An Easy DIY Wall Towel Holder Is The Perfect First Woodworking Project

Classical art museums don't just feature the likes of Rembrandt and Monet. Many will also display woodworking masterpieces that put into perspective humanity's long history of creativity in the very furniture upon which we sit upon. From the 17th century and beyond, surviving antiques that can be refurbished (or sustainably repurposed) showcase the value of a well-crafted piece, but everyone has to start somewhere. The amount of public makerspaces has grown exponentially over the last two decades or so, many of which are available through your local college library, so there's little stopping you from giving woodworking a shot — especially with easy DIY projects that have long-term value, like a wall-mounted towel organizer. It's a newbie-friendly project.

Whether you're relocating across the country, renovating, or simply want to add a hand-crafted touch to your bathroom, a wall towel rack is great for woodworking beginners because it's ultimately little more than a DIY project using wooden dowels stuck together. One example from TikToker @theflippedpiece creates a minimalist new storage space with just four square dowels (and whatever analog or powered woodworking tools you need to cut, stick pieces together, then sand and finish it). If you're feeling confident and creative after finishing this first project, there's room to do more with your woodworking tools for the foreseeable future. And luckily, these Bright Creations wooden dowel rods cost less than $10 to get started.

The specific dowel lengths you purchase for this woodworking project ultimately isn't important, just note that two full pieces will be the vertical length of your towel holder — unless you decide to trim them. Your other two pieces should be cut into four 4-inch chunks and two 9-inch chunks, either with a mechanical circular saw (which you might own to cut molding) or a hand saw. Pre-cut dowels should also be available at most hardware stores.

Laying the long dowels down, you can set your 4-inch chunks at each edge so they create a C shape. Wood glue is more than apt to attach these pieces, but the power tool route (which @theflippedpiece demonstrates) would use a nail gun on the back side of the long dowel. Then, attach your 9-inch chunks to the ends of the 4-inch pieces, connecting both halves in the shape of a bench. Smooth over your bench with sandpaper, either manually or with a mechanical sander, and then you can decorate the towel holder however best fits your bathroom's aesthetic! For example, you could consider adding a shiny wood finish. Just make sure to apply something like Godora pure tung oil for waterproof sealing.

You can latch your newly crafted woodworking masterpiece to the wall using nails, or more user-friendly solutions like Velcro strips. Once it's set, your rack should be just wide enough to hold a handful of folded shower towels stacked atop one another. Try buying towels in different colors to create patterns like tapestries up the wall!