DIY Waterproofed Wood Bath Tray

*This post was sponsored by Hunker

Whenever I’m feeling stressed or sad, I almost always look to the water to help bring me a little peace. That could mean a walk by the river, sitting on the side porch during a big summer rain storm, or (my go-to activity of choice) a bubble bath.

Not wanting to be left out of the bath tray trend that seems to have overtaken my Instagram and Pinterest feeds as of late, I pitched the idea for a modern DIY-able version of this portable wood surface to my editor at Hunker. Happily, she was all for it, and I’m debuting the step-by-step tutorial with you guys this morning.

The only problem with seeing DIY bath trays all over the Internet already is that I needed to think really hard about how I could set my particular version of the project apart. My first idea was to give this tray a sleek modern edge. It’s a super basic shape that, I think, makes it feel a little more contemporary than a lot of the rustic-inspired trays I’ve seen so often. The simple shape of my tray means that it’s (you guessed it!) simple to put together, too.

Another thing that I made sure to add to my tray and tutorial is a book stand. Two small blocks of wood glued to the surface of the tray instantly gave the plain surface a boost of functionality. You can prop an open book between the blocks for hands-free reading, or you can do the same with a tablet or even your phone.

Visit Hunker for all of the DIY details, and trust me when I say that you can make this without having any kind of wood-working experience to your name. Want more bubble bath inspiration? Revisit my stress-relieving bath time playlist here!

*Don’t forget to sign up for the Dream Green DIY newsletter! The next issue hits everyone’s inboxes tomorrow, and includes a poll to help me choose a new rug for my office. You can sign up to get on the newsletter email list here—make sure to check the box for “email” to complete your registration.