Photo by Sarah Walor
This handmade serving tray just might outshine the appetizers at your next get-together. Once you see how easy it is to create, you’ll want to make another as a hostess gift.
Note: You should not put food directly onto the chalkboard paint. Use small dishes or even wax paper to keep your food safe.
Supplies You'll Need
- A piece of wood
- Chalkboard paint
- 2 foam brushes
- Painter’s tape
- Wood stain
- 2 drawer pulls with screws
- Drill
Instructions
1. Decide what size you would like the tray to be and find a piece of wood. I picked up a piece of red oak from the hardware store that measured 1” x 8” x 24,” with no cutting required. If you can’t find the exact length you want, most hardware stores will cut the wood to size for free.
2. Sand the piece of wood. Make sure to get the edges and corners, which are usually a little rough.
3. Stain the wood. Using a foam brush, apply an even coat of wood stain to both sides and to all the edges of the wood. Then wipe off any excess stain with an old rag or paper towels. Allow the stain to dry.
4. Apply painter’s tape around the edges of the wood. Use 1-inch tape and make a border all along the outside edges of the top of the board. Make sure to push the tape down well to create a tight seal so the paint won’t leak through.
5. Paint the top of the board with chalkboard tape. Using a foam brush, paint two to three coats of chalkboard paint on the top of the board. Make sure you stir the paint well before each coat and allow it to dry between coats. Once the final coat has dried, remove the painter’s tape.
6. Add the drawer pulls. Decide where you want the drawer pulls to sit on the tray and mark the spot where the screws will go. Drill screw holes with a drill bit that is about the same width as the screws. Then flip the board over and, using a drill bit the same width as the screw heads, drill a wider hole on top of the small holes. This will countersink the screws so that the screw heads are flush with the board and don’t stick out.
7. Now invite some friends over. Have a party to showoff your new creation.
Karen Guard is the blogger behind Darling Octopus (darlingoctopus.com). In each issue, she tackles a new do-it-yourself project for R•Home.
