Give this Flower Tray A Try!

Summer is here and we are loving all of the fun, summery projects that come with it! Whether you are updating your porch leaner, stenciling the American Flag on a 4th of July sign, or making a fun beach bag with your favorite summertime stencil, the possibilities are endless.

To add to the summer fun, here are some tips and tricks you will need to paint a flower tray that's perfect for the season! 

This flower tray could be perfect for serving lemonade on a hot day or breakfast in bed on Father’s Day. If you are looking for a more permanent feature, this tray could also sit on your entryway table with a vase of fresh flowers and a summer scented candle.

Whatever you decide, we'll walk you through how to paint a beautiful flower tray. This is a great project for all levels of stencilers!

Getting Started

Just like any other stenciling project, you will want to start by choosing a surface. One of the fun parts of painting a tray is the extensive variety of materials used to make trays.

Think of a wooden tray, one brought to you by a loving parent with some soup and ginger ale when you were feeling sick. Wooden trays were just the beginning—now you'll see a variety of trays, like serving trays and home décor trays. Whether it's a galvanized metal tray to hold plates, silverware and napkins at summer picnics or a plastic tray that holds all of your countertop bathroom products, we all love a good, useful tray! 

What You Need

Now that you have picked a tray, it’s time to stencil. Once you do one tray, you will be a pro and can tackle all the other trays you want to do! Depending on the surface you choose you may need a few additional tools, but here is a list of the general things you will need:

• Your tray of choice: Plastic, wood, or metal will work. And it doesn't matter if it's circular, square, or a rectangle we love them all!
• Paint: Acrylic or chalk paint will work. You can even try spray paint if that’s your thing! We have favored chalk paints as of late because of the thickness and how quickly it dries.
• Brushes: Royal brushes are some of our favorites and come in lots of different sizes. Depending on which stencil you’re using, you will want to choose your brushes based on sizing that fits best. 
• Adhesive: Depending on your stencil choice (single use vs. reusable) you will need adhesive. We love a good spray adhesive or tape! 
• Sealing spray: If you will be using this tray to serve or hold items, such as a charcuterie board, you will want to seal it once the paint dries to preserve the paint as best as you can.
• Stencil: Last but not least, you need your stencil! We have some great flower stencil options for you to choose from, and tons of other options as well! Check out some of our favorites floral options, the sunflower stencil bundle and the floral blossom stencil bundle, perfect for a floral serving tray!

Ready, Set, Stencil! 

Even though your surface may change, the technique is pretty similar—it's one of the best parts about stenciling! Remember this: the key to preventing bleeding is to offload, offload, offload. Offloading means removing the excess paint from your brush onto a paper towel or rag. 

Line your stencil up with where you want it on the tray and secure it. As you dip your brush in the paint, make sure to dab or swirl your brush until there’s close to no paint left. Once the paint dries, apply in layers and continue to do so until you reach the desired color.

Let the paint dry overnight and seal with your sealant of choice, we are big fans of the spray. Then just garnish the tray to make it your own! You can paint the handles, add ribbons or leave it with just the stencil.

Now you can put it up for decoration or get ready to use your beautiful, new tray! Make sure to share a photo of your finished product with us so that we can admire it too. Make sure to check out the rest of our stencil collection, especially our floral stencils, for your next project. We promise once you start, you won’t be able to stop!