Make a Mason Jar Wall Caddy

by Rob & Courtney M, Hometalk Team

14 Materials

$5-20

1.5 Hours

Medium

Rob and I recently had an answered prayer in that we will be relocating back to the south sometime next summer. We plan to close on a 112 year old farm house in the next few months and will slowly transition to Alabama, where my maternal family is and where I was partially raised (I moved a lot growing up, but I lived in Alabama before moving to South Carolina, and Alabama is where my family roots are). Of course, with a super old house comes lots of renovations--we have tons of ideas and it needs A LOT of work; however, I figured while we wait to make our move and go crazy with the house reno, I'll start really cranking out the farm style, rustic decor. This project is one that I've been wanting to do for years but just never got around to it. The final resting place for this Mason jar wall caddy will likely be in the bathroom in the "new" house but for purposes of taking the final photo for this concept, I threw some of my paint brushes in the jars. This caddy is so versatile--I usually see them in bathrooms but you can use them to hold herbs, flowers, art supplies, baby supplies--the uses are endless!

mason jar wall caddy, crafts, how to, mason jars, repurposing upcycling

Supplies:

-pallet planks (You can really use any size--I was originally going to just use a single plank but Rob had the idea of stacking a smaller piece on top because there was no way we were going to find screws short enough that wouldn't blow through the one plank. I like how the double plank style adds some dimension and extra character.)

-Mason jars (You can buy these just about anywhere but COOL STORY: I buy Green Mountain Gringo salsa and it comes in legit Mason jars. Over the years, I've kept the jars as drinking glasses (Hey, reduce, REUSE, recycle, right?!) but for this project, I grabbed 3 for purposes of using what I had on hand.)

-4" hose clamps (hardware store plumbing aisle)

-Rust-oleum Weathered Grey stain

-sponge brush

-old rag

-fine grit sandpaper

-pencil

-wood glue

-drill

-sheet metal screws (wide head, corse thread)

-D-rings

-photo hanging wire

***Note: For this project, I only had to purchase the hose clamps which were roughly $5 . I had all other materials and supplies on hand.

STEP 1: Figure Spacing for Jars & Mark Cut

As I mentioned in my supplies list, I initially was planning on using a single plank for this project; as such, I laid my jars out to figure out spacing and where to cut the plank.

STEP 2: Cut Mark (optional)

Next, I cut my mark to shorten my plank. If you choose to use more than 3 jars, or if you decide to create a vertical caddy, this step won't be necessary.

STEP 3: Sand

After my mark was cut, I sanded down the edges and smoothed down the entire plank so that the stain would go on a little easier. You'll definitely want to make sure to sand down the edge where you made your cut.

STEP 4: Stain

Next, I stained my plank. I applied the stain with a sponge brush, then went back over the entire plank (well, I only did the front and sides because no one will see the back) with a rag, rubbing off the excess stain.

Instead of staining, you can leave your plank plain (wood grain) and simply add a coat of beeswax to bring out the natural beauty of the wood. You can also choose to paint your plank a color--if you decide to do this, I would recommend using an exterior acrylic paint such as Behr. I would let the paint dry and go back over the plank with fine grit sand paper to rough it up a bit, then seal everything with Minwax Paste.

STEP 5: Make Marks for Jars

Ok, here is where I decided to go with Rob's advice and add another, smaller plank to my original one. I simply stained it the same color as the original plank (you could also decide to go two-toned if you wanted to get creative). Once the second plank was dry, I placed it back on the original plank and marked, with a pencil, where I wanted to secure it. Then, Rob marked on the second plank where the drill holes would go.

STEP 6: Glue and Drill Holes

Next, I applied wood glue to the back of the second plank and laid it on the original plank. Rob clamped the planks and drilled starter holes for the hose clamps. *Note: It will make your life a whole lot easier if you pre-drill your holes on the wood and on the hose clamps, otherwise the hose clamps will just spin and fly everywhere, and you'll likely slam your drill bit into the wood overtime that happens.

STEP 7: Figure Jar Neck Width, Pre-Drill Hose Clamps & Fasten

Once the wood was good-to-go, I took the hose clamps and put them around the neck of the jars; I tightened them to figure out how small they would need to be to hold the jar tight.

Once I had an idea of how small they needed to be, Rob took a stamp tool and hammered a starter divot so the drill didn't just spin and would actually make a hole in the metal.

Before drilling the hole in the clamps, Rob took the screws he was going to use and chose a drill bit that was a little smaller around than the screws.

Then, using the edge of a work table for support, Rob drilled a hole in each of the hose clamps.

After the holes were drilled in the clamps, he snipped the excess off, opened the clamps completely and drilled them into the plank(s). He then positioned each jar neck in the clamp and tightened them.

STEP 8: Attach Hangers

Finally, I was able to get the caddy ready to hang. I had a pack of D-rings on hand so I simply attached them to the back of the caddy by using the screws that came with the pack and drilling them in. Then, I had some picture wire and ran it through the D-rings, twisting on the ends and ensuring the wire was tight.

I can't wait to use this in our new home! Of course, it's super rustic but I think in a vintage style bathroom, it will fit right in.

Enjoyed the project?

You can do it! Saved to your projects

Pallet wood planks (on hand)
Mason jars (on hand)
Hose clamps (Home Depot)
Wood glue (on hand)
Rust-oleum Weathered Grey stain (on hand)
Sheet metal screws (on hand)
Sponge brush (Home Depot)
-D-rings (on hand)
Photo hanging wire (on hand)
Old rag (on hand)
Fine grit sandpaper (on hand)
Pencil (on hand)
Wood glue (Home Depot)
Drill (on hand)

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Frequently asked questions

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1 question

Thalia Kottke on Aug 28, 2016
Step 5: Why did you add the second piece of plank?

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5 of 26 comments

Kristin on Feb 08, 2017
Sorry about you losing your dream house and location. I know something better will come along for you.

1 Reply
- Rob & Courtney M, Hometalk Team on Feb 09, 2017
  Thank you 💕
  
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Liz on Feb 11, 2017
Courtney, I'll be praying that ya'll will find the very house that the Lord has planned for you. Sometimes, it is hard to 'wait' though, isn't it? Will you still get to move to Alabama? We miss the South & the super friendly people and that Southern food......yum! Especially miss that AL bar-b-que. (Roll Tide!!) Don't tell me it's "War Eagle"!!

2 Reply
- See 1 previous
- Rob & Courtney M, Hometalk Team on Feb 13, 2017
  Haha thank you Liz! I'm really not sure what's next for us as my husband is currently going to school (online) for his degree in theological studies and is set to graduate next spring--while Alabama isn't off the table, we're waiting to see where we're going to be called/lead to. And yes, I miss my southern food but thankfully I'm still able to have it here (even though it's me cooking it!). As far as UA or Auburn, I never really was a fan of either and my family is split--mostly Alabama fans but I do have a few cousins who also went/go to Auburn. 😉
  
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- Liz on Feb 13, 2017
  Courtney, this is an exciting time for your family as you see the Lord's guidance and feel His love for you all. I can guarantee you that He will lead as you seek His will. Love ya, & your sweet spirit that comes through your postings.
  
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