DIY 2x4 Shelf with Towel Hooks

When I did this design I originally had a bathroom setting in mind.  Hence the photo above.

Then I got to thinking that it would like nice just inside an entryway.  You could take your coat off  when you come inside and hang it on one of the hooks. 

Place your gloves and hat on top of the shelf and have everything in place the next time you wanted to go out somewhere or...

Imagine it tucked just inside a walk in closet.  A night robe hung up so you could just reach around the inside of the closet and grab it.

It's a great stylish design that would look good in just about any room and can be purposed for so many different things.

DIY Shelf with Hooks

Materials

2 - 2x4s (Might be able to get away with just 1 if you have a few 2x4 scraps laying around.)

NOTE: All board lengths are 8' long unless otherwise noted.

Choice of Stain

Polyurethane

Wood Glue 

Miter Saw

Cut List

5 Shelf Slats @ 1.5" x 1.5" x 21"

1 Front Shelf Slat @ 1.5" x 1.5" x 24"

2 Shelf Side Pieces @1.5" x 1.5" x 8.75"

 

2 Vertical Joiner Pieces @ 1.5" x 1.5" x 8.5"

 

1 Horizontal Bottom Cross Piece @ 1.5" x 1.5" x 24"

 

4 Hook Pieces @ 1.5" x 1.5" x 3.5"

Cutting Diagrams

2x4s

Step 1

The first thing to do is too rip a 2x4 in half on the table saw.  Actually I should be more specific than to just say "half". 

2x4s usually have rounded corners to them.  Run each side through the table saw to remove this rounded portion.  Then set your table saw rip fence to 1.5" and you should be able to get two 8' lengths of board.  Each at one and a half inches or 38mm.

The bottom cross piece is the one that sits horizontal and gets the hook pieces attached to it.  Cut it to length on the miter saw and then take it back to the table saw and you should be able to cut all the slots you see below.

Step 2

The hooks are simple 3.5" or 89mm pieces with a 1/4" to 1/2" section routed out of them to create the hook on the end.

Again the easiest way to do that would be on the table saw.  However, don't cut each piece to it's 3.5" length and then try to cut that section out on the table saw.

Use a longer piece that you can get all four cut out of plus a few inches.  Set the blade height to around 1/4" or whatever height you want the hook part to have and run the piece across the blade using the miter gauge until you are 3.25" in from the end of the board.

Then take the piece over to the miter saw and cut a piece that is 3.5" long and whalahh!  You have one of your hook pieces.

Rinse and repeat for the other 3.

Then glue and clamp in place.

 

Step 3

The Vertical joiner pieces is what joins the top shelf to the bottom hook portion.  The photo below may look tricky but it isn't.

The miter gauge on the table saw can be used to cut the tenon shown on the top portion of the pic.

However, unless you have a tenon cutting jig for the other side you will probably just want to clamp the piece in a vise and use a pull saw.  A chisel will clean up the inside edges nicely to give a finished fit.

TIP:  Just remember to mark the waste portion of the material before cutting.  Since the cuts are 90 degrees to each other from one end to the other it can be a little visually disorienting.

Step 4

Now those pieces can be glued together with the bottom cross piece. 

Step 5

Lets start on the top shelf.  Again use the same technique you decided to go with in step 4 to cut this piece as well.

Step 6

Now glue the shelf slats between the side pieces.

NOTE:  Make sure you get the end mortise facing the right direction to be joined to the bottom section of the project.

The one thing here is to flush the slat to the end of the side pieces that has the joinery cut into it.  Space each piece 1/4" or 6mm apart and that should leave a 1/4" lip along the front so that when the next step is done the spacing between the slats will be uniform.

Step 7

Glue the front slat in place.

Step 9

Glue to two sections of the project together.

Final Thoughts

Once the project is dry it can come out of the clamps and be sanded down.  A few coats of your choice of stain along with a few more coats of a project sealer such as some polyurethane will complete this awesome gift giving idea.

I hope you enjoyed our 11th Day of 12 DIY Christmas Gift ideas.

Don't forget to stop by again tomorrow for another great project to help you with your gift giving dilemma's.


Until then!