DIY Coat Rack (with Magnets!)

Hey guys! Today we’re gonna walk through how to make an easy DIY entryway coat rack, magnetic key holder, organizer shelf…. DIY thing to put your stuff on when you walk through the door.

Check out the video above to see how we made it, or if photos and words are more your thing, keep reading below for the step by step guide. We also have plans available on our website!

This is a great project if you’re new to woodworking and don’t have a ton of tools. We just use two power tools and some basic supplies. Also, it's really customizable! You could make it any length, rearrange the shelves, add more hooks, etc. Have a tiny wall? Make a 2-ft version with one shelf. Got 8 kids? Well you’re gonna need a lot more hooks my friend. You get the idea.

The one we made is about 35" wide and is made of a few components:

• 1x8 (35" wide) backing
• Two 1x4 shelves (a long one, and a short one with magnets underneath to hold keys and a lip to hold mail)
• 4 hooks

Raise the blade so it doesn’t cut all the way through. Clamp a speed square to a piece of scrap wood and mark a line where the speed square is. Raise your blade so that it won't go all the way through the wood, and make a cut at that line.

Now you have a guide that shows you when you line up your speed square with the mark you made, the blade cuts where the groove is. We used this to line up our cuts. Use the jig to mark where your speed square should be clamped, and clamp it to the piece you’re cutting.

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We made our cuts with a circular saw. One optional step that makes using a circular saw easier is making a little jig that helps you get more precise cuts. There's a limited number of photos we can add to this post, so check out the end of the video for the quick how-to!

We cut the 35" 1x8 first for our backing, then the 1x4 for our shelves. We cut one piece to 24” for the higher shelf, and one to 9-¾” for the lower shelf. We wanted the shorter shelf to be wide enough to hold an envelope so we could put mail there.

We also cut a square ¾” dowel the same length as the shorter shelf to act as a shelf lip.

After our cuts, we gave everything a light sanding with 220 grit sandpaper.

We didn’t do any fancy joinery for this build, everything is connected with countersunk screws placed in spots that won’t be seen.

First we attached the long shelf to the backing. On the back of the backing, we traced out where we wanted the shelf to be and marked three points to drill through.

First we drilled pilot holes, then drilled with a countersink bit, and then screwed the backing to the shelf.

Before we attached the shorter shelf to our backing, we drilled shallow holes into the bottom of it to embed magnets to hold our keys. To know how deep to drill, we placed a magnet next to the bit and placed tape on the bit that marked the height of the magnet.

We used a couple drops of super glue in the holes we drilled to attach the magnets. We also had a slight moment of panic because we didn’t have a hammer or mallet with us so we grabbed a nearby piece of 2x4 to pound the magnets in. It worked!

Then we attached the dowel to the front of the small shelf, and attached the shelf to the backing.

To finish, we stained the wood, did a couple coats of shellac, and a light coat of wax. At a minimum, we’d suggest doing the shellac because it gives it a nice sheen and some water resistance (a good thing to have if you’re hanging a wet raincoat).

Then we attached the hardware, hung it on the wall, and called it a day! Here's a close up showing the hooks we used. Wonder how long it will stay pretty before life happens and it's full... lol

We are really pleased with how this turned out. Our favorite part = the magnets!!! Let us know if you have any questions!

-Evan & Katelyn

Original article and pictures take http://www.hometalk.com/29840119/diy-coat-rack-with-magnets site