How to Make a Hanging Rope Shelf
Here’s a simple way to bring a unique and stylish look to your shelving – a hanging rope shelf. It should take around half an hour, and once you’re done, you’ll have to decide which items you deem worthy to call it home. Learn how to make a hanging rope shelf in this video by The Home Depot:
For this DIY project, you will need the following materials:
- One 8-ft 1×8 common board
- Two 10-ft sections of 3/4″ manila natural rope
- One 48-inch 1/2″ x 1/2″ hardwood round dowel
- One large single robe decorative hook
- Paint or stain and accessories (optional)
You’ll also need the following tools:
- Circular saw
- Drill
- 1″ spade drill bit
- Clamps
- Carpenter’s square
- Pencil
- Electrical tape
- Tape measure
- Level
- Safety goggles
1. Cut and Prep: Measure, mark and cut the 8-ft 1×8 into three 30-inch pieces (these will be the shelves). Next, take the 48-inch hardwood dowel and measure, mark and cut it into eight 2-inch pieces (these will be used as the jesters). If you plan on painting or staining your wood shelves, this would be the time before you start assembly.
2. Measure, Mark and Drill Holes: On each of the three shelves, measure and mark 1-1/2 inch in from all four corners of the shelves. Next, using the 1-inch spade drill bit, drill holes through the boards on your marks. For your safety, make sure the board overhangs the work surface when drilling.
3. Threading Rope to Connect Shelves: Tie a knot at one end of each 10-ft rope piece. Using the unknotted end of one section of the rope, start from beneath the bottom shelf and thread the rope through the front left hole of all three shelves (Tip: Wrap tape around the end of the rope for easier threading through the holes). At the top of the shelf, cross the rope over and thread it through the back right hole of all three shelves. Make sure to leave some slack at the top for hanging. Using the second rope section, thread through the front right hole of all three shelves, and then cross over at the top and back down through the back left holes of all shelves. Before tying off the rope sections in knots beneath the bottom shelf, make sure there’s enough slack at the top to use as your rope for hanging.
4. Leveling: To keep the shelves in place, pierce the rope with the 2-inch dowel pieces at roughly 8-inch intervals and beneath each hole of the top two shelves. After you find the perfect place to hang your new shelf, place the hook and hang. Use your level to make nay final adjustments. Twist the dowels up and down the rope on each side to get the shelves to hang as level as possible.
Once everything is level and straight, you’ll be organized in no time with your hanging rope shelf!
