some of our barrel products may even have visible numbers or writing from their time spent in the vineyards.

Approximately 40" high. The tops vary between 20 and 24”. Made completely in the USA in the mountains of Virginia.

Optional 24” glass table tops are also available. Also see our stools that compliment this table well.

Wall Mounted Wine Bottle Rack

Keep your favorite wines corralled in this beautifully hand-crafted wine rack. This unique product holds up to four of your special bottles. This rack features Virginia barrel heads and staves accented by red wine staining. This decor will certainly bring a taste of wine country to your home.

There are many other wine racks on the market however these are unique because they are made completely with recycled/repurposed wine barrels. You can't get any more green than that!

The wine barrels we use are retired from wineries in the state of Virginia and have been aged from years of making wine. The components show the red wine staining from the inside of the barrel. No two barrels are the same, therefore every finished product is completely unique!

The wine barrel heads and staves are cut, sanded and stained, then finished with several coats of a natural polymerized tung oil for luster and durability. The tung oil finish brings out the richness of the wood and gives a much nicer, more natural finish than a polyurethane product. A keyhole is drilled on the backside of the rack for easy hanging.

The backside showing the keyhole

Approximately 22" high by 10" wide. Holds standard bottles only.Made completely in the USA.

Check out our Etsy store or contact us direct for ordering.

Cork Critter - Snowman Ornament

Now these are perfect for the holidays. These hand crafted snowman ornaments are made from recycled wine bottle corks. They are perfect for the holidays or any time! Hang them on the tree, stand them on the mantle, or give them as a gift. Each ornament comes with a hanging string as shown.

Custom Etched Melted Wine Bottles

This unique serving tray is created by melting a wine bottle in a glass kiln. Each bottle comes out a little different depending on the bottle type, size, color, and the type of mold used. The bottle when melted takes the shape of the mold it is fired in.
Our custom etched glass bottles are created by first melting the bottle, then sandblast etching a design or saying on it using a vinyl stencil. The bottle color range is from clear to green to cobalt blue and everything in between. The shape of the bottles also vary from straight necks to curved and can be wrapped with a decorative wire. If you have a saying or quote you would like etched on a bottle please contact us for pricing.

Here we have a stencil made for custom bottle for River Hill Stables.

Melted Wine Bottles - The Sea Glass Collection

This unique serving tray is created by melting a wine bottle in a glass kiln. Each bottle comes out a little different depending on the bottle type, size, color, and the type of mold used. The bottle when melted takes the shape of the mold it is fired in.
Our seaglass bottles are created by putting crushed seaglass into the bottle before firing. The bottle colors range from clear to light green to light blue. The shape of the bottles also vary from straight necks to curved and can be wrapped with a decorative wire.

These bottles make the perfect gift for any occasion such as birthday, housewarming, wedding, or anniversary gift.

This bottle has a curved neck so it can be used as a spoon rest.

This bottle was made into an incense holder

We melt a wire hook into the neck of some bottles for those who wish to hang their bottles.

Hand Wash only. Do not submerge. Visit our store for current selection or contact us with a request.

Wine Barrel Stave Serving / Sushi Platter

This handcrafted wood platter is made from the staves of a recycled wine barrel. It can be used to serve horsd'oeuvres, display fruit, cheeses or sushi.Or it can serve as a centerpiece on a coffee table.This will add a perfect touch of decor to your home, wine cellar or bar. It will surely be a conversation piece!

This platter is made from the staves of a recycled American Oak wine barrel. The barrel is dissassembled and an appropriate wide stave is chosen for the platter and 2 small staves for the footing. The assembly is sanded, and stained. It is then sealed and finished by hand rubbing multiple coats of a very fine tung oil.

Our wine barrels come from wineries throughout the state of Virginia and have been aged from years of making wine. Each platter is unique and the colors vary.
Underside

The platter measures approximately 16" long and 4-6" wide depending on the stave chosen.
The platter shown may or may not be the one you recieve. We try our best to make each one as beautiful as the next.

Order now for a great holiday or anytime gift!

Slumped Bottle Uses

At Cork to Barrel, we melt or "slump" our glass bottles by laying them on their side on a ceramic mold and placing them in a kiln. The kiln is heated to a very high temperature (about 1400 degrees) until the bottles melt. Gravity takes over and the bottles change shape. The kiln is turned off and the bottles are left to cool naturally. The bottles are removed the following day.

Recycling, "Upcycling", or repurposing wine, liquor, or beer bottles creates both a functional and decorative piece.

Some uses for our melted bottles include the following:

Incense Holder

Candle Holder

Soap Dish

Sun Catcher

Potpouri Holder

Spoon Holder

Serving Bowls:

Nachos & Salsa

Olives

Cheese & Crackers

Butter

Cranberry Sauce

Candy

Barrel Stave Candle Holders with Votives

Although a version of our barrel stave candle holders have been available for sale at certain festivals and through our Etsy store, they have never been posted on our website. This is because we have been striving to make our product with as much recycled material as possible. We are now offering a selection we are proud of.
The details of each version of the candle holders is soon to come. Here is a sneak peek of our 3 votive holder.

Cork Scarecrows

Here we have some hand crafted scarecrow plant stakes! Made from recycled wine bottle corks. Keep those pesky birds away from your plants. Put them in the pot for that creative touch, label vegatables in the garden, or give them as gifts.

Visit our Etsy store for ordering or contact us direct.

Cork Ornament - Horse

These hand crafted horse ornaments are made from recycled wine bottle corks. Check out that little cowboy hat! They ornaments perfect for the holidays or any time! Hang them on the tree, in the car, stand them on the mantle, or give them as a gift. Each ornament comes with a hanging string as shown.

Cork Ornament - Dog

These hand crafted dog figurinea can be used for display or as an ornament. They are made from recycled wine bottle corks. They are perfect for the holidays or any time! Hang them on the tree, stand them on the mantle, or give them as a gift. Each figurine comes with a hanging string as shown.

Cork Ornament - Reindeer

These nifty hand crafted reindeer ornaments are made from recycled wine bottle corks. They are perfect for the holidays or any time! Hang them on the tree, stand them on the mantle, or give them as a gift. Each ornament comes with a hanging string as shown.

Order now for a great holiday or anytime gift!
Check out our Etsy Store for ordering or email us direct.

Wood Finishes

We take great pride in our products and the finishes we use to preserve many of them are the best of the best.

We work with a "Green" company in Vermont called Sutherland Welles Ltd. We use their interior and exterior polymerized tung oils. Each of the products that we use their products get 2 coats of sealer made from the diluted tung oil, and at least 2 coats of the tung oil full strength. While the product we use may cost more than the products found in the "big box" stores, we feel that our wood products deserve the application from the superior product found from this company.

Our products that get this application include the:

Wine Barrel Coolers
Stave Candle Holders
Stave Platters
Stave Wine Butlers
Barrel Head Lazy Susans
End tables
Bar Stools
Hanging Sconces

A Polymerized Tung Oil finish is hard yet flexible, waterproof and impervious to alcohol and many food acids. Polymerized Tung oil as a penetrating oil allows wood to continue its aging process and to develop its patina. The wood’s rich color and grain are enhanced by the natural ambering (coloring) of Polymerized Tung oil over time. Any sign of wear disappears when a thin “maintenance” coat of oil is rubbed in. The maintenance coats, rather than cause a build-up, actually improve the patina as they protect and preserve the wood. A floor, a piece of furniture, or any other wood object finished and maintained with Polymerized Tung Oil will never have to be stripped again. The finish will become more beautiful with time.

In recent years, those who appreciate the warm richness of beautiful wood have begun to realize what the ancient Chinese knew; turned into a finishing product, Tung Oil is the finest natural wood finish in existence and has yet to be duplicated synthetically!

Sutherland Welles Ltd. ® Pure Polymerized Tung Oil is the perfect choice when creating the finest hand-rubbed finish. Our unique process of polymerization involves “cooking” raw tung oil, a non-edible vegetable oil, to its “maximum thermal threshold”. This sophisticated polymerization process develops both the ultimate hand-rubbed sheen and the curing capabilities of a quality finish without adding varnishes or urethanes.

www.sutherlandwelles.com

Oak Wine Barrel End Table with Shelf

Make a unique statement in your home with this Wine Barrel Arched End Table made entirely from reclaimed Virginia Oak wine barrels.

This great conversation piece features the natural crimson color of Virginia red wine that was stored inside the barrel. When the barrels are disassembled and dried, we sand the underside of the barrel head and the inside of the staves. We eliminate the roughness of the wood but not so much as to take away the rustic charm. The outside surface is also sanded to show off the natural oak grain.

The table can be used as an end table or bistro table. The two heights we offer are 25 inches and 34 inches. The top of the table is created from the barrel head which is approximately 20 to 24” as barrel heads vary. You can see the rich wine stained color on the inside of the thick arched legs and the cross brace created from the staves. A shelf is created below the top also made from the staves.

Our end tables are sealed and finished with multiple coats of an Earth friendly hand rubbed tung oil from Vermont. This beautiful finish is designed for indoor use.

A chess / checker game board can be added to the table top. We make a different variations of this table, so be sure to check them out as well.

Recycled Wine Bottle Cork Trivet

Here we have a unique 8 ¼ x 8 ¼ oak framed trivet using recycled corks. A custom high quality Ravello travertine decorative tile in the center has a grape motif which accentuates the piece. The corks used are from Virginia wineries.

This trivet is a perfect accessory for any wine lover's kitchen or home. The wood frame has an interior polymerized tung oil added to protect and to bring out the natural look of the wood. Small protective feet on the bottom of the trivet protect your table or counter.

Due to the differences in types of corks and staining, your trivet may vary from the one pictured. We have a very limited number of these trivets due to the rarity of the tile.