This blanket ladder I made for the Belling’s living room makeover is one of the simplest, easiest projects! It cost less than $10 and took about an hour to make (not including the drying time for the wood stain). Leaning ladders can be used in so many different ways. Check out this post here for a variety of design ideas utilizing them in your home.
Anyone, regardless of skill level, could make one of these. It’s a great beginner’s project!
The DIY Details
Supplies:
4 – 1 x 2 x 6’s (or to make a taller ladder grab longer pieces)
2 inch wood screws
saw ( a hand saw will work just fine)
level
drill
screwdriver
wood stain or paint (*optional)
- Start by measuring and cutting the rungs. Mine are 18 inches.
- Lay out your pieces and decide how far apart you want to space them. It doesn’t have to be perfect since this is just for decor. I laid mine out so that the top rung is close to the top (about 5 inches down) and the bottom rung is higher from the bottom (about 20 inches). Then I spaced the rungs about 12 inches apart.
- One one side use your drill to mark a pilot hole. Then screw in your wood screws.
- Once the rungs are all attached on one side, stand the ladder up right and use your level to mark the second hole.
- Screw in that side and you’re done!
- Staining or painting is completely optional. You may want to sand the wood lightly to smooth out any rough areas. I used dark walnut wood stain. One coat was all that was needed.
The end result is a functional art piece. It’s perfect for throw blankets, especially in the fall and winter. However you could use a leaning ladder to display books, magazines or to hang little planter pots for an indoor garden……lots of options for this simple to build piece.
*Little tip – You may want to add a couple of pieces of felt at the top to keep your ladder from scratching up the wall. Or use small rubber furniture pads to keep it from sliding around.
Love it. Thanks for the tutorial. I have always wanted to make one.