Large Tray for Marbling and Dyeing
A clear and easy tutorial on how to make an extra large marbling tray for oversized projects.
We get asked a lot how to make large trays for marbling and other dyeing techniques. Here we will show you a quick way to put together a large shallow tray. This will make it easy to do marbling and low immersion dyeing with big pieces of fabric or even let you dye a rug!
Shopping list:
- 2"x4"s in various sizes - most hardware stores will cut these to any length you want. Ours make a tray that is 8'x4'
- Plastic Sheet or Drop Cloth
- Clamps - optional but good when setting up a tray on a table
- Nails or Screws - optional, good for a fixed size frame you will use often
Let's get started!
Step 1: Position your long boards
Lay out your longest 2x4s opposite each other. For the deepest tray possible, lay them on the 2" edge. This will give you a 4" deep tray with about 3" of actual working depth.
Step 2: Add the end pieces
Position your two end 2x4s and adjust the side/long 2x4s. If you plan to leave your tray in place for a while, clamp the 2x4s to the table, or you can nail/screw the ends together. One nail on each corner is enough to hold it together while being easy to knock apart later if you wish.
Step 3: Line with plastic
Cover your tray with the plastic sheet/drop cloth. Make sure it is folded into the corners.
Step 4: Ready to use
Your tray is now ready to fill with size for marbling or to lay your fabric into so you can pour dye on it.
Happy Marbling!
