DIY Shoe Rack

For a class assignment, I was given the freedom to make anything I wanted for my final project. At first, nothing came to mind, and I was struggling to figure out what I wanted to do. All I knew was that I wanted to make something I could use every day, and that was practical for me. This is when I came up with the idea of building a shoe rack. I have always loved shoes; however, all my shoes sit under my bed. When I want to wear a pair, I have to get down on the ground and search for the ones I want to wear that day. Building a shoe rack will be an easy way to organize my shoes and also show them off a little.

Materials I used for this project:

3 Wood Planks 1x6

4 S4S Hardwood Boards 2x2x3

2 Paint Holders

1 Sanding Sponge

1 8 oz Dark Walnut Wood Stainer

1 8 oz Simply White Wood Stainer

2 Stain Brushes

6 Steel Corner Braces (No bigger than the width of your poles)

36 Screws 3/4in

Tape Measure

2 Clamps

Hand Saw

Electric Saw

2 Sawhorses

Ruler

Drill

3 Towels

To choose the best design, I created sketches of three different designs for my shoe rack. My initial design is not the same as my final design. Above are the three sketches I thought would be the best for me to build.

After reviewing my sketches, I decided to make a decision matrix to help narrow down my choices. After careful consideration, I chose the shoe rack shown above. The decision matrix helped me reach my final design concept. The green highlighted design is what I chose, with a final sketch next to it.

To keep things inexpensive, I decided to make my prototype out of popsicle sticks since I was choosing my design based on how the shoe rack would look. They are also cheap and easy to assemble with glue. My original design was just two planks to hold shoes, however, after making the second design, I decided the three planks would be better for me.

Now that you have chosen your design and built the prototype, it is time to measure your real parts to the desired size. For my design, I cut the 1x6 wood planks down to 45 1/4 in. This may seem like an interesting choice in size; however, it was the length I needed my boards to be to fit five shoes on each section comfortably. Next, use a ruler to ensure the line I will cut later is straight. I kept the thickness and width the same as when I purchased them, marking the other two boards the same way. For the posts of the shoe rack, I cut my 2x2x3 down to 2x2x2. Again, I measured my part with a tape measure and then used a ruler to line up where I will be cutting. I repeated the process for the other three posts as well.

Before cutting the pieces to the sizes shown previously, ensure that when using an electric saw, your part doesn't slide around. This will create uneven cuts, making it challenging to assemble later. Make sure to fasten the parts tightly and give it a shake to check if it's properly secure.

After I finished fastening my boards, it was time to cut. I used the electric saw above to cut my pieces along the previously drawn cut lines fast and effortlessly.

After I finished cutting my pieces, I noticed they were not very smooth. Although it's just my shoes on the rack, I'm going for a clean, modern look. I decided to sand the entire board and the posts. I used the medium-grain and fine-grain sandpaper shown above. After sanding, I felt the boards and posts to ensure they were smooth to the touch, so I wouldn't get any splinters when putting my shoes away. This was my indicator I could start applying the stainer.

First, set down old towels you don't care about; you don't want to leave stains wherever you are painting. Next, grab your paint and pour it into a container that you can easily stir, such as a bowl. Then, dip your brush in it. I didn't want to spend a bunch of money, so I grabbed a large cup, and that did the job. For the posts, I used the Dark Walnut Stainer, and for the boards, I used the Simply White Wood Stainer shown above. After pouring and stirring your paint, dip your brush in and start painting the wood. Make sure to go with the grain of the wood to get the best possible finish. After painting the stainer, wait 5-15 minutes and dry off the wood with a towel. Then let your pieces sit for a couple of hours

Now you are ready to assemble your shoe rack. Set up your posts on both sides of the wooden planks, half an inch from the end of the wood. Grab your steel corner braces and set them in contact with the wooden plank and the posts. Grab 12 screws and use your drill to fasten the brace to the planks and posts. This will be the top of your shoe rack. Now measure 10 inches from the top of the plank you just fastened. To make this easier, fasten the braces to each side of the posts first. Now you can easily and quickly set your plank on the brace and fasten it. Lastly, measure 3 inches from the bottom of the shoe rack so that the plank isn't touching the ground, and now secure the last two braces. Set the plank on the brace like last time and and use the remaining screws to link the brace to the plank. Congratulations, you just made your very own shoe rack!