DiY Distressed Wooden Clothes Drying Rack

Disclaimer: Got it — this is not a new concept. However, it is meant to be your DiY inspiration for the day! I also have some fun ideas on the bottom from different sites around the Internet.

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Have you ever liked the functionality of something, but thought it was just hideous? Welcome the clothes hanging rack above! This wasn’t exactly the one I bought. Mine was a worn-out gray. It was glossy and old and dusty… and hideous. Why didn’t I take a picture? I forgot, and I apologize.

I was sick of seeing our non-dryable clothes hanging over doors and the shower, so I went on a search for a clothes rack I could hang on the wall in my laundry room. I looked online and found some for $40-$100. REALLY?! No thanks!

When I was in an antique shop, I spotted one. When my eyes met the rack, I heard the angels singing from above, “ahhhhhhhhh!” Actually, it was a scream, because both the angels AND I knew that there was no way I’d hang that ugly, drab, glossy, gray, dirty clothes rack in my house. Despite my trepidation, I decided to purchase this cheap option. I guess getting the clothes out of our bathroom was reason enough to shoulder a little work. Well, ok, Joel did most of the work.

The process was as simple as sanding it a bit to get off the flakey old paint, repainting the hanging rack, letting it dry, and then sanding it in a few places to add a “distressed” look.

Remember that when you paint in the joints you need to use your paint sparingly! You don’t want the joints to stick together. Mine did, but I was able to work them out without breaking the darn thing.

Paint and distress away! This is a fun way to spruce up any wooden item you find at a yard sale or antique store.

Here are a few other laundry-hanging DiY ideas I found from a few creative people on the Internet:

1) THE LADDER

Ladders seem to be the “thing” these days. Some antique stores charge up the yoohoo for them, too! Your best option might be to find one at a garage sale, or better yet, an estate sale. I would hang it higher than the author of “Remodelaholic” did, because it seems like it would get in the way. However, it does make a nice talking point. Another idea would be to add some hanging decorations on it (very few, since the purpose is to hang clothes — or you can just take them off when there are clothes on the rack.)

2) THE SAILING INSPIRED ROPE HANGING CLOTHES DRYER

I LOVE this, but it sure would take a lot of supplies, and probably a lot of money. This is actually a clothes display. It might be a good option for a walk-in closet, as well!

 

3) THE WEIRD PIPE THING DEFINITELY NOT CONSTRUCTED BY A DESIGNER, BUT, IN FACT, BY AN ENGINEER OF SOME SORT”

This is a really nifty idea if you already have a shelf in your laundry room. However, please, please, PLEASE, don’t leave the PVC pipe untreated. If you do, the home staging gods will surely come and get you!

4) THE REPURPOSED CRIB RAILING

This is another cool option! The author of My Repurposed Life used an old crib rail to repurpose into a drying rack.