Blanket ladders are an stunning way to display throws and easy to build if you already have the tools. In this post we wanted to show you how to build one for less than $20 in materials!
Building the ladder was super simple! From making the first mark on the wood to leaving the completed ladder to dry took less than one hour. Below are the materials needed and a quick overview of what I did to assemble the ladder.
You will need:
- 2 - 8' 2 x 3 boards
- 2 - 48" 1 1/4 inch dowels
- Miter saw
- Drill with 1 1/4 inch spade bit
- Glue (wood glue would be best, but I didn't have any)
- Tape measure
- Pencil
- Rubber mallet
- Finish of your choice
First, you'll need to measure everything out. I decided to make my ladder 5 1/2 feet tall. The dowels were cut into lengths of 18 1/2 inches.
Carefully cut along each of your lines. In the end, you should have (2) 5 1/2 foot long 2x3 boards, and (4) 18 1/2 inch long dowel rungs.
I decided to miter cut the bottom of the ladder at a 10 degree angle to allow for more stability leaning against the wall.
The final step before assembly is drilling out the holes for the rungs. I started by measuring 3 inches from the top of the ladder, then 12 inches below that mark, continuing 12 inches from the previous mark until there are a total of four lines for the rungs.
To mark the center for each hole, I measured 1 1/4 inches from the side of the board, crossing my initial mark. As depicted above, this is where the center of the spade drill bit is placed. I wrapped the drill bit with a piece of masking tape a 1/2 inch up from the wide part of the bit to ensure the proper drilling depth for the rungs.
Using a spade bit requires a bit of extra caution. Make sure the boards are well secured and go slowly. It's a great idea to practice on a piece of scrap board before attempting it on your final product.
Finally, it's time to glue everything together! Place one of your 2x3 boards with the holes facing up. Smear a healthy amount of glue in each hole and on the end of each rung. Place the glue-covered rung in the hole and gently tap all the way in with a rubber mallet. Add glue to the exposed rung ends and fill the holes on the other 2x3 with glue. Align the holes with the rungs and, again, gently tap into place with the mallet. Clamp the boards together while everything dries, or, if you don't have clamps, leave the ladder on its side and weigh everything down. Allow the glue to set for at least 24 hours, or according to the directions on the glue you have chosen.
I decided to go with a simple rustic finish. I dropped a piece of steel wool into about a cup and a half of apple cider vinegar and let it soak for a while. Most sites say to let it sit over night, I found others that said the finish is ready in as few as 15 minutes. I, however, didn't get back to it for a few days and everything still worked out perfectly!
There you have it! In less than one hour of work and about $18 in materials, you'll have a gorgeous blanket ladder of your own.