How to Make a Rustic Quilt Ladder

How to Make a Rustic Quilt Ladder. Quilt ladders sell for over $100 in catalogs and online. But you can make this rustic quilt ladder for a fraction of the cost. You can use purchased wood rails and rungs, or you can find wood in the forest to use for this project. You can dress it up as much as you desire, or you can countrify it.

2 72-inch long seasoned wood rails, 2 inches in diameter
5 ½-foot seasoned wood for rungs, 1 ½ inches in diameter
Drill and bits
Saw
16 penny nails
Sandpaper
Paint or wood stain (optional)
Polyurethane finish (optional)

Instructions

- 1
  Lay the two wood rails out side by side. Place a mark on one rail to indicate that it's the left ladder rail. Mark each rail at 12 inches, 28 inches, and 44 inches. With a 1/8-inch bit, drill a pilot hole through each rail at each marked point.
- 2
  Cut the top and bottom rungs. The top rung must be 16 inches and the bottom rung must be 24 inches.
- 3
  Place the wood rungs between the rails. Set the top and bottom rung in place. Use the pilot holes as placement guides. Measure the correct length for the middle rung. Cut the middle rung to fit.
- 4
  Sand or file any excess wood to give a snug fit between the rungs and the rails. Continue to use the pilot holes as guides. Since this is a rustic ladder, you don't have to be precise. On the other hand, you don't want huge gaps between the rungs and the rails.
- 5
  Drill a 1/8-inch hole in the ends of each of the rungs. Make the hole slightly deeper than the fastener goes.
- 6
  Place the top rung between the rail at the appropriate mark. Nail in place on each end with a 16 penny nail. Continue by nailing the middle rung in place. Finally place the last rung, and nail that in place.
- 7
  Round the top and bottom of each rail with sandpaper. If the rungs are rough, sand them so they can't snag your quilts.

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