Bathroom DIY Magazine Rack {tutorial}
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I will start right off by saying I am not a fan of magazines in the bathroom. Icky and gross. However, it exists in our home. So, in an attempt to organize these magazines and keep them off the floor or the toilet tank, I decided to make a wall mounted DIY magazine rack for our bathroom. I used left over pine and birch that we had left over from previous projects and created a wall mounted magazine rack in an afternoon.
Here is the blank wall in our bathroom.
I used 1 x 2 pieces of pine.
Start by measuring how high you want your rack to be. Use a level to mark your area and cut your wood to the desired length.
Be sure to use a level to ensure the rack is straight and level.
I used a nail gun (2″ nails) to adhere the wood to the wall. As you can see, I had to work around the wainscoting detail on the wall so if your wall is flat (no molding) it will be a little easier for you.
Be sure to nail the top and bottom.
Depending on your base molding, your rack may or may not be flush with your base molding. You will need to think about this prior to purchasing your materials for your rack. Mine doesn’t fit perfectly flush with the base molding but I am fine with that.
Decide how wide you want your rack to be and secure another piece of wood to the other side.
Next, I added a piece of 1×3 for the bottom and the top rack (for the magazine to rest on).
Next, I add a top piece. Use a level to ensure your board is straight.
Fasten with your nail gun.
I added another board 7″ inches down from the top. Be sure to place the board a bit higher then the inside board (against the wall) so your magazine won’t slide out.
Use a level to ensure it is straight.
Awww, isn’t it looking cute?
Once you have completed your magazine rack, now you need to fill the nail holes with putty, caulk any seams or spaces, prime and paint.
My husband thought I was out of my mind when I started this project but he loves his slot for his Car and Driver magazine.
The walls are Rhinestone by Sherwin Williams which is essentially a White with a gray tint to it. I chose to paint the magazine rack bright white by Sherwin Williams, the same color as the base board and trim.
I love that the magazine rack is mounted to the wall. I think it makes the space seem organized but not cluttered.
There you have it, a DIY magazine rack mounted to the wall. This project took under 3 hours and was free! By using scrap pieces of wood and a little creativity, our magazines now a have a home in our bathroom. If you would like to see the rest of this bathroom, be sure to check out our recent spring makeover and our Christmas bathroom makeover which shows all the before and after pictures of this bathroom. It’s come along way from the outdated pink 1970’s style bathroom.
PS. Mohawk Rug giveaway until July 4, 2013: See our new pink rug in our family room and don’t forget to enter to win your own Mohawk rug here
Meet Jessica
What started as a hobby, Jessica’s blog now has millions of people visit yearly and while many of the projects and posts look and sound perfect, life hasn’t always been easy. Read Jessica’s story and how overcoming death, divorce and dementia was one of her biggest life lessons to date.
What a great project and tutorial!
Thank you Mary!
Seriously????? This is sheer brilliance! So easy and great storage! Totally pinned. 🙂
Have a great day rock star!
karianne
You are so funny! Thanks rockstar 🙂
That is perfect I am going to make one for each bathroom, I love that it just blends in with your wall. I love that it is nice and flush against the wall not taking up too much room.
Thank you Andrea! I like that it’s flush as well. It keeps it tidy looking 🙂
Do you know approximately what height you chose? I have to make 3 of these this week, and I am trying to figure out a good heights to get the two rows of magazines like you have without there being too little or too much space between each shelf. I have to make 2 of them before I install them that is why I need a rough idea.
thanks 🙂
Hi, it is 22.5″ high
great idea! looks great and not cluttered at all. well done!
This looks fantastic! Good job! Also, where did you get the basket that holds your toilet paper?
I don’t like magazines in the bathroom either, but Jess, this looks really nice! And what an easy project! Pinned it!
This is a nice idea. Several years ago, I spotted something similar in which they had built a magazine rack between the wall studs. If you have a spot for that, it’s perfect! Unfortunately, in my home, the only wall space is an outside wall, so not usable for a between-the-studs project!
Thank you Bonnie 🙂
Great project – I changed out my standard baseboard and put in a kick heater under the vanity. Now I have a 23″ pipe showing. I’ve been hunting for a magazine rack to hide it, fit specific measurements, and still blend in with the wall – I love your idea instead of remodeling a purchased rack to fit. Thank you.
thank you Linda!
This is a great idea! Hubby’s magazines are all over the floor because we don’t have anywhere to put them and it drive me nuts!!!! Your tutorial is great, too. And what I liked to see was that we have the same amount of (no) room between the toilet and wall and this will actually work for us. Thanks for the great post.
OH YES! This will be perfect in a child’s room to keep the books off of the floor. Thank you so much.
Great project. Really would help me with all my magazines in the bathroom. Thanks
I loved your idea so much I just had to do it myself. This was a fun project and your photo tutorial helped me greatly. Thanks for the inspiration.
Great!!! 🙂
I don’t need a magazine rack (we don’t really have any), however I do need something to store pot lids. We have a hanging rack on the wall for the pots & pans, but the lids are a mess of a pile in our storage closet. I hope to adapt this by having it stick out a bit farther from the wall and use the basic concept to hold pot/pan lids. I’ll let you know if I do how it works!
This would definitely work! Send me pics when you are done, would love to see it.
Love this! Hoping to do it in my bathroom. I do have a question. Is there a reason you painted after you assembled it? It seems like it would be easier to paint before assembling but just want to check.
Thanks!
No reason, I just didn’t think of it prior! -ha I also wasn’t sure if I was going to love it so figured I would rip it off if I didn’t like it 🙂
This is exactly what I am looking for! THANK YOU!
Fantastic idea..i was wnder if there is a way to change it a little to add a decorative cover over the magazines? Maybe attached using decorative tacks and maybe sewn out of a nice burlap or muslin material with lace and embroidary with words Magazines on it.
Maybe another cross bar higher than the top magazine?
Any ideas out there?