Build this Concrete Mid-Century Modern Coat Rack for ~$25 dollars. The base is made out of Concrete + Plywood with a PVC pipe holding the Wooden Dowel in Place. This is a fairly easy project that requires only a Power Drill, Hand Saw, and a Jigsaw to cut a wooden circle out. Only 2 Power tools.
Mid-Century Modern Coat Rack DIY
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Supplies
- 2.5 ” Wood Screw (only need # 1 screw)
- Felt (Optional)
- Wood Glue
- Weldbond Glue
- Sand Paper
- White Paint + Primer
- Safety Glasses
- Disposable Gloves
- 1 3/8″ Inch Dowel 72″
- 5/8″ Inch Dowel 48″
- Concrete Mix
- Frisbee
- PVC Pipe
- Scrap Plywood or any 0.5 – 0.75″ Thick (I used 0.75″ thickness)
- Paint Brush
- Danish Oil
- Spade Drill Bits
- Concrete Sealer
Tools
Estimated Cost: ~$25
Instructions
Step 1: Mix Concrete Base
I used a Frisbee (purchased here) as a my mold for the concrete base of the coat rack. The base came out smooth and super clean.
Cut your PVC pipe at about 1.5 ” inches or however deep your Frisbee might be. I used a hot glue gun / caulking to set the PVC pipe in the center of the Frisbee. This will be your main Dowel holder after it dries.
Now get a bucket or container to mix your concrete mix. I used Concrete ProFinish 5000 by Quikrete. You won’t need much and will have quite a bit left over if you by the 80lb bag. You can also get counter top mix with less rocks mixed in. But as you can see mine does not show any rocks. All you have to do is add some water.
Once your mix is at a workable consistency, pour it into your Frisbee mold until it is level with the PVC pipe. Next use a mallet or orbital sander to shake the mould and get all the bubble out. (this is important step if you want a smooth surface.
Now let your concrete dry for at least 10 days, I tried taking mine out of the mold at day 4 and it crumbled and was still quite damp. My 2nd attempt I waited 14-17 days I cannot remember exactly but it dry this time. When you remove it from the mold it is quite difficult to pull out. The best method I found was to use my thumbs to push down on the Frisbee and the rest of my fingers to pull up on the Frisbee edge. Repeat this over and over while rotating the Frisbee to get it out of the mold.
Optional Step: Seal the concrete sealer
Step 2: Cutting Dowel Hangers
Next I cut out 5/8″ Dowel Rods at 4 to 5″ Inches and spaced them 6 inches apart on the main Dowel Rod (I would even recommend spacing 8-10 inches).
Use Spade Drill Bits to drill your holes into the main dowel rod. I just eyeballed the angle and found the best way is to drill a small pilot hole, and slowly increase spade size until you get to your desired hole diameter. I used a clamp to hold the main Dowel Rod in place while I drilled holes.
Sand down all the rough edges around the hole you just cut out. Test fit your 5/8″ dowels. Once you drill all your holes on the main Dowel Rod, fill them will some wood glue and insert your dowels. You may have some extra wiggle room around the dowel, just fill it in with wood glue and saw dust that was created drilling the holes. This will match the wood material and give it a more professional look.
Next sand down the main Dowel Rod at the bottom end where it will be inserted into the PVC pipe. My dowel rod was slightly bigger than my PVC pipe so I had to sand it down and test fit it. It was a super snug fit! I used Weldbond glue when I was read to set it into the PVC pipe permanently (You probably do not need to glue if you are screwing a 2.5″ screw in from the bottom with the Plywood as the base).
Step 3: Cut out Circular Wood Base
The concrete base was not completely level when it came out of the mold so I improvised by cutting out a circular piece of Plywood to attach to the bottom of the concrete base. It made it more substantial made it level. I used a 2.5″ Screw to drill directly into the dowel at the bottom. Then I used grey caulking to fill in the gap between the base and the plywood.
To cut out the circle I grabbed a scrap piece of 3/4″ plywood and traced the concrete base. I used clamps and my jigsaw to cut out a circular shape. I then sanded the edges down and screwed it directly into the main Dowel Rod through the bottom.
Step 4: Painting & Staining
Next I wanted to add some white paint to the dowel tips. I used blue painters tape to create sharp edges. I painted 2 coats to all the areas and waited for the paint to dry. Once dried peel off the painters tape to get a sweet looking Mid-Century Modern Coat Rack.
Optional: add some felt to the bottom to protect floors.
I am a self taught do it yourself project / woodworker. I want to demonstrate that DIY project can be doable and simple. I hope to inspire others to try to build and create new things! Subscribe to my YouTube Channel and this blog for more DIY projects! Thank you.
| Visit: RYOBI Nation at https://www.ryobitools.com/nation (Ryobi provided me with the Power Drill in this video) |
Use all power tools with caution. Do not copy what you see in the video / instructions without proper safety precautions.
