DIY Tutorial >>> Vintage Vinyl Record Dessert Stand

When my husband and I were planning our wedding, one of the first things we decided was to serve fresh doughnuts from our favorite local bakery in place of a more traditional cake or cupcakes. We wanted a unique way to display them that would somehow incorporate the vintage and DIY elements that defined our wedding design.  Thanks to the fact that we were both big fans of vinyl before we met, we share a very large record collection, and in the midst of a record listening marathon one afternoon, Robbie came up with the idea to make dessert stands from vintage records.  It took some playing around to figure out the best parts to use, and a few trips to thrift stores to find the right sizes (neither of us were willing to sacrifice any records from our collection), but it ended up being a very easy and quick DIY project with a pretty awesome result.  

The holiday season brings lots of parties and opportunities to entertain, so I asked Robbie if he'd help me share this tutorial with my readers.  In about 10 minutes - and for less than $10 - you can have a really cool way to display desserts for your guests at your next get-together!

Before you begin, wash the records with soap and water, and gently wipe dry.  Gather all of your supplies and find a comfy space.  Since this is probably the least messy DIY project ever, there's no need for a fancy workspace.  You can make it almost anywhere!  To create the best ambiance, I suggest playing your favorite vinyl record while you're working (trust me, it makes everything better). 

Note: This project is easily adaptable.  For the hardware, you can buy the pieces separately or order an inexpensive 3-tier cake stand center handle package (do a quick search on ebay; they're under $10).  You can also look for an old cake stand at a thrift store and take it apart to use the pieces.  Only have two sizes of records?  No problem.  Just make a 2-tier stand!

1.  Attach 4 self-stick felt pads (found at most hardware or craft stores), evenly spaced, on the bottom of the largest record (33 1/3 rpm).  These will act as "feet" to make the base of your stand more stable and give it a little height.  In place of self-stick pads, you can also cut circles from a piece of felt and glue them on.

2. Pick up the screw, and place one metal washer onto the screw post, followed by one felt washer.  (The metal washer is important for the large record because it helps distribute the weight to prevent the record from cracking). Put the screw though the hole of the largest (33 1/3 rpm) record from the bottom up so that the felt washer is closest to the bottom of the record.  Place another felt washer over the screw so it's touching the top side of the record, and screw on one of the cake stand rods.

3. Place another felt washer on the screw post of the cake stand rod, and slide the medium size record (78 rpm) onto the post.  Top this with another felt washer and screw on another of the cake stand rods.

4.  Again, put a felt washer onto the screw post.  Place the small record (45 rpm) onto the post, and top with a felt washer.  Screw in the top cake stand rod.  (Note:  You know those little adapters that have to be inserted in 45s so that they can play in standard record players?  The same adapter is needed to make a 45 rpm record fit on the cake stand rod in this project.  If there isn't already one in your record, you can buy a 10-pack for $3 almost anywhere that sells music).

5. Your stand is complete!  Arrange doughnuts, cupcakes, or your favorite desserts on the different tiers.  This stand can also be used for cheese and crackers, cut veggies, and other snacks. You can even use it as a table centerpiece for displaying non-food items.


Big thanks to my rockstar husband for helping me to share this tutorial!  This has officially become one of my all-time favorite DIY projects.  It's easy, costs next to nothing, is eco-friendly (repurposing = awesome), and the final product is something really unique that can be used again and again.  

If you use this tutorial to make your own vinyl record dessert stand, be sure to send us some pictures!

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