Flip Flop Towel Holder

10 Materials
4 Hours
Easy
This fun project is the perfect way to try out those new Black Dog Salvage Furniture Paint spring color mixes or any leftover paint you may have around! Using scrap wood, paint and some hooks, you can create this Flip Flop Towel Holder in just a few hours.
Trace pattern onto board
STEP 1 – TEMPLATE
I first created a template by tracing around one of my flip flops and modifying it to the size I wanted. I traced the template shape onto some scrap ½" plywood board. 
(There is a downloadable template on my blog - linked at the bottom of this post - which includes marks for where to place the flip flop strap.)
Cut out 6 flip flops - 3 left, 3 right
STEP 2 - CUT PATTERN
To cut out the flip flops, you could use a scrollsaw or bandsaw. My dad lives close by, so I visited him in his workshop, where he cut mine for me on his bandsaw following my traced lines. Be sure to use the best side of the wood to get 3 “lefts” and 3 “rights.” He then used the bandsaw to smooth out the edges and tops.
Spring color mixes are perfect for these!
STEP 3 - PAINT
Since I was using raw wood, I gave all the flip flops 2 coats of Clean Canvas white to give me a … clean canvas. Then I used painter’s tape to mask off some lines to help me create the patterns on the sandals. I painted the 6 flip flops with a different pattern on each one for a super colorful look. 
Cute, huh?
Painting complete for all 6 flip flops
STEP 4 – BACKBOARD
Spacing out the flip flops across a board, I determined that I needed something about 25-27ʺ wide. I wanted the backboard to have a weathered, beachy look, so I used Pioneer Wood Patina over some scrap 3/4ʺ pine boards 5-1/2ʺ wide to achieve this. This product is really cool – you mix up the powder concentrate with water, brush it on, and then set your wood in the sun for several days to age it into a warm, rustic barn wood look. It even rained a few days on the boards but that just enhances the aged appearance. After about a week, I was ready to put all the pieces of my project together. 


You could also use real barn wood, some pieces of old trim, or even a cool piece of driftwood as a backer.  
Glue feet to the board, then add shells
STEP 5 - ASSEMBLY
For the decoration between the “toes,” I upcycled some beach-themed shower hooks by removing the hook on the back. You could use actual seashells, painted medallions or starfish cut out on a bandsaw.  


First I spaced out the “feet” into pairs and matched up a seashell with each one to check for placement on the board. I put the far left and far right flip flops in position so the ends of the board were not showing and I eye-balled the rest.  I attached them to the board using some two-part epoxy, plus I added a screw through the back side of each one for extra stability. 


I added another screw where the "toe thong" would be, leaving it about 3/8" high, and epoxied a seashell on each flip flop.


Straps and seashells complete the look
For the straps, I drilled 2 holes on each flip flop and epoxied a 5" piece of cotton craft rope from one hole, up across the screw on top and down into the other hole. When cutting the craft rope, tape where you want to cut first, then saturate each cut end with glue to keep the edges from fraying.
Add hangers for the towels
I found a pack of six hangers at Walmart, but they were black, which I thought was too dark for this project. So I painted over them and the heads of the included screws with two coats of Black Dog Salvage Furniture Paint in Clean Canvas. Then I lightly sanded the edges of the hangers to give them a more worn look. My husband screwed the hangers onto the flip flops, placing one near the bottom of each. 
Attach hardware for hanging
STEP 8 - HANG IT UP
To hang the completed towel holder onto the wall, we used StripLox hardware.  You could also use a French cleat, keyhole hanger or some D-rings and heavy-duty wire. With the StripLox Pro 23 and the Mark-out Template, installation was super easy and quick. The sliding-lock system holds an amazing amount of weight and is reusable.
Ta-da!
Who's ready for a pool party?
For more detailed instructions, check out the blog link below.
Thanks for stopping by!
Suggested materials:
  • Scrap plywood and board   (Already had)
  • Seashell accents   (Upcycled from shower hooks)
  • Black Dog Salvage Furniture Paint   (Woodcraft)
See all materials
Lori Haught Harper
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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