I have been in love with these cute wooden crates lately. I hope to make some kind of decor for my porch using them. Of course, that has been placed near the bottom of a nearly never-ending to-do list. 

Someday. 

For now, I came up with this super quick crate project, this rope and crate shelf. I love how it turned out, and I love how easy it came together. 

 

 

Rope and Crate Shelf - Make this quick and easy shelf from a wooden crate!

 

To make this rope and crate shelf you will need: 

Small crate like this
Small, thin piece of craft wood
A length of jute rope
Top coat or varnish
Wall Hook

 
Make sure to sand both of your wood pieces a bit. Even though they are probably quite smooth, you still want to make sure you don’t have any splinters or rough edges. 

Rope and Crate Shelf - Make this quick and easy shelf from a wooden crate!

 

 

Next, measure your crate and make a corresponding mark on your craft wood. This piece of wood will be the shelf inside the crate , so try to make it to be as exact as possible. Once you have it marked, use a saw or other tool to cut it.

Rope and Crate Shelf - Make this quick and easy shelf from a wooden crate!

 

 

To secure the shelf in place, run a line of wood glue on both sides and the back of the shelf. 

Rope and Crate Shelf - Make this quick and easy shelf from a wooden crate!

 

 

It is easiest to put the shelf inside the crate at an angle, and then carefully straighten it once it’s in. 

If you need more glue, use a toothpick to dab it in places it is needed. 

Rope and Crate Shelf - Make this quick and easy shelf from a wooden crate!

 

 

When you have the shelf level and glued, put it upright on it’s side and place a few heavy books to apply pressure as it dries. 

Rope and Crate Shelf - Make this quick and easy shelf from a wooden crate!

 

If your shelf is going in a room where there may be lots of moisture, like the bathroom, apply varnish to your shelf.  Once it’s dry, you can attach the rope.

Start by pulling one end in between the slats on the side of the crate.

Rope and Crate Shelf - Make this quick and easy shelf from a wooden crate!

 

 

Next, tie a big, chunky knot. I don’t really know any knots other than a square knot! I just wrapped and pushed it through randomly until I had a sturdy, chunky knot.

Rope and Crate Shelf - Make this quick and easy shelf from a wooden crate!

 

Trim your rope and repeat with the other side. 

Rope and Crate Shelf - Make this quick and easy shelf from a wooden crate!

That’s  literally all there is to it! To hang your shelf, you will need to install your wall hook. This shelf will not hang on a nail or wall tack because of it’s depth, but it looks very nice hanging on a big hook. 

 Rope and Crate Shelf - Make this quick and easy shelf from a wooden crate!

 

I think this shelf will go perfectly in my bathroom, which I am redecorating with a nautical theme. 

For more posts and tutorials, subscribe to Whistle and Ivy updates, and follow me in Instagram!

See you next time!

Signature

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

One Comment

  1. This seems like a really creative ways to repurpose old timber crates. I have a few wooden crates that I need to get creative with. I’ve been lacking shelf space in my house, so it seems like a good idea to use my crates to make shelves. I have a few small vases and decorative flowers that need a home, so a shelf seems like exactly what I need for having a place to put them.