How to Make Plate Racks

Oak is a strong wood that will make for a durable plate rack.

Plate racks are not only great for home organizing, they work well for showcasing decorative plates as well as drying washed dishes. Plate racks are often simple in their design, and they can be built with little materials and no hardware. Oak is often used for kitchen accessories and will work well for plate racks. All the materials needed to build a simple plate rack can be purchased at just about any local hardware store. Does this Spark an idea?

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Tape measure
Pencil with eraser
Straight edge
Oak board, 3/4-by-6-by-13-inches
24 oak dowels, 3/8-by-7-inches
Drill
Drill bit, 3/8-inch
Wood glue
Damp cloth

Instructions

- 1
  
  Lay your board flat. Draw a line across the board that is parallel with the 13-inch edge, and 1 inch away from it. Draw another line across the board that is parallel with the 13-inch edge, but 1 inch away from the opposite 13-inch edge.
- 2
  
  Draw 12 lines across the board that are perpendicular to the first two lines, and space them 1 inch apart. The two outside lines should be ½ inch from the 6-inch edges.
- 3
  
  Drill 24 holes that are ½ inch deep where the lines intersect.
- 4
  
  Place a dab of glue that is about a cubic-quarter-centimeter inside each hole, and insert the dowels into the holes. Wipe any excess glue with your damp cloth. Let the glue dry according to instructions.