Learn how to build a long hexagon tray using just 2 boards! This easy DIY wood tray is perfect for organizing items on a coffee table, ottoman, or kitchen counter.
Add a patterned inlay to the tray with this printable tray art, and read more about decorating with trays in 5 Ways and 10 Places to Use Trays In Your Decor.
DIY Long Hexagon Wood Tray
Hi, it’s Mindi from My Love 2 Create. I recently shared how to build an easy “antique” wood crate. I firmly believe you can never have enough crates OR enough trays!
Both are so versatile in making your home decor look great while keeping it organized.
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Plus this easy DIY wood tray could be used in any room in the house. A perfect decor accent or place to keep things organized – like TV remotes and magazines.
Or make one as a gift — housewarming, wedding, thinking of you, just because!
See also: Why You Should Use Trays in Your Home Decor and 8 Practical Uses for Trays Around The House
The basic angled cuts take this hexagon tray to the next level from a basic rectangle tray.
This is a great project for beginning woodworkers to practice cutting angles accurately and cutting pieces to precise sizes, too.
How to Make a Long Hexagon Tray
Add the woodworking plan to your cart HERE
Watch the video tutorial below and click here to see a full photo tutorial at Mylove2create
Dimensions
The hexagon tray measures 1 ½” D x 20 ¼” L x 10 ½” W at the widest points. The center rectangle section is ~13″ x 9″ so papers, magazines, books, fit nicely.
If you’d like the tray edge to be deeper, you can sub in a 1×3 or 1×4 for the tray edge pieces.
Tools and Materials
To build this long hexagon DIY wood tray, you’ll only need TWO 1×2 boards and a miter saw.
A brad nailer helps the project come together strong and secure (and quickly), but you can use a hammer and finish nails as well.
Since the tray base is edge-glued, a couple of bar clamps are a must (and worth the investment because you’ll use them often on other projects!)
You’ll also need wood glue, wood filler, and any stain, paint, and sealer you want to use.
If you want to make this a serving tray, add a couple of handles to the ends.
Get the woodworking plan HERE with the full cut list and assembly instructions.
How to Cut a Wood Hexagon
When you’re building in hexagon shape, dust off that high school geometry class and remember that 30 degrees is the key to a hexagon!
You’ll set your miter saw at 30 degrees (left photo) to cut the boards according to the dimensions in the woodworking plan.
The tray bottom pieces are across the wider face of the board (top right photo).
The tray sides are cut across the narrower face of the board (bottom right photo).
See more Hexagon DIY Projects, like this One Board Hexagon Planter and Moroccan Side Table.
Assembling a Hexagon Tray
After cutting the tray bottom pieces to size, you’ll build the bottom by edge gluing the pieces together.
Glue your bottom boards together with wood glue and then clamp them using bar clamps while the wood dries.
You can wipe off the extra glue with a damp rag after you clamp. If you are staining make sure to do this, because dried on glue does not take the stain.
Cutting Angled Tray Edges
You’ll get a better and more exact fit for the tray sides if you measure and mark *after* gluing the wood hexagon base pieces together.
(The printable plans include tips for doing this efficiently and accurately, too.)
You can check out my Triangle Hexagon Tray for even more tips and tricks on building this shape tray.
Finishing a DIY Wood Tray
Before finishing any woodworking project, be sure to fill all holes with wood filler and sand smooth. This will make a big difference in the finished product!
Use a pre-wood conditioner before staining on soft woods like pine.
I stained my tray with Rustoleum’s Kona. I had started with a lighter stain, but didn’t love it so I finished it off with the dark and it was just what I wanted!
I finished with 3 coats of poly sanding with 320 grit between coats 1 and 2 to make it nice and smooth.
For a different finishing style, you could also try:
- A layered stain and whitewash aged wood technique that I used on the easy farmhouse bench I built.
- Color-washing the wood to stain it any color (a favorite Remodelaholic trick!)
- A homemade stain and/or pre-stain conditioner using our recipes here.
Where to Use a DIY Wood Tray
This easy wood tray is the perfect size for holding small items in your home.
Use it on a coffee table, ottoman, or entry table to ground the decor and organize your items.
It would look so great on dresser to catch your jewelry at night… Or put it in the kitchen for holding flowers!
Trays can add that perfect touch to any room decor.
The wood tray also looks great in the living room sitting on my Reclaimed Wood Coffee Table!
Plus it would be a perfect place to hold remotes, if you are prone to loosing them…
How about putting it in the bathroom to hold lotions, soaps, and perfumes?! So many fabulous ideas!
Read 8 Practical and Pretty Uses for Trays
Hugs,
Mindi
More DIY trays
- rustic centerpiece table runner tray
- DIY breakfast tray, 3 ways + patterned agate printable
- easy DIY pallet wood tray
- industrial tiered metal tray organizer
- plus Where and Why and Which: Using Trays in Your Home Decorating
Published 05 Aug 2017 // Last Updated 17 Mar 2021
Wowza, that is beautiful! Thanks for the instructions. 🙂 What kind of wood did you use? It stained perfectly!
Thank you so much Mariele! I actually just used pine furring strips (1×2 boards) for this project! The best way to get a good stain on pine is to use a pre-wood conditioner before you stain! Hopefully that helps! Thanks again!
Those are some smooth furring strips! 🙂 Thanks for getting back to me so soon. I love stained pine, but the “lines” and waves in it never come out so distinct… I’ll try some furring strips next time! Have a great day. <3