Epoxy River Serving Tray

River Serving Tray Rogue Engineer 2

Epoxy pours and river tables have been quite the craze these past few years. However, for some reason, I haven’t really experimented with epoxy that much. When Varathane sent me their new Super Glaze Tinted Epoxy, I knew I had to try some form of a river something. I ultimately opted for a serving tray which has proven great for late night snacking in bed!

If you want to see another project I used their tinted epoxy on, check out my epoxy and live edge side table made from a giant frisbee! Either way, I’ve got the details on both in my latest YouTube video below.

  1. Ripping in Half


    This can be done with a table saw or circular saw. Find the middle of the plank and rip it in half.

    Epoxy River Serving Tray Step 1

  2. Creating a Form


    For this I used a piece of melamine. If you have some plywood laying around that could work too but make sure to cover it in some sort of moisture resistant tape like tuck tape. Space the two parts of the slab as desired and secure from below with screws. This will suck the wood down to the form and prevent the epoxy from creeping under.

    Epoxy River Serving Tray Step 2

    Use tape or extra melamine to create a dam at each end of the form.

    Epoxy River Serving Tray Step 3

    I opted to add rocks (from a tile mosaic) that I found to the pour, but this is totally optional. Full disclosure, they did end up trapping some air and causing little air bubbles. Also, make sure to leave 1 inch or so at each end with no rocks for the final cuts.

    Epoxy River Serving Tray Step 4

  3. Epoxy Pour


    After getting the mold ready to go you can start to mix the epoxy. I used Varathane’s Super Glaze In Turquoise and I love how easy it was to use.

    Epoxy River Serving Tray Step 5

    After mixing the epoxy per the instructions, use a small paint brush to paint it onto the edge of the bark. This is a step that I skipped but it will help prevent air bubbles being trapped in the bark. Then pour the remainder of the epoxy into the form.

    Epoxy River Serving Tray Step 8

    I also want to point out the the turquoise is very blue, this is because it is such a thick pour. If it was a thinner coating it would be indeed turquoise.

  4. Getting the Air Bubbles Out


    Most of the air should work itself out of the epoxy but to help it along you can use a heat gun or a blow dryer.

    Epoxy River Serving Tray Step 9

  5. Removing from the Form


    This is somewhat of a delicate process. Unscrew the wood from the bottom and use a chisel or pry bar to wedge between the wood and the form and pry it away.

    Epoxy River Serving Tray Step 10

  6. Planing the Tray


    Since the tray can fit in my planer I was able to quickly remove the over pour and flatten the top. This worked remarkably well.

    Epoxy River Serving Tray Step 12

  7. Sanding


    I recommend a net type sandpaper like Diablo’s SandNet which won’t clog up as easily as traditional sandpaper. I sanded with 220 grit and finished with 400 grit to remove any defects.

    Epoxy River Serving Tray Step 13

  8. Cutting Down to Size


    I left the tray a little long so that I could come back and cut it down to size on the miter saw.

    Epoxy River Serving Tray Step 14

    Then I took it back to the table saw to straighten out the sides.

    Epoxy River Serving Tray Step 15

    Finally, I knocked down the sharp corners with a sander to get ready for finish.

    Epoxy River Serving Tray Step 16

  9. Applying a Finish


    For this serving tray I used a wipe on polyurethane finish. Applying 3 coats in total.

    Epoxy River Serving Tray Step 17

    It’s a really easy to use product and will protect and accentuate the wood.

    Epoxy River Serving Tray Step 18

    I followed up with a buffer to put a final polish the top and it turned out great!

    Epoxy River Serving Tray Step 19

  10. Installing the Handles


    Locate the handles as desired and drill the holes.

    Epoxy River Serving Tray Step 20

    Attach the handles with the provided hardware from below.

    Epoxy River Serving Tray Step 21

    Add rubber bumpers to the bottom corners to finish off the table.

    Epoxy River Serving Tray Step 23

As I said before, I’m not super experienced with epoxy but I love how this project turned out! Let me know in the comments what you think or if you have any tips for others that might be attempting this project.

River Serving Tray Rogue Engineer 1

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