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DIY Rustic Wood Tray

DIY Rustic Wooden Tray

May 30, 2016 - No Comments - 4 min read

With the kitchen under renovation, we’ve been forced to eat microwave meals for the last couple of months on account of not having an oven or anywhere to wash pots. It’s been a little awkward to say the least and I realised one thing we really needed to make our lives a little easier, was a tray to eat from. So I’m making my very own DIY Rustic Wooden Tray!

Believe it or not, we’ve never actually owned a dining table in our five years of home ownership (shock horror!). So this project has been a long time coming!

The DIY rustic wood tray will be great for morning breakfasts in bed as well as pigging out in front of the TV and even summer alfresco dining. I hope you love it too – and if you want to make your own, then keep reading!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which allows me to receive a commission if you visit a link and buy something on my recommendation. Purchasing via an affiliate link doesn’t cost you any extra, and I only recommend products I have bought or used myself.

How to Make A Rustic Wooden Tray

You Will Need:

How to build a wooden tray

Cut Wood to Size

I’m using a scrap length of wood that we found in the attic when we first moved in.

I absolutely love aged rustic wood and thought this would be perfect for this DIY. I think it might have been an old floorboard!

I cut the wood into three lengths to make the base and then cut the same measurements again, but this time cutting the wood down the middle to make the frame a little shorter in height.

You can use any wood for this project and although newer wood wont be rustic in appearance, you can always age it yourself for a similar look.

How to build a rustic tray

Paint The Edges of the Tray

I really wanted to add a splash of colour without losing that rustic feel, so I decided to paint the frame of the tray, but keep the base as raw wood.

I gave the wood a bit of a sand first where it was a little rough and then used a wood paint over the top.

The one I’m using is a chalk paint (sadly now discontinued!), but you can use any good wood paint.

everlong chalk paint
cricket pitch everlong paint

Glue the Wood Together

To give the base some added stability, I’ve used some gorilla glue between each piece of wood and then clamped the three pieces together until they dried.

This glue is super heavy duty and really strong! Once it’s dried, it’s really hard to break apart and it also dries clear so wont be seen either.

gorilla glue on wood

Attach the Sides to the Base

To attach the frame/edges of the tray, I’ve just used some nails to attach it to the base. The nails can be painted over later and you’ll never know they’re there.

I used quite a few nails as obviously you want the whole thing to be as sturdy as possible! It was a little fiddly keeping the whole thing stable and together whilst hammering, so if you don’t have a clamp at hand it might be worth getting a helping hand for this part.

how to make a rustic wooden tray

Add Some Rope Handles

I’m using some thick rope for handles for this as it’s super cheap and goes with the whole rustic look I’m aiming to achieve.

We drilled some holes before feeding the rope through and tying a knot on the inside. If you’re wondering how secure the whole thing now is, well secure enough to hold the weight of a small spaniel that’s for sure 😉

DIY rustic tray
Spaniel on Tray

Apply Some Wax or Oil

Finally, I painted over the nails to make them disappear and then buffed the paint to add a more satin finish. I also added some wax to the base to bring out those grains in the wood.

If you plan on placing unwrapped exposed food onto the tray, ideally you want to use a food-safe wax or oil. John Lewis used to do a brilliant butchers block wax but sadly I think it’s been dis-continued!

I recommend using something suitable for wooden kitchen worktops if you’re unsure.

Wax on Rustic Wood

Lastly, all that’s left to do – is put it to use! I’m pretty chuffed with how it all turned out, the green colour and dark wood work really well together and the handles add an extra little natural touch.

I love how the wood feels with all its grains and lines from being cut on a band saw once upon a time. It looks old yet new and I think this little tray will get heaps of use!  

Rope handles on rustic tray
DIY rustic tray with green edges
rope handles on wood tray
How to make a rustic wooden tray
tray made from scrap wood
interior style: rustic tray for morning breakfasts
DIY rustic wooden tray

What do you think? Is a Rustic Tray your cup of tea?

*The paint used in this project was gifted.

**This post also contains some affiliate links.

Kezzabeth

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Hi - I'm Kezzabeth! Self-taught DIYer, Renovator and Blogger on a mission to turn our house into a home. Seven years ago I was clueless and skill-less, but since then I've learnt how to build, tile, plumb and more. This is my little place on the web where I share everything I've learnt so you can learn too. Read More

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Disclaimer

DIY Content: We’re not builders or experts in the trade industry, so please take any information on this blog as a rough guide and just our own experiences. This blog relates to our home only and you should always consult a professional in you’re in any doubt of work. Please also be aware Building Regulations change often, so always do your own research as well.
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