Pallet wood wine rack

Wine and dine

Make an easy-to-build rustic wine rack using pallet wood with just a few tools and minimal woodworking experience

By Johann Stadler

Fig A: Make two as shown and one 20mm longer at the bottom

This wall mounted wine rack is quick and easy to make – and the good news is that your work need not be 100% accurate as this will, in fact, contribute to the rustic look found in pallet furniture. Start by sourcing about eight 1m pieces of pallet wood.

Step-by-step guide

Step 1: Make sure all the pieces are clean. Sand them lightly by hand with 80-grit sandpaper to get rid of splinters and dirt.

Step 2: Using a jigsaw, create the shaped pieces according to Figures A and B. Sand lightly again after cutting the profiles.

Step 3: You now have 12 pieces looking like the ones in the components picture. Attach the two 30mm pieces on each end of the piece marked Figure B. Hold them in place with clamps. Drill a small pilot hole through the two top pieces. Screw the two 30mm pieces to the ends of the piece in Figure B and screw down with 30mm cut screws.

Step 4: Measure the middle of the Figure B piece and drill two pilot holes. Place the 320mm piece, shaped as in Figure A, on the middle line and screw in place as shown in picture 1.

Step 5: Take the two 490mm pieces and, 10mm from the edge of each end, drill two pilot holes and screw down the two 300mm shaped pieces 90˚ as in picture 2.

Step 6: Now put one of the two 490mm pieces in place – from the top edge of the 30mm piece to the middle piece. You might have to trim the length a little if your material thickness is wider and the middle piece is taking up more than 20mm.

Drill two pilot holes on each end (making sure they are not in line with the bottom screws), then screw them down. Make sure your 490mm piece is attached to the middle piece with two screws (countersink the heads directly into the 490mm piece). Attach the second 490mm piece to the edge. Secure it to the middle with a screw angled far enough from the edge not to break out and to stay concealed in the wood. Your project should now look like picture 3.

Step 7: Secure a 1 000mm piece to the front, first making sure all three uprights are square. Place two screws on each end and one in the middle. Leave a 15-20mm gap between the 490mm pieces and this front piece (picture 4).

Step 8: Screw one 1000mm piece to the top of the back, again checking that the uprights are still square (picture 5).

Step 9: Screw down the bottom section at the back.

Step 10: Space the middle back piece to leave an even gap and secure.

Step 11: On the top back piece, measure 250mm in and 40mm down from each side. Drill 8mm holes. This is where the wine rack will be secured to the wall with 8 x 60mm wall plugs

Staining

Staining is easy, but messy. Wear surgical gloves to avoid staining your hands, and also wear old clothes. Wipe down the wine rack to remove any sawdust. Use a brush to apply a stain and colour of your choice.

Whitewashing

Use one part white PVA mixed with three parts water. You can add a colour of your choice if you like. Apply thinly with a paintbrush and wipe with a damp cloth to work the paint nicely into the wood grain.

Cutting list

Planks with an average width of 100mm and 18-20mm thickness:

• 5 x 1 000mm (Figure B)

• 2 x 490mm

• 2 x 300mm (Figure A)

• 1 x 320mm (shape as in Figure A, but with an extra 20mm at the bottom)

• 2 x 30mm

Tools & Materials

• Measuring tape

• Pencil

• Drill

• Screwdriver