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The whole build is one clever inset detail: the center divider board sits back 3/4" from the front and back faces, and that inset is what creates the two-sided cavity bags load into and dispense from. Elevate the inset board on scrap of the same stock while you nail it in place — that's a fast, accurate way to hold the 3/4" gap consistent without measuring and re-checking every few inches.
The dispensing opening is worth cutting with a jigsaw into a clean rounded or squared slot rather than the plain hole shown in the original build — a round hole reads more like a birdhouse than a bag dispenser, which is a real complaint from anyone who's built this exactly as drafted. It hangs on a scrap 2x4 cleat screwed to the wall — the dispenser slides down over the cleat and gets screwed through from inside, which makes it easy to lift straight off the wall to refill from below if the top ever needs clearing.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| Pine, 1x6, 8 ft | 1 each |
| Pine, 2x3 or 2x4, 12 inWall-mounting cleat. | 1 each |
| Brad nails, 1-1/4" | 1 box |
| Wood glue | 1 oz |
| KnobsNail heads or screw heads work too. | 2 each |
| Wood screws, 1-1/4"Secures the dispenser to the wall cleat. | 2 each |
Overall cost: $. Lumber prices vary by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure we would only be pretending to know.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L |
|---|---|---|
| Front/back panelsPineSized to yield from a single 1x6x8. | 5 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 11 3/4" |
| SidesPineCut to fit — measure your assembled top and bottom. | 2 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 18" |
| Mounting cleatPine, 2x3 or 2x4 | 1 | 1 1/2" × 2 1/2" × 11 3/4" |
Buy 3 boards at 8 ft.
1 board
2 boards
Assumes 8 ft stock, a 1/8" saw kerf, and buying each part at its own width. Change the board size or kerf on the full board plan →
Nail two 1x6 boards together as shown to form the front panel, elevating the inset board on a scrap piece of the same stock to get an accurate 3/4" inset depth. Repeat to build a second matching assembly for the back.
Lay out the top and bottom with the center board in place, and measure and cut the side pieces to fit (roughly 18" long). Nail the sides to the front and back assemblies with 1-1/4" brad nails and wood glue.
Nail the final 1x6 board into the center. Cut the loading and dispensing openings — a jigsaw cut into a clean rounded or squared slot looks more purposeful than a plain drilled hole, which tends to read as a birdhouse opening instead of a bag dispenser.
Cut a scrap 2x3 or 2x4 to length and screw it to the wall where you want the dispenser hung. Slide the dispenser down over the cleat and secure with a couple of 1-1/4" screws driven through from inside. Metal shelf brackets or a picture-hanging kit are alternatives if you'd rather not use a cleat.
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