When I think of a bathtub caddy tray, I think of a fancy lady of leisure. You know, the one that lives in our head. All put together and rolls out of bed, looking like she just stepped out of a magazine. SCRRRRREEECH! Back to reality. That doesn’t exist. But it’s fun to imagine while soaking in a hot bubbly tub, and what could be better than a perch to hold your favorite items while you soak your worries away. Well, maybe not away, but at least put them on the back burner for another time.
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What You’ll Need To Make This DIY Bathtub Caddy Tray
- One 1 x 10 board cut the width of your tub.
- Two 1 x 10 pieces cut 2 inches wide. I used leftover cuts from the board. These are stops for the caddy’s underside to prevent the caddy from slipping once in place on the tub. This also will need to be customized for your specific size of the tub.
- Minwax Water Based Stain
- Minwax Polycrylic Satin Finish Top Coat
- FolkArt 5153 Vintage White matte finish acrylic paint
- Makeup sponges
- China Bristle Brush/ Chip Paint Brush
- Stencil of your choice
- Ruler Grip Adhesive
- Decorative Handles
I began with cutting my boards to the length of my bathtub and pre-drilling holes for the stays. I say boards because I was blessed to share this project with my baby sister. Ya, I know she’s not a baby anymore, but some things never change. I’ll always be the older and bossier one. Love ya, sis!
We sanded down the boards with 220 grit sandpaper and dusted them off with a clean cloth.
Staining The Wood
Each piece was then stained with a water-based stain and allowed to dry for about an hour.
Stenciling Your Design
We had decided on this Mandela stencil that I had cut with my Silhouette Cameo from a prior project would be a pretty design. We decided that we didn’t want the whole stencil but just a portion of the board, so we cut the stencil to about 3/4 of the original size, almost like a doily hanging off. It’s a great look. The look we grew up with at our Grandma’s house—sweet little doilies on every table. Great memories.
Before I started with the stencil, I used a spray adhesive to prevent the stencil from slipping. I Sprayed the back of the stencil lightly and allowed it to get tacky (a minute or so) before applying it to the board.
Then we applied the paint to the stencil using a makeup sponge. Just remember, less is more and when to apply to stencils. I dab the paint on the stencil with an up and down motion. I can’t emphasize this enough. Don’t use a lot of paint on the sponge. After applying the paint to the sponge, dab it off on another surface to remove most of the paint. You can always add more.
We sealed our DIY bathtub caddy tray with Minwax Polycrylic in a satin finish.
After it is dried, take the boards and lay them across your tub, and measure where the stops would need to be applied to the bottom. Use a pencil to mark the areas and secured them with 2 screws on each stay. Now, it’s ready to use!
Bathtub Caddy Fit For A Queen
Thanks for joining me today, but I would like to challenge you to try this 1 board project before you go. If you’re a first-time DIYer, this is a great way to get your feet wet.
And don’t forget to check back often for more easy DIY home decor projects. Easy is my JAM!
Until the next project… xo, Do
