DIY Cupcake Stand
March 1, 2009 by admin
Filed under Featured, Tutorials & Freebies, Weddings
Here’s a great project for all you crafty brides with crafty husbands-to-be!! Design your own cupcake stand – I promise it will be a big hit!
Don’t have the time or resources to make your own? Now you can order your very own custom made stand! (We also have other sizes available.) This tutorial has become so popular we are currently working on multiple versions for other sizes with much more detail and LOTS more photos, tips & tricks. If you would like to be contacted when these instructions are available, please e-mail me and let me know.
Tracey, a reader who used our tutorial, was nice enough to provide me with a metric version! You can obtain those instructions here. Thanks Tracy! And have a look at her beautiful stand…didn’t they do a fabulous job?!
Materials List
49″ x 97″ x 3/4″ MDF Board (1 sheet)
Cut to size:
32″ x 32″ (2 pieces)
24″ x 24″ (2 pieces)
17″ x 17″ (2 pieces)
12″ x 12″ (2 pieces)
4″ x 2′ PVC (2 pices)
4″ PVC Coupling (4 each)
1/2″ 6′ All Thread Rod (1 piece)
1/2″ Hex Nuts (2 each)
Paint
1/2″ Flat Washer (2 pieces)
6-8 Knobs (to put on the bottom for feet)
2 yards of 44″ or wider fabric
32″ x 40″ Foam Board (1 piece)
Cut to size:
23 1/8″ x 4 1/8″ (2 pieces)
16 1/8″ x 4 1/8″ (2 pieces)
11 1/8″ x 4 1/8″ (2 pieces)
*NOTE: You will need to cut 2 pieces of foam core slightly smaller than the dimensions above so they all fit snug. I re-measure and update when I get a chance.
Have Lowes cut the MDF board, then cut a small circle in the center of each piece. Put the threaded rod through layers of the MDF board and PVC. (Notice that you don’t have to paint the top and bottom of everything, only parts that will show.
Countersink a hole in the top so the threaded rod does not stick out. You can add a nice piece of acrylic, or another board or something on top if you wish but it’s not necessary.
We routered the undersides of the layers so we could slip the panels in and out. You can skip the routering if you don’t intend to change the fabric panels.
Lay out the foam board and cut the fabric a couple inches larger. Wrap the fabric around the panels and adhere with a strong glue. Let dry, then slide into the routered grooves.
Add the knobs at the bottom for feet and you’re ready to go! Keep in mind this thing is somewhat heavy, and large:
You will definitely need a truck to transport it fully assembled. But, it’s easy enough to tear apart and reassemble if necessary.
Please send me photos if you make one and we’ll feature it on our site!!
I can’t figure out how you get the thing to stand up and then take apart. I’m pretty freaking handy…I laid the tile in our house but this is going beyond me. What attaches the PVC to the MDF and the threaded rod????
Paige: It’s like a sandwhich effect, all the pieces are layered and tightened by the nuts on each end of the threaded rod. (I think.) Can ask my handy hubby to verify. We’re about to make another one soon. I will try to take more photos and work up more detailed instructions. =)
How many cupcakes does the finished product display?
Ashley: I believe it’s around 200 – 220 cupcakes.
I am attemoting this project this weekend. In the insturctions it says you can skip the routering if you are not goingto change the fabric, but how doeas the foam core stay in place. I am guessing glue, but wont it bunch to one side when pushing the foam core into place? Any suggestions would help!
If you don’t want the panels to be removable you would not need or have a place to slide the panels if you skip the routering. Instead, you could glue or nail them onto the outside of the layers. Hope that helps! Please send photos of your finished stand!
Hi. Are the pvc’s screwed into the threaded rod? also – are the boards attached to each pvc glued to the pvc’s or screwed into the pvc’s?
Thanks!
The PVC sections are held together tightly between the layers of the MDF; the threaded rod runs through the center of it all but it does not touch the PVC.
sorry – one more question. In the Materials list, it states that there should be 2 PVC solids in the size of 4″ x 2′. In the photo it looks as though there are actually 3 pieces? Am I mistaken? It looks like 4 tiers with 3 pieces in between the 4 tiers.
Sorry…I really need to update my instructions as we continue to learn short cuts each time we make one.
The 4″ x 2′ PVC does need to be cut down to size; we currently make the pieces between the layers (inside the tiers where you can’t see once assembled) 4″ tall and the pieces outside inbetween the layers that you can see 5″ tall.
Thanks for all of your help! I am going to attempt one and will post a photo if its successful =) If I have questions along the way – I hope it is ok to post those questions here =) Thank you for sharing your wonderful idea with all of us!
You bet! I would love to see photos!!! And I’m happy to answer any questions I can. And, hopefully one of these days I can update the instructions so they’re a little more clear and detailed.
Good luck with your construction!!
hi there.. your link to ordering one of these is not working, is this still a viable option?
thanks
Hi Kandy!
Thank you for telling us about the link…we will see that it gets updated.
My husband just made this for our wedding and we got great reviews. We changed a couple things but it looks similar. How can I post a picture of it on the website?
Hi! I would love to make this for my sisters wedding (in 2 weeks!) I was just wondering what you use the coupling for?
August:
The couplings are used as sort of the skeleton…they act as a spacer in between the boards and the layers. So, you will have the bottom board, internal (unseen) coupling, top board, spacer coupling (which can be seen in between the layers), board…so on and so forth. Hope that helps!
WOW! This is incredible!! Thank you for sharing!!
Wow, this is amazing! I’m working on a post full of DIY wedding ideas and I’d love to link to this if you didn’t mind. It’s incredible!