REVAMP REPAIR recycle
Enjoy your morning coffee in style by giving a plain wooden tray a modern marble makeover
Making everyday household items a little more luxe is far easier, and more affordable, than you may think. Take this upcycled IKEA tray as an example – a lick of metallic gold furniture paint and some marble-look detailing has elevated a plain tray into a decadent piece of home décor. It’s a good project for DIY beginners to start with, as all you need to do is follow a few simple steps to make a glamorous design statement – ideal for serving up cocktails this season.
1 Using a medium grade sanding block, gently sand both the inner and outer surfaces of the wooden sides of the tray.
2 Using a soft cloth and warm soapy water, wipe the sanded surfaces to remove any traces of dust and debris to ensure a smooth finish when you apply the paint. Leave to dry.
3 Cut masking tape to mask all around the edges of the tray surface where it meets the sides. This will prevent any brush strokes marking the tray’s surface when you begin to paint.
4 Turn the tray upside down and, using a 2cm-wide paintbrush, apply a coat of paint to the outer surface of the tray sides. Leave to dry and repeat with another two coats of paint. Once these are dry, turn the tray over and repeat with three coats of paint to the inner surface of the tray sides, taking care not to get any paint on the flat surface of the tray. Leave to dry.
5 To protect the tray from bumps and knocks, apply two coats of clear varnish to the areas you have painted, allowing it to dry thoroughly between coats. Once the varnish is completely dry, gently remove the masking tape from the tray’s surface.
6 Using a measuring tape, measure the tray’s surface. Transfer these measurements to the paper backing of the self-adhesive film using a pencil and ruler.
7 Working on a cutting mat, use a sharp craft knife and a metal ruler to cut out a piece of self-adhesive film for the tray’s surface.
8 Clean the surface of the tray thoroughly, as even small specks of dust and dirt will cause the self-adhesive film to bubble when applied. Hold the self-adhesive film over the tray’s surface with the paper side facing down and peel back the first five centimetres of backing paper. Make sure the edges of the film butt up neatly to the inner sides of the tray. Gently pull the backing paper away and smooth the film to the surface as you go. Use an old credit or loyalty card to help squeeze out any air bubbles from beneath the surface of the film as you work. Once you have peeled away all the paper and adhered the film to the tray’s surface, go over the surface for a final time with the credit card to ensure it’s securely stuck all the way to the edges.