Easy DIY TV Tray Table Makeover

Today I’m sharing an upcycled thrift store find – how I turned a TV table and a checkerboard game into an easy end table. This was a super simple project with a fun transformation.

With all the Marie Kondo craze out there, it’s a great time to find treasures at the thrift store. 

Last month, I built a swing-out wall shelf to organize my paints, and today I’ll be giving a second-hand TV tray table a makeover. 

How to Makeover a TV Tray Table 

One of my favorite garage sale finds was a rustic wooden checkerboard game.

I snagged it for just $5!

Immediately I had visions of using it as some sort of tabletop and went searching for a TV table.

After a quick trip to Goodwill and another $3, I found a simple DIY television table.

With a few screws and some spray paint, I made this easy DIY end table from a folding TV tray table. 

Materials for the DIY TV Table Makeover

• TV table – Thrift stores have a ton of these!
• Checkerboard game – you could even make a tabletop!
• Wood screws
• Spray paint

Instructions for TV Table Makeover

This was a really simple project, with no building involved.

We usually build our own everything, so this TV table makeover was a refreshingly simple. 

Clean the Surfaces

First, I cleaned off the checkerboard tabletop and the TV tray table. I like using baby wipes to clean old furniture because they get all the dust and dirt.

Paint the TV Table

My next task in this TV tray table makeover was to try to color match the checkerboard tabletop to a paint.

I used spray paint for ease of use and found a Rustoleum color that matched the tabletop pretty well. It wasn’t a perfect match, but it was very close.

The spray paint had a little texture to it, but it still worked with the rustic tabletop. 

I only spray painted the legs of the TV table and the sides of the TV tray tabletop. The checkerboard would cover the top surface.

Attach the Checkerboard Top

With a few screws, I attached the checkerboard tabletop to the TV tray table. I had to be very careful that the screw head didn’t protrude out of the top.

I was able to use 3/4 inch screws, but it will depend on the thickness of both the top and the table itself.

You don’t want it too short or else the top won’t have a strong connection and could fall off. If it’s too long, it will poke out the top of the table. 

Helpful Tip: If you don’t have the perfect length screw but you do have screws that are too long, you can always place small wooden blocks underneath that will hold the excess screw.

That’s it!

I was able to repurpose an old folding TV tray table into a fun little end table. I love the height of the repurposed TV table – it’s perfect for grabbing the clicker or putting your glass down. Usually, end tables are quite low, so I love how it’s elbow height.

And, of course, the TV tray table still folds, so it easily can be moved or stored away.

Time and Cost for the TV Table Makeover

I spent $11 total! Not bad considering I’m using it as an end table in my family room 🙂 It took about 30 minutes to spray paint and put together, and then a few hours of dry time.

The TV tray table makeover was definitely one of our simplest DIYs. It was really enjoyable too. It’s always fun when you have a vision in your head, and then you get to see it through. 

When you see those $3 TV tables at the thrift store, snatch them up – and give them a fun makeover too! You could paint a pattern, stencil a design, use contact paper, or make/find a new tabletop.

So many possibilities when thrift shopping!