How to make a wooden wine rack

A beautiful wine rack with a series of drinking pegs and wine bottles of different shapes and sizes is a beautiful addition to the sophisticated decor of any kitchen. It is always a great idea to set up a wine rack that is handcrafted by you rather than burning hole in your pocket in buying one from the market. Here we will learn to make a portable wine rack for your kitchen. It is sleek and compact and can be mounted on a smaller space.

Wine rack with wine glass

Difficulty level: Moderate

Time required: 6-8 hours

Resources required

1. Wooden plank
2. Measuring tape
3. Wood pencil
4. Wood glue
5. Nails
6. Wood primer
7. Wood paint
8. Paint brush
9. Sandpaper
10. Clamps
11. Table saw
12. Radial arm saw
13. Biscuit joiner

1. Make diagram

Before starting to work on your project, first think how you want your wine rack would look. After making a number of rough diagrams when you have finally settled down on a final model, draw it on a piece of paper following proper scale and adhering to the accurate measurement. Mark each of the portions and label it properly with appropriate measurements, so that there is no confusion as you finally start working.

2. Size each wood plank

At the next level of your project, you need to give the wooden plank a desired shape. Thus, first concentrate on the four sides of the wine rack. Mark dimensions of the side portion on the plank as you have put in your final diagram. Using a saw, cut out two such planks and set them aside. Next, mark the measurements of the top and bottom portions of the rack and cut them off from the master wooden plank. Finally, get the accurate measurement of back of the wine rack. On the remaining piece of plank, plot this measurement and chop off the portion with a table saw. Now, the basic exoskeleton of your wine rack is ready. Next, chop off the shelves following the dimension you have put in the diagram. All your carpentry work is almost finished at this level.

3. Integrating different parts

On each of the pieces of the wooden planks that you have cut, mark the intersecting points with a pencil. Use a radial arm saw and create notches over these. Once done, dry fit the parts first to scrutinize whether your work is perfectly all right. In case if the joints appear too tight, bore in the notches a bit further again with the radial arm saw. However, if it appears too loose then stock the notches with wooden scraps and retest again for accuracy. When you are convinced that the parts fit in well, apply wood glue on the edges and press them firmly against the grooved notches. As they get fixed strongly, insert biscuit joiners on the two sides of each of the pieces, glue the ends and put clamps to assemble them strongly. Finally, nail each of the parts from outside in to ensure that they have been interlocked firmly.

4. Finishing touch

When your wine rack structure is created, you need to work a bit on the finishing part. Therefore, with a sand paper scrub the entire surface of the rack until they become grained and rough. Now, using a soft cloth and brush, rub off the sawdust and dirt that have accumulated on the surface your handcrafted furniture in the process. When it is clean, use your painting brush to apply a coat of wood primer over the surface of the wine rack. Let it dry for a whole day and apply a second coat of primer. Leave a gap of two days after this and then finally paint the wine rack in the color you find perfect for the place you are going to install it.

Quick tips

1. Make the gap in between the shelves of the wine rack according to the measurement of a basic wine glass.

2. Keep the width of the wine glass racks at 2-½ inches. This will accommodate almost every type of wine glass in general.

Things to watch out for

1. Handling table saw and radial arm saw can be dangerous if you are novice. Therefore, a skilled laborer can be appointed if you are not confident.

2. Loose interlocking joints in between wooden planks will not be durable and too tight joints can develop cracks after some times.

Via: Woodworking