DIY Wood Bead Cake Stand with Clear Gorilla Glue
This beautiful DIY wood bead cake stand is perfect to use in your home all year round, especially during the holidays. With just a few pieces from the hardware store and dollar, thrift, or craft stores you can easily make a stunning pedestal stand to display in your home.
A white frosted cake on a DIY wood bead cake stand with flowers, plates, and rose folded napkins next to them.
This cake stand is a beautiful way to display baked goods. It’s aslo an extra special way to display candles, plants, and home decor. No matter how you use it, it is a wonderful custom-made accent piece in any home. I can’t wait to show you how to make one of your own!
Materials Needed to Make A DIY Wood Bead Cake Stand
- A 12-inch round piece of wood (approximately 1-inch thick)
- 3-inch to 6-inch tall pillar candle holder (glass, wood, ceramic, etc.)
- 100 1/2-inch wood balls 1/2-inch wood balls
- Clear Gorilla Glue (I chose this glue because of it’s strength and it being water-resistant.)
- Food safe wood sealer (I used spray Shellac.)
- Sandpaper
- Food safe wood sealer (I used spray Shellac), paint or stain* (optional)
- Ruler or carpenter square (optional)
- Pencil (optional)
* If you plan on using the wood bead pedestal stand for food, be sure you consider/use food-safe paints and stains.
How to Make a DIY Wood Bead Cake Stand
This easy and beautiful DIY wood bead cake stand can be made in a day or two. I made mine during a rainy weekend. It was the perfect project! Here is how I did it:
SAND:
Using a fine grit sandpaper (I used 220 grit) sand the top, bottom, and sides of the round piece of wood until it’s smooth.
GLUE:
Next, using the Clear Gorilla Glue, glue each wood ball around the entire outter edge of the top of the round wood piece. Although I chose to glue the balls around the top outter edge, they can also be glued around the side of the wood piece too. If you plan on gluing the balls around the side of the wood piece, I suggest using a quicker drying glue than Gorilla Glue, such as hot glue. In either case, allow the glue to dry and set according to the brand’s directions. I let the wood balls dry and set overnight.
Adding glue to the outter edge of the round wood piece to attach the wood ball. Gluing on a wood ball around the outter edge of the round wood piece. Gluing wood balls around the outter edge of the round wood piece.
PAINT/STAIN/SEAL:
Once the glue is dry (in a well ventilated area, like outside) paint, stain, and/or seal the wood. Be sure to seal both sides of the wood piece. I sealed mine with a spray Shellac because I wanted it to be food-safe. Allow the paint, stain, and/or seal to dry completely before applying another coat. I used two coats on the top and let the Shellac dry for at least an our inbetween each application.
Spraying Shellac sealer onto the wood piece outside.
ATTACH THE BASE:
Now it’s time to glue the base (pillar candle holder) onto the round wood top. To find the center of the wood top I used this video. Center the base over the intersection in the middle and draw a circle around it with a pencil.Tracing around the edge of the base on the round wood piece with a pencil.
Trace the inside of the circle with Clear Gorilla Glue and then place the base one the glue. Once it’s in place, firmly press it into the glue and allow it to dry and set completely. 
Applying Clear Gorilla Glue around the circle traced on the wood piece to attach base to it.Base of DIY wood bead cake stand drying and setting on to the wood top piece.
Once the Clear Gorilla Glue has dried, turn over the DIY wood bead cake stand and enjoy!
Finishing Touches
Paint, stain, distressing, and sealing are all great ways to add finishing touches to this cake stand. I wanted my stand to be a simple design and food safe. Therefore, I didn’t paint or stain the wood top, I just sealed it with Shellac. If you want to use your pedestal stand for food, I highly recommend leaving the wood natural (not staining or painting it) and sealing it with a food safe sealer such as Shellac or Tung Oil.
Bead details and close up of shellac finish.
The spray Shellac was the perfect option for this piece because it isn’t very big. Therefore, I didn’t need to use alot of it. The spray can was a better value than the paint can of Shellac (which you also need a paintbrush for) and it was very easy to apply.
Using elastic string and wood beads, I added a little extra detail to the base of the cake stand. I strung wood beads onto the elastic string, tied it off in a knot, and then slipped the beads around a segment of the base. The simple detail of the beads on the base added the perfect final touch to tie the wood top and the base of the cake stand together.
Stringing wood beads on elastic string to add detail to the base of the cake stand.
I hope you enjoy making your own DIY wood bead cake stand. As always, have fun and get creative. The best part of DIYs is letting your imagination run wild.
