Build a Custom Wooden Tub Tray

Bathwater gets cold. Books get wet. Wine glasses tip over. A proper tub tray solves all three problems and turns an ordinary soak into something closer to luxury. The best trays span the tub with enough overhang to stay put, hold a book or tablet at reading angle, and keep a glass stable on an uneven surface. This isn't fine furniture—it's a working piece that will see water, steam, and the occasional splash. Cedar resists rot naturally and smells good when wet. Walnut looks better but needs more careful finishing. Either works. The joinery is dead simple: edge-glued boards with a waterproof finish. Get the width right, keep everything square, and you'll have a tray that lasts years and makes every bath better than it has any right to be.

1. Measure and cut boards to rough length. Measure your tub's inside width at the rim where the tray will sit, then add 3 inches to each side for overhang. Cut three boards to this length—two wider boards for the main surface and one narrow board for the lip that holds a book or glass. Keep cuts square using a miter saw or circular saw with a guide.
2. Mill edges perfectly flat and square. Run each board through a jointer or use a hand plane to flatten one edge completely. This edge becomes the glue joint. Check with a straightedge—any gap means the joint won't close tight. If you don't have a jointer, clamp a straight board as a fence and run a router with a flush-trim bit along the edge.
3. Glue up the panel and clamp flat. Apply waterproof wood glue to the jointed edges and clamp the three boards together face-to-face. Use at least four clamps, alternating top and bottom to prevent bowing. Tighten until glue squeezes out evenly along the entire joint. Place the whole assembly on a flat surface and weight the top to prevent twisting while it dries.
4. Cut tray to final width and shape handles. After glue dries overnight, rip the panel to your final width—typically 8 to 10 inches depending on tub size and what you want to hold. CutHandle notches at both ends using a jigsaw, about 4 inches wide and 1 inch deep, centered on the width. Round the corners of these notches with sandpaper so they're comfortable to grip.
5. Rout edges and sand entire surface. Use a roundover bit in a router to soften all top edges and the handle cutouts—this prevents splinters and looks finished. Start with 80-grit sandpaper to level any unevenness in the glue joints, then progress through 120, 180, and 220 grit. Sand with the grain and check the surface by touch—any roughness will be magnified when wet.
6. Apply waterproof finish in thin coats. Brush on tung oil or Danish oil in a thin, even coat, working it into the wood with a lint-free cloth. Let it soak for 15 minutes, then wipe off all excess—standing oil gets sticky. Wait 24 hours and apply a second coat. Three coats minimum, five is better. The wood should feel smooth and slightly waxy, not sticky or tacky.
7. Add rubber feet or cork pads. Attach four small rubber bumpers or cork pads to the underside at the corners where the tray contacts the tub. This prevents scratching porcelain or acrylic and keeps the tray from sliding. Use waterproof adhesive or small screws if the pads have holes. Space them about an inch in from each corner.
8. Test fit and adjust overhang. Place the finished tray across your tub and check that it sits level with equal overhang on both sides. The tray should rest securely without tipping when you set a glass on either end. If one side is heavier or the tub rim is uneven, add a second layer of bumpers to the low side to level it out.