If you’re anything like us, you’ve got architecture, garden and interior magazines strewn from one end of your home to the other — but it needn’t be so. Quick and easy to create from inexpensive materials, this simple tutorial will bring this magazine rack to life.
MATERIALS
- Trojan long nose pliers
- Trojan claw hammer
- Trojan Phillips screwdriver
- Trojan tape measure
- Trojan ruler
- Electric drill
- Circular saw (optional). Alternatively visit a hardware store to have the timber pre-cut by a professional.
- Sandpaper
- Screws – 65mm chipboard screws x 4
- Screws – 15 mm chipboard screws x 2
- Pine timber –With dimensions of 70mm by 35mm and a length of 1760mm (1.76m)
- Wire or electrical cord – 3m
- Galvanised plumbers’ tape
- Paint
- Brush
- Newspaper/drop sheet
HOW-TO
Cut the timber into four individual pieces using a circular saw. The two vertical lengths need to be 500mm and the two horizontal lengths need to be 380mm. Use sandpaper to sand back any rough edges.
Lay the timber pieces out on their side and create the rectangular frame. Pre-drill the holes with an electric drill to ensure the wood doesn’t crack. Use the screws and an electric drill to secure the frame and finish the process with a Phillips screwdriver.
Mark the outside of the vertical lengths to indicate where the holes are going to be for the thread lines. Decide which end is going to be the top of your magazine rack and start from there.
Measure and mark the middle of the vertical timber pieces using a ruler. Then measure 100mm down from the top of the vertical piece of timber to mark the first of the six holes used for string lines. Measure 50mm down from the first hole and continue in 50mm increments until six holes in total have been marked.
Drill holes as marked with six across each vertical length. Replicate this process for the other vertical piece of timber and make sure each side is even.
Based on the size of the frame, you will need the length of wire to be 3 metres so it can be threaded in and out of the frame and tied off at the end. If you would like to paint the frame, now is the best time to do so before the wire is used.
After the paint has dried, thread the wire through the first hole and tie a large knot to prevent the wire from slipping through.
Once secured at the top, proceed to snake the wire in and out of the holes until you reach the bottom, pull tight with a pair of long nose pliers and finish with a large knot at the bottom. To cut the excess wire, use the inside jaw of the long nose pliers.
Lightly hammer the wire down onto the timber frame using a claw hammer to flatten and make the wiring on the outside of the frame neater.
Secure the end wire using the galvanised plumbers’ tape and screw in place using the 15mm chipboard screws. Tighten all the screws so they remain in place.
Once the wire is secured, apply touch up paint if pre-painted. Paint around the plumber’s tape or you can paint over it. At least two coats will be required. Allow to dry overnight.
Now is the time to fill it with magazines and rest it neatly against a wall, or wall-mount it, for an ever-changing visual display.
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