I had looked into how to build an industrial clothes rack about a year ago when I started adding fashion content to my blog and ran out of room to store my expanding wardrobe. I put off the project until recently when I started planning a fundraiser and was going to need a way to display the clothes for this fun event. SAVE THE DATE (if you’re local). June 2nd I’ll be hosting an event with my friends at Sugar Salon in West Hartford to help kick off a girls’ night out in West Hartford Center with cocktails, pampering, and a chance to raid my closet. I’ll be using this industrial clothes rack to display lots of nearly new clothing items that will be up for grabs as part of this fundraiser.
As for as how to build an industrial clothes rack you want to complete the base first. I had this wood base already assembled (a cabinet door I built and then decided not to use). I cut the wood to the size I wanted with a miter saw and glued it together with a “Z” shaped backing. Then I used screws to secure it further. This is a VERY elementary way to assemble wood which is fine because I wanted this piece to look rustic/industrial. There are certainly better ways, no need to copy this project outline exactly.
I let my son stain the wood before adding the wheels. I used a vinegar wood stain so there were no fumes or harsh chemicals to worry about. It takes a few hours for the stain to dry and develop (after a few minutes you will think your stain didn’t really take). A day later I put a coat of wood crackle medium over the stain to help give the base a more weathered look. After that dried I dry brushed a slightly thin coat of white chalk paint over the stain. When that dried we attached the wheels (around $2.50 each at Home Depot)
If you follow my blog you probably know I have entirely too many clothes. With a constant influx I was finding myself leaving the newer items in bags and laundry baskets all around my room (anywhere but in the closet where they would get lost).
I used 1/2″ galvanized steel piping that I grabbed at Home Depot. For this project I used:
2 – half inch floor pieces
2 – 48″ long, half inch pipes
1 – 24″ long, half inch wide pipe
2 – 90 degree 1/2 inch corner pieces.
You can’t see above but I used Loctite glue to attach a 1/2 inch pipe clip on the side of the long pipe as a place to hang handbags.
If you prefer to buy a clothes rack here are some I saw for sale online:
If you’re in Connecticut I’d love to see you for the event. Much of my closet will be up for grabs as a way to raise money for a cause close to my heart (addiction services). Should you have any questions about this project feel free to leave them in the comments below.
