Free woodworking plan

Wall Spice Rack

Difficulty: Beginner · Estimated time: about 2 hr 30 min of hands-on work, not counting glue and finish drying or cure time

A slim wall rack with shelves and a front rail so jars cannot tip.

Build a shallow spice rack from 1x stock with two or three shelves and low front lips. Mounts into studs. Good practice with dados or simple cleats and consistent spacing.

Materials

• Pine or poplar 1x4 — 1 @ 8 ft
• Pine 1x2 for front rails — 1 @ 4 ft
• Wood screws — #6 x 1-1/4" and #8 x 2-1/2" for wall
• Wood glue — small bottle
• Finish or paint — as preferred

Tools

• Saw
• Drill/driver
• Square and tape measure
• Level and stud finder
• Clamps (optional)
• Router or dado stack for shelf dados (optional)

Safety: Power tools and finishes can cause serious injury. Read and follow every tool and product manual, use guards and push sticks, wear eye and hearing protection, and work in a ventilated area. These plans are for general information; check measurements and your own skill before cutting. You build at your own risk, and Handy at Home is not liable for injury or damage. See the Terms.

Steps

1. Cut sides and shelves

   Cut two sides ~18–24" tall and 3-1/2" deep. Cut two or three shelves to the inside width you want (often 12–18"). Mark shelf heights so standard spice jars clear (~5" between shelves).

   • Measure your tallest jar before locking spacing.
   • Keep both sides clamped together when marking so shelves line up.

2. Join shelves to sides

   Use short dados, cleats, or pocket screws to join shelves to sides. Glue and screw. Check for square across the front. Add a 1x2 back rail near the top for mounting strength.

   • Predrill pine to avoid splits near ends.
   • A square cabinet assembly now saves a crooked wall mount later.

3. Add front lips

   Rip or use 1x2 lips about 3/4"–1" tall on the front of each shelf so jars cannot slide off. Glue and pin/screw from below or into shelf edges. Sand and finish.

   • Keep lips low enough to read labels.
   • Paint insides a light color if you want jars to stand out.

4. Mount on the wall

   Find studs, level the rack, and drive long screws through the top back rail into studs. Load a few jars and confirm there is no sag before filling completely.

   • If studs miss your width, use a French cleat rated for the load.
   • Mount clear of the stove’s heat and splash zone.

Always follow your tools’ safety instructions and wear eye protection. Free for personal use; please don’t resell or republish these plans.

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