How to make a Ballard Design inspired Drying Rack out of crib parts.
This is theirs:
And here is mine:
I started out with a simple box shape. (note to self, I need to stop taking pictures on this horrible table!)
I got the perfect crib rail from Cathy. I have several crib rails, but they are spindles or rectangular shapes. I think those odd shapes may leave bumps in clothes dried on them. I cut the rail in half using my compound miter saw.
I added a bead board back. Gluing and nailing it in place.
I went to Walmart to get some Rustoleum Heirloom white, and they don’t stock it at my store. I picked up Krylon Ivory (I think it was ivory) I used 2 cans for the box and the rails. I then decided to go to Meijer and get Rustoleum Heirloom White. I bought it in spray and a quart. In this picture you can see, the left side is the Rustoleum Heirloom White and the right side is the Krylon. The Rustoleum Heirloom White in this picture is brushed on from the quart can. I like really good coverage on this bead board. Doesn’t the Rustoleum Heirloom White look so much better than the Krylon Ivory? Rustoleum is the ONLY way to go!
While looking for the Rutsoleum Heirloom White at Wally world, I found these magnets. See those little words Super Strong! Huge understatement! The cards of magnets hanging on the hook at the store were all stuck together! I had to peel them off their neighbors! When I opened the package, two of the magnets found each other, and I could hardly get them separated! I used two of the magnets along with two small washers.
The only fabric store I have near my house is Hancock. It’s not the best, but I can get some really good deals there. This spool of ribbon was 70% off.
It was rainy last week, so I had to work on this in the living room on a scrap piece of carpet. (to protect the drying rack and the hardwood floors) You know I am the repurpose queen, and I recycle anything I can. These hinges are off of some bifolding doors that I use for shutter projects.
I stapled the ribbon to this wooden “separator”. I then glued it with Liquid Nails to the inner top corner of the box. I used this “separator so that the rail (when shut) would be flush with the box.
By now, ya’ll know that I rarely use any of my projects in my own house. I would LOVE to have this, but I have absolutely NO place to put it. Sad, but true. So, I have it staged on a table. It is leaning slightly so that it won’t tip over. (it’s hard to not say “tump”, as I grew up saying it all the time)
Here, you can see that I stapled the ribbon to the rail so that it will extend out for drying. You can also see the separator.
I used E6000 to glue the washers and the magnets.
I believe that lightweight clothes would dry on this rack even with it closed. You’ll notice that my version has twice as many rungs as the small BD rack has.
This is with the rack closed. The ribbon just rests neatly behind the rail sides.
Side view, you can see that it is leaning so that it doesn’t tump (can’t help myself) over.
Side view closed. By the way, the magnets hold it shut very well, even with two thicknesses of the ribbon.
One last full sized view. I have been wanting to make one of these for so long. It just took a while to find the perfect crib rail. I still have half of it left! 🙂
gail
Check out my other repurposed crib projects here
girlfromwva says
January 30, 2014 at 10:48 amGreat drying rack! (my daughter could totally use that!) love how you took your inspiration and made yours even better!
Kammy's Korner says
January 30, 2014 at 8:12 amGail, you are amazing! I have a crib to do that with – I’ll hire you to make it for me! 🙂
Susan says
January 30, 2014 at 6:54 amI want one!!! You are a genius Gail… your version is excellent! I bet you have a great house with all these awesome things you make!
Rosanna lasher says
January 20, 2014 at 6:36 pmI haven’t made one myself, but I saw one in the Ballard catalogue and just loved it! But I couldn’t bring myself to spend that much on one. So my dad who is an awesome woodworker made me one for my birthday! Yours looks great!
Paula says
June 6, 2013 at 3:30 pmThis is EXACTLY the post I have been looking for !!!! So excited, I got my crib for $20 this morning and I am gonna be working on a project!! Thanks for the tutorial!! Beautiful!
gail@myrepurposedlife.net says
June 6, 2013 at 3:42 pmYay! So happy you found My Repurposed Life Paula! 🙂
have fun creating your own version!
gail
Susan @ homeroad.net says
November 20, 2012 at 11:34 amGreat idea! I love this and you did such a great job Gail! (I wouldn’t have any place in my house for it either)
Susan
frances says
November 20, 2012 at 9:54 amfantastic Idea can’t wait to make one myself Cheers Frances
ConsigningChrissy says
June 30, 2011 at 2:09 amWhat a fabulous IDEA & tutorial!! We’ve shared it with our readers!! http://consignmentmommies.com/BlogRetrieve.aspx?BlogID=419&PostID=199031
Carron says
June 24, 2011 at 1:35 amI loved this 🙂 I made one in lime green for our brightly colored mud room & I use it for swimming clothes & cloth diapers! Thank you for posting the how to! I can’t even imagine our laundry room without it!
Sarah. says
July 15, 2010 at 1:58 amI’ve been eyeing that rack at Ballard for a while now, wondering what the best way would be to make one. The crib rail is perfect. The whole thing looks amazing!
Chantel says
April 20, 2010 at 2:29 amThanks for the link to your drying rack. I’m sorry I didn’t see it before. I think I could spend days and days just looking through your blog alone. You are so incredibly creative and I am getting such great inspiration from you. We are building a house and I just can’t wait to get to work on some projects (in between all the stuff that comes with 4 kids (one of them a 10 week old baby). 🙂
Proper Prim says
December 7, 2009 at 6:13 pmGail I can’t tell you how much I love that… I am definitely saving this for my laundry room… that is on the list for the summertime… I actually have the side rail already this is perfect… thanks so much for posting this… you did a fantastic job… and your instructions are so easy.
Tricia Anne says
December 7, 2009 at 1:56 pmGreat job! :o)
Sincerely ~ Tricia Anne
Rhonda says
December 7, 2009 at 4:41 amI love it! I want one! This is going to be bookmarked for sure!!! Thanks for sharing!
Nancy says
December 7, 2009 at 4:20 amThat is so brilliant! That’s one of the best projects I’ve seen done. Great work!
Nancy
~ RM says
December 7, 2009 at 3:38 amWonderful job! If I had a pretty laundry room, I would beg you for one of these…. Somehow, I just know my ugly ‘ol basement washroom just couldn’t do it justice… 😉
Miss-tearious says
October 23, 2009 at 11:17 pmWow! I really want to make one of these, but I honestly doubt my skills. 🙁
You are SO talented!
Miss Mustard Seed says
October 20, 2009 at 11:57 pmI love that project! It reminds me of the old drying racks from the 1940’s and 50’s that every good housewife had in her kitchen. You did a great job on the knock-off.
Kimm at Reinvented says
October 20, 2009 at 11:17 amWow, girl, you are one awesome combination of creativity and talent! I love it, it’s WAY better than the Ballard version.
Lissa says
October 20, 2009 at 2:52 amLOVE it! That will be a wonderful addition to my laundry room someday…
Barb says
October 19, 2009 at 12:30 amvery nice!!
barbara jean
cindy@cottageinstincts says
October 18, 2009 at 1:43 pmCool beans! I actually found an old antique one that I want to paint and hang, but the laundry room is at the end of my ‘to makeover’ list. :o)
peace.
Julie G. says
October 17, 2009 at 3:23 amBrilliant!! Our HOA does not “allow” clothes lines, and I’ve seen the drying racks, but thought they wouldn’t hold jeans or anything like that. But..I bet the crib slats would!! I am going to try making one (or two) and hanging them on my fence. No one will see them because they won’t be above the fence line, and if someone asks…I’ll have them closes and say..clothesline? what clothesline? Thanks for the tutorial!!
Michelle says
October 16, 2009 at 4:01 pmSo cool! I just love this!
Summer Rae says
October 16, 2009 at 3:57 pmStopped by from the Creative Cats link party. Thanks for sharing. Great idea!
Andy Porter says
October 16, 2009 at 3:06 pmThat is so amazing!! Wow!! What a cool idea to use a crib rail!! Really really nice job!!
Sharon says
October 16, 2009 at 6:33 pmLove it … crib rail to drying rack.
{ L } says
October 16, 2009 at 3:20 amWow! I am absolutely impressed with this! Yours looks better than Ballard’s. Well done.
Sarah says
October 15, 2009 at 4:41 pmwow, this is so impressive!
One Shabby Old House says
October 15, 2009 at 2:09 pmAwesome. I want to make one now and I can see by your great instructions that I can do it myself.
Love it
Thank you girlfriend
Becky
Shady Lady! says
October 15, 2009 at 2:05 pmseriously – that is awesome!
Lee Laurie says
October 15, 2009 at 1:44 pmThis is amazing and functional! WOW! I have some old baby bed rails out in storage. I might have to try this! Thanks!
Sheri says
October 15, 2009 at 12:22 pmI book marked this so I could always find it. I’ve talked to my hubby about making a drying rack in the past but his question is always the same “What will you dry on it?” LOL
Thanks for linking to me!
Mary Ellen (megardengal) says
October 15, 2009 at 12:01 pmWow I never would have thought to make something like this!! I am sure you saved a ton of money making it yourself instead of buying it too!
How very clever you are!!
blessings
mary
michelle@somedaycrafts says
October 15, 2009 at 11:45 amThat is awesome! Wish I could do that!
Nori says
October 15, 2009 at 6:08 amAmazing job!!! I love this and soooooo want to do it.
Brittany says
October 15, 2009 at 5:03 ami love this look! great job.
mommynoodles says
October 15, 2009 at 3:57 amGreat job!! I love it!!
Natalie,
Anne~fiona and twig says
October 15, 2009 at 3:45 amYours looks better. Lots.
Ha! You say “tump” too??? I thought I was the only one!
Anne
Kelleigh Ratzlaff Designs says
October 15, 2009 at 3:39 amI absolutely love this!! I’m so inspired, although I’m sure I’ll never get around to making my own. I would totally buy it from you, though!!
Marla says
October 15, 2009 at 3:16 amYou are officially my new hero! That project is amazing. I would love a place like that to hang tidbits of laundry.
Leslee says
October 15, 2009 at 3:14 amYou should sell this…I would totally buy one. I’ve been looking at the one for ballards for MONTHS now & just couldnt justify buying it.
Mandy says
October 15, 2009 at 2:48 amLove it! You did a great job 🙂
Elizabeth (blue clear sky) says
October 15, 2009 at 1:41 amThat is so pretty and functional too!
Shannon says
October 15, 2009 at 3:00 amGreat Job, looks amazing! I would love to have one of those in my laundry area.