Warning: buying a cheap dice tray ruined my game night setup for a month

I got a $12 felt dice tray online and it looked fine at first. But after three games, the felt started peeling off and the wood warped from humidity. I tried gluing it back but the adhesive bled through and stained my table. Finally just built my own tray from a picture frame and some craft foam for $8 total. It took maybe 40 minutes and it's held up through 10 game nights now. Anyone else had luck with DIY board game accessories over store-bought stuff?

2 comments

2 Comments

fiona_west211mo ago

DIY stuff is pretty reliable most of the time... but that picture frame trick might not hold up as well as you think if you play in a humid room. The wood in cheap frames warps just as easy as those $12 trays do. I used a deep shadow box frame for mine and it's been a lot sturdier because the sides are thicker. Craft foam is great for the roll and softness, but it does trap dust and pet hair like crazy if you don't brush it off before each game. Your build sounds like a good start though... just keep an eye on the corners where the foam meets the frame.

vera_johnson91mo ago

Totally agree about the dust issue, I started wiping my foam pieces with a damp microfiber cloth before each game and it helps a ton.