I’ve always wanted a Pinterest perfect home – they just always look so beautiful, and most of them, super cozy. When we moved into our new place I had an opportunity to give it a go with our entryway.
We have a long wall next to the door that I wanted to make functional, but I didn’t want to spend a ton. I’m definitely a DIY kind of girl when I can, and the best part is EJ just lets me do my thing. Sometimes I feel bad for him, because I rarely let him help me hang things or use his Handy-Man skills, but I like to do things myself! That’s just how I roll.
The Space:
The wall is approximately 5 feet long, and I wanted to find a way to find a way to incorporate what we already had into the space. This cute puppy, Harlowe, loves her walks, so we wanted hooks and a place to put on our shoes.
We had a Threshold Entryway Bench from Target, $49, that we wanted to create our entry around.
I looked at a lot of wall mounted coat hooks, and to be honest hated them all. Most of them weren’t long enough (longest I could find was about 24″-30″), and cost over $50. With a wall my size, I wanted something closer to 40″+ inches long. So – just like that I decided to make one, and knew I could get the job done cheaper.
If you decide you want to make your own Wall Rack, don’t think you can’t do it! It took me less than 30 minutes, and cost less than half the price.
All you need is the following:
-Wood Board (of your desired length, thickness)
-Paint + Brush
-Sand Paper (you don’t need a high grit, 80 – 120 grit will do just fine)
-Hooks (of your desired color, number, and size)
-Phillips Screwdriver, or Power Drill
Step 1: Gather Your Supplies
Home Depot! Home Depot can be an intimidating place with all the aisles, hardware, and workers picking up big loads of wood for big projects.
My best advice: Walk in there like you own the place, and if you don’t know where something is, just ask!
I ended up buying a board 45″ inches long, and it was perfect considering my bench is 44″ inches long. I wanted it to be about the same length to correctly fill out the space. I also bought my Sawtooth Hangers while I was there, because I just needed 3. I didn’t like the hooks they had, so I left without them to search elsewhere.
Is Amazon a godsend or what?! I found the hooks I was looking for and so much cheaper than something I was going to settle for at Home Depot. I got 5 hooks for $10 vs. $4/hook that I wasn’t in love with.
I’m a big believer in supporting local stores, but they didn’t have what I wanted.
Once the hooks arrived, it was time to work!
Step 2: Prep the Board
Paint time! I first proceeded to paint the board. I didn’t spend an arm and a leg on the paint ($1.29 from Michael’s, Acrylic White). I applied two coats, which dried within 10 minutes. Make sure you apply enough paint to get a full coverage. Once the paint dried, I started sanding.
Note: If you are sanding, it can get dusty! Make sure you do it away from everything, preferably outside, or put a large tarp down.
I wanted to create character within my slab – some rustic, worn spots. Remember, you want to make sure your grit isn’t too high, otherwise it will strip all the paint, instead of creating a smooth finish.
Step 3: Assemble the Hooks
Once your board has the correct finish, color, and “wear” that you’re looking for, it’s time to add your hooks. With how long my wall racks was going to be, I wanted to make sure I had a least 5 hooks, evenly space, and spread out so once I put items on it, there would be enough room.
I love my Laser Level because it has an air suction, which allows it to stay in place while I measure and mark the spot for each hook.
Once I finished my increments across the board, it was time for the last steps…
Step 4: Secure and Mount
I had to use a Phillips Screwdriver and install the hooks manually because the screw positions were too close to the hooks to use a power drill. But – it wasn’t too much trouble – and the most labor I did on the entire project.
After I installed the hooks, I hammered the Sawtooth Hangers on the back and then put it on the wall!
Total DIY Wall Mounted Hook Rack Cost:
Board: $5
Sawtooth Hanger, 3 Pack: $3
Paint: $1.29
Brush: $0.50
Hooks: $10.99
=$20.78
Step 5: The Final Product
After completing the wall mounted hook rack it was time to add the rest of the decor!
We added a shelf above the hook rack to add a little decor, a bowl to put our keys in, and a pillow for a comfy spot while we put on/take off our shoes.
The “E” (18″ inches tall) we had custom-made by Craftcuts.com for only $17 – much cheaper than anything we found on Amazon or in-store. It’s an amazing website if you want anything cut or custom-made! You can choose the font, size, color, and thickness (AND, they are super quick to ship!)
We used things we already had to finish out the shelf, and just like that, we made something out of nothing.
Total Entryway Cost:
DIY Wall Mounted Hook Rack: $20.78
Target Threshold Entryway Bench: $49.99
TJ Maxx Pillow: $22
Custom “E”: $17
Ikea Shelf: $12
Target Bowl: $5
=$126.77
Much better than spending $50+ on a wall mounted hook rack alone!
Don’t be afraid to try to DIY things before buying them. If I’m being honest, not every project I’ve tried to DIY has turned out quite as planned. But, I’ve learned a lot from each project, that I’m going to pass on to you.
Words Of Wisdom: have a little patience, don’t be scared to stray from the plan, and a glass of wine goes nicely with any DIY!
Berries By the Bunch 