DIY – Coconut Shell Bowls on Wooden Base

I’ve made my Malibu snow cocktail a few times in the last few weeks and so I got these coconut shells. I wanted to make something out of them and this is what I came up with: coconut shell bowls on wooden base. They can be used for storing everything (small items) from keys, beauty products, phones, jewelry or just as a decor item.

To make these, you’ll need: 4 coconut shells (2 coconuts), a piece of wood, a small knife, a wood (hand) scraper, sandpaper, clean cloth, lacquer, felt-glides, silicone adhesive, something to weight the coconut shells down while the adhesive sets (Not too big, but a bit heavier. I used stones.) and acrylic paint.

Take the coconut shells. Remove the flesh (using a small knife) from the shells. First, sand them smooth inside. Then you can use some kind of a scraper to scrape off as much husk as possible from the outside of the coconut shells and then sand them smooth with sandpaper. Sand the bottom a little more to flatten. Clean the coconut shells and coat them outside with lacquer. Let them dry (for about 30 minutes).

Take the piece of wood. Round off sharp edges and smooth all edges with (the file – if needed and) sandpaper, clean and coat with lacquer. Let dry. When dry, place felt-glides on the bottom of the wood.

Then glue each coconut shell, one at a time, onto the wood, using silicone adhesive. Weight the coconut bowls down and let the adhesive dry according to the package directions. (I had to leave it for 24 hours.)

And now – leave the bowls natural (just coat the inside with lacquer, too) or paint them inside with your chosen color. (I made a set of silver and a set of golden coconut bowls.) Let the paint dry and you’re done.

This DIY project is actually quite easy to make. It takes some time, but I think it’s worth it. I really like my new storage bowls and they also make a lovely gift, don’t you think?

p.s.: You might also like this DIY Wall Art.