How to Make Wood Trivets That Fold

Trivets protect countertops and tables from the damage that results from setting hot plates, serving dishes or even pots and pans down for a few minutes. The heat can leave a permanent stain behind, ruining a piece in which we may have a high emotional or financial interest. Trivets become easier to store when you can fold them away.

Things You'll Need

• Dowels
• Miter box
• Miter saw
• Scrap wood
• Jigsaw
• Sandpaper
• Paint, varnish or other finish
• 2 hinges with hardware

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Instructions

• 1

  Place a dowel into one edge of a miter box. Slide the miter saw in at the desired angle; for trivet legs, 22.5, 45 or 90 degrees all work well. Cut off at least four pieces off, all at the same miter angle; no piece should be thicker than 1/2 inch.

• 2

  Cut a round trivet top out of scrap wood using a jigsaw. If you have any slight bumps marring your circle, sand them away with sandpaper as needed. Also sand the top and bottom of the trivet.

• 3

  Apply any desired paint or varnish. At minimum, apply a waterproof finish so the trivet will not warp over time.

• 4

  Cut the round piece of wood in half, and turn it over. Apply the legs with wood glue, two to a half. If you didn't use a 90-degree angle, turn the legs so their angles all point inward.

• 5

  Put two hinges along the line splitting the semicircles in half. Attach the hinges to both halves of the trivet using screws or the hardware provided.