Make a Serving Tray from Pallet Wood!

Have you ever spotted a discarded pallet on a curb? Why not adopt it and transform it into something beautiful and useful?  When we picked-up some old pallets several months ago, my mind began racing as to what we could build with it.  Our first project was this chic rustic tray made entirely from pallet wood.

We love it!  Last month it was a centerpiece for my Thanksgiving tablescape.  Today, it gets used often to serve hot chocolate or tea.

SIZE:
- 13.5 by 26 inches

NEEDED SUPPLIES:
- A wooden pallet
- A skill saw
- Small nails
- Wood glue
- A hammer
- Drawer handles (2)
- Two small strips of felt or fabric

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Disassemble the pallet.  I really recommend cutting the wood rather than trying to remove the strips by taking out the nails.  They are TOUGH to get out!  A skill saw made the removal incredibly easier.

2) Cut the boards into four 18-inch strips and four 8-inch strips.  Also cut an additional two 10-inch boards for the cross-joints on the bottom of the tray (so 10 pieces total)

3) Lay-out the tray on a flat surface according to the diagram below.

4).  Place the 2 cross joints (10 inch boards) perpendicular to the other boards as shown in the diagram.  The center of each cross board should be 8 inches from the outside edge of the tray.

Note:  I also placed extra thin strips of wood closer

to the edges to give the tray a little more sturdiness.

5)  Place wood glue on the cross joints and nail them in place.

6) Stain seal the tray to your taste.

7) Attach the handles and glue felt or some sort of fabric to the bottom of the cross joints.  This will keep the nail heads from scratching surfaces when you use the tray.

My tray is tinted with this Rust-Oleum
golden mahogany stain applied with a rag.
 I then sealed the tray with a satin varnish.

There you have it!  A beautifully made rustic tray.  Enjoy it for tea!

Linked up here:
Transformation Thursday, 733 blog, Whatever Goes Wednesday, A Bowl Full of Lemons, All Things With Purpose, Embracing Change