How to Make a Pallet Wine Rack In 9 Easy Steps
If you need a gift idea for the holidays or for the wedding season, this easy, quick DIY project is perfect for all the wine lovers in your life! The most simple design takes only about an hour and a half, depending on the tools you use and how fancy you want to get. These pallet wine racks are easily customizable for the style and occasion. Make one for yourself or one for someone else!
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Pallet Wine Racks and How to Make Them
You can get pretty creative with making wine racks out of wood pallets, but we’ll start with the most inexpensive and straightforward design using the end of the pallet.
Cut the Pallet
Cut the indentation of the pallet where the forks of a forklift go using a circular saw, or a hand saw. The height of the wine rack should be about 16-17 inches tall.
Pulling Boards
The wine rack will need two boards for the bottom, and you’re going to pull these boards from the middle of the pallet. You’ll need a hammer and a crowbar (or whatever else you have) to do this. Be careful to use enough force to get the board off, but not so much that the board will crack. Don’t worry if you break a board or two in this process. It just takes some practice!
Cut Small Pieces
Next, you’ll need to cut three small pieces to separate the board that supports the glasses and the board that supports the bottom. These come from the bigger section of the pallet where the boards are nailed. They should be cut to the length of the board and approximately 1×1. You may need a few different tools to cut them from the pallet and then cut them to the correct specifications.
Sanding
Pallets are not pre-sanded, so you’ll need to sand down your wood to avoid splinters and ensure that your wine rack has a smooth, albeit rustic, finish.
Holes for the Glasses
When making holes to hold the glasses, measure carefully! Most pallets are around 40 inches wide. You can fit four standard-size wine glasses per 20 inches, but of course, do whatever you think you need! Start with one side of your pallet, mark 4.5 inches from the edge, about 1.5-1.75 inches in depth in the board, and mark a hole. Then, mark three more holes, 4 inches apart. Repeat on the opposite side until you have eight holes in total marked.
Drilling the Holes
If you don’t have a drill press, you can use a hand drill to drill out your marked holes.
Cut Gaps for Glasses
In order to insert the ends of your glasses into the holes, you have to cut gaps in the wood. These gaps should be about an inch wide. You can trace a ruler or a one-inch wide piece of wood to mark where to saw. Saw out the gaps and sand down the edges.
Putting it Together
Put the boards together and line them up with the bottom of the rack to make sure everything looks good before you assemble it all together. Clamp to your table and start pre-drilling your holes. Use 3-inch screws to assemble the pieces of your wine rack.
Hang it Up
If you want to stain or paint it, go ahead and do that, but if it’s ready to hang, make sure you use a stud finder to find a stud. Remember – full bottles of wine can get heavy, so you want to make sure your wall and the screws you use to hang it are strong enough to bear the load. Use 2-2.5 inch screws and use a level to make sure they are even.
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Examples of Pallet Wine Racks
Want to get a little fancier with your pallet wine rack design? Here are some other wine rack styles and designs you can try!
I love this smaller version of the wine rack (just four glasses instead of 8). Use the same process we outlined above and stain the wood using a dark stain. Creating the “chalkboard” look is easy to achieve with black chalkboard paint and some chalk!
Why stop at a wine rack when you can make an entire table or bar? I love this simple pallet table with a wine rack on the side. This is a perfect afternoon project and is great for people in small spaces or spaces with limited storage!
Pallet Wine Rack via Etsy
Your wine rack doesn’t have to just hold wine! Add another board to the top and voila! A shelf for all your favorite liquors
Distressed Pallet Wine Rack via Etsy
We have farmhouse chic galore with this wine rack! I love the distressed look of this wine rack. Remember, you don’t have to hang the glasses from the bottom. You can assemble your wine rack so the glasses hang from the top, like this one!
Pallet Wine Rack via Etsy
One of the best things about the pallet wine rack is its versatility. Dress your wine rack up with every season. Add another plank of wood to the top and create a decorative shelf for candles, photographs, or other decor!
Ladder Style 12 Bottle Wine Rack from 1001Pallets.com
Forego the wine glass holder section altogether and take your wine rack in a different direction! I love this ladder-inspired design! It can hold 12 bottles – no wall hanging required!
Wine Rack Made of Recycled Wood Pallets via CuttheWood.com
This design is a little different! Cut holes in the wood to display the bottles upside down, rather than being held in the bottom. Hold more bottles or glasses in the bottom instead!
Modern Industrial Pallet Wine Rack via CuttheWood.com
A metal towel holder is all you need to take your rustic wood pallet wine rack to an industrial wine rack! Stain with a dark stain for a sleek, upscale look.
Lighted Pallet Wine Rack from Cutthewood.com
This one is perfect for your man cave! Add some colorful lighting to your rack and use it to showcase your favorite bottles and glasses!
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Final Thoughts
Pallet wine racks are super easy to make, but they don’t have to be boring! You can utilize so many colors and styles to personalize your pallet wine rack and make it fit you and your space. It also makes a great, homemade, upcycled gift! Which one do you like the best?
Are you considering any DIY home improvements? You came to the right place! We’re the experts at creating a beautiful home and wonderful living spaces. Check out our resources at Nestrs today.