I made a DIY rope handle tray to share with you guys today. It’s been a whirlwind of a week returning from vacation only to leave 3 days later for the SNAP Bloggers conference in Salt Lake City. I had no vision or the faintest idea of what my project was going to look like when I started. All I knew was I needed to make a tray…and fast!
Why a tray? Because this month’s Power Tool Challenge is all about trays. Seriously, the entire team was challenged to come up with a design and make a wood tray. Trays make great gifts and Mothers Day is around the corner. The weather outside is beautiful and how fun is it to serve dinner or evening refreshments on a pretty new tray?
You can make a DIY rope handle tray in a few hours, start to finish like mine. It’s an easy project with just a few wood cuts which is great if you’re pressed for time like I was 😉 You’ll find my tutorial to make my beach rope handled wood tray at the end of my post below.
First things first, let’s see what the team created for this month’s Tray Challenge. Click on any of the links to go to that tutorial and DIY serving tray project.
Designed Décor – DIY Serving Tray
Interior Frugalista – DIY Farmhouse Tray
H2OBungalow – Coastal Rope Handle Tray Tutorial
Virginia Sweet Pea – DIY Farmhouse Style Tray
My Repurposed Life – DIY Tray Using Metal Tiles
My Love 2 Create – DIY Chalkboard Serving Tray
Create And Babble – DIY Wooden Quilt Square Tray
The Kim Six Fix – Easy Hexagonal Tray
Domestically Speaking – DIY Coastal Tray
Pretty awesome projects aren’t they? I’d be hard pressed to pick a favorite. Are you ready to see how to make one like mine?
If you love coastal decor projects you will love my whale bench and how to paint graphics on furniture with a free fish graphic , this DIY Seashell Decor, and my School of Fish project too.
How To Make a Simple DIY Rope Handle Tray
Supplies needed to make a DIY wood tray with rope handles. I use affiliate links to help you find the products I used. If you make a purchase I get a small commission at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting the overhead costs of H2OBungalow.
- 6 – 1” x 3” pine boards cut to 18”
- 2 – 1” x 3” pine boards cut to 14”
- 2 yards – 1” rope
- miter saw
- drill
- forstner bit
- palm sander
- nail gun
- brad nails 1 ¼”
- wood glue
- paint
Step #1 Cut the boards to size.
My tray is 18” x 14”, if you want a different size tray just cut 6 boards the length of the tray you want and two for the ends at the width you’d like. Be sure to square the ends of the boards before measuring for your cuts.
Step #2 Age it, sand away!
Use a palm sander to soften all the hard edges. Sand the tray side pieces as well as the tray bottom. It’s easier to sand the tray before assembling the pieces and the wood takes on a better naturally aged appearance.
Step #3 Mark the handle holes
Make a mark 4 ½” from the ends and halfway in from a side for the handles. I love my Kreg measuring tool for these kind of jobs, just set it and quickly mark the places. Can we say timesaver!
Step #4 Add handle holes to tray ends
A forstner bit will make a clean large round hole. My rope is 1” so I used a 1” bit. I found the the easiest way to use the forstner bit was to set my torque low, about 4 and switch to the impact feature which is the #1 on the top of the Ryobi 18 volt drill. Use medium and steady pressure to make the cut. Also when your drilling a hole in a board if you clamp another board under the one your drilling to get cleaner edges.
Step #5 Assemble the tray
Assemble the two long sides first. Attach a side to a bottom board with a bead of glue and brad nails. Line up the rest of the wood tray bottom boards and attach the DIY wood tray sides.
Step #6 Tie It Up, add the rope handles
Each knot will use about 10” of 1 “ rope. Be sure to test how long you’d like your handles to be and add 20” for the knots before cutting your rope. I added glue to the ends of my rope and tightly wound packing tape around them to keep them from fraying.
Step #7 Add some personality with paint and stencils
I used craft paint with a few stencils I had on hand for the center. I made this wood tray with scraps from my wood pile so the base was already tea stained. Find directions in my How To Tea Stain Wood Post Here. The sides were raw wood and they didn’t look right next to the pretty patina of the wood base. I took water based brown stain and watered it down even more and randomly brushed it along the tray sides. Next I dry brush some paint on using both the white and blue paint I used for the stenciled center.
Pin this project for later!
I think my new DIY rope handle tray turned out super cute, especially since I had no plan or idea what type of tray I was going to make. It’s making e want to pull out our BBQ supplies, invite some friends over and start enjoying our backyard before the FL heat gets overwhelming.
How about you? How about you? Are you ready to start enjoying outside weather …maybe with a new DIY rope handle tray you’ve just whipped up?
Other projects you may enjoy
DIY Key West DIY Wood Planter Box
Brenda says
Thank you Wendi.
Brenda says
How may I print out photos and instructions on the wood projects without having to take screenshots of each section ?
Wendi says
Hi Brenda, That’s a good question. I don’t have printable directions for my projects at this time. I usually have them for larger build projects. Thanks for your questions. I’ll definitely keep that feature in mind for future projects and blog updates. Good luck with the tray project, it’s beautiful when it’s done.
Linda at Mixed Kreations says
What a cute tray! The rope handles, and stencil fits perfectly for the beachy coastal look. Love it!
Wendi says
Hi Linda! Thanks so much. I’ve used this tray many times already this season and it’s been a pretty addition to our summer decor. Especially since it’s oversized. I love the look of the rope handles too. Thanks so much for your visit!
JaneEllen says
Love your tray, turned out perfectly. Love the size.. and the rope handles, oh my. Did you use one stencil for the bottom of tray and where did you get it?, love” beach” lettering.
Sure hope you get chance to take it little easier when you return home from blog conference, you need it.
Loved photo of riding bike on board walk, reminded me of Pacific Beach in San Diego, boy do I miss that this time of year. We moved to San Diego area when youngest (of 4) was 17 months old, practically raised her at beach. We lived inland but was there as often as could be. Used to take truck load of kids during summer to beach. Oldest son says some of them still talk about it. They’re all adults with own kids now, our son is 54.
Have wonderful weekend
Wendi says
Hi JaneEllen! Thank you so much for your super nice comment! Yes I was able to relax and catch up a bit. We usually live in the fast lane, fast as in theres always so much more to do than time to do it! Love your beach story. I have special memories of our family time at the beach when I was young too. It’s so sweet that your son’s grown friends have those special memories too. What a beautiful gift you’ve given them. Thanks so much for your visit and sharing your beautiful story! Thanks for visiting the blog!
Lindsay @ The DIY Mommy says
I love how this turned out. Thank for sharing!! I can just imagine, drinks on the patio served on this beauty!
gail says
Wendi
Way to go to whip up your project between your two trips! It turned out so beachy with the rope handles and stencils.
love it, pinned it!
gail
Wendi says
Hi Gail and thank you! I got lucky since I had NO earthly idea what I was going to make. Thanks for sharing my tray!
Maryann @ Domestically Speaking says
Love the thick rope handles… turned out so cute!
Wendi says
Hi Maryann and thank you! I had this rope in my scrap basket and knew eventually I’d use it for something. I’m glad I remembered it since rope is the perfect compliment to a coastal tray project 🙂 Thanks so much for joining this month!
Jeanie says
Super cute tray Wendi! Especially those rope handles that give it such a beachy vibe!
Wendi says
Thanks Jeanie! I was feeling the coastal spirit with project for sure. I think our pretty weather has me in the mood for summer:)
Marie says
This is absolutely beautiful! I can’t believe you made your entire tray. The boards look great together and, of course, I love the rope handles. The perfect touch! Thanks for sharing your tutorial with us at Merry Monday this week!
Wendi says
Hi Marie and thank you! This was one of those project that I had no plan for and just went with the flow. I’m thrilled it turned out! LOL Thanks so much for your your sweet comment & visit!
TwoPlusCute says
Such subtle and beautiful distressing! Not too much, nor too little.
And the stencil you chose is just the perfect touch.
Wendi says
Hi TPC! Thank you!! It was pure luck that it turned out. I had no pre-thought up plans just a big deadline looming! LOL Thank you for your sweet note!
Caron says
Very cute!
Wendi says
Hi Caron & thank you! Our weather has been so nice I think I was inspired to go beachy. It will look great in our backyard! Thanks so much for your visit 🙂
Colleen Howell says
Love this tray, thanks for showing us how to make them.
Wendi @H20 Bungalow says
Thanks Colleen! It’s an easy project to do. Let me know if you make one yourself.
Ivory says
I simply adore these trays. Excellent job! Thanks for sharing.
Wendi @H20 Bungalow says
Thanks for visiting Ivory. You can never have too many trays is what I’m discovering! Hope you had a nice weekend.
DeDe Designed Decor says
Wendi, The rope handles make this whole tray! Love it!
Wendi @H20 Bungalow says
I have to agree with you. Thanks for visiting DeDe!
Marie|The Interior Frugalista says
Girl, you work well under pressure! I love your coastal tray, especially the sisal rope pulls and coastal stencils. I hope you get some downtime soon to load this tray up with a bottle of wine, some snacks, and a good book to enjoy in your backyard hammock.
Wendi @H20 Bungalow says
Sometimes the best projects do come to me when I’m stressed for time! Thanks for visiting Marie!
Paula says
I love your tray and especially like the rope handles. They, along with the stencil you used, make this the perfect tray for your coastal home. I hope that when you get home from SNAP that you load this up with drinks and snacks and carry it to your chair by the water to relax a bit. You have been on the go!
Wendi @H20 Bungalow says
That sounds like the perfect plan for me! Thanks for visiting Paula!