Make a Laundry Drying Rack
This wall-mounted laundry rack is a great project to make for days when it's too cold, too windy or too wet to hang your washing outdoors.
17/10/2018
Make this wall-mounted and adjustable laundry drying rack out of PAR pine that you can buy at any Builders Warehouse. It's the perfect way to dry your washing when it's too windy, too cold or too wet to hang your laundry outdoors.
Three levels of clips on the frame allow you to adjust the angle of the drying rack for large and small items. You can modify the measurements here to make a smaller drying rack, or double up for a large family that needs plenty of space for hanging wet washing.
The drying rack can be mounted above a bathtub in the bathroom, in a laundry room, or wherever you want to mount it. When not in use, simply clip the hanging frame inside the wall frame to keep it out of the way.
YOU WILL NEED:
2 of 19 x 67 x 962mm pine - outer frame sides
2 of 19 x 67 x 580mm pine - outer frame top/bottom
2 of 19 x 44 x 874mm pine - inner frame sides
2 of 19 x 44 x 534mm pine - inner frame top/bottom
2 of 19 x 44 x 440mm pine - hanging frame top/bottom
2 of 19 x 44 x 950mm pine - hanging frame sides
7 of 12mm pine dowels, 460mm length
Wood glue
Wood filler
25mm pocket hole screws
20/25mm panel pins
6 of 20mm cup hooks
2 of eyelets
1 pack of 5mm diameter sash cord
2 butt hinges and [8] 13mm screws
1 double roller door latch and [4] 13mm screws
TOOLS:
Drill / Driver plus assorted bits
12mm spade bit
Kreg Pocket Hole Jig
OPTIONAL: Kreg Plug Cutter
Jigsaw or miter saw
Hammer
Sander plus 120- and 240-grit sanding pads
Clamps
Tape measure and pencil
Not responsible for errors or omissions.
HERE'S HOW:
Outer Frame
1. The first step is to make up the outer frame (above) using 19 x 67mm PAR pine. Use a pocket hole jig to drill [2] pocket holes at the top of both outer frame sides. There is a 4mm overhang at the top and bottom - on both sides.
GOOD TO KNOW: Don't forget to set the pocket hole jig to 19mm wood.
2. Join the outer frame using wood glue and 25mm screws. It's a good idea to clamp the sections as you join.
Inner Frame
3. Make up the inner frame using 44mm wide PAR pine. Drill [2] pocket holes at both ends of the inner frame sides and secure to the top and bottom using wood glue and 25mm screws.
4. Place the inner frame inside the outer frame and use a hammer and panel pins to secure in place. Fill any holes with a dab of wood filler.
Drying Rack
5. To assemble the drying rack, first mark and drill 12mm holes for mounting the dowels. The holes should be 10mm deep on both sides. Use masking tape to mark the correct cutting depth on your 12mm spade bit. See diagram below for spacing between the dowels.
6. Secure the dowels to one side with wood glue and then add the remaining side and secure the dowels with wood glue.
7. Drill [2] pocket holes at both ends of the inner frame top / bottom and secure to the side with wood glue and 25mm screws.
TOP TIP:
It's easy to hide visible pocket holes with the Kreg Plug Cutter. Simply cut out the plugs in a scrap piece of pine and insert these into pocket holes with wood glue. Push firmly in place, let dry and then sand smooth.
Drilled pocket holes become almost invisible.
Painting
Before assembling the drying rack, all the components were sanded smooth, wiped clean and then sprayed with a Bosch PFS spray system. We use a Bosch PFS 2000 for all our project.
Assemble Drying Rack
8. Secure the drying rack frame to the bottom of the outer frame with [2] butt hinges and 13mm screws. Align the hinges with the ends of the bottom frame (see below).
9. Screw in [2] cup hooks on the inside of the drying rack frame (with dowels) at approximately 480mm down from the top edge - see below.
10. Cut the sash cord to a length of 1750mm. Tie a knot at one end and thread through the eyelet and then thread through the other eyelet and tie off with a knot.
11. Measure and mark at 80mm, 300mm and 550mm from the top on both inner side frames.
12. At these marks, screw a cup hook in the centre of the side frames.
TOP TIP: If you struggle to screw in the cup hooks, use a pair of pliers to make it easier.
13. To hold the drying rack closed when not in use, mount a double-roller door latch at the top.
GOOD TO KNOW: There wasn't quite enough space to mount the door latch, so we used a Dremel Multi-Max to cut out a rebate.
14. The door latch is secure to the frames using 13mm screws.
Mount onto a Wall
Drill [2] holes through the side of the inner frame, 200m down from the top edge, and secure to a wall with nylon wall plugs and screws.
GOOD TO KNOW: DO use a digital detector to check before drilling into walls.
