Whether you’re just building your wine collection or you already have a growing number of wine bottles, there’s no question a wine rack is a great way to store and display your prized possessions.
Racks come in different shapes and sizes with some being complete built-in cabinets, while some are small countertop shelves that hold a small number of bottles. Whatever kind of wine rack you wish to have, choosing the best one for you will always be determined by your needs.
A wine rack may look complex and sophisticated but they’re actually quite easy to make. You can even use discarded pieces of wood that are lying around your house, or a wooden pallet you can get from a store for free.
If you’ve always wanted to make your very own wine rack, then this guide will help you get started. We’ve got a simple wine rack guide with step-by-step instructions, as well as a few DIY wine racks we think anyone can do at home.
But first, let’s discuss what wine racks are, and the different types of racks most commonly used today:
What is a Wine Rack?
A wine rack is any piece of storage space that holds bottles of wine. They can be made of wood, plastic, or metal, and their primary purpose is to store and organize several bottles of wine.
If you’re planning on long-term storage for your growing wine collection, then a wine rack is the best piece of storage space to get started. Moreover, good wine is made better when you store it properly, that is, away from direct sunlight, stored at the right temperature, and placed in the right position.
Some other benefits of wine racks include:
- Makes it easy to identify bottles.
- Ensures even turning.
- Helps you control the proper storage environment.
- Makes for a great decoration piece.
Different Types of Wine Racks
Before we get started with a wine rack tutorial, let’s talk about the different types of wine racks first. This will help you choose what kind of wine rack works best for your needs and preferences.
1. Tabletop and Countertop Wine Racks
These are designed for small collections or for something you would like to display on a countertop or on the dining table. They’re usually made for the casual wine drinker, as well as for homes with small spaces.
2. Wall-Mounted Wine Racks
Wall-mounted wine racks come in different sizes as well. They can be small shelves that can hold 4 to 10 bottles of wine, or large custom-made wine racks in a cellar for a large collection.
3. Wine Cabinet
A wine cabinet can be a standing cabinet with a door that you can place anywhere in your home – whether it’s your living room, bedroom, or kitchen. It’s portable and easy to move around, and its enclosed door helps to protect your bottles from direct sunlight. They can also help with climate control.
A large wine cabinet can also be built-in. When the wine rack has a door, it’s considered to be a wine cabinet.
4. Stackable Wine Racks
These kinds of wine racks are modular and are buildable. They’re a great choice for beginner wine collectors who are planning on growing their collections in the future. The more bottles you have, the more shelves or additions you can add.
Things to Consider When Making Your Wine Rack
Because there are many kinds of wine racks, you would need to consider a few things to determine what kind of wine rack will work best for you. Here are some things you need to consider:
- How many bottles you have right now and how many bottles you wish to have in the near future.
- Amount of time you have to make your DIY wine rack project.
- The amount of money you want to spend.
- Your space at home.
Based on these factors, you can then decide which kinds of wine racks you can make at home.
How to Build a Wine Rack
This step-by-step guide on building a wine rack is easy and inexpensive. All you need to buy are a few pieces of wood, prepare a few tools, and make sure you dedicate one day to complete the project.
Here are the materials you need:
- 3/4″ plywood
- 1 1/2″ wood screws
- 1 x 4 poplar
- plywood
Prepare the following tools:
- Electric drill
- Nail gun
- Tape measure
- Table saw
- Hole saw
- Router
- Drill bits
- Pocket jig
- Power miter saw
Step 1:
Measure your wine rack location. Measure the height and width of the wine rack you wish to make.
Step 2:
Build your wine rack frame. Using a table saw, cut your 1 x 4 poplar to 1 1/2″. Cut the pieces according to the measurements. Using a pocket jig, secure the pieces together.
Step 3:
Build the body by cutting 4 pieces of plywood and using wood glue and a clamp to secure the pieces in place. Screw into the plywood. With the pocket jig, attach the frame to the body.
Step 4:
Make the shelves of the wine rack. Measure the base of a wine bottle and mark openings on the 1 x 4 poplar. Use a hole saw to drill out holes on the poplar using the wine bottle base measurement. Measure the neck of a wine bottle and mark another 1 x 4 poplar board, then drill the holes.
Step 5:
Attach the shelves to the body of the rack. Once all the shelves are attached, nail a piece of plywood to the back of the rack. Once it’s ready, use wood screws to mount the rack to the wall.
If you’ve never used any of the tools stated above, you might want to ask for help from someone who can. Though the instructions may sound complicated, if you know how to use the tools, this wine rack is actually very simple to make.
DIY Wine Rack Projects
You can also make other simple and easy-to-make wine racks that can be assembled in minutes. Here are some other ideas:
1. Herringbone Wine Rack
Prepare 4 uniform pieces of 1″ x 8″ wood slabs. With these 4 pieces, create a herringbone structure that looks like the letter “W.” This simple wine rack that you can make in minutes can hold up to 6 bottles. Click here for detailed instructions.
2. Wooden Pallet
You can ask for a wooden pallet from any supermarket or store for free. Cut the pallet to size, remove a few slats, create a bottom, and that’s it, you’ve got a wooden pallet shelf that you can put on a countertop or mount on a wall.
3. Storage Box
You would need 4 pieces of wooden slabs in the same size, plus 2 wooden slabs that are about 6″ to 7″ longer. Create a square or box with the 4 pieces of wooden slabs, and using the longer slabs, create the letter “X” and attach it to the center of the box. Creating 4 triangles inside the box, you can place 12 bottles of wine in this DIY wine rack.
If you have the time, some basic woodworking skills, and the desire to make your very own DIY wine rack, these ideas are easy to do, inexpensive, and make for pretty useful and beautiful wine racks to use at home.