How and from what you can make a tray with your own hands?

Wooden trays look great in the interior of the kitchen and are convenient to use. They are easy to make with your own hands. A stylish wooden accessory can be purchased at the store, but the price of a quality and beautiful product will be high. Even if you do not have special creative abilities, you can create a home-made tray for coffee, tea, breakfast in bed.

There are quite a few options: with and without handles, with sides, legs, with interesting decor. It is enough to make the correct drawings according to the model and use the master class, and then decorate the product to your liking. You can make a tray not only from wood cut, but also from improvised materials: cardboard (for example, a cardboard box), plywood, champagne corks, jute and even paper.

First of all, you need to think about what material your tray will be made of. Not every kind of tree is suitable for this. If you decide to use a saw cut, the following types of wood are suitable:

• oak;
• maple;
• alder;
• cherry;
• Linden;
• Birch tree.

The tray itself is a simple structure, consisting of a bottom of a flat type, with sides at the edges. To make the sides you can use:

• boards;
• slats
• frames for photos and pictures;
• the doors to the table.

If the choice fell on plywood, then making a tray out of it is very simple, thanks to the flexibility of the material. Remember that such a tray will not be too durable and durable. Plywood is used as a material for the manufacture of interior items that do not have practical application.

You can start working with a tree if you have:

• sandpaper;
• furniture stapler;
• glue gun;
• screwdriver;
• jigsaw;
• Ruler and pencil;
• saw.

That is, you must have tools for the following actions:

• plotting and taking measurements;
• cutting, drilling;
• fastenings.

Before proceeding directly to manufacture, you must create a drawing, sketch. You can choose the way that is more convenient for you:

• choose raw materials and build on its capabilities;
• create a sketch with measurements and select material for it.

In any case, first think over all the parameters for the future tray. The product should not be heavy and uncomfortable to use, otherwise it will be inconvenient to move. After that, you should determine the functionality - the product can be equipped with legs, sides, handles. In fact, a multi-function tray can play the role of a small table.

The drawing should indicate not only the dimensions, but also the mounting location. If you are using plywood, consider:

• places where the accessories will be located and fixed;
• width and length;
• the thickness of the base and sides is also taken into account.

Products of a more complex type, for example, from natural wood, are created on the basis of drawings, including:

• places of attachment of legs, handles, joints;
• points of placement of accessories, decor;
• thickness of all materials used.

After creating the drawing, you can begin practical work. Prepare fasteners, elements for docking. To make a simple tray with sides, just follow the simplified algorithm:

• a rectangle of the sizes that were supposed to be cut;
• prepare a frame along the length of the base;
• fix the handles on the frame;
• decorate the bottom of the tray;
• connect the frame and the base together.

More complicated designs of portable tables, trays with legs are created by approximately the same algorithm.

Decorative items such as pens are purchased at furniture supermarkets. The stage of decorating is one of the last, select elements for decoration according to the taste chosen by the style. It is necessary to take into account the interior mood of the kitchen. The final stage is varnishing, staining of the tray using water-repellents.

Creating this model with legs requires a certain skill in working with tools. The option is quite multifunctional, perfectly replaces a small table. Can be made from plywood, boards. It is necessary to prepare such materials:

• a board or plywood in the shape of a rectangle, size 40 to 70;
• 4 meter metal tubes;
• 15 mm angles - 8 pcs.;
• 15 mm gaskets - 4 pcs.;
• stain, varnish for coating.

Manufacturing steps:

• the tubes are cut so that the edges are even, you will need 4 pipes of 6 cm, 4 pieces of 25 cm and 19 cm, 2 pieces of 58 cm;
• 25-centimeter pipes are combined with 6-centimeter corners, fixed with glue;
• the resulting handles are superimposed on the attachment point, the joints are marked;
• holes are made at these points according to the diameter;
• the material is sanded with sandpaper, then processed with varnish, stain;
• gaskets are attached to the holes and fixed with glue;
• ready-made pens are inserted;
• legs are attached to the finished countertop from segments of 58- and 19-centimeter racks;
• the legs are connected with corners with tubes of 25 cm;
• everything is fixed with glue.

This option is suitable for beginners. In addition to the picture itself, you will need:

• 2 door handles, it is better if they are of the original form;
• plywood;
• self-tapping screws and screwdriver.

The canvas is glued to it and varnished. After drying, fix with screws.

The method is also simple to execute, you will need a frame of the right size, plywood or cardboard base. Algorithm of actions:

• cardboard and glass are removed;
• holes are drilled in the frame, into which furniture handles sit on screws;
• a plywood base is created in size;
• at the next stage, the base is decorated, the factory cardboard can also be decorated by inserting it back;
• decor is fixed on plywood with glue;
• glass is inserted.

To make this original tray you will need:

• champagne corks - 100 pcs;
• Super glue;
• glass.

Algorithm of actions:

• with a knife, divide the cork in two;
• fold them into the base and connect them together with superglue;
• put plexiglass on top and cut to size;
• build the sides of the corks that are left intact, fasten to the glue.

It all depends on your imagination, taste and skills. If you know how to draw, then painting the tray is not difficult. You can design a pattern not only the bottom, but also the side walls of the tray. Painting is carried out with acrylic or oil paints; at the end of the work, it is varnished.

Among the unusual ways of decorating are photos and rose petals. First you need to stick a flower photo on the bottom of the tray, then put petals on it, sprinkle the distance between the petals with beads. After that, it is simple enough to fill everything with clear varnish.

Do not be afraid to experiment, the most non-trivial elements can act as decor:

• mosaic;
• shreds, wool;
• postcards;
• leaves and flowers;
• straw;
• mat.

Pens can also be very effective. Then, instead of purchased hardware, the following are used:

• weaving newspaper tubes;
• corks from wine bottles;
• leather belts;
• handles made of plastic, wrapped in towline.

The legs are made not only of metal tubes, but also PVC pipes, which are painted as desired. You can use wooden dowels.

You can simply apply a slate type chalk coating to a regular board. This option in combination with a tree looks very original.

Mosaic decor is suitable for patient people, the work is painstaking, albeit simple. It is enough to stick pieces of various materials on the base:

• shells;
• broken glass;
• pebbles;
• egg shells, beautifully painted;
• tile fragments;
• paper of different colors, cut into pieces.

Parts can be fixed with standard glue of the “Moment” type. The product is covered with a fixing coating.

On how to make a tray with your own hands, see further.