Table Top Tray DIY
I’ve searched high and low for a cute little tray to put on our kitchen island. There are a lot of styles and materials out there but I was looking for the perfect one. If you’re anything like me, you’ll understand what I mean when I say, “I like what I like and I know what I don’t.” Although I can’t always imagine it, I know it’s always out there. I wanted something a bit unique but nothing that I’d want to throw out in just a few months. That’s when I stumbled across THIS ONE.
I immediately fell in love with it. While the style isn’t super unique, I love the twist on the modern design with the super chunky round legs. Despite loving the tray itself, I didn’t love the price. Unwilling to spend so much money, I decided to make my own.
Materials:
Chunky ball legs - THESE are the absolute cheapest I could find for this size. Bonus: they run sales all the time.
15in round tray - I got THIS ONE from Lowes but Michael’s also has THIS ONE if you’d like to do a one-stop-shop.
Stain or paint - color of your choice
Wood glue
Sealer - my favorite HERE
Let’s get started
PICK YOUR STAIN OR PAINT COLOR - I started by staining the tray top and legs Ebony Black by Rust-Oleum. When I first started trying my hand in house projects, staining always seemed overwhelming. Now that I’ve gotten used to it, I find it to be nearly as forgiving as paint. I typically use an old rag to rub it in and rub it off. I go over it a few times depending on how dark I’d like the color to be. When deciding between paint and stain, I always go by the material I’m applying it to. If the wood is in good shape and doesn’t need to be filled, I will typically stain the piece. I love how the stain lets the natural grain show through.
ADD THE LEGS - Once everything is stained to your liking, it’s time to add the chunky legs. To ensure they’d stay put, I sanded the top of the ball down a bit. This gave me a small but flat surface to work with. I added some wood glue and stuck them down. In an attempt to get everything to come out as even and level as possible, I measured how far in each leg ball was and how far apart it was from the next. Each ball is placed about 2 inches into the tray on mine.
TIP: To let the glue dry better, I did this entire process upside down. I held everything down with a scrap piece of wood and my super formal technique of barbells. The added weight ensures that the glue adheres to the tray.
TOP COAT - After everything was dry, I committed to doing the final step that I always skip and regret later on — the finishing coat. THIS polyurethane goes on a little milky so you can see where you’ve applied it but it dries incredibly clear. I love the matte and satin finishes.
And viola. You’ll now have a little tray table that you can move all over your house for whatever purpose you need it for!
Original inspiration: $75
DIY PRICE: under $20 with Michael’s 30% off sale
*I already had the stain, wood glue, and protective coat
Looking for something you can quickly buy?
Looking for other fun craft projects?
Check out THIS fun DIY ball mirror project!
