DIY: Pot Hanger

Design Editor Lauren Petroff shares step-by-step instructions on how to make a Scandi-style pot hanger. 

I’ve been seeing lots of pale wood ladders lately. They’re a great way to add Scandi style and sneak storage into tight spaces. I needed a pot rack for my kitchen, so I decided to make my own ladder. Here’s how:

Materials

 You’ll need: 11⁄8″-diam. dowels, 1″-diam. copper T fittings, 1″-diam. copper end caps, measuring tape, saw, construction adhesive, S-hooks.

Step 1: Take Measurements and Gather Materials

I wanted my ladder to be about 6′ high and 16″ wide and have four rungs. (I made it slightly wider at the bottom so it would be sturdier.) I used five dowels that were 48″ long and 1 1⁄8″ in diameter and eight 1″-diam. copper T fittings.

Step 2: Cut Dowels

Carefully measure your dowels. For the ladder’s legs, I needed two 24″-long pieces, two 15″-long pieces, two 13″-long pieces, two 12″-long pieces and two 8″-long pieces. For the rungs, I needed four pieces in different lengths: 12″, 12 1⁄2″, 13″ and 13 1⁄2″. Cut the sections yourself with a saw or have a hardware store do it for you.

Step 3: Glue Down Dowels Into Fittings

Working on a flat surface, attach the dowels to the fittings. Spread a thin bead of construction adhesive inside the lip of the fitting and slide the dowel in. Assemble the two legs separately, then attach the rungs to one of the legs. Finally, secure the leg with rungs to the other leg and attach an end cap to the bottom of each leg. Adjust any pieces that are twisted or crooked now, before the adhesive sets. Leave the ladder on a flat, horizontal surface and let the adhesive dry
 for at least 24 hours.

Tip: You don’t need to push the dowels all the way into the fittings; they should stop about 1″ inside, leaving 1″ of empty space inside the fitting. Use 1 1⁄8″-diam. dowels with 1″-diam. fittings for a snug fit.

Step 4: Hang Pots

Choose S-hooks large enough 
to fit over the dowels and support the weight of a pot without slipping off. Lean the ladder against the wall, place hooks on rungs and hang pots, tea towels and more. Hang heavier items on the lower rungs to help keep the ladder stable. Attach an eye hook and catch to wall and middle rung for added stability, if desired.