DIY Rustic Wooden Tray

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!

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How to Make A Rustic Wooden Tray

You Will Need:

Scrap Wood
Wood Saw
Wood Glue
Nails
Hammer
Paint
Paint Brush
Rope
Drill & Drill Bits

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 😉

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.

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!