Scrap Wood Spice Rack

Valerie Burge
by Valerie Burge
7 Materials
$12
2 Hours
Easy

I tried growing veggies this summer and to my surprise, I had some decent success! As a result of that, I’ve been trying to be more creative in the kitchen. I made a few spices from my hot peppers and also bought new spices for various recipes. Before long, my spice cupboard was out of control! Finding what I wanted was starting to get frustrating, so I decided it was time to get organized!

Before

The first thing I did was look for glass spice jars to use for my homemade spices and for the ones I bought in bags. I found some at a local hardware store and picked up a dozen. 


I measured the new jars, as well as the average size of the jars I already had. Then I measured the cupboard and headed out to the garage to see what I could find. I found a few pieces that would work perfectly for my plan!

Scrap wood

I cut out two end pieces and two shelves using a jigsaw. Because the new jars were a lot shorter, I decided to make the first two rows of spices taller and the top shelf closer to the top of the cabinet. 


I made my end piece cuts at 4” high and 3” deep. The overall height would be 8.5” and the shelves 3” deep.

Cut

Then I sanded down the pieces with an orbital sander to remove any splinters and also to smooth out any of my rough cuts. I’m not very experienced using a jigsaw so my cuts are far from perfect. Sanding really helped!

Sanded

Then I screwed my shelves on to the end pieces. I did two screws on each end. I drilled pilot holes first to avoid splitting the wood.

Assembled

I considered staining the wood, but decided to keep in simple and sprayed it with a clear coat to help protect it.

Clear coat

Then I transferred all my bagged spices and the ones I made into the new jars and labelled them.

Filling new jars

Then I put the shelf inside the cupboard and placed all my spices on it.  


Before & after

I really love how organized my spices are now! A couple of the taller jars I placed on their side and slid them under the rack. Everything fits perfectly! It’s almost like I planned it or something. 😉

I didn't spend any money on the shelf and paid $12 for the glass jars. I think that was a pretty good investment for a customized solution! And this simple shelving concept can be tailored to fit any space!

I eventually ordered a set of matching jars for the lower levels as well. Looks so much better!


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  • Ann11563 Ann11563 on Sep 30, 2020

    I bought a three tiered plastic spice stand in HomeGoods. It is inexpensive and adjustable regarding width.

  • Nancy Peterman Nancy Peterman on May 18, 2021

    I was thinking as I looked at your very cool rack, what if you put a tray in the bottom that would slide out so the things behind the tall jars would be more accessible? I'm not quite sure how to execute that, but just thinking....I love your idea.

  • Kathy Kathy on May 19, 2021

    Are the spice jars, Anchor Hocking? I see that they sit on their side a bit like the penny candy jars.

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