Porch Post Coat Rack made from a Newel Post

I didn’t plan to make a porch post coat rack. But when I found these porch posts on a walk with Lulu Mae, I had to ask if they were throwing them out. They were at a flip house and being replaced with plain ole 4x4 posts. I did not drag these home, but I did get in my truck to go pick them up before someone snagged them up.

Reclaimed porch posts

After getting them home they sat for a couple of weeks. One day as I was rummaging through my wood stash, I found something that would help turn the porch post into a coat rack! I threw a lot out when I cleaned and organized the garage, but there were a few things that I KNEW  would come in handy.

I kept most of these drop offs when my neighbor Rodney helped me put up the diy picket fence. Here, he’s actually cutting the front arbor pieces.

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Designing coat rack stand

I cut the porch post to size and used the cut off end to see how the “feet” I’d chosen would look with the 4x4 porch post. I did some trimming on the drop off leg pieces after this photo was taken.

After trimming all the drop off pieces to match, I used my orbital sander to make them all look pretty!

Pocket hole screws attach feet to post

I  keep my Kreg Jig bit set at ¾ for 1x stock. For this, I changed it for 1.5” (2x4) size and drilled pocket holes in every leg. I  drilled 1 pocket hole on one side of each leg and two pocket holes on the other side of each leg.

Using the Kreg Multi-mark tool insures that the spacing will be correct on all four legs.

I experimented with a couple of versions to top off the top of the porch post coat rack.

Add trim to top of porch post coat rack

Second attempt—I added a ¾ piece of plywood and small crown molding to make the cap for the porch post coat rack.

Time to patch and paint

If you look closely you will see that the leg (front left) has two pocket holes, and the front right leg as one pocket hole. Remember, on each leg there are 3 pocket holes to make the legs extra sturdy.

I mixed some diy chalky paint primer using off white oops paint and plaster of paris. It was applied  using a cheap chip brush. I painted the lower portion while it was up on the work table.

Glaze over white paint

I rested the coat rack on a scrap piece of styrofoam insulation to pain the upper portion of the coat rack.

Although I like the coat rack white, but of course I had to use my new favorite paint technique!

I used Chalked smoked glaze from Rust-Oleum. It’s so much better and easier than waxing! I apply it with the chip brush—if it gets too heavy, I brush it back off.

Watch my video of How To Glaze Painted Furniture

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I added ball hooks from D Lawless Hardware . I buy them by the dozens. This was a last minute project for Glendale. It was something fun to do in while doing recent DIY kitchen and laundry reno projects. I  LOVE how it turned out!

What do you think I should do with the other porch post?

gail