We love coming up with DIY project ideas for the home. Especially when they involve creating more storage space. Our DIY Coat Rack Project is no exception. It’s a more creative solution where you get to have a bit of fun with decorating. A new Coat Rack can be the perfect storage space for your everyday items like coats, keys or even dog leashes.
We’ve seen many great examples of DIY Coat Racks made from recycled materials such as old pallets, fence palings, and hanging hooks. You’ll find quirkier designs that may have all sorts of items in place of hanging hooks like a fork or lock to hold your keys. With a new coat of varnish or paint, you’ll be amazed by how good these designs look when they’re done.
It’s often best to install a Coat Rack on a wall space behind your front door. It’s a little area of the house that’s often underutilised and it beats having to build an entire coat closet. Coat Racks on the wall are also a lot more cost-effective. With the combination of recycled materials and new hanging hooks, you can easily create one for less than $100.
Have we already got you sold on the idea of a DIY Coat Rack? Then let’s get started. You’ve got the inspiration, and we’ve got the step-by-step instructions to guide you.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
- Plank of wood (new or recycled)
- Wall Hooks
- Mounting screws
- Drywall anchors
MEASURE UP
It’s best to measure the space you’re utilising before you start designing your Coat Rack. If you’re installing the rack behind a door, then think about the door’s closing action. How much space will you have behind the door? You may already have a door stopper installed to prevent your door from hitting the wall. Installing a longer door stopper can help create more space to accommodate the hanging hooks coming out of your Coat Rack.
It’s also a good idea to think about the user/s. Do you have shorter family members who will need to reach things on your Coat Rack? Maybe it’s best to incorporate lower hooks for your kids to hang their jackets and coats on too. Also, think about what you want to store on your Coat Rack. Measuring your longest coat or umbrella might be a good way to gauge how high up your wall hooks should be on the Coat Rack.
SELECTING YOUR BUILDING MATERIALS
CHOOSING THE RIGHT TIMBER
Now that the boring part’s out of the way, it’s time to pick your materials. Using recycled materials can be a fun way to add more character to your display. But there’s nothing wrong with using brand-new materials, either. Both can be just as strong and reliable. Solid wood, such as pine and oak, will always be the better option over engineered wood types, such as composite wood.
HANGING HOOKS AND OTHER FIXTURES
When it comes to your Coat Rack hardware like hooks, it’s best to pick a good balance between strength and style. You could try your luck at an antique store to find some vintage-looking accessories made of iron. There’s the obvious choice of vintage-style hooks, but there are quirkier alternatives you can try with amazing results. A quick search through Pinterest can show you how a variety of recycled items, including faucet handles, railroad spikes and even spoons that have been bent into the shape of a hook.
Explore our latest hardware range, and you’ll find plenty of reliable options for Coat Rack hooks. Our 6 Hook Wire Hanger is a sturdy option made from solid powder-coated steel and can hold up to 10kg of weight. There’s also our Single Hanging Hooks that come in black to match the rest of your modern black fixtures and fittings in the house.
If you want to give your Coat Rack a more industrial look, we recommend options like our Swivel Hook Track. This set of wall hooks can be adjusted to suit your needs. The same can be said for our Triple Hook With Swivel, which is also easy to adjust. For more premium wall hook options, check out our Hooks category today.
PUTTING ON THE FINISHING TOUCHES
After you’ve selected your materials, it’s time to start assembling your Coat Rack. If you’re using solid wood, then you’re probably looking to retain its natural look. A good piece of oak will require good sanding and polish to make all the surfaces stay smooth. If you’re after a more rustic approach, then you will probably want to retain the natural weathered details of the wood with the worn-out paint intact. Instead of painting over the wood try cleaning it up thoroughly with a damp cloth. Just be wary of any splinters or rough surfaces that need to be sanded down.
When you’re ready to install your coat hooks it’s important they are securely attached to the rack. Most coat hooks already have holes in them designed specifically for mounting with screws. Hooks you find at Bunnings Warehouse like our very own Hanging Hooks usually come with their own screws for installation. If you’re using some other fixtures for wall hooks then you will need to ensure that holes are drilled into them for mounting.
You will also need to ensure the screws you’re using for hook installation are the right length for your wood. The screws can’t be so long that they pierce out of the other side of the rack. If the screws are too short then they won’t provide a strong enough hold for your hooks.
Image courtesy of @Thissweetlife_
INSTALLING YOUR NEW COAT RACK
- The first thing you need to do is locate studs behind the wall. One of the easiest ways to do this is to use a stud finder. You will need to attach your Coat Rack to these studs as it’s the most secure part of the wall for installations.
- Locate the studs on your wall and mark them down with a pencil. These holes indicate where you will mount your Coat Rack. Measure the distance between these holes and mark them down on your Coat Rack too. Now proceed to drill holes into your Coat Rack, so they match up with the markings on the wall.
- If you’re looking to install your Coat Rack perfectly straight then get a spirit level. Hold the rack against the wall, place the spirit level on top of it and adjust until your rack is perfectly aligned at a zero-degree angle. Now trace around your rack with a pencil, so there is a clear outline on the wall.
- With a clear outline on the wall, you’ll see exactly where your mounting screws for your rack need to go. Now it’s time to drill some holes into the wall for your mounting screws. You will then need to use a hammer to gently tap your drywall anchors into each hole.
- For the final step, you’ll need to hold your Coat Rack up to the wall and align its holes with the ones in the wall. Now take the mounting screws you’ve selected and screw them in firmly with a drill or electric screwdriver. Now your Coat Rack is installed and ready for hanging!
GET MORE DIY TIPS FOR YOUR NEXT PROJECT
Did you find our latest DIY article handy? You’ll find plenty more inspiration from our DIY Projects page. It’s full of DIY projects big and small, from Creating Your Own Herb Drying Rack to Building Your Own Wardrobe Storage. When you’re done building your own Coat Rack, we’d love to see the results. So don’t forget to tag us on Instagram where you can learn and share with the rest of our online DIY community.