This simple project is a great way to add a little storage to your kitchen or bathroom simply using an old antique or vintage wooden ladder. I find these super affordable wooden ladders all the time. I come across them in yard sale, flea markets, and salvage yards. They are so eye catching visually, that they are practically screaming to e turned into something both useful and beautiful.
To make this simple towel rack out of a ladder you should expect to spend about 1 hour or so on the project.
In general I find great old wooden ladders for as much as $50 to as little as free in the alleys. If you need to buy a paint to spruce it up a little then expect to pay about $15 more for this simple home storage craft project.
To Make a Towel Rack Out of a Wooden Ladder You Will Need:
1 Wooden Ladder (or as many as you want)
L Brackets (about 4)
Screws
Dry wall inserts or toggle bolts
Paint (optional)
Sandpaper (optional)
Paint Brushes (optional)
Wood Stain (optional)
Now, the first step is to decide if you like how your old wooden ladder looks. You can keep it looking rustic and vintage or apply a few treatments to help it blend in or stand out In your home décor.
If your wooden ladder is just too rustic, then simply give it a sanding down with some fine grit sand paper.
You can apply a coat of primer next. I like to use Kilz. Now, you are ready to add any kind of paint treatment.
For a vintage looking towel rack try using milk paint. It is the perfect treatment to turn any wood item into a vintage work of art.
For a contemporary look try painting you ladder a stark crisp white. This would be awesome if your bathroom walls are a rich deep color like navy blue or hunter green.
You can also enhance the existing look of any wooden ladder turned towel rack by rubbing in a gel wood stain, brushing on a polyurethane, or even rubbing in some tongue oil or tinted wood wax. This will help protect your wood ladder towel rack from any moisture in the bathroom as well.
Let any paint or stain treatments you do dry completely.
Now, attach an L brick to each of the four ends of the wooden ladder. You can simple screw in some short ¼ inch screws. You can predrill the holes if you choose.
Now, chose a great open vertical space in your bathroom. Hand the old vintage wood ladder running vertically. It will not take up a lot of space at all. Right next to the toilet or shower is a great spot.
Use your dry wall anchors if you are not drilling into a stud and your walls are made form dry wall. You could also use a toggle bolt, which is the best for really hanging anything on a drywall in your home. The best choice would be of course to install your wooden ladder towel bar on a stud. A simple stuff finding purchased from your local home improvement store for about $10. They are well worth the investment and extremely handy in any home improvement project.
Now, once your towel rack is installed you can drape your towels over the ladder steps just like you wool a regular towel bar.
This simple project is a fun way to add character and interest to even the plainest bathroom.
Tip: If you need to use a new wooden ladder or even one that fold out, then just remove the back of the ladder. You can simply hang the front of the ladder with the steps on your bathroom or kitchen wall.
