Chalk Paint Ladder Rack

Your craft room won't be complete without this Chalk Paint Ladder Rack. Using wood board and dowels, construct your own rack for your large sheets of paper. Craft project ideas are always fun, but this one is especially exciting. DecoArt Chalky Finish Paint helps turn this plain item into a fun and exciting addition to your craft room. Step outside of your comfort zone and try something new - craft room ideas are perfect for creative thinkers.

Materials:

• Americana Décor Chalky Finish Paints – Remembrance (purple); New Life (Green)
• Americana Décor Crème Wax
• White craft paint
• Two 6’ long wood boards (2-1/2” x 3/4”)
• Twelve 3’ long wood dowels (1/2”)
• Drill with sharp ½” round bit
• Sandpaper, wood glue, level
• Painter’s tape, measuring tape, pencil
• Foam angled-tip paintbrush
• Sea sponge
• Lint-free cloth

Instructions:

1. Lightly sand all the wood, then measure and mark where to drill each ½’ hole on one side of each board. Position the holes off center, closer to one edge of the boards. When you place the finished rack flush against the wall, you’ll want the dowels closer to the front edge, so you have more room in back for loading all your papers.
    
2. Drill out twelve ½” holes in each board, then sand the rims of each hole.
    
3. Cover one end of each dowel with a little glue and push them into the first board, keeping the outer edges flush. Lay the ladder rack flat on the floor, with the board against a wall or a sturdy piece of furniture. Carefully glue and push the opposite ends of each dowel into the second board. Use the level to make sure there is no slant between the boards – you want it to be perfectly perpendicular to the floor when you stand it up. Wait a few hours for the glue to dry.
    
4. Prop the rack up against the wall and paint it with a primer coat of white. Having white showing through the sponge pattern is nicer than the wood tone. Let dry.
   
   
    
5. Wrap a strip of painter’s tape around the end of each dowel, flush against the boards. Sponge paint the boards with one coat of green, let dry.
   
   
    
6. Remove the painter’s tape. Use the angled-tip foam brush to paint the dowels with one coat of purple. Use a small paintbrush to carefully paint the outermost ends without getting purple on the green boards. Add a second coat of purple when dry.
    
7. After the paint is completely dry, brush a thin coat of crème wax over the whole rack. After the crème wax is dry, buff the rack gently with a lint-free cloth. The crème wax protects the surface and brings out the color a bit more.