DIY Vase Tray
Everyone needs to start somewhere, right? My first couple wood projects weren’t that complicated. In fact, I think I enjoyed the design aspect more than assembling them. Understandably, since I had to overcome my fear of using things like the table saw, miter box, skill saw, etc. – or so I told myself!
This wood vase holder was the perfect start. I’d seen lots of cool looking ones online, but they cost more than I wanted to spend, and the vases were symmetrical in size, which doesn’t tend to be my style. So why not make one of my own?!
I decided to look for the vases first and found them at a local antique shop. The round ones were a tad shorter than originally planned, but for $10 total I wasn’t going to complain. After picking out wood from the piles in the garage I was ready to go!
Since I wasn’t exactly planning on blogging about my adventures at this point, I don’t have step by step photos – but you can still follow the concept. Unless you have very symmetrical vases; I would wait to cut anything until you have them at home to double check.
I started by arranging the vases how I wanted, measured tight around them, and then added 3/8″ to my width and depth. That way I’d have a little wiggle room when taking them in and out. The rest was all visual – deciding how high to go considering the size of vases, if I wanted the sides and rails to overlap, sit on top, fit inside or outside, etc… and of course what part of the plank did I want to cut. I wanted some interest with knot holes and grain pattern, so I tried to strategically make my cuts around those. My overall dimensions are 4.75″ high x 9″ wide x 3.25″ deep.
Tools Used: Miter Box, Clamps, Orbital Sander, Sanding Discs, Wood Glue, Tape Measure, Square, Pencil
To start you’ll need either a miter box or table saw, tape measure, and pencil for steps 1 through 3. I was able to find wood already cut to the depth I wanted, so no table saw was needed. Always make sure your starting edge is square when measuring – if not cut off what’s needed so it is. (Otherwise things will end up crooked, definitely not speaking from experience here!)
1.) Cut your base piece first. Mine was 9″ w x 3.25″ d.
2.) Cut your side pieces. I wanted them to sit on top of the base. I took the overall height I wanted and subtracted the thickness of the base piece, which was 0.75″. Mine were 4″h x 3.25″ d.
3.) Cut your rail pieces. I wanted them to fit inside everything to give it a clean “box” look. I took the overall width I wanted and subtracted the thickness of both side pieces, which was 1.50″ total. Mine were 7.5″ w x 1.25″ h (this just happened to be the height the wood was already cut to and I thought it looked ok).
Now you’re ready to assemble. You’ll need wood glue, a square, and 2 clamps for steps 4 through 8.
4.) Gather your base and side pieces. Start with only one side (don’t try to do both sides right away; the glue is not strong enough to hold it in place while you set up the other side and the glue will just drip around while adjusting your other clamp- not that I tried this or anything). Apply a strip of glue to the base. I started and stopped about 1/4″ from the edges so my glue wasn’t spilling over too much once compressed. Position the side on top of glue, double check placement/angles with the square, and use a clamp to hold in place.
5.) Repeat step 4 with the remaining side piece.
Wait 24 hours for the glue to dry before removing the clamps.
6.) Gather your rail pieces and ensure they still fit. My sides shifted slightly while drying, so I had to shave a small amount off one.
7.) Again, starting with only one rail, apply a strip of glue to each end and position between the sides. The glue will get messy, so make sure to have a wet towel to wipe up the excess. It’s easy to eyeball it and make sure the rail is straight (in my humble opinion), but my machinist husband had me use the square again. Use a clamp to hold it in place.
8.) Repeat step 7 with the remaining rail piece.
Wait 24 hours for the glue to dry before removing the clamps. Why is waiting always the hardest part!!!
9.) Now you can sand your wood vase holder. I like things more natural looking, so I only used 80 grit with an orbital sander to take off any major blemishes (i.e.: dried glue) and splinters. However, you could work your way up to 220 grit for an ultra-smooth finish. My wood was cedar (a softer type), so it didn’t take long. Wipe down with a damp cloth.
Optional Step: Stain wood. I love the smell of cedar but not the reddish hue, so I applied a type of water stain with some brown and a little bit of black to tone it down. I love how it looks now!
10.) Apply a protective finish, let dry, and ENJOY! I’m not a fan of shine, so I used a polycrylic product in a matte finish. The color looks just a tad richer, the wood is now protected, and I still have my natural vibe!!!
