DIY Wooden Hanging Pot Rack

Kasey
by Kasey
17 Materials
$40
1 Hour
Easy

When planning a kitchen one of the primary goals is to ensure that there is sufficient storage so that everything can be kept in its own place and the kitchen can function as well as possible. But sometimes kitchens are so tiny there simply isn't enough space to install all the kitchen cabinets and cupboards we’d like.

Since pots and pans are the bulkiest items most of us use, a pot rack hung from the ceiling is an ideal solution for tiny kitchens. A pot rack like this one not only solves storage problems, it is also a very attractive feature for cottage-style kitchens, and if made on a larger scale than the one shown here, for country- and farmhouse-style kitchens too.


This easy-to-make kitchen pot rack can be made with any type of wood, ideally, the same sort used for your kitchen cabinets. If your cabinets are painted you might want to paint the rack the same color to blend in with your color scheme.


Skills and Tools Required to Make a Pot Rack for Your Kitchen

The kitchen pot rack featured here is relatively simple for anyone with basic carpentry skills to make. The key factor is accuracy, particularly when it comes to drilling the holes for the dowel rods from which the pots and pans will be suspended.


The size of the finished rack is 600 mm x 450 mm (about 2 ft x 1.5 ft) in size. The dowels used are 19 mm or ¾ inch; you just need to be sure that the correct sized wood drill bit is used and that your measurements are precise.


Here is an essential list of tools and other related items:


·        A retractable tape measure and carpenter’s (or actually any) pencil.

·        A combination or carpenter’s square.

·        A saw for cutting the wood. A circular saw and/or jigsaw are ideal but you could also use a hacksaw and do the cutting manually. A hacksaw is the best tool to cut the chain.

·        An electric drill with the right drill bits. A multi-angle drill bit is ideal.

·        A rubber mallet to knock the dowels and side pieces of the rack together. Don't be tempted to use an ordinary hammer as it will probably dent the wood.

·        Sandpaper to smooth edges. You can use an orbital sander or do this by hand.

·        A paintbrush to seal or paint the finished product.

You will also need a suitable surface to work on, preferably a workbench with clamps. A small, fold-up, off-the-shelf portable Black and Decker workbench with built in clamps was used for this project.


Materials Required to Make the Pot Rack

Use any planed wood or medium-density fiberboard and alter the dimensions to meet your needs.


This is simply a starting point:


·        2 x 600 mm x 69 mm (about 2 ft x 2.7 in) x 22 mm (0.8- 0.9 in) wood planed all round (PAR) for the sides. The thickness isn’t vital.

·        6 x 450 mm (18 in) dowels 19 mm (3/4 inch) in diameter.

·        2 m or 6½ ft of brass or other chain.

·        8 x 5 mm or 0.2 in brass screw eyes.

·        Wood glue, wood filler, and wood sealer or paint.

·        As many S-hooks as you need. The ones shown here are chromed and measure 100 mm x 5 mm (about 4 in x 0.2 in). 

How to Make Your Pot Rack Step-by-Step

1. Start by measuring and marking the wooden dowels to make sure they are all the same length.  

2. Cut the pieces with a jigsaw or whatever you have chosen to use.

3. Measure and mark the pieces for the sides of the rack. Use a combination or carpenter’s square for accuracy.

4. Cut the side pieces using a circular or other type of saw. 

5. This part requires absolute accuracy. What you need to do is mark the center point of each of the holes you are going to drill to accommodate the dowel rods. So, if the are using metric measurements and following the sizes given here, the first hole will be 25 mm from the end of the piece of wood. The rest will be 110 mm apart with the center of each in between. The last piece will be 25 mm from the other end. If you use imperial measurements you will have to work with fractions of an inch which can be a little more challenging mathematically. 

6. Now make the holes that will accommodate the ends of the dowels. 

7. Position the side pieces on the work bench and clamp into place. Squeeze wood glue into the holes and spread inside the holes using your finger or a very small paintbrush. 

8. Push the dowels into the holes and knock gently with the rubber mallet to ensure each one extends to the outer edge of the side piece. 

9. Turn the rack over and repeat the process – clamp, glue, and hammer into place.

10. Now seal or paint the wood. When the sealer or paint has dried thoroughly (overnight) you can drill pilot holes for the screw eyes. These should be about 25 mm from each end, on both sides.

11. Screw the four eyes into the holes. 

12. Unless the store cut your chain for you, you will need to divide the chain into four equal lengths. A hack saw will work well for cutting. You will also need to attach the other four screw eyes to a beam in the ceiling. Then hang the rack. 

Resources for this project:
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Frequently asked questions
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3 of 42 questions
  • Sharon Sharon on Dec 27, 2019

    How can i share this with my husband

  • Lori Healy Lori Healy on Dec 29, 2019

    How do you remove old wall paper

  • No122918504 No122918504 on Dec 21, 2020

    How do you reach these? We use pots three times a day plus having to put them away. With an average of two pots per meal, that's a lot of climbing and reaching

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  • Patricia Patricia on Dec 27, 2019

    I would use a plastic see through storage container. It’s worked for me years ago.

  • Sharon Sharon on Dec 27, 2019

    Yes! This,is exactly what I have been looking for!

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