How to Decoupage Wood Serving Trays
Tatty wood trays found at flea markets or garage sales may still have a good deal of life in them if they're given a makeover. Refinish old-fashioned wood trays with a fresh coat of paint and a new decoupaged surface to make them funky and modern again. Whether you display them around your house or put them to work transporting food and drinks from one room to another, they'll look fresh, clean and stylish.
Things You'll Need
- Wood tray
- Fine sandpaper
- Acrylic paint
- Paintbrushes
- Scissors
- Magazines
- Gift wrap or scrapbook paper (optional)
- Decoupage medium
Instructions
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Sand the tray with fine sandpaper to remove old, cracked or damaged varnish or paint. Paint the tray with acrylic paint if you want colored handles or a colored background. Allow the paint to dry.
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Cut images from books or magazines. Any kind of images are suitable. If you can't find pictures you like in magazines, cut up gift wrap or scrapbook paper, or print your own images on plain computer paper.
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Coat the back of each image with decoupage medium, and then lay it into position on the base of the tray. If you wish to also decoupage the handles, take particular care when folding images around curves. Smooth out air bubbles with your fingers.
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Continue to lay the images next to each other, working on one section of the tray at a time. Overlap images, or turn some upside down so the design looks correct when viewed from all directions. Allow the glued images to dry completely.
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Paint the whole surface of the tray with decoupage medium. Allow this to dry, then give the tray two more coats, allowing each to dry before applying the next, to create a tough, moisture-resistant surface.
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Tips & Warnings
Choose a paint color that matches the theme of the images, or choose one color that's common among the pictures. Painting the tray in a matching color helps coordinate and complete the design.
References
- Photo Credit Hemera Technologies/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images
