How to build a $5 rustic blanket ladder

Spruce up any room with this blanket ladder.  This DIY blanket ladder takes about 30 minutes to make and costs under 5 dollars!  If you’re looking for a beginner woodworking project then this blanket ladder DIY project is the perfect project to put on your to-do list.

While updating my awkward corner in our family room, I had a thought, “this corner needs a rustic blanket ladder”.  I needed something to store all of the blankets in our family room.  As I was looking at stores and seeing how much they wanted for a simple DIY blanket ladder I knew I could make one myself.  Creating a blanket ladder DIY didn’t seem like it could be that hard so I gave it a try.

So If you’re looking for a simple and inexpensive way to organize your blankets then you’re in the right place.  In this post, I’m going to show you how simple it is to build a DIY blanket ladder which cost under $5.  This is a perfect beginner project.  You don’t need power tools just a hand saw and a few other tools to complete this project.

 

Adding some rustic decor with a blanket ladder

As I slowly go through my house updating everything, I try to find simple projects that will update the look of the room plus add some extra organization.

I live in the beautiful pacific northwest and that means a lot of cold days which means I always have a blanket on my lap while I’m hanging out in our family room.  The problem is, storing the blankets so the room doesn’t look cluttered during the day.

Not only is this DIY blanket ladder going to store the swaddle blankets I so desperately needed storing but, it’s going to help hide the cable wires that are such an eyesore.

As you can see, that corner needed some help.  Since I added the console table that did help a little bit, but I could still see those wires.

Now let’s get to building this fun decorative ladder idea.

Supplies you’ll need when making this DIY blanket ladder

• 2 – 1×2 @ 72″
• 4 – 1×3 @ 15″
• Nails
• Wood glue
• Saw (miter or hand)
• Sander
• Stain
• Tape measure
• Pencil
• Hammer
• Ear and eye protection

I did put a FREE checklist together that has all of the measurement, cut list, and instructions.

Quick tips when making a DIY blanket ladder

When building your blanket ladder, angle the support pieces.  This will help your blankets lay better, allowing the blankets to tuck behind the other blanket easier.

Questions you might have when making a DIY blanket ladder

How long will it take to make?

You should have your blanket ladder assembled and the stain drying in less than an hour.

How do you decide where to put the support beams on your DIY blanket ladder?

I wanted to give more than a foot between each beam so it was easy to add and remove the blankets from the blanket ladder.

Is this a beginner project?

Yes, it is.  You don’t need any special power tools to make this.  You’ll need a hand saw, hammer, and nails to make this DIY blanket ladder.

How to make this blanket ladder DIY

The first thing you’ll want to do is make all of the necessary cuts.

For this project, you’ll need:

• 2 1x2x6
• 1 1x3x6

Once all of the cuts are made, I sanded all of the pieces so there were no rough edges.  Then it is time to stain.  I went with a grey stain to match the console table I recently built.

Save yourself a little and don’t stain the sides of the 1×3’s because the sides will be hidden by the 1×2’s.  Allow the pieces to dry for about 2 hours.  Once the pieces were dry it was time to assemble.

You’ll need your hammer, some 1 1/2″ finishing nails, tape measure, and a pencil for this part.

On the 1×2 you’ll want to place pencil marks at:

• 9.5″
• 23″
• 37″
• 51″

If you’d like to make this blanket ladder, you can download the FREE checklist with all of the information you need to make this at home.

Assemble your DIY blanket ladder

These are where you’re going to attach the 1×3’s.  I decided to angle the 1×3’s to help keep the blankets tucked behind for a cleaner look.

Apply some wood glue and then add a couple of 1 1/2″ finishing nails to each 1×2.  I added 2 nails to each 1×3 on each side so I knew it wouldn’t go anywhere.

I attached all of the 1×3’s to one of the 1×2 and then flipped it over and followed the same process.

The great thing about this project is, it’s totally customizable.  You can make it taller, shorter, wider, or even angled.

It all depends on the style and your needs for this rustic blanket ladder.  Here are a few supplies I used that you might be interested in using.

How to decorate a blanket ladder

Decorating a blanket ladder couldn’t be easier.  I took 3 blankets that needed a home.  Then, I folded each blanket in thirds and hung them over each crossbar I added.  I pushed the ends to the back so you could see each blanket on the ladder.  It’s as simple as that!

I’ve put a short video together to show you the steps.

If you’d like a free checklist of the cuts, measurements, and steps I took you can download that by clicking the button below.

Is this something that you’ll be making?  If you’re looking for a simple project to see if woodworking is something you’d like to do, this is the perfect project to start with.  It took me about 30 minutes total hands-on time to complete this project.

If I didn’t have to wait for the stain to dry I could have had this rustic blanket ladder in my family room in a half hour.

I would love to know in the comments below if this is a project you’ll be trying.  Thank you so much for stopping by.  I’ve added a few other posts that I thought you might enjoy.

Have an amazing day,

Jenn