How to Build a Children's Coat Tree

Children wear jackets, so proper storage habits are great to teach children when they are young.

Creating a children's coat tree is a fun way to teach your child organizational skills. Adult coat trees are usually too high for children, which can discourage use by children. A coat tree can be created to look like a real tree with branches that will fit perfectly in a child's bedroom or a day care facility. By using old wire hangers and a bit of plaster, you can create a children's coat tree that can be used for many years to come.

Things You'll Need

• 50 adult-sized metal coat hangers
• 2 pieces thin metal wire
• Quick dry plaster
• Clear 30-gallon plastic bag
• Tape measure
• Rubber gloves
• Scissors
• Pliers
• Wire brush
• 1 quart brown paint
• 1 quart black paint
• Large paint brush
• Small paint brush

Instructions

1. Prepare the hangers. Use the wire cutter to remove the top part of the hanger. Remove the hook and the wrapper wire section, keeping only the triangle section. Straighten the hangers with the pliers to have fifty long stems of straight wire.

2. Group the wire together. Measure up 6 inches from the base of the wire group, and wrap a thin metal wire tightly around the hangers. Measure up 6 additional inches, and wrap the second piece of wire.

3. Form the tree. Select the metal wire below the bottom 6-inch high wrap. Bend each piece of wire outward to form a sturdy tree base. Stand up the tree. Select ten hanger pieces from the top section, and twist them around each other, bending them outward to form a tree branch. Continue this process by selecting groups of five or ten hanger sections at a time, wrapping and bending the wires to form several tree branches.

4. Coat the tree in plaster. Begin with the base of the tree and work towards the top. Set the tree base on the clear plastic and use a gloved hand to apply plaster to the base. Select large hands full of plaster and glob it onto the base of the tree. Continue to apply plaster to form a solid base, and work your way towards the tree trunks, fully coating all of the hanger pieces.

5. Texture the tree. Once all the plaster is coating the tree, use a metal wire brush to texture the tree. Run the brush over the plaster from the top of the tree to the bottom. Add a few horizontal brushes to the tree for additional texture. Allow the plaster to completely dry before continuing.

6. Paint the tree. Select the brown paint and the large paint brush to cover the tree. Be sure to cover all of the plaster fully so no white shows through. Apply a second coat if necessary.

7. Detail the tree. Once the brown paint dries, apply the black paint sparingly with the small paint brush. Black touches will create depth within the tree, showing a more realistic tree-like structure. Allow paint to fully dry before hanging coats.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider hanging green felt trees off the branches with super glue for additional details.

• Consider using plaster that dries white from a different color. This will let you know exactly when the plaster is dry and ready for paint.

References

• Oak Hall Tree Project
• Making Trees with Wire

Resources

• Hall Tree Plans