Repurpose a Ladder Into a Drying Rack

Courtesy of Brian Patrick Flynn
Photography by Brian Patrick Flynn

Hi Friends,

If you're a do-it-yourselfer on a tight timeline, spice up your routine with an easy project — perfect for the weekend! Even if you're not a do-it-yourselfer, this project is perfect for you too; simply buy a wooden ladder from you local home improvement store and hang it!

If your laundry room is lacking in space, don’t forget to look up! This DIY drying rack is made from a basic ladder and chains. Once and for all, free your shower rods, doorknobs and chairs from hanging laundry, and finally make use of that wonderful fifth wall.

Materials Needed
wooden ladder
satin spray paint (in desired color)
(4) drywall anchors (1/4" threads)
(4) eye bolts with threads to match anchors (1/4" x 1 1/2")
(4) small eye bolts with wood threads
(8) locking chain links
(4) 4" lengths of light-duty chain3/5/2016
drop cloth
miter saw
safety goggles
measuring tape
pencil
sanding block
cordless drill
1/2" and 1/4" drill bits

Cut Ladder
Measure and mark the ladder to your desired length, then use a miter saw to cut the ladder.



Sand Ladder
Using a sanding block, smooth out the surface of the ladder to prep the surface for painting.

Paint Ladder
Set up an area with a drop cloth to protect your surface before painting, then apply a coat (or two) of spray paint in a satin finish. Let dry.



Install Ceiling Anchors
You'll need to install drywall anchors unless you're attaching your hardware directly into a stud or ceiling joist. Pre-drill holes for the anchors with a 1/2" bit (Image 1), then tap the anchors into place (Image 2). Next, screw the eye bolts into the anchors (Image 3). Make sure your anchor thread dimensions match the eye bolt thread dimensions or the bolts will not screw in properly.



Install Eye Bolts in Ladder
Pre-drill holes in the ladder with a 1/4" bit (Image 1), then install eye bolts on each corner (Image 2).



Add Chains + Hang Ladder
Once the eye bolts are installed on both the ceiling and the ladder, you can attach the light-duty chains. We had the chains cut into 4" lengths at a home improvement center, then added the locking links at the ends. Attach the chains to the ceiling first (Image 1), then the ladder (Image 2). Of course, you can adjust the chain length to accommodate any rack or ceiling height.



Great and extremely functional remodeling project you can do in a Weekend...

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Live well,
Yvonne