Learn how to make a cake stand from thrift store materials and basic hardware. You can also easily disassemble this one to store it!
Skills Required: Beginner. You should have prior experience with Mod Podge since you’ll be decoupaging wrapping paper to the center of the tin, and you want to avoid wrinkles.
Hi! It’s David from Cheltenham Road.
Running Cheltenham Road – my own, small, handmade business – has a lot of challenges. One of the more prolific I run into is how to display my products at craft shows.
I’m a big fan of cake stands in general (mostly when they have cake on them) and they are great for the shows. I can use them for parties or for selling. However, regardless of the application, they are always awkward to store!
I’ve come up with a very easy and inexpensive option for a cake stand that comes apart for easy storage. Happily, it works just as well as an actual cake stand!
To make this farmhouse style cake stand, you’ll start out with some basic craft supplies as well as a few tools.
Homemade Cake Stand
Gather These Supplies
- Tart pan or similar
- $1 wood plaque from Michaels
- Two 1/2″ plumbing flanges and one connector
- Screws
- Wrapping paper
- Off-white spray paint
- E-6000
- Hard Coat Mod Podge
- Small piece of scrap wood – at least 2″ square
Tools
- Foam brush
- Sharp craft knife
- Screwdriver
- Sandpaper
- Pencil
- Electric drill (optional)
The whole project came together very quickly, but there is a fair amount of waiting around for things to dry so I advise having snacks on hand!
To begin your project, trace the insert of the pan onto a piece of paper with a pencil. Cut out with the scissors and apply the paper to the pie pan with Mod Podge.
Apply a layer of Hard Coat Mod Podge to the insert and smooth down the paper. It helps to have a brayer or credit card for smoothing, but you can also use your hands. Let dry for 15 – 20 minutes.
Once this thoroughly dries, trim away any excess paper using your craft knife or scissors. Seal the paper with three coats of the Hard Coat Mod Podge – sanding between coats to build up a nice, glossy finish.
While the Mod Podge dries, use the spray paint to coat the ring of the tart pan, the wood plaque, and the piece of scrap wood. Leave to dry.
Once that dries (see what I mean about drying time), attach the flanges to form your DIY cake plate. Drilling pilot holes with a drill is optional. One of the flanges goes on the top of the wood plaque:
and the other should be attached to the piece of square scrap wood.
Using the E-6000, glue the tart pan base to its ring. Follow the directions on the E-6000 tube.
Once that dries, glue the piece of scrap wood to the underside of the tart pan base, in the center. You’ll use the E-6000 again.
Screw it all together with the connector and you’ve got yourself a cake stand – or a cupcake delivery system (or a craft show display item – your choice).
When you’re done using it, just unscrew the connecting pipe and you have a nice, neat, store-able, cake stand for next time:
Notes and Thoughts:
- I had to play around a bit with the pipe fittings to make sure they screwed in at straight angles. Test the ones you buy before you buy them to make sure everything screws together nicely.
- I didn’t paint the very bottom of the tart pan, but you easily could if you wanted.
- You can use the same procedure but flip the tart pan over if you don’t want the edge or the ring to face up. That might also make a nice “frame” around the decoupage design.
- The bingo wrapping paper is from Paper Source. You could use scrap paper or anything that appealed.
- Yes I ate all the cupcakes. These are the kinds of sacrifices I must make.
Make a Cake Stand
Learn how to assemble a farmhouse style DIY cake stand using supplies from the hardware and thrift stores! This is so easy, and can be broken down for storage.
Materials
- Tart pan or similar
- Round wood plaque
- Two 1/2" plumbing flanges
- One plumbing connector
- Screws - 2
- Wrapping paper
- Off-white spray paint
- E-6000
- Hard Coat Mod Podge
- 2" square scrap wood
Tools
- Foam brush
- Sharp craft knife
- Screwdriver
- Sandpaper
- Pencil
- Electric drill (optional)
Instructions
- Trace the insert of the pan onto a piece of paper with a pencil. Cut out with the scissors.
- Apply a layer of Hard Coat Mod Podge to the insert and smooth down the paper thoroughly to remove bubbles. Let dry.
- Trim away any excess paper using your craft knife. Seal the paper with three coats of the Hard Coat Mod Podge - sanding between coats.
- Use the spray paint to coat the ring of the tart pan, the wood plaque, and the piece of scrap wood. Leave to dry.
- Attach one flange to the top center of the wood plaque, drilling pilot holes (optional).
- Attach the second flange to the center of the scrap wood.
- Using the E-6000, glue the tart pan base to its ring.
- Once that dries, glue the piece of scrap wood to the underside of the tart pan base, in the center. Let dry.
- Screw it all together with the connector to form a cake stand.
Let me know if you have any questions in the comments! I’d also love for you to check out the following related posts:
Deb
Thursday 5th of March 2015
David, You are hilarious! And I love your cake stand!! Do you have a blog to follow?? Thank you for your sacrifice to eat cake!!
Amy
Thursday 5th of March 2015
Deb - David is amazing AND funny! He's the total package ;D
His blog is: https://cheltenhamroad.wpcomstaging.com/
Paula
Wednesday 4th of March 2015
Hi! I am new here and This cake stand is really nice ... I just have a question about Mod Podge, can you wash It? Or how do you clean a product that has been done with Mod Podge?
Thank you!
Amy
Wednesday 4th of March 2015
You'll want to get the Dishwasher Safe kind! That is the only one that can be washed :D