NotchLoading plan…
Loading plan…
This rack keeps spice jars from tipping off a shelf using a row of dowels across the front of each shelf rather than a lip or a rail — a detail that keeps the front open enough to read labels while still containing anything that gets bumped. The dowel holes are the one place accuracy really matters, and the plan's own trick handles it: clamp both side boards together and drill all the dowel holes through both at once, which guarantees the two sides match without measuring twice.
Assemble the top and bottom to the sides with pocket holes first, then add each shelf at its marked height — building from the outside in, rather than shelf by shelf from the bottom, keeps the whole case square while you work. The 1/4" plywood back gets glued to the shelf edges and nailed down, then nailed again directly into each shelf from behind for real rigidity, since a rack this shallow and this loaded with jars needs the back doing real structural work, not just closing up the appearance.
Hang the finished rack from the solid wood board at the top back — that's the one piece rated to carry the rack's hanging load, not the plywood.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| 1x4, 10 ftCan substitute 3 @ 8 ft if cheaper. | 2 each |
| 3/8" dowels, 4 ft | 3 each |
| 3/8" dowel buttons | 12 each |
| Cup hooks | 4 each |
| 1/4" plywood, from a 2x4 sheet | 1 each |
| Pocket hole screws, 1-1/4" | 30 each |
| Brad nails, 3/4" | 30 each |
| Wood glue | 2 oz |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Sides1x4, 10 ft | 2 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 39" |
| Top, bottom, and shelves1x4, 10 ft | 8 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 19 1/2" |
| Back panel1/4" plywood, from a 2x4 sheet | 1 | 1/4" × 21" × 39" |
| Dowels3/8" dowels, 4 ft | 6 | 3/8" × 3/8" × 20 1/2" |
Buy 6 boards at 8 ft.
3 boards
2 boards
1 board
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 →
Clamp both side boards together and drill all the dowel holes through both at once, as marked in the diagram — this guarantees the two sides match without measuring each one separately.
Attach the top and bottom to the sides with a pocket-hole jig and 3/4" pocket holes with 1-1/4" pocket hole screws. Without a jig, countersunk screws or finish nails and glue work too.
Attach all the shelves at the heights marked in the diagram, working from the outside in to keep the case square.
Cut the 1/4" plywood back with a circular saw. Apply glue to the back edges of the shelves, place the plywood on top, and nail down around the edges. Mark out the shelf locations and nail the plywood to each shelf from behind.
Add cup hooks where wanted. Insert the dowels and cap with dowel buttons, finish the rack, and hang using the solid wood board at the top back — that's the piece rated to carry the hanging load.
No reviews yet
Sign in to review this plan or share your build.
No reviews yet. Be the first to build this.