How to Make a Wooden Boot Rack
Build a Space-Saving Boot Rack — No More Cluttered Porch
Tired of boots and wellies piling up by the door? This wall-mounted boot rack holds four pairs, keeps everything off the floor, and looks great too. I made mine from birch plywood for a clean, contemporary finish — and it cost a fraction of anything you'd buy in a shop.
This was actually one of my first Fix Make videos, made before I had a table saw — so I ripped the plywood to width using a circular saw and a shop-made guide. Proof that you don't need a fully kitted workshop to make something useful.
If you fancy making one yourself, I've put the full plan together — measurements, angles, everything you need. It's £4 over on Buy Me a Coffee.
Materials
18mm birch plywood — two pieces laminated together for a 36mm finished thickness 20mm wooden dowel pegs Danish Oil — four coats for a durable, natural finish
Dimensions
Finished length: 1 metre — holds four pairs of boots comfortably
How to Make It
Step 1 — Rip the plywood to width using a circular saw and a shop-made guide, or a table saw if you have one.
Step 2 — Sand off any rough edges before laminating.
Step 3 — Cut both pieces to rough length by hand using a bench hook.
Step 4 — Laminate the two pieces of plywood together using Gorilla Wood Glue and clamp until fully set.
Step 5 — Mark out the hole positions using a shop-made template guide. This ensures consistent spacing and keeps everything straight.
Step 6 — Drill the holes using a pillar drill with a 20mm bit. A pillar drill gives you a clean, perpendicular hole — important for the dowels to sit flush.
Step 7 — Mark and cut the dowel pegs to length using the bench hook.
Step 8 — Apply a small amount of wood glue to each hole and knock the dowel pegs in with a mallet.
Step 9 — Once the glue has set, sand the whole rack down to a smooth finish.
Step 10 — Apply four coats of Danish Oil, allowing each coat to dry fully before applying the next. This gives a hard-wearing natural finish that won't chip or peel.
The Result
A solid, wall-mounted boot rack that holds four pairs of boots or wellies, keeps your porch tidy, and looks far better than anything plastic. Total build time is an afternoon — less if you work quickly.
If you build one yourself, drop a comment on the YouTube video — I'd love to see how it turns out.
More from Fix Make
If you enjoyed this project, here are a few others you might like: — Build a DIY Wine Rack that holds bottles and glasses: https://www.fix-make.com/blog/wooden-wine-rack-build — How to make a wooden picture frame in oak: https://www.fix-make.com/blog/oak-picture-frame-make — How to install a washing machine yourself: https://www.fix-make.com/blog/how-to-install-a-washing-machine
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Things you’ll need….
Workshop Clothing
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