DIY Tray Makeover & Free Printable Pattern

Modern DIY Tray Makeover Idea; if you’re looking for an easy way to upcycle and makeover your old trays then this idea using the Mod Podge Photo Transfer Technique and this modern navy blue circle Free Pattern Printable could be the perfect project for you.

If you are a regular visitor to the blog then you will already know that I hate to throw things away. Well, at least when I can see some potential and a way of giving something a new lease on life.

We inherited this old tea tray when we bought our caravan a few years back. As you can see it had seen better days and was desperately in need of a little TLC.

This was actually my third project using the mod podge photo transfer technique. I loved the results from my first wall art project so much that I decided to make another project.

This time I used the same technique together with some of my own flower photography images to make some more contemporary-looking wall art.

And now I decided to try it to make over an old tea tray too.

How To Paint The Tray

The first thing that I did was paint the tray white. I was out of white spray paint so I just used some white acrylic paint that I already had at home.

Free Printable Pattern Download

I wanted a contemporary design and had looked around a bit but couldn’t find what I was looking for so I decided to create my own pattern to print out.

And after a bit of playing about this is what I came up with.

I have added an A4 PDF (the same size I used on my tray) and a square 10cm x 10cm jpg of this modern circle pattern to the (email subscribers) Free Resources Library as a downloadable free printable so you can use it too.

You should be able to adapt the pattern size to suit your own projects by adjusting your printer settings but if you are really struggling just shoot me a mail and I will resize it for you.

If you are not already a subscriber, don’t worry, you can still get the freebies!

Just click on the button below to enter the free resources library, add your email to the subscribers’ list and you will get an email with the password you need for all the free printables and resources from the website. It is super easy!

These free resources were created as freebies for our subscribers but it is really easy to unsubscribe if you change your mind 🙂

How To Apply Image With Mod Podge

Once you have painted your tray and have printed the picture you would like to use you can apply the image with the mod podge technique that I shared in a previous tutorial for image transfer using the mod podge technique.

DIY Tray Makeover Tips

• Be very careful not to over-rub the backing paper because you can rub away bits of your image – I was rushing a bit with this one and accidentally rubbed away a few bits of the image (it’s not so noticeable unless you look closely).
• If you are planning to physically use the tray for serving drinks (not just for decor) then it is advisable to add a thin coat of Mod Podge on top of the image to seal it.
• This should allow you to gently wipe any spills away with a damp cloth without rubbing the image off
• (if you do want it to be actually waterproof rather than just water resistant then you would be better to add a clear sealant on top)

If you would like to have a go at this project, make sure you pin it for later (so you don’t lose it).

And feel free to share on your social media so your friends can have a go too! 🙂