Make A Rustic Ladder For 7 Dollars!

by Jessica-Sara Morris

1 Material

1 Hour

Easy

Just popping on to give you the low down on my super easy rustic ladder for under 7 bucks. SEVEN BUCKS.
When we sell these to clients, we use a bit more of a beefier wood ( 2×4’s ), but I kind of like the more sleek modern look of 2×2’s. Not only that, they’re dirt cheap. You can buy 3 2×2’s needed for this project for 2.50 each

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Below you will find the super easy tutorial that will take you under a hour to do.

You will need:

-Three 2x2x8’s

-Ten 2″ Screws

-Stain or Paint of your choice

-Orbital Sander

-Drill

If you do not own a table saw, you can get the cuts at your nearest hardware store. We own our own tools.

Dimensions to cut Wood:

Two Sides: 5′ or 60″

Five Rungs: 16″

Remember to measure twice or three times and cut once. Measuring is the most important part in any project. I’ve learned to slow down my busy self and make sure that my measurements are perfect prior to cutting. Also, always take into account the saw blade, you can always cut twice if needed, but if you cut too much off, you can’t put the wood back together.

Now that you’ve made your cuts, lay your sides and rungs onto a flat surface. Our surface is kind of pitiful, but it’s all we have as we have as we have a lot of projects on the go right now.

Next, You want to measure 5″ from the top of your ladder and the bottom of your ladder for your first two rungs. Measure both sides and mark on your ladder.

Once you’ve built one ladder, they are a pretty easy build. Now that you’ve screwed your top and bottom run on, you want to measure the distance between the first and second rung to gage where your middle rung will go.

Mark your measurements and put your rung smack dab in the middle.

You want to do the same thing for the two last rungs. Measure the distance between the 1st and middle rung to gage where the second rung will go.

and… you built your first ladder! Woohoo, lets have a party!

Next step is to do another mini sand & stain. I picked an Early American / Jacobean mix for my ladder.

Once you’re done staining, give a good wipe down and let air dry. You can bring it into your home without varnishing it, but I like to always varnish every piece we build. It gives it a finished look and it protects your home from the stain bleeding onto anything.

Here’s our finished 7 dollar ladder!

See how pretty this easy rustic ladder is? For only 7 dollars it sure has massive impact!

I’d love to hear from YOU, so pop a comment below, share & subscribe!

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Frequently asked questions

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3 of 5 questions

Darlene on Aug 31, 2017

Hi! How much of each color stain (Early American & Jacobean) did you mix together to get this look?

0
Diane DiNiro Mahfouz on Jan 15, 2018

I am in early midst of this project. Is there a certain angle you cut so the ladder rests against the wall? I'm hoping to take it back to the lumber yard and ask them to cut it as I don't yet have the correct angle

3
Millymolly on Jul 06, 2018

Could you show how you attached the rungs to the uprights please.

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2 of 49 comments

Joy Peters Kurtz on Aug 18, 2016
i just bought two handmade quilts and i am SO going to do this! thanks for posting

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Becky Brown on Jan 28, 2022

I just finished my ladder. I bought 3 of the prettiest 2x2's in the lumber yard. I cut 18" off of each upright board to make two of the rungs. I then cut three more from the 3rd board. I laid it all together to get an idea of the rungs spacing. I used wood glue and clamps and then 3" screws. As you said, measure, measure, measure. If I make more I think I'll make templates to make spacing easier and faster. I didn't stain the ladder I just brushed on a coat of polyurethane. It's light but sturdy. I love it! Thanks for your inspiration.

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