DIY Bath Tray – The Perfect Mother’s Day Gift!

You will need:

• Clean rag
• Drill
• Lint-free cloth
• Live edge timber flitch (we used macrocarpa)
• Paintbrush
• Pencil
• Resene Aquaclear waterborne urethane varnish
• Resene Colorwood natural wood stain in Resene Walnut
• Sandpaper
• Sander
• Saw
• Screws
• Small offcuts (x2)
• Spade drill bit (25 mm)
• Square edge

Instructions:

1. Measure the width of your bath and cut the wood to size, allowing for a slight overhang slight over hang, we opted for 5 cm.
2. Sand all sides of the wood using a sander and/or sandpaper until the surface is smooth. Wipe off all sanding dust.
3. Using a 25 mm spade drill bit, cut a hole near one end of the tray where you’d like the wine glass holder to go. (Make sure it’s not too close to the edge to avoid interference with the stoppers or bath sides.)
4. Draw two straight lines from the edge of the hole to one side of the tray. Cut along these lines to create a channel – this will allow the base of a wine glass to slide in and rest in the hole. Sand any rough edges and wipe clean.
5. To position the stoppers (which prevent the tray from sliding off the bath), subtract the inside width of your bathtub from the total length of your tray and divide this number by two. Measure that distance in from each end underneath the tray, then drill pilot holes and screw the two small offcuts into place. (If your tray will be positioned against a wall and not centred, adjust the stoppers accordingly.)
6. Apply a coat of Resene Colorwood natural wood stain following the grain of the timber. Wipe off any excess with a lint-free cloth. Allow it to dry.
7. Apply three coats of Resene Aquaclear varnish, allowing each coat to dry between applications.
8. Sit back and relax – or wrap it up as a special handmade Mother’s Day gift!