After remodeling our kitchen, the dark granite counter-tops were replaced with a light hard-maple. We’re also extra cautious to have coaster available to prevent water rings on the surface. To that end, I created this tray to hold napkins, coasters, and other knick-knacks.
I chose walnut as it accents against maple really nicely, and also I had some extra lying around from a previous project.
The sides were cut from 8/4 stock with a ⅜" wide groove. The panel is rabbeted on all sides to fit into the grooves to allow for seasonal movement.
Originally, this was to have mitered corners, however I didn’t have enough material for the short sides, so changed to a regular butt-joint. I plugged the exposed grooves with some red oak, which presents a nice design element.
Finished with spray Shellac.
