DIY Shoe Shelf and Coat Rack
Organizing an entryway is one of the best ways to instantly improve a guest’s perception of a home. Building a handmade shoe shelf and coat rack is a great way to store often-used shoes and coats in an attractive and accessible way. This pair of functional home decorations can be painted or stained to match the decoration of the home or left natural to fit a more rustic or untreated area. The two items can be designed and treated to match perfectly or can contrast each other to provide variety. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- 3-foot-by-1-foot-by-1/2-inch shoe shelf board
- 2 1-foot-by-6-inch-by-1-inch shoe shelf side boards
- Drill
- Drill bit
- Wood screws
- Stud finder
- Pencil
- Measuring tape
- 3-foot-by-4-inch-by-1/2-inch coat rack board
- Hooks
- Carpenter’s level
Instructions
-
Shoe Shelf
-
1
Position the longer shoe shelf board horizontally on top of the two vertical side boards with the side boards either at the ends of the shelf or evenly spaced in the middle of the shelf board. Predrill two holes down through the top of the shoe shelf board into the side boards, drilling just the shelf board; drill the side boards if necessary to ensure proper alignment of the two pieces.
-
2
Attach the pieces together with wood screws, drilling completely into the wood until the screw heads are flush with the shelf board surface to prevent shoes from catching on them.
-
-
3
Repeat this process for additional levels of shoe storage, stacking as many shelves as necessary on top to provide adequate organization.
Coat Rack
-
4
Locate the studs in the desired section of the wall using the stud finder. Mark their location with a pencil, and measure the distance between the centers of the studs with the measuring tape. Make two markings on the front surface of the coat rack board, evenly spaced the same distance apart as the studs.
-
5
Attach the coat hooks evenly across the front of the board, allowing plenty of space for bulky coats if necessary. Use the hardware provided with the hooks, or simply attach them to the board using wood screws.
-
6
Hold the coat rack against the wall and line up the previous markings with the stud position markings. Set the carpenter's level on top of the rack to make sure that it is level. Predrill holes into the wall through the coat rack. Attach the coat rack to the wall using wood screws.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Both the coat rack and the shoe shelf can easily be customized by painting or staining to match the rest of the area. The individual pieces can be sanded and treated before assembly for the best finish.
Coat racks can be installed in areas with no studs by using drywall anchors, though this limits the weight of the coats hung to the amount shown on the drywall anchor packaging.
References
- Photo Credit Polka Dot Images/Polka Dot/Getty Images
