Easy Crate Shelf
Hang up your crates, take them down— this convenient rack can handle a lot of stuff!
This good-looking, inexpensive rack can hold a lot of stuff!
Wooden crates are a staple at flea markets and antiques stores, but now you can also buy them at home centers.
The crates shown here cost about $10 each, and are sturdy enough to hold books and record albums. We wanted a quick and convenient way to hang the crates, and easily take them down if needed, so we devised this simple hanging rack.
The rack is just a 1x8 board with hangers every 16 in. We assembled the hangers from machine screws, nuts and aluminum bar stock. The most difficult part of the project is cutting the aluminum and drilling the holes. And even this is simple enough for a beginning DIYer.
This is a simple project that you’ll be able to finish in about an hour. Our crate rack can hold four crates, but you can make yours shorter or taller to fit your needs. It’s designed to hold crates with 3/8-in.-thick slats. But you can easily modify it to accommodate crates with thicker slats by adding the right combination of nuts and washers to the machine screws. Remember, if you want to hang crates with slats thicker than 3/8 in., you’ll need to increase the length of the machine screws accordingly.
Start by making the aluminum hangers. Use a square and a pencil or fine marker to mark the aluminum bar. Clamp the aluminum bar to a solid surface and use a sharp, 32-tooth hacksaw blade to cut along the line (Photo 1). Aluminum is so soft that you can easily clean up and polish the cut end with sandpaper. When you’re done cutting and smoothing the aluminum, mark the hole locations using Figure B as a guide and drill the holes (Photo 2).
Finish the hangers by threading on the nuts (see Photo 4).
The next step is to drill holes in the 1x8 to accept the hangers. Choose the best-looking side of the 1x8 to face out. Then turn the board over and use the dimensions in Figure A to draw square lines across the back of the 1x8. Mark
the hole locations and drill recesses and mounting holes (Photo 3). Mount one of the hangers on the board (Photos 4 and 5) and check the fit by sliding one of the crates onto the hanger. The crate slat should slip easily behind the aluminum bar. If the fit is too tight, remove the hanger and add a washer to the bolt. Mount the hangers, along with additional washers if needed, to complete the project.
Because the crate rack with crates could be quite heavy, we recommend that you mount it to a stud or other solid wood (Photo 6). If there isn’t a stud in your ideal location, use two heavy-duty hollow-wall anchors like the Toggler brand Snaptoggle anchors instead.