Keep a clear hallway with this custom-made coat rack. It has a little built-in shelf and a whole lot of character
When you use a wooden pallet to make a coat rack you get more than just a functional piece of furniture. Every pallet picks up a life of its own from being out in all weathers, which makes each project a true one of a kind, packed full of charm. You can normally get your hands on a used pallet for next to nothing, so it’s an economical choice, too.
Our coat rack project is fully customisable, meaning you can make it to any size to fit your space perfectly. The added shelf on top offers extra storage for a well-organised hallway that’s a calm place to be. Once you’ve made your coat rack, a quick wipe over with Danish oil or beeswax lets the beauty of the timber shine through.
1 Dismantle the pallet board. Cut the pallet wood strips to size; on our coat rack we have two measuring 280mm high, two at 260mm high, two at 250mm high, two at 220mm high and one at 240mm high.
2 Sand each piece of wood and arrange on your work surface. Set clamps either side and lay the pieces of wood pieces inside (with the good side facing down), applying glue to each edge of the wood as you do. When all the pieces of wood are back in position, check the top edges are nicely aligned and tighten up the clamps. Leave to dry.
3 For extra stability, cut two 50mm wide pieces of pallet wood to go across the back, 50mm shorter than the width of the coat
rack, so there is no overhang at the edges.
4 Place one strip across the top of the coat rack and one across the bottom. Drill pilot holes through each strip into the slats and
screw in position.
5 Cut two ‘end’ pieces to fit the coat rack. Use a jigsaw or beveller to shape each piece at the bottom. Sand and attach, using glue.
6 Measure the width of the coat rack (including the end pieces) and cut a piece of pallet wood to the same width, for the shelf at
