Easy DIY Circular Serving Tray

6 Materials
$10
1 Day
Easy

Looking for a beginner friendly wood working project? Then this easy DIY circular serving tray is the perfect project for you! The best part is it’s super budget savvy to make. I see you, you with the itch to make something amazing but not quite sure where to start. Maybe you don’t have all the fancy tools yet but you are ready to start creating! If that sounds like you then you have come to the right place! If you do have the fancy tools but just want a cool project then this is the right place for you too, don't worry. Lately, I have been getting lots of questions from yall about what a good beginner woodworking project would be, well this is it! I have been seeing these beautiful circular serving trays everywhere & have been wanting one so badly, but not $50 badly. So I decided to just DIY my own, using Blue Ridge tools you can find right at Target!

Supplies:


  • -(1) 1x4x8
  • -Jigsaw
  • -Sander 
  • -Measuring Tape
  • -Screwdriver
  • -Stain
  • -Pencil
  • -Twine
1. Cutting The 1x4


Start by cutting the 1x4 into 5 pieces using the jigsaw. (1)17” (2)16 1/2” (2)13”

2. Attaching Tray Pieces


Attach each piece together using Gorilla Glue. Attach them in this order: 13”/16 ½”/17”/16 ½”/13”. You could also use pocket holes & screws if this tray was going to be used to carry anything super heavy.

3. Clamping The Pieces Together


Use clamps to secure the boards together & also to the table. Make sure they are flush on top, you don't want the boards to dry uneven. Let the glue dry overnight. 

4. Mark The Center


Now measure & mark the center of the 17” board. This should be about 8 ½ inches in.

5. Creating The Circle Jig


Using a battery-powered screwdriver or drill, screw a thin screw into where you just marked the board. This is where you are going to tie one end of your twine. The twine should be half the length of the tray, 8 ½ inches. 

6. Drawing The Tray Outline


Attach a pencil to the other end of the twine. Now draw a circle, keeping the pencil perpendicular to the board. This will be the outline we will use to cut it out.

7. Cutting Out The Circle


Using the jigsaw, cut out the circle. It doesn't need to be perfectly circular yet, better to cut a little outside the lines & finish with the sander. 

8. After The Jigsaw


This is how it looked after I got done cutting it with the jigsaw, but don't worry it will look more circleish soon!

9. Sanding Down The Tray


Using a sander smooth all the edges & sand down any areas that are outside the original lines. Keep the sander moving, if you let it sit in one spot it will create a flat spot & we don't want that!

10. Staining The Tray


Now it's time to sand the tray. I used Minwax Gel Stain in Hickory. You can apply the stain with a microfiber cloth or a brush.

11. Attaching The Hardware


Attaching the handles was a breeze using the Blue Ridge battery-powered screwdriver. These simple black handles are from Lowes & the perfect accent to my farmhouse tray. 

Ta-Da


Finished Tray

An easy DIY circular serving tray made using all tools you can find right at Target for a budget-savvy price.

Let know below if you have any questions & your favorite way to decorate these fun farmhouse trays!


Disclosure ~This post is part of a paid partnership with Blue Ridge Tools, but like always these opinions are my own~

Resources for this project:
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Lia with Southern Yankee DIY
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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Frequently asked questions
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  1 question
  • Candace Candace on May 11, 2020

    Hi Lia, I am one of those who wants to learn how to work with wood and tools.

    But I don’t have a workbench and there are many to choose from. Dif you use on on the circular tray or did you set your materials up without one , yet still safely? At sometime, I’d like to learn to use a circular saw and would new a work bench, but what would I be looking for that I could still use as my skills grew?

    Thank you so much!

    Cee



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