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Yardstick Tray

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Nice to virtually meet you! I’m Paige from Little Nostalgia, and I’m so excited to be posting here! A big thanks to Gail for having me over, so to speak. Today I’ll be showing you an easy DIY project you can tackle this weekend. Say hello to the vintage yardstick tray!

repurposed-yard-stick-tray

This is one of my all time favorite pieces. It’s cool and kind of unusual, but still functional. I haven’t hosted any wine and cheese nights since I made it, but you better believe it’s making an appearance at the next one.

Supplies

  • a tray
  • vintage yardsticks or rulers
  • spray paint
  • wood glue
  • a small saw

First, gather your yardsticks and/or rulers. When I was casing estate sales and thrift stores for mine, I tried to find ones that were similar in color, but you don’t have to:

Next, use one of the yardsticks to measure your tray. Once you’ve found the length, it’s time to start cutting. Because this project has so few cuts and uses thin material, it’s great for people who are new to using tools, or who live in the city (like me!) and don’t have a yard or garage for big power tools.
Here’s the saw I used instead:

Cut down however many pieces of yardstick you need, depending on the size of your tray. After you’ve double checked your slicing skills to make sure everything fits, it’s time to bust out the spray paint!

Before…

After!

You can do any color you want; I went with Krylon’s oil-rubbed bronze. The can says I can handle the tray after an hour, but I’m paranoid and like to let things sit overnight. So that’s what I did.

When it’s fully dry, grab your yardsticks and glue them into place. I used my trusty Gorilla Glue, but any kind of wood adhesive will be fine. Again, I let it sit overnight with a heavy book on top of it, just to be safe. And that’s it! Yardstick tray: complete.

 repurposed-yard-stick-tray

Now you have a fun conversation piece to use at your next get-together. Have you ever made anything out of old yardsticks/rulers? Or revamped an old tray?
If you’re looking for more DIY ideas, pop over to Little Nostalgia. You’ll find how to make a hollow book, an easy customizable calendar, and a faux plant terrarium tutorial. Hope to see you there!

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Isn’t Paige sweet?   I just love her blog and she has a FABULOUS etsy shop, The Room Kit. So off you go to visit Paige!
gail

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ABOUT GAIL WILSON - A teacher at heart, Gail Wilson relishes the chance not to show off her projects, but to help others find their inner handywoman, step-by-step. Her blog, MyRepurposedLife.com, chronicles her scrap-saving adventures and has been featured on countless DIY magazines and websites, including Women’s Day, Design*Sponge and Apartment Therapy. She is a longtime influencer for both Homeright and Gorrilla Glue. With a tribe of more than 450,000 followers, Gail is inspiring a new generation of DIYers to pick up some tools and get to work.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  4. Love it Paige!! I needed an idea for a tray this just might be it!! Thanks for sharing!
    Barbara ‘@ chase the star

    Reply

  11. Love the tray…had to go check out the ‘Little Nostalgia’. Fabulous mirror makeover she has posted there too. Thanks for sharing this great ‘makeover artist’.

    Reply

  13. Sweet… love it. I have a lot of “old” yardsticks but I don’t know if I have the heart to cut them up.

    I already have the tray so I will be on the lookout now for some newer ones… love this idea.

    Hugs, Deb

    Reply

  15. Love, Love, Love it. I’m off to find some old rulers. I’ve seen them from time to time, at op shops, but couldn’t think what to do with them. Problem solved. Cheers.

    Reply
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