Guys, remember how I was gambling a 50/50 shot on my first concrete project being a total mess? Well, it’s done, and it surprisingly turned out really beautiful (yes, I am in actual shock at how well I was able to handle this project)! I am so excited to show you my version of the Home Depot’s Do-It-Herself DIY Concrete Tray Project! With a little extra love and effort, I was able to transform my tray into a faux marble server! Pretty cool, huh? Let me show you guys how I did it so you can make your own at your free and local Home Depot Workshop this week! Hey, if I can do it, I promise you can too!
How To Make A Faux Marble Concrete Serving Tray
As much as I love the look of marble, I know it isn’t practical. So, when the opportunity came for me to try out the marbled look on a stronger material, I was sold. I knew immediately that the project I was going to make for the Home Depot Workshop was going to be this faux marble tray. Same cool look, fraction of the cost. Sold.
Quick Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by The Home Depot and contains affiliate links. For my full disclosure policy, please click here.
What You’ll Need:
Tools
Screw Gun
Circular Saw
Paint Stick
(3) Buckets
Sanding Block/Sand Paper
Painter’s Tape
Measuring Tape
Pencil
Materials
(1) ½” Sheet Plywood
(1) 1 x 4 x 6′ Common Board
Quikrete Countertop Cement (for a lighter tray)
Quick Set Cement (for a darker base) & White Pigment
BEHR Semi- Transparent Concrete Stain (Dark Coal)
(2) 3″ Cabinet Pulls
Vinyl Bumpers
1½” Wood Screws
The Steps:
1. Cut the pieces for your mold. You will need the following pieces:
(2) 1 x 4 x 14″ long frame pieces
(2) 1 x 4 x 9½” short frame pieces
(1) 15½” x 9½” plywood backing
2. Screw the long and short frame pieces together first.
3. Screw the plywood backing onto the frame.
4. Prep your handles by screwing the smallest screws into the back of the handles. These may need to be adjusted later to account for the depth of the concrete.
5. Mix your concrete. For this project I mixed 80 oz. of concrete with 20 oz. of water. I love myself some pancakes, so think of this mix as needing to look like your pancake batter.
Quick Tip: I used a countertop concrete for the lighter base color, which also made the dry time a little longer. Another option is to add white pigment to your concrete to make it white.
6. Separate 10 – 20 oz. of concrete into a separate container. Add 2 – 4 oz. of concrete stain to this mix (careful not to add too much or the mold may crack when drying due to excessive moisture).
7. Add some of the white/grey concrete mix to the mold and carefully drop some of the blue/black mixture into the mold. Use a paint stick to create swirls.
8. Continue this step in small portions to create a marbled look.
9. Once all of your mix is in, gently shake (or really rock it back and forth) the mold a bit to level it out.
10. Once leveled, add your metal pulls. You may need to adjust the screws to get the right depth. You can tape them to the mold to keep them upright.
11. Allow your tray to dry. Follow all instructions that are listed on your specific bag of concrete for dry time.
12. Once dry, carefully remove the screws from the frame and plywood to gently remove the tray.
13. Sand down any rough edges.
14. Add your bumpers to the bottom of the tray.
Now serve up some lemonade (maybe some actual pancakes) and show off your work!
Ready to try your hand at this project? Make sure to sign up for your local Home Depot’s DIH Workshop! Space is limited, so click on the button below to reserve your spot!
Can’t make the workshop, but want to try out this project anyway? Make sure to Pin It for later!
Need more inspiration? Want to see some other awesome concrete tray ideas? Swing by some of these talented bloggers’ sites to see what they did for this project!
The Turquoise Home
Inspiration for Moms
Shades of Blue Interiors
Domestically Speaking
Remodelando La Casa
Sawdust 2 Stitches
Live Laugh Rowe
Petticoat Junction
Cherished Bliss
If you tackle my version of this project, make sure to tag it to #diyhunted or #diyhuntress on social media! Can’t wait to see!
*I acknowledge that The Home Depot is partnering with me to participate in this Workshops Program. As a part of the Program, I am receiving compensation in the form of products and services, for the purpose of promoting The Home Depot. All expressed opinions and experiences are my own words. This post complies with the Word Of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) Ethics Code and applicable Federal Trade Commission guidelines.
Ummmm, you sure made that look easy! Wow, that turned out awesome.
Haha. Thanks Andrew!
A friend and I went to the THD workshop last night. SO many questions for you!
What concrete did you start with that was white? Ours was gray.
How did you swirl in the stain without having to level it out again and wipe away the swirls? (I have a feeling ours was too thick at that point and had started to set?)
Any particular level of sandpaper?
Hi Mandy!
I’m so happy you went to your local DIH workshop! So, at the workshop, Depot uses a quick dry concrete for a fast project. For my project I used a light countertop concrete that dried light grey. If you can’t find the one I used, you can also order some white concrete pigment to mix with your quick dry. For the swirls, I didn’t use a trowel to level out the concrete. Instead I just shook the tray a bit to level everything out without touching the swirls. Also, no particular grit for the sandpaper. I just used a 120 grit sanding block. Hope this all helps!
Amazing! I haven’t thought about this! Very creative!
I know this is an older post, but I had been wanting to make a cement cheese board for a long time. When I saw this tray, I liked the idea even better. I love how it turned out thanks to your simple, yet detailed instructions. I plan to make a couple as gifts. Thank you!
Thank you!