Transform An Affordable Dollar Tree Item Into A Stunning Serving Tray That Works As Storage

A game night classic can be turned into a craft night project with a clever and resourceful DIY that uses Dollar Tree wooden craft supplies. Instead of causing stress when trying to strategically disassemble a tower of blocks without making it topple over, you can repurpose pieces of the classic game to make a stunning serving tray that can also be used for storage. If you don't happen to have this particular game in your closet, or if you want to keep it available for gameplay, don't worry! Your local Dollar Tree sells its version of the stacking tower block game for an affordable $1.25. Dollar Tree's Tumbling Tower Games come with 72 pieces of wooden blocks in varying colors – 18 pieces more than its name-brand counterpart. 

To fashion a decorative and functional storage tray out of the affordable Dollar Tree board game, you'll need a few boxes of the Tumbling Tower Game, depending on how large your tray will be. If you have a version of the classic board game just collecting dust in your storage closet, you can buy Dollar Tree's version to supplement those. You will also need a wooden board, like DT's Crafter's Square MDF Wood Plank Board to form the base of the tray, in addition to glue and wood stain. To make your serving tray sturdier, you can pick up some UV resin to apply it after assembly. You can also add a waterproofing spray to your shopping list if you plan on using your tray to serve beverages or hold plants, keeping it safe from any potential liquid damage.

Start by arranging the wooden blocks from your Tumbling Tower Game onto the wooden plank. You can opt to arrange the blocks in a pattern that alternates the dark and light colored pieces, or, if you purchased multiple boxes, you can craft single-colored trays using only the light pieces or only the dark pieces. Make sure you have enough pieces to not just cover the base of the tray, but to form a border around it. For the pieces that will form the bottom, lay them flat to cover more surface area for less. For the border pieces, stand the blocks on their sides, horizontally or vertically, depending on how deep you want your tray to be. If you have any excess pieces, you can use them to fashion handles for your new and unique DIY home decor item. 

When you're satisfied with the arrangement, take a photo of it to refer back to when gluing the blocks down to the wooden plank and each other. Once the glue is completely dry, apply a wood stain to your tray to enhance the natural colors. Give it ample time to dry before adding a layer of UV resin. Let the resin cure before spraying it with a waterproofing spray. Alternatively, if the natural, wood look isn't matching your aesthetic, you can paint the blocks a color of your choosing. For more variation that goes along with a game theme, add the checker or backgammon boards from Dollar Tree's Classic Games 3-in-1 Game Board or other game boards to the base of your tray. When your new tray is thoroughly cured and dried, place it atop an entryway table as a catch-all for keys and coins or on top of a living room coffee table or couch to hold snacks, drinks, or remotes for a cozy night in.