Wood Tray Upcycle with Rulers

Do you have a wood tray that could use a good upcycle?  Here’s a quick project for you. (Hint: This could also make a unique teacher gift!)

I had a sad little unstained wood tray sitting around my craft room.  What should I do with it?  Then I spied my collection of colorful yardsticks that I’ve picked up at thrift stores and yard sales.  They are usually only a quarter.  I didn’t know what I’d do with them when I bought them, but the color, patina and history of the pieces were so inspiring.

So, the boring wood tray and the colorful rulers came together for a unique upcycle.

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Stain or Paint the Tray

My tray has a dark walnut finish now, which contrasts nicely with the bright rulers.

Cut the Yardsticks

Admittedly, this is the hardest part.  If you have a table saw, it won’t be difficult.  If you don’t have a table saw, you could still cut these by hand and then sand the rough edges.

I tried to mix and match the cuts for these rulers so that the numbers were not always lined up with the previous piece.

Attach the Yardsticks

E6000 glue is a great choice for a project like this.  It dries clear but has a super strong bond.

There you have it!  Simple DIY with great results.

This item sold quickly in my Etsy shop when I listed it for sale.  Do you enjoy crafting?  Maybe you’ve thought about opening an Etsy shop?  Then you’ll want to check out my ebook that walks you through the steps of opening up your shop and creating your first listings.

>>>Grab the ebook here.<<<