Hey, I’m Udit from easydiywood.com and okay so honestly I never thought I would ever make a woodworking magazine rack on my own. Like seriously, I used to think only proffesional woodworkers can build stuff like that. But then one lazy sunday afternoon I just looked at the corner of my room and saw like 15 magazines all piled up like a small mountain near my sofa… and I thought “okay enough is enough.”
So I grabbed some scrap pine boards I had lying around, did a bit of thinking, watched some videos, made a few messy mistakes and at the end I had myself a real working woodworking magazine rack. And it costed me less than 10 dollars total. Not even joking.
If you are a complete beginner and thinking “I cannot do this”, dont worry. This guide is for you. Let me walk you through everything I know about building your own woodworking magazine rack from scratch, without spending a lot of money and without needing fancy tools.
What Exactly Is a Woodworking Magazine Rack and Why Should You Build One?
Okay so a woodworking magazine rack is basically a wooden holder where you can keep your magazines, newspapers, small books, maybe even your recipe cards, anything flat like that. You can mount it on a wall or let it stand on the floor near a chair or sofa.
Now here is the thing. If you go to Amazon to buy one, even a simple wood magazine rack on Amazon can cost you anywhere from 25 dollars to 80 dollars. And sometimes they look a bit too plain or they just fall apart in few months. I bought one once. It broke in like 3 months. Never again.
When you build your own woodworking magazine rack, you control everything. The size, the finish, the wood type and the style. And it feels so good to look at it every day knowing “I made this thing.” There is a certain joy in that which no store-bought rack can give you.
Also if you are just starting out with woodworking I really suggest you check this helpful post on how to get into woodworking before jumping in. It will clear up alot of basic doubts.
Types of Woodworking Magazine Rack Styles You Can Build
So before you start cutting any wood, first thing is to decide what style you want. Because the design will decide how much material you need and what tools you will use. Here are the three most popular types that beginners usually pick.
1. Wood Magazine Rack Wall Mounted
This is the most popular one honestly. You build a small open shelf kind of thing and hang it on the wall. It saves floor space and looks really clean and modern. Great for living rooms, home offices or even bathrooms.
The wood magazine rack wall mounted style is also good because you can adjust the height on your wall to suit your reach and it keeps everything visible so you can grab your magazine without digging through a pile.
2. Wooden Magazine Rack Floor Style
This one stands on its own on the floor. Like a small freestanding wooden frame with slots or pockets to hold your magazines. You can place it next to your reading chair or beside the sofa. Its a bit more work to build compared to wall mount type but it looks really nice and feels solid.
3. Wooden Magazine Rack Vintage Style
This is my personal favourite honestly. You take an old worn-out looking wood, maybe reclaimed pallet wood, give it a little sanding and some dark stain, and the final result looks like a beautiful wooden magazine rack vintage piece that looks like it came from an antique shop. People always ask me “where did you buy that?” and I just smile and say I built it.
Woodworking Magazine Rack Plans for Beginners (Simple Version)
Alright now lets get into the actual building part. I will share the simplest woodworking magazine rack plans that I personally used. No Kreg jig needed, no fancy router, nothing like that.
Materials You Will Need
So the shopping list for this woodworking magazine rack diy project is really short.
One piece of 1×6 pine board, around 6 to 8 feet long (cost roughly 6 to 8 dollars at Home Depot or Lowe’s), wood screws or brad nails, sandpaper (80 grit and 150 grit), wood glue and some wood stain or paint if you want to finish it nicely.
That is literally it. No need to spend 50 dollars on tools or materials. This is what I call a true budget-friendly woodworking magazine rack project.
Tools You Will Need
Okay here is the good news. You only really need three basic things. A hand saw or a miter saw if you have one, a drill with some screws, and a measuring tape. Even if you only have a hand saw and a drill, you can absolutely do this.
Step by Step Build Process
Alright, step one. Measure and cut your boards. For a wall-mounted woodworking magazine rack, you need two side pieces about 8 to 10 inches long, one back piece around 12 to 14 inches wide and one bottom piece same width as the back.
Step two. Lightly sand all your cut pieces using 80 grit sandpaper first. Trust me, dont skip this step. I skipped it on my first attempt and the corners were all rough and my hands got scratched pulling magazines out. Then finish with 150 grit for smooth feel.
Step three. Apply wood glue to the side edges and then press your back piece and bottom piece together. Let it sit for atleast 15 to 20 minutes.
Step four. Once the glue is a bit set, reinforce with screws. Predrill your holes first so the wood dont split. Beginners always forget this and then the wood cracks and they get frustrated. Just predrill okay.
Step five. Let everything dry fully. Few hours minimum, overnight if you can wait.
Step six. Now stain or paint. I personally love using a dark walnut stain on pine. It gives that beautiful wooden magazine rack vintage kind of look even on cheap pine wood. Amazing what a little stain can do honestly.
Step seven. For wall mounting, simply screw two D-ring hangers on the back, measure the wall and hang. Done.
If you want to get even more creative with your finish, have a look at this guide on painting outside woodwork which has some solid tips that also work great for indoor projects.
Best Wood Types for Your Woodworking Magazine Rack
Now this question comes up alot. What is the best wood to use for a woodworking magazine rack? And my honest answer is pine for beginners, always.
Pine is soft, easy to cut, easy to sand and most important very very cheap. You can get a decent length of pine board for roughly 6 to 8 dollars from your local hardware store. And if you are someone who is just starting out and wondering what tools or materials you even need to start building things with wood, the Fine Woodworking beginner resources page is something I bookmarked early on and still visit sometimes for new ideas.
Anyway coming back to wood types, for that vintage wooden magazine rack look, try using old pallet wood which is basically free if you look around construction sites or behind grocery stores.
If you want something a bit more sturdy or you plan to put heavy books also in the rack, try poplar. Its slightly harder than pine but still beginner friendly and affordable. Cedar is another good option especially if you live in a humid area, it resists moisture naturally.
For that vintage wooden magazine rack look, try using old pallet wood. Just clean it well, pull out any old nails, sand it smooth and it looks incredibly rustic and charming. Pallet wood is basically free if you know where to get it, construction sites or behind stores often have them.
Common Mistakes Beginners Make Building a Woodworking Magazine Rack
I made all of these mistakes so you dont have to. Consider this the “I wish someone told me this earlier” section.
Mistake 1: Not Measuring Twice
I know everyone says this but seriously I once cut a board 2 inches too short and had to start over. Measure two times, cut one time. Please.
Mistake 2: Skipping the Sanding
Already said this above but its worth saying again. Rough edges on a magazine rack look bad and feel bad. Always sand before assembly and lightly after assembly too.
Mistake 3: Using Too Much Wood Glue
More glue does NOT mean stronger joint. It just means messy squeeze-out everywhere and then you spend 20 minutes cleaning it. A thin even layer is enough.
Mistake 4: Not Letting Glue Dry Properly
I rushed this once because I was excited. The whole thing came apart in two days. Just wait. Patience is real skill in woodworking.
Mistake 5: Wrong Wall Anchor for Mounting
If you are building a wood magazine rack wall type, please use proper drywall anchors or try to mount into a wall stud. I once just screwed into drywall with no anchor and the whole rack fell down at 2am. Very scary sound in the dark house. Use proper anchors okay.
Woodworking Magazine Rack for Sale vs DIY: Which Makes More Sense?
So some people ask me, why not just buy a woodworking magazine rack for sale online? And honestly it is a fair question. A basic wooden magazine rack on Amazon can cost 20 to 40 dollars for simple designs. Some better ones with solid wood go up to 80 to 100 dollars.
When you build your own woodworking magazine rack diy style, your total cost is usually under 15 dollars if you already have basic tools. And the result is something you made with your own hands, custom size, custom finish, your choice of wood.
Also if you want to start selling your builds eventually, a handmade woodworking magazine rack is actually a great product to sell at local markets or online. People love handmade wooden items and pay good money for them. You can check some ideas over at this popular post on easy DIY wood projects to make money if that interest you.
How to Give Your Woodworking Magazine Rack a Professional Looking Finish
Okay so this is the part most beginner guides skip and honestly it is one of the most important parts. A woodworking magazine rack with a nice finish looks like it came from a furniture shop. A badly finished one looks like a school project. No offense.
Here is what I do. After final sanding with 150 grit, I wipe the whole surface with a slightly damp cloth to remove all dust. Then I apply one coat of pre-stain wood conditioner, specially on pine because pine absorbs stain unevenly without it.
Then I apply my wood stain with a foam brush going in the direction of the wood grain. Let it sit for 5 minutes then wipe off extra stain with an old clean cloth. One thing I learned the hard way is that pine can absorb stain very uneven and look all patchy if you skip the wood conditioner step.
The folks over at Family Handyman have a really solid guide on how to stain wood evenly without getting those ugly dark spots, I follow their conditioner tip everytime now and honestly it changed my woodworking magazine rack finish from looking amatuer to looking really clean and smooth. Do two coats of stain for deeper darker color.
Finally seal the whole woodworking magazine rack with a clear polyurethane or lacquer spray. Two to three light coats. This protects the wood and makes it look smooth and finished.
And thats it. Your woodworking magazine rack now looks like something you can proudly put in your living room or gift to someone.
Woodworking Magazine Rack FAQs (People Also Ask)
How much does it cost to build a DIY woodworking magazine rack?
A basic woodworking magazine rack can be built for around 8 to 15 dollars using pine boards, screws and basic stain from any hardware store.
What is the easiest woodworking magazine rack plan for a beginner?
A simple wall mounted woodworking magazine rack using a single 1×6 pine board is the easiest option as it needs minimal cuts and very few tools.
Can I build a woodworking magazine rack without power tools?
Yes you can, a hand saw, a drill and wood glue is enough to build a basic woodworking magazine rack even without any power tools.
What wood is best for a beginner woodworking magazine rack project?
Pine is the best wood choice for a beginner woodworking magazine rack because it is soft, affordable, widely available and takes stain very nicely.
Final Thoughts: Just Start Building Your Woodworking Magazine Rack Today
Look, I know starting any new project can feel scary. You think “what if I mess it up” or “what if it looks terrible.” But honestly the only way to get better is to just start. Your first woodworking magazine rack will not be perfect. Mine wasnt either. But it will be yours.
And trust me once you finish it and hang it on your wall and put your magazines in it, that feeling is something else. You will look at it every day and feel proud. And then you will want to build more things. That is exactly how I got into woodworking and I have never regretted it even one day.
So gather your materials, cut your boards, sand them smooth and build yourself a woodworking magazine rack this weekend. Budget friendly, beginner friendly and honestly really really fun.
Let me know in the comments below how your woodworking magazine rack turned out! I would love to see your photos.
Happy building,
