A mess of stuff on a tabletop never looks like a mess of stuff on a tabletop if it’s contained in an artful tray. Some cheap building materials and a quick trip to Chinatown (or Asian Superstore kkdiscount.com) are all you need to do a little mess management with some tabletop exotica.
You will need: Luan board (thin plywood), miter box, 11" outside corner Clearwood trim, sandpaper, newspaper, spray paint, spray adhesive, joss paper (thin decorative paper sold in Chinese import shops), plain copy or printer paper, wood glue, mixing container, stirring stick, Enviro Tex Pour-On Gloss Finish
1. Size and cut. Cut the luan board to the desired tray sizes (pictured trays measure 14"× 18", 10"× 14", and 7"× 10"), then miter-cut the corner trim to fit each tray bottom. Sand the edges of the corner trim and the tray bottoms.
2. Spray. Spray corner trim pieces with 1 2 coats of metallic paint. Over newspaper, spray adhesive on the backsides of the joss paper and position them onto the top (dark side) of the luan board, as you like. Lay a sheet of printer paper over the joss to square and smooth the joss by hand. Fold excess joss over the edge of the luan board and press flat. Cover each board.
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3. Glue.
Square the trim onto a newspaper- 3
covered tabletop, and run a line
of wood glue on the bottom inside
edge. Place the tray bottom joss-
side-up inside the corner trim
frame, and let dry.
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4. Pour. Mix gloss finish as per product instructions. Generously pour finish into each tray, covering completely. Once the finish has coated the entire surface, place the tray on a level, newspaper-covered tabletop to dry.
Matt Maranian is a best-selling writer, designer, and bon vivant whose books include PAD and PAD Parties. He lives in New England.
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