Anywhere you stay, from a rental to a permanent home; your clothes will need a mini home too. Some places don’t have built-in cupboards but do not fret, we’ve got an easy clothing rack solution! We were looking for a portable wardrobe rail for the Airbnb project we’re busy with when Germarie decided to make a Scandinavian-inspired one instead!
How to make your own Portable Clothing Rail
Difficulty: easy
Time: 2 hours
YOU NEED:
- 4 x 22mmx44mmx1.8m Pine PAR
- 2m Sash Cord
- 1 x 19mm Dowel
- Scissors
- Pencil
- 1x ready-made pine racking (1mx40mm)*
- White paint
- Small roller sponge
- Tape measure
- Painter’s tape
- 19mm spade drill bit
* Keep your eyes peeled for ready-made pine racking at the hardware store, they are often cheaper than making something similar yourself.
OPTIONAL:
- 1 x 22mmx44mmx1.8m Pine PAR for a strengthening base frame
A base frame isn’t essential, but if you’re making the wardrobe rail for daily use, it’s best to make it sturdy.
STEP 1:
Start with the large top holes first. Measure 50mm from the top edges of the pine batons and mark the centre spots where the drill bit should fit.
Place a piece of sacrificial wood below the pine baton, and clamp the wood to the workbench. Now place the tip of the spade bit on the marked spot and drill right through. Sand any rough areas.
STEP 2:
Use a wood drill bit to make the sash cord holes. The size of the drill bit depends on the cord thickness. Measure and mark the centre spots 200mm from the bottom edges of the pine batons. Clamp the wood to the workbench and drill the holes in each baton. Sand rough areas.
STEP 3:
Wrap painter’s tape around each pine baton to ensure a straight paint edge. The size of the painted area depends on personal preference. We wanted to cover roughly a quarter of the wood’s surface for our wardrobe rail.
STEP 4:
Use a small paint roller or brush and paint the top sections white. We also painted the pre-made pine racking white. Let it dry and apply a second coat if necessary.
STEP 5:
Assemble the wardrobe rail by sliding two pine batons on each side of the dowel.
Cut the sash cord into two 1m pieces and tie a knot on one end of each. Slip the untied part of the cord through the bottom hole of one pine baton and then through the hole on the adjacent baton. Loosely tie the ends of the sash cord.
Pull the legs of the wardrobe rail a little apart to fit the pre-made racking and adjust the sash cord to suspend the shelf. Then secure the sash knots.
Pro Tip: To get the angle of the feet right, place a piece of off-cut wood next to the wardrobe legs and use a pencil to draw a line on the pine batons parallel to the floor. Saw off the angled bits for increased stability and neatness.
STEP 6:
To add a base frame, measure the outer most width and depth of the bottom of the wardrobe rail. Cut four pieces accordingly.
Secure the short piece to the outer sides of the legs and the other two pieces to the inside of the front and back of the legs.
That’s it! Hang up clothes, sling bags, scarves or use the DIY rail as a coat hanger in the entryway!
Happy Making!
3 responses
Hi, not sure if I am missing it – how do you prevent the tops slipping off the dowel?
Great question, Marelize! Because the hole and the dowel are the same sizes, it’s a pretty snug fit. Plus, the base gives it enough stability to prevent the legs from going anywhere. Hope that helps!
Awesome thanks!