How to Make a Wood Dish Drainer

Wooden dowels are the basis for a simple dish rack.

Building a wooden dish rack is an ecologically conscious alternative to the common store-bought plastic dish drainers. Wood dish racks complement a variety of decorative themes, from traditional to rustic. Paint a wooden dish rack white to give a French country feel. A wood dish rack can be crafted in less than a day and can be used immediately to store wet dishes until they have dried. Building a wood dish drain rack is simple and quick, provided the right tools are used.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• 1-inch-by-1-inch wood board
• Wood saw
• 8-inch wooden dowels
• Electric drill
• 5/8-inch drill bit
• Wood glue
• Cotton rag

Instructions

1. Measure the wood board and use a pencil to mark the point 14 inches from one end. Mark another point 14 inches from the first mark. Mark another point that is 4 inches from the second mark, and another point that is 4 inches from this mark.

2. Use a wood saw to cut the wood board at the marked points. Cut two 14-inch sections and two 4-inch sections.

3. Place both pieces of 14-inch wood board next to each other on a flat work surface. Place a tape measure along the length of the pieces of wood. Use a pencil to mark the each piece of wood lathe at 2-inch intervals.

4. Use the drill bit to insert a three-fourths-inch-deep hole into both of the wooden board pieces at the 2-inch intervals marked in Step 3.

5. Place the tape measure next to a wood dowels. Use a pencil to mark the center of the wooden dowel. Saw the wood dowel into two pieces using the handsaw. Cut the remaining dowels in half using the same process.

6. Squeeze wood glue into the first hole in one of the pieces of wood board. Insert the flat end of the wooden dowel into the hole. Wipe the excess glue from the joint using a cotton cloth. Repeat this process until a wood dowel has been glued to each of the holes in the wood lathe.

7. Place the two pieces of 14-inch wood board next to each other on a flat work surface so that the boards lay parallel and the dowels face upward. Use a tape measure to measure the distance from the end of the boards. Use a pencil to mark the each end of the two 14-inch boards 3 inches from the end of the boards.

8. Drill two holes on the inside of one of the pieces of 14-inch wood board at the 3 inch marks. Repeat this process to drill a hole in the other piece of 14-inch board. Squeeze wood glue into all of the holes. Insert the dowels into the holes to connect the two pieces of wood with the dowel.

References

• Canadian Home Workshop: Keep your dished organized on a rack; Jerry Weber
• First Design Woodworking: Beginners Guide

Resources

• Apartment Ratings: Small Space Ideas: Dish Racks