Try This Pretty Pallet-style Serving Tray

Stephanie Abbott
by Stephanie Abbott
2 Materials
$10
2 Hours
Easy
I designed this DIY serving tray with backyard BBQ’s, pool parties, beach trips, and picnics in mind. It seems that it always takes 20 trips just to get everything outside for a meal. This tray is extra large and sturdy at 24″ x 21″. You can take all those dishes, utensils, condiments, and side dishes out at once.
Then just pop that loaded tray in the middle of the table. Everyone can grab from the tray, then load it up when it’s time to clean. Quick and Easy. You can even use it as a small tabletop for picnics and beach trips.
The best part of this project is that it works as backyard decor for our grill. It has that pallet-style look that everyone loves. Just display it on your back patio or BBQ whenever it’s not in use. Bonus!
I'm upcycling some old fence pickets the donkeys chewed on. But you can use normal 1x4 common board.
Cut 6 - 24" boards and 2 - 20" board. Then sand with 120-grit sandpaper.
Prime the board, then glue the top boards onto the shorter bottom boards. You want the bottom supports to be about an inch from the edge. And the top boards should be about a pencil-width apart to get the pallet look.
After the glue dries, paint both sides of the tray. Once the paint dries and you used enough coats to give it a finished look, apply a coat of water-based polyurethane, I used this one. (aff)
Let that dry, then attach handles through the top and bottom pieces. This will help the bottom boards carry the weight of the load and take some of the pressure off the glue.
This tray works as great backyard decor when not in use.
Loaded up for a family picnic. You can also see how I built this Patriotic utensil caddy on Hometalk.
Breakfast, anyone?
Suggested materials:
  • 1x4 common board
  • 2 cabinet pulls
Stephanie Abbott
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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  • Jim Thayer Jim Thayer on Jun 25, 2017

    Just for added strength, I would use my brad nailer on the boards in addition to glue.

    • Stephanie Abbott Stephanie Abbott on Jun 25, 2017
      I normally would but with the 2 boards along the bottom carrying the load, I don't see any resistance on the glue up. :)
  • Terry Terry on Jun 25, 2017

    Nice! I can't believe no one commented on the fact that your donkey chewed some of the boards. I was eating when I read that and almost choked laughing.

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