Easy Canvas Rack Using a Crib

4 Materials
45 Minutes
Easy

Any painters out there? I've been painting canvases for the last couple of years or so and I always have a hard time storing and finding spots for my canvases to dry. I didn't want to spend a lot of money on a rack so I decided to DIY one!

So, this may not look like much to some people but to me, it looks like an amazing project! I reached out to my local Buy Nothing Group and asked for an old crib. My wish was granted! What's even better is that it was a drop side crib and those have been banned and deemed unsafe so it would have just been headed to the dump anyway.

I started by removing the screws and plastic parts from two of the crib panels.

Next, I cut off the legs of each panel using a radial arm saw.

I stood the two panels together at a 90 degree angle and made sure the slots lined up between the two panels and then clamped them together on top and bottom using corner clamps. These things really come in handy!

I then carefully placed the panels on my workbench and marked a line down the center of the edge where the two panels would be fastened together.

I used a countersink drill bit to drill pilot holes through the wood.

Lastly, I screwed the two panels together using 2 inch screws.

All done!! While this particular rack will work well for my larger canvases, I found that it was a little trickier to get the smaller ones to lay without tipping over. I have two more crib panels which I will be using to make another rack but instead of fastening them together at a 90 degree angle I will make it a smaller angle instead. I figured if I make an angled cut down the entire side of one of the panels they will go together just as easily and will be closer together to better hold my smaller paintings. Thanks for following along and maybe you'll find some cool uses for an old crib too! If you do, I'd love to here about them! 😁

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  3 questions
  • Nancy Nancy on Mar 09, 2021

    Do the paintings have to lie flat? Why not place the rails parallel to one another (just like the original crib) but only 6” or 8” apart, kind of like a dish rack. Now you have a rack that can be laid flat or on it’s side, and the canvases can slide in either vertically or horizontally.

  • Maureen Joy Maureen Joy on Mar 16, 2021

    Love this idea! I never knew about corner clamps! Gamechanger for me! Does anyone know if they make adjustable corner clamps so you could use it on multiple angles???

  • RJ Stewart RJ Stewart on Sep 18, 2021

    Instead of screwing the 2 panels together, why not Hinge them?

    That would allow you to open them at any angle and also fold together for better storage when not in use.

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  • Missy Missy on Sep 26, 2021

    Looks like you could do this with old chair backs too for a smaller version.

  • Debbie Kirk Debbie Kirk on Mar 11, 2023

    Great idea! I have also used this kind of crib for general storage. I used one of the sides to lay flat across the top of the crib. I wasn't as fancy, no tools, I had to use zip ties to hold it in place, but it worked. I left the second side in place to stabilize it.

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