No Products in Your Cart
Fold-Down Laundry Drying Rack[8/4 · 4ft · 5-Pack]
One pack. One build. All 5 boards used. • Makes 1 drying rack with shelf
Shop Black Walnut 8/4 · 4ft Pack Shop All Speciesselect 4' Lengths / 4-6"
How it goes together
Black Walnut
Hard Maple
Cherry
White Oak
Red Oak
Ash
Hickory
Ambrosia Maple
Sapele*
Padauk*
Purpleheart*
*Exotic — not available for shipment to US customers.
A wall-mounted drying rack that folds flat when you don't need it, with a deep shelf above for detergent and baskets. The rack swings up on two bolts and hangs level on chains; let it down and it lies flat against the wall. The back rail screws into three studs, so it carries a full load of wet laundry.
Quick Build — for experienced woodworkers
| Part | Qty | From | S4S size | S2S size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Back rail | 1 | Board 1 | 44" × 4" × 1¾" | 44" × 3½" × 1¾" |
| Shelf boards | 2 | Boards 2–3 | 44" × 4" × 1¾" | 44" × 3½" × 1¾" |
| Shelf brackets | 2 | Board 4 | 5¾" × 4" × 1¾" | 4¾" × 3½" × 1¾" |
| Pivot blocks | 2 | Board 4 | 8" × 4" × 1¾" | 8" × 3½" × 1¾" |
| Rack arms | 2 | Board 5, ripped half | 20" × 1 15/16" × 1¾" | 20" × 1 11/16" × 1¾" |
| Front rail | 1 | Board 5, ripped half | 40½" × 1 15/16" × 1¾" | 40½" × 1 11/16" × 1¾" |
| Dowels (bought, ⅝") | 5 | 48" hardwood dowels | 38½" long | 38½" long |
Shelf: two 44" boards edge-glued, long grain to long grain, screwed down onto the back rail and two brackets.
Brackets and pivot blocks: screwed to the back rail from behind with #10 × 3" screws. No glue (cross grain).
Rack: two half-ripped arms joined by five ⅝" dowels glued into ¾" deep holes. The front rail is screwed down across the arm ends, no glue.
Pivot: ⅜" × 4" carriage bolt through each pivot block and arm, with washers and a nylon lock nut. Two chains to eye screws in the rail hold the rack level.
Wall: back rail into three studs, two #10 × 3½" screws per stud. Shelf 20 lb, rack 15 lb of wet clothes.
Finished size: S4S shelf 44" W × 8" D, rack 40½" W × 20" deep · S2S shelf 44" × 7", rack 40½" × 20". In use the rack sits level just under the rail; folded down it hangs flat against the wall.
Before You Start
Shopping List
- 1 lumber pack — 8/4 · 4ft (S4S or S2S)
- Wood glue (Titebond II or III)
- 5 × ⅝" × 48" hardwood dowels
- 2 × ⅜" × 4" carriage bolts, 4 washers and 2 nylon lock nuts
- About 4 ft of light chain (or two lid stays) and 4 eye screws
- 6 × #10 × 3½" flat-head wood screws (2 per stud)
- 20 × #10 × 3" flat-head wood screws
- Sandpaper 120 / 180 / 220
- Finish: water-based poly or spar varnish (3 coats)
Tools
- Saw for crosscuts (mitre saw or circular saw with a speed square)
- Saw for rips (table saw, or circular/track saw with a guide) and push stick
- Jigsaw or bandsaw
- Drill/driver, countersink bit, pilot bits
- ⅜" and ⅝" brad-point bits, depth stop
- Wrench or socket for the lock nuts
- 4–6 bar clamps, 24" or longer
- Cauls (straight scrap strips)
- Stud finder, 48" level
- Random-orbit sander or sanding block
- S2S only: jointer, straight-line rip jig or hand plane
S4S or S2S? S4S boards arrive flat and square on all four sides — cut and build. S2S boards have rough edges you straighten first. No jointer? Choose S4S.
Our sizing assumptions: ⅛" per saw cut · S4S boards 1¾" × 4", ¼" to square an end · S2S boards trimmed ½" each end and ¼" off each rough edge (3½" clean); we plan S2S at 1¾" thick · sizes drawn for the narrowest board in the pack. Wider boards give you a bigger offcut or a wider part — never a shortage.
Step-by-Step
S4S Lumber Pack
Surfaced 4 sides — no jointing
- 1 Cut the parts. Square one end of boards 1–3 and crosscut each at 44". From board 4 cut two 5¾" brackets and two 8" pivot blocks. Rip board 5 down the middle into two strips about 1 15/16" wide, with a push stick. Cut two 20" arms from one strip and a 40½" front rail from the other.
- 2 Glue up the shelf. Edge-glue boards 2 and 3 into a 44" × 8" shelf, long grain to long grain. Clamp every 8–10" with cauls at the ends. Leave overnight, then scrape and sand the seam flush.
- 3 Shape the brackets and arms. Stand each bracket blank on edge. Mark 2¾" along the bottom from the back end and 3" up the front end, and saw a 45° line between the marks. On each arm, round the back end to a half circle (trace a can) so it can swing past the wall.
- 4 Drill the pivots. Drill a ⅜" hole through each pivot block, 1¼" up from the bottom end and centred across its 4" width. Drill a matching ⅜" hole through each arm, 1" from the rounded end and centred on its height.
- 5 Drill for the dowels. Clamp the two arms together, inside faces up, and mark dowel centres at 4", 7", 10", 13", 16" from the rounded end, centred on the height. Drill ⅝" holes ¾" deep with a depth stop. Cut five ⅝" dowels to 38½".
- 6 Build the rack. Glue the dowels into one arm, then glue and tap the other arm on. A dowel in a hole is a long-grain joint, so glue is fine. Check that the frame is square. Set the front rail across the front ends of the arms, flush at the outside, and screw it down with two pre-drilled #10 × 3" screws into each arm. No glue — the grain crosses.
- 7 Finish every face. Sand everything 120 → 180 → 220. A laundry room is damp, so seal all faces, ends and holes too, with 3 coats of water-based poly or spar varnish. Let it cure fully before wet clothes go on.
- 8 Assemble the wall unit. Screw each bracket to the back rail's face, 6" in from the ends, with two pre-drilled #10 × 3" screws from behind. Screw a pivot block flush with each end of the rail the same way, top edges level, its lower half hanging below the rail. Bolt an arm to the inside of each block with a ⅜" × 4" carriage bolt, washers and a nylon lock nut. Snug, not tight.
- 9 Hang it and set the chains. Level the rail on the wall and drive two #10 × 3½" screws into each of three studs. Screw the shelf down onto the rail and brackets with #10 × 3" screws (oversize holes into the brackets). Fit an eye screw in the rail face above each arm and one on top of each arm 2" behind the front rail. Join them with chain cut so the rack sits level. Load: 20 lb on the shelf, 15 lb of wet clothes on the rack.
S2S Lumber Pack
Surfaced 2 sides — straighten edges first
- 1 Prep the boards. Trim ½" off each end to remove any end checks. Joint one edge straight, then rip the other edge parallel (¼" off each rough edge is our planning allowance). S2S boards finish 1¾" thick, so screws and some sizes change — use the sizes in this column.
- 2 Cut the parts. Square one end of boards 1–3 and crosscut each at 44". From board 4 cut two 4¾" brackets and two 8" pivot blocks. Rip board 5 down the middle into two strips about 1 11/16" wide, with a push stick. Cut two 20" arms from one strip and a 40½" front rail from the other.
- 3 Glue up the shelf. Edge-glue boards 2 and 3 into a 44" × 7" shelf, long grain to long grain. Clamp every 8–10" with cauls at the ends. Leave overnight, then scrape and sand the seam flush.
- 4 Shape the brackets and arms. Stand each bracket blank on edge. Mark 2¼" along the bottom from the back end and 2½" up the front end, and saw a 45° line between the marks. On each arm, round the back end to a half circle (trace a can) so it can swing past the wall.
- 5 Drill the pivots. Drill a ⅜" hole through each pivot block, 1¼" up from the bottom end and centred across its 3½" width. Drill a matching ⅜" hole through each arm, 1" from the rounded end and centred on its height.
- 6 Drill for the dowels. Clamp the two arms together, inside faces up, and mark dowel centres at 4", 7", 10", 13", 16" from the rounded end, centred on the height. Drill ⅝" holes ¾" deep with a depth stop. Cut five ⅝" dowels to 38½".
- 7 Build the rack. Glue the dowels into one arm, then glue and tap the other arm on. A dowel in a hole is a long-grain joint, so glue is fine. Check that the frame is square. Set the front rail across the front ends of the arms, flush at the outside, and screw it down with two pre-drilled #10 × 3" screws into each arm. No glue — the grain crosses.
- 8 Finish every face. Sand everything 120 → 180 → 220. A laundry room is damp, so seal all faces, ends and holes too, with 3 coats of water-based poly or spar varnish. Let it cure fully before wet clothes go on.
- 9 Assemble the wall unit. Screw each bracket to the back rail's face, 6" in from the ends, with two pre-drilled #10 × 3" screws from behind. Screw a pivot block flush with each end of the rail the same way, top edges level, its lower half hanging below the rail. Bolt an arm to the inside of each block with a ⅜" × 4" carriage bolt, washers and a nylon lock nut. Snug, not tight.
- 10 Hang it and set the chains. Level the rail on the wall and drive two #10 × 3½" screws into each of three studs. Screw the shelf down onto the rail and brackets with #10 × 3" screws (oversize holes into the brackets). Fit an eye screw in the rail face above each arm and one on top of each arm 2" behind the front rail. Join them with chain cut so the rack sits level. Load: 20 lb on the shelf, 15 lb of wet clothes on the rack.
Why chains? The arms pivot on bolts at the wall. The chains run up to the rail and carry the front of the rack, so the bolts don't have to hold the whole load. Unhook nothing — just lift the rack and the chains go tight; lower it and they go slack.
Why do the pivot blocks hang below the rail? The shelf brackets fill the rail's face. Hanging the blocks below it drops the rack under the brackets, so it can swing freely, and it puts the chains at a good angle to hold the rack level.
Why seal every face? Wet clothes drip and a laundry room is humid. Bare end grain soaks up water and the dowels can swell or stain. Three coats on every surface, holes included, keep the wood dry.
Why pre-drill? Maple, oak and hickory split if you drive a screw without a pilot hole. Pre-drill every screw and countersink so the heads sit flush.
Make It Yours
- Hanger hooks: screw a row of cup hooks under the shelf front for clothes on hangers.
- Lid stays: swap the chains for a pair of folding lid stays for a neater look.
- Longer rack: use 24" arms and add a sixth dowel. The rack sticks out further, so check your walkway first.
Safety and Care
- Wear eye and hearing protection. Use a push stick for every rip under 4" wide.
- Mount into wall studs (or rated anchors sized for the load). Check for wires and pipes before drilling.
- Load: about 20 lb on the shelf and 15 lb of wet clothes on the rack. Never hang on it or lean on the rack.
- Keep fingers clear of the pivot when you fold the rack up or down.
- Pre-drill every screw — hardwoods split without a pilot hole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not for S4S boards — they arrive flat and square on all four sides. S2S boards need their edges straightened: a jointer, a table saw with a straight-line jig, or a hand plane all work. No jointer? Choose the S4S pack.
About 15 lb of wet clothes — a load of shirts, towels or delicates spread over the five dowels and the front rail. Heavy wet jeans or bedding are better on a floor rack.
Put the rail about 60–66" off the floor. The rack then sits at chest height in use and folds up out of the way. Leave room under it so long items hang clear of the washer or dryer.
Yes. Hardwood dowels from the hardware store are usually birch or oak. Seal them with the rest of the rack so they don't stain clothes.
Planned offcuts only: about 3" off the end of boards 1–3, about 19" (S4S) or 21" (S2S) off board 4, and the strip ends on board 5. All 5 boards go into the build.
A 2ft pack is too short to reach three studs. It makes a 20" version on two studs the same way, with a 16½" wide rack — handy over a small laundry sink.
