Repurposed Outdoor Tray

Every project has to begin and end somewhere.  Sometimes my projects begin again even after they've become a project.  This outdoor tray is a repurposed project from a Christmas sign...

I needed a new outdoor tray for the very large deck table I made last summer. 

The tray I had last year has seen better days. 

I wanted something small and simple, mainly to hold the giant lanterns that were grey and then red and then blue, that I keep in the center of the table. 

Looking around my basement, I had no wood that would work so I did what any good repurposer would do... I repurposed another sign. 

I made this NOEL sign a while back and truthfully, I made more than one so I'm going to use this one to make a tray. 

Now that is some fancy reclaimed wood!

I began by cutting the sign in half with a small circular saw. 

I created a pallet with it by wood gluing and nailing cross pieces of scrap wood to hold it together. 

Now it was time to paint it a new color, I painted the back of the tray black and blue is what I have out on my deck so a blue chalky paint is what I used for the top. 

I have a HUGE stash of all kinds of handles from a store that was closing a few years ago. 

Between cabinet doors, handles and knobs, I'm set for life. 

I measured for the handles and drilled holes in the tray for the screws. 

Next, I chose a stencil from my vast collection of decorative stencils and used white craft paint to stencil the design. 

I distressed over the top of the stencil with a fine sandpaper.

When the paint was dry I coated the tray with Fusion Mineral Paint Tough Coat. 

My tray was finished and looks great on the deck. 

It matches all the new blue accessories I purchased recently! 

It matches the lantern and makes a great tray for the center of my extra large table.  

Read more about the projects we've made for our outdoor life at Homeroad. 

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