How to Make a Portable Clothing Rack

Clothing racks are not only for stores.

Clothing racks can provide a way for you to organize clothing when you need it the most. They can be used in a utility rooms for hanging clothes that require air drying or to display clothing for a garage sale. Homemade clothing racks can be easily made with a few items commonly found in homes for minimal cost. These clothing racks can be easily disassembled for portability.

Things You'll Need

• 72-inch adjustable tension shower rod
• 4 pieces of wood, 2x4
• Skill saw
• Jigsaw
• 2 pieces of wood, 4x4
• Drill
• 4-inch drill bit
• 2 Straight bolts
• 2 flat washers
• 2 wing nuts
• Colored paint, wood stain, or polyurethane

Instructions

1. Extend a 72 inch adjustable tension shower rod to its full length. If are working with limited space, you may alter the length of the shower rod to make it shorter.

2. Cut the 2x4's to equal 48 inch pieces using a skill saw.

3. Cut a 3 inch block from the top of the 2x4’s using a jigsaw. This will serve as the two side posts that the adjustable shower rods will rest in.

4. Cut 2 of the 4x4’s to 1 foot in length using a skill saw. Use a jigsaw to cut a 2 inch block from each 4x4.

5. Place the 2x4’s into the newly created slots of the 4x4’s and align them so that the ends are flush.

6. Drill a 3/8-inch hole using a 4 inch long bit through the center of one of the sides of each 4x4 and ensure that it passes completely through the 2x4’s. It should then exit the other side of the 4x4’s. You should end up with holes that align through both pieces of wood.

7. Insert a straight bolt of your choice, such as a carriage bolt, into the holes of both of the 4x4’s. Apply a flat washer and wing nut to the bolt once it has completely passed through both pieces of wood. The bolt should be more than 4 inches in length to ensure that it securely fastens the wood together.

8. Cut the two 2x4’s to 3 feet in length using a skill saw. Screw them into the bottom of the 4x4’s using 2 or 3 inch wood screws for each piece of 4x4. These should be run perpendicular to the shower rod and serves as a base for the clothing rack, which will prevent it from rocking.

9. Paint the wooden pieces of the clothing rack with your choice of colored paint, wood stain, or polyurethane. This will make the wooden portion of the clothing rack more decorative.

10. Place the shower rod into the slots.

Tips & Warnings

• Adjustable shower rods allow you to conserve space when needed, so if you are purchasing one, be sure to purchase the 72-inch rod instead of the 48-inch rod. You can always shorten the rod, but you cannot always lengthen it to the necessary size.

• The wing nuts allow this clothing rack to be quickly and easily disassembled by hand, so try to avoid using another kind of bolt.

• Use protective eye goggles when using a saw. Debris can damage the eye. If you choose to apply a decorative coating, be sure to properly ventilate the room in which you are painting if working outside is not an option.

References

• Do It Youself: How to Make a Clothing Rack

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish