Solve bathroom storage problems with a minimum of fuss, with this stylish wooden peg rail.
Places to put flannels, towels and other bathtime accessories are always welcome, even in large bathrooms. This simple-to-make peg rail is the perfect storage solution.
You will need
pine wood
2 pieces 290 x 22 x 2mm (crosspieces)
6 pieces 600 x 22 x 2mm (slats)
1 piece 600 x 145 x 18mm (rail back board)
2 pieces 110 x 110 x 19mm (brackets)
2 pieces 110 x 110 x 19mm (back bars)
4 wooden dowels 120mm long and 25mm in diameter (pegs)
1 piece supawood 610 x 35 x 13mm (spacer)
20 galvanised woodscrews 35 x 4mm
pencil
straightedge
try square or set square
electric drill with 4mm straight bit and 25mm spade bit
screwdriver and bradawl
sandpaper and sanding
block
wood glue and wood filler
acrylic paint
polyurethane varnish
To make
1 On one of the crosspieces, mark off divisions with the spacer and one of the slats. Lay the slat across the crosspiece, flush with the end, and draw a pencil line. Remove the slat, lay the spacer against the pencil line and draw another line. Continue marking alternate slat and spacer divisions right down the crosspiece, ending with a slat, which should be flush with the end. Align the other crosspiece with the marked one and, using a try square, continue the pencil lines across both crosspieces.
2 Use a drill fitted with a 4mm straight bit to drill a hole through the centre of each slat space on both crosspieces. To find the true centre, draw diagonal lines between the corners of the slat spaces.
3 Lay one of the slats on a flat surface and position the crosspieces at right angles on top of it, with the ends of the crosspieces flush with the side of the slat. To keep the crosspieces level, put another slat under the far end. The crosspieces should align with each end. Use a bradawl to mark down through the pre-drilled hole in each crosspiece into the slat before screwing them.
4 Lay the spacer under the crosspieces, flush against the slat. Push the next slat up against the spacer, then bradawl and screw down through the holes as before. Continue in this way until all the slats are attached to the crosspieces.
5 Draw a pencil line lengthways across the middle of the rail back board. Make a pencil mark on this line 75mm in from each end, then two more marks 150mm in from the first two. Drill a hole at each marked point with a 25mm spade bit.
6 Chamfer the ends of each piece of dowel by planing them with the sanding block to soften the sharp edges. Apply wood glue around the end of each piece of dowel and push it to fit firmly into the drilled holes in the back board. Check that the pegs are at right angles to the board and leave to dry.
7 Cut two brackets to size, then place one against each back bar, flush with the top and aligned against opposite sides. Mark the position and use the 4mm straight bit to drill two pilot holes from the back of each bar into the bracket. Insert the screws and tighten them.
8 Mark 22mm in from each end of the back board. Use the 4mm straight bit to drill two pilot holes from the back of each bar into the board. Screw into position.
9 Position the shelf on the brackets, with the top of each bracket flush with the inside of the crosspieces. Drill two pilot holes through each bracket into the crosspieces and screw in place. Check first that the screws will not hit the screws holding the slats to the crosspieces. Fill all screw holes with wood filler and sand flush when dry. For a limewashed look, wipe the wood with a rag soaked in diluted, white, PVA paint. When dry, seal with two coats of polyurethane varnish.
Good ideas
Make a matching slatted mat and soap dish following the instructions for the slatted shelf of the peg rail. You will need to put a third crosspiece in the middle of the mat for extra support. For the soap dish, reduce all the dimensions accordingly, including the screws (or use panel pins), and assemble in the same way.
Before applying paint to the finished products, experiment on a piece of scrap wood.
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