Rolling and storageGuide
DnD dice trays and rolling mats: folding, wooden and travel trays
Why dnd players roll in a dice tray, how folding, wooden, leather and hex trays and neoprene mats compare, and which lining suits metal or gemstone dice.
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Key facts
- Folding tray size
- 8.5 x 11 in flat (US Letter) for Die Hard Dice and Ultra Pro trays
- Folding tray walls
- 1.75 in high on the Die Hard Dice magnetic tray
- Leather-floored wooden tray
- Wyrmwood Tabletop tray: 36 oz, sized for 2 to 4 players
- Neoprene mats
- 2 to 2.5 mm fabric top on a neoprene or rubber back (Board Games Maker)
A dice tray is a small walled box or folding frame you roll dice into. It keeps dice from bouncing off the table or across the map, protects the table from heavy metal dice, and softens the clatter. Folding magnetic trays travel best, wooden trays with leather or felt floors look best, and neoprene mats cover the most space.
Why roll dice in a tray?
Die Hard Dice sums up the case on its own folding tray page: a tray protects surfaces like tables and books from sharp metal dice, and quiets loud rolls on plastic tables. Ultra Pro pitches its folding trays the same way, as a space to roll that protects the gaming table.
The floor matters as much as the walls. Dispel Dice advises rolling resin dice onto a game board, map, neoprene or felt, and warns that glass, marble, stone and even hardwood surfaces can chip dice corners. A lined tray gives you that soft surface anywhere.
Types of dice trays and mats
| Type | Example | Surface | Size | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Folding magnetic tray | Die Hard Dice | Velvet inside, PU leather outside | 8.5 x 11 in flat; 5 x 7.75 in floor, 1.75 in walls | Carrying to games |
| Folding magnetic tray | Ultra Pro Vivid | Not stated | 8.5 x 11 in flat | Binders and game boxes |
| Wooden tray, leather floor | Wyrmwood Tabletop | Oiled leather | 10.67 x 8.60 in; 36 oz | 2 to 4 players |
| Wooden tray, leather floor | Wyrmwood Personal | Oiled leather | 8.85 x 4.10 in; 16 oz | One player |
| Hardwood tray | Silverwood Wood Designs | Wood, optional leather pad | 6.5 x 8.5 x 1.25 in | Under a dice tower |
| Hex corner tray | Wyrmwood Hex Corner | Felt or leather | 37 oz | A corner of the table |
| Neoprene rolling mat | Board Games Maker | Fabric top, neoprene or rubber back | From 10 x 10 in | Whole-table rolling |
Folding snap and magnetic trays
Folding trays lie flat and pop up into walls. Die Hard Dice’s version is PU leather on one side and “ultra soft plush velvet” on the other. It folds to US Letter size (8.5 by 11 inches), so it slides into a backpack or folder, and opens to a 5 by 7.75 inch floor with 1.75-inch walls.
Older folding trays use snaps. Die Hard Dice moved to magnets because snaps “can sometimes be too strong, too weak, or in some cases, simply break,” and says magnets take more force against the sidewalls. Ultra Pro’s Vivid trays also use small magnets in each corner, and the maker says they fit character folios, binders and many board game boxes.
Wooden and leather trays
Wooden trays are heavier and stay put. Wyrmwood builds its trays from solid wood with an oiled leather rolling surface that, in its words, “cushions your dice while maintaining a satisfying sound.” The Tabletop tray, for 2 to 4 players, has an 8.5 by 8.25 inch rolling area plus a small storage compartment and weighs 36 ounces. The Personal tray is a narrow 16-ounce tray for one.
Silverwood Wood Designs makes a 6.5 by 8.5 inch hardwood tray sized to sit under its 8-inch dice tower. It comes in tung oil or polycrylic finishes, and a leather pad is an optional add-on. For gemstone or glass dice, Norse Foundry advises against wooden trays with no padding, so the leather pad is worth it.
Rolling mats
A rolling mat is a flat pad with no walls. Board Games Maker’s neoprene mats use a 2.5 mm fabric surface on a neoprene back, or a 2 mm fabric surface on a heavier rubber back. The maker says the cushioned surface “reduces noise and absorbs shocks” and protects the table. A large mat can cover a whole play area, but with no walls, dice can still roll off the edge.
Travel and hex trays
For travel, the pieces that fit together matter most. Wyrmwood’s Personal Dice Tray has a cutout that holds its disassembled Magnetic Dice Tower plus a dice vault, and the maker adds a leather strap when you buy both.
Wyrmwood’s Hex Corner Dice Tray takes a different approach: a 37-ounce hexagonal tray, with a felt or leather floor, made to attach “to any inside corner of your table.”
Folding, wooden and leather dice trays and mats
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Which tray for metal and gemstone dice?
Heavy and fragile dice have different needs, and a lined floor serves both.
Metal dice need walls and padding. Die Hard Dice specifically markets its velvet-lined folding tray as protection from metal dice. Our metal dice guide explains why makers such as Norse Foundry say to roll them in a tray.
Gemstone and glass dice need the softest floor you can find. Norse Foundry says to roll them on a padded mat or a tray with a padded insert, and to avoid wooden trays with no padding. Leather or felt floors fit that advice; bare wood does not.
Tip
Using a tray with a dice tower
Most dice towers drop dice into a tray at the base, and several makers sell trays built to sit under their towers, as Silverwood and Wyrmwood do. If you want a tower too, our dice towers guide compares wooden, folding and printed designs. Trays that also hold a vault make packing up faster; see our guide to dice boxes, vaults and bags.
A tray is part of the kit every set needs; start with our DnD dice sets guide if you are still choosing dice.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a dice tray for DnD?
No, but it helps. A tray keeps dice from rolling off the table or across the map, protects the table, and softens the noise. With metal, gemstone or glass dice, makers recommend one.
What is the best surface to roll dice on?
A soft one. Dispel Dice suggests a game board, map, neoprene or felt, and warns that glass, marble, stone and hardwood can chip dice corners. Norse Foundry recommends a padded mat or a tray with a padded insert for gemstone and glass dice.
Are magnetic or snap folding dice trays better?
Die Hard Dice switched its folding trays to magnets because snaps can be too strong, too weak or break, and says magnets hold better against sidewall knocks. Snap trays still work; check that the snaps sit flat when the tray is folded.
Is a dice mat or a dice tray better?
A tray has walls, so it stops dice. A neoprene mat has no walls but covers more of the table and cushions dice and noise. Some groups use a mat for the whole table and a tray for each player's heavy dice.
How big should a dice tray be?
Big enough to roll a handful of dice at once. Die Hard Dice's folding tray gives a 5 by 7.75 inch floor, while Wyrmwood's Tabletop tray has an 8.5 by 8.25 inch rolling area for 2 to 4 players.
Sources
- Magnetic Folding Dice TraysDie Hard Dice
- Dice Tray: Magnetic Folding Dice Tray: Vivid: GreenAsmodee Canada (Ultra Pro product page)
- Tabletop Dice TrayWyrmwood
- Personal Dice TrayWyrmwood
- Hex Corner Dice TrayWyrmwood
- Handmade Hardwood Dice TraySilverwood Wood Designs
- Game Mat 10 x 10 NeopreneBoard Games Maker
- How to care for sharp-edge resin DnD diceDispel Dice
- How to Keep Gemstone Dice PerfectURWizards
- Gemstone & Glass Dice Care DirectionsNorse Foundry
More on the rolling and storage shelfStart here: DnD Dice Sets
