DIY Coat Rack With Herringbone Pattern Dream Design DIY

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Inside: Make this coat rack with a herringbone pattern for stylish organization. Perfect for those messy spots in your house; bathrooms, front entrance, mudroom, kids room, an office, etc.

Coat racks and hooks are the best to help keep messy areas clean and picked up. When I made this coat rack I took this opportunity to practice a herringbone pattern that I have never done before. Because this project was mostly from scrap wood the perfectionism factor was low. This project was almost FREE except for the hooks. Everything else I had on hand.

*This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy. *Before you get started make sure you have your Safety Gear. For this project, I recommend safety goggles, ear protection and a P100 mask.

Check out this rack: DIY Shiplap Coat Rack

Here is how to build the coat rack.

TOOLS FOR DIY HERRINGBONE COAT RACK

Tape measure
Chop saw or miter saw – I use this miter saw
Table saw
Sander or sandpaper 60 and 150 grit, I use this orbital sander
Carpenter square
Wood clamps
23G Pin nailer – I use this pin nailer
18G Brad nailer or hammer and nails, I use this 18G Brad nailer
Stud finder
Old t-shirt or rag for staining

SUPPLIES FOR DIY HERRINGBONE COAT RACK

1 – 3/4″ MDF board (I used scrap but you can purchase unfinished MDF in sheets. You could also use a one by board like a 1 x 8, 1 x 10, 1 x 12, etc.)
1 – 1 x 2 x 8
1 – 1/4″ plywood – I used scrap, but you could get away with a 2 x 4 feet sheet
1 – 36″ x 3″ x 1/4″ piece of popular (optional for trim)
Popsicle sticks
18G 1 1/4 inch Brad nails
Wood glue
23G 3/4 inch pin nails
Wood stain – I used Sun Bleached and Early American
White caulk
Clear spray sealer
Decorative hooks

CUTS FOR DIY HERRINGBONE COAT RACK

My coat rack measured 31 1/2 x 8 1/4 inches. Adjust your measurements according to the space you have available and your preferences. I have included my measurements for reference. Due to variances in the thickness of wood, errors in measurements and cuts, I recommend cutting your pieces as you progress through the build. Remember always measure twice, cut once.

1 – MDF cut at 30 x 6 inches (backboard)
2 – 1 x 2 – 45-degree miter cut at 30 x 1 1/2 inches (long frame pieces)
2 – 1 x 2 – 45-degree miter cut at 8 1/4 x 1 1/2 inches (short frame pieces)
2 – 1/4″ poplar 45-degree miter cut at 30 1/8 x 3/8 inches (long trim frame pieces)
2 – 1/4″ poplar 45-degree miter cut at 7 7/8 x 3/8 inches (short trim frame pieces)
Several pieces of varying lengths of 1/4″ plywood 45-degree miter cut for herringbone pattern

STEPS FOR DIY HERRINGBONE COAT RACK

Step 1) Create the herringbone pattern. Measure and mark center on your board. Glue and nail the first herringbone piece using 23G 3/4″ pin nails. I cut my herringbone pieces as I went. This was my first time doing a herringbone pattern so I wasn’t quite sure how to start the first piece. With a herringbone pattern, normally only one end of the cut is 45 degrees the other end remains at 90 degrees, however, for my first cut I made both ends at 45 degrees.

For the second piece place a popsicle stick or item of choice in between the first and second pieces to create a small gap. Then alternate the pieces in opposite directions. I cut the longer pieces saving the shorter ones for later.

A few more pics of the process.

Continue doing this until you have added all the pieces. I was planning on adding a frame and trim to cover up any uneven cuts. Ugh! I noticed while writing this post I forgot to alternate the other direction on one of the pieces. Can you find it…where’s Waldo?

Continue doing this until you have added all the pieces. I was planning on adding a frame and a trim to cover up any uneven cuts around the edges.

Step 2) Make the frame. At this point, I cut the wood pieces for the frame. I ripped cut some scrap one by boards I had on hand down to 1 1/2 inch wide pieces. You can use a 1 x 2 if you don’t want to rip cut your pieces. Measure, cut, and dry-fit all the pieces for the frame. To do this I made a 45-degree miter cut at one end then marked my cut at the other end and made the next cut, working my way around the board.

Step 3) Make the trim. Trim is an option and I debated whether to add it, but it did add a finishing touch that I like. I tried to use 1/4″ plywood for the trim but it was difficult to rip cut such a narrow piece and it kept breaking off when I attempted to miter cut it. I opted for a 1/4″ piece of popular. I had a few mishaps, but otherwise, it was stronger than the plywood. Measure, mark, cut, and dry fit your trim just as you did for the frame.

Step 4) Sand your herringbone board and your frame pieces. I used 220 grit sandpaper and my orbital sander and lightly sanded the frame pieces and the herringbone.

Step 5) Stain the herringbone and frame. Stain or paint your pieces. I layered Varathane Sun Bleached and Minwax Early American to give it a light brownish grayish look. Then I spray painted the frame pieces in a white flat and sanded it in several places to give it a rustic worn look.

Step 6) Attach the frame and trim. Attach the frame to the herringbone board using glue and 18G 1 1/2 inch brad nails. Attach the trim frame using glue and 3/4″ pin nails.

Step 5) Fill any holes and gaps if needed. I didn’t fill the nail holes on the frame. I didn’t mind the rustic touch. White caulk worked well for filling any gaps at the corners.

Step 6) Add hanging hardware. Since I planned to hang this in our vacation condo it needed to be very sturdy so I added keyhole hangers and put them on horizontal.

I put the keyhole hangers on my pallet towel rack and they have worked very well with the constant use.

Step 7) Add your hooks and hang it in your desired location. I also added command strips (optional) to the back of the hanger to attach to the wall. The point of this was not for holding any weight but to prevent any up and down rocking movement.