{Backyard DIY} Nautical Towel Rack

When we refreshed our patio space last month, one of the issues I needed to address was the wet towel situation. Specifically, the wet towels that were always left puddled on the ground, or thrown over the backs of all the chairs. Not only was it not good for the cushions, but it looked junky and drove me crazy. However, I couldn’t really complain too much about it, since we didn’t have a real spot in which to hang said wet towels. And wet bathing suits. And bags. And goggles. See where I’m going here?

Hi Sugarplum | Nautical Towel Rack



I looked online at all the usual spots, and really liked the nautical vibe of this one from Pottery Barn, using boat cleats, but wasn’t about to spend $50 for a bunch of wet towels. Plus, it wasn’t the right size for our space. So I set off to recreate it myself…starting at at marine wholesaler.



{What You Need}
Scrap wood cut to length
(Home Depot also sells precut pieces of craft wood)
Spray Paint
Screws

Hi Sugarplum | Nautical Towel Rack
{What You Do}

Paint the wood and hooks, then once dry, screw the cleats in place. We went with screws shorter than the thickness of the board so they won’t poke out the back…that way the board lies flat against the wall.

Hi Sugarplum | Nautical Towel Rack

Using longer screws, attach the board directly to the wall by drilling through the front of the board on both ends. I didn’t want the screws to stand out, so I painted the heads the same color as the board and hooks.

Hi Sugarplum | Nautical Towel Rack

Now we’ve got a sturdy towel rack, customized for our space, with a fun outdoor, nautical vibe. And all for about $10! Bam!

Hi Sugarplum | Nautical Towel Rack

Hi Sugarplum | Nautical Towel Rack

Hi Sugarplum | Nautical Towel Rack

Now if only I could get certain people to actually hang up their wet towels! Got any tips on that one?!

Other Patio projects include:

Leave a Comment

19 Comments

  1. How cute! I love the look of dock cleats for hardware (I used them for handles on a night stand project that I just completed) – did you get yours from Walmart? Super cheap!

    Posted 7.31.14 Reply
    • Well no…I had no idea WalMart sold them!! Thanks for the tip! I actually got mine at a Marine Supply store…$9 for 4, so pretty cheap!

      Posted 7.31.14 Reply
  2. I love the pop of orange and the dock cleats for hooks! Looks great!

    Posted 7.31.14 Reply
  3. Super cute Cassie! I love the color you painted the base!

    Posted 7.31.14 Reply
  4. Perfect Cassie! Love the orange you chose 🙂 xoxo

    Posted 7.31.14 Reply
  5. Simply LKJ wrote:

    Great solution! My mom's solution when we were kids was to not let us get another "dry" towel out!! Having to use a wet towel was no fun. We learned 😉

    Posted 7.31.14 Reply
  6. Jenny wrote:

    You are awesome! 🙂 What a great idea!

    Posted 7.31.14 Reply
  7. Leslie wrote:

    What a great project!

    Posted 7.31.14 Reply
  8. looks great! i love that pop of red! xo jillian – cornflake dreams

    Posted 7.31.14 Reply
  9. Love this. We are at the lake house and this is a great plan for the screened in porch. Love!

    Posted 7.31.14 Reply
  10. I MEAN, SOOOOOOOOOOOO CUTE!!!!!

    Posted 7.31.14 Reply
  11. Easy, looks fab, and is functional? Winning!
    xoHeidi

    Posted 7.31.14 Reply
  12. LOVE this idea! Can't wait to try it once we get moved into our new house!

    seasonallychic.wordpress.com

    Posted 7.31.14 Reply
  13. So cute and easy – love it!

    Posted 7.31.14 Reply
  14. Those hooks make the project! And I love the pop of color!!

    Posted 7.31.14 Reply
  15. Posted 7.31.14 Reply
  16. This is fan-freakin-tastic! Way to go lovie! I adore it even more than the inspiration!

    Posted 8.1.14 Reply
  17. Love this! Great project.

    Posted 8.4.14 Reply