Surf’s up DIY a stylish surfboard rack, ideal for the garage

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Safety tip Before drilling into walls, use a wall scanner to check for wiring and pipework, and turn off the power while working

The dowel should be a tight fit, but if it doesn’t tap in, sand the end and inside the hole until it does

Expert tip

Surf’s up

This simple rack not only solves the problem of surfboard storage but turns it into a style statement

Sports equipment is a storage challenge – all those bulky boards, bikes, bats and balls defy most off-the-shelf solutions, and surfboards are no exception. This DIY rack addresses the issue, storing a full quiver of six boards neatly out of the way. No more tripping over fins!

TOOLS & MATERIALS  Safety equipment (mask, eye and ear protection)  Tape measure and pencil  Mitre saw  Try square  Drill press with 25mm spade bit  Quick-grip clamps  Drill with 12mm bit  12mm masonry bit  Long nose pliers  Rubber mallet  Two 2.4m lengths of 90mm-square DAR pine•  Six 1.2m lengths of 25.4mm

Tasmanian oak dowel•  Painter’s tape  Four 125mm x 12mm masonry bolts with anchors  180-grit abrasive paper  Timber adhesive

EXPERT TIP Our instructions are for a masonry wall. For plasterboard, omit the spacers and use buglehead batten screws instead of masonry bolts, securing them directly into the wall studs

STEPS

1From each 90mm-square pine length, use a mitre saw to cut two 30mm-thick spacers, then cut the posts to be 2300mm long. Set the saw to 20°, cutting the dowel in half to make 12 rails each 600mm-long, trimming the ends with matching angles.

4On the posts, centre a mark 500mm from the top and up from the base to indicate the bolt holes. Position the posts against the wall, a metre apart, to check the bolts won’t go through mortar, adjusting the marks as needed. Mark the post positions on the wall.

Your DIY toolkit

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1 Ramset ‘Dynabolt’ 125mm x 12mm hex nut, $1.82, I/N: 2269529. 2 Empire 200mm polysteel try square, $16.75, I/N: 5667057. 3 Craftright 210mm long nose plier, $9.98, I/N: 0154794. 4 Porta 1.2m x 25.4mm Tasmanian oak dowel, $18.15, I/N: 0099506• . 5 Irwin ‘Speedbor’ 25mm spade drill bit, $11.98, I/N: 6354221. Some products are not available at all Bunnings stores, but may be ordered. 2From the top, measure and mark a line across the posts 400mm down, then 300mm apart to set out six holes (the last hole is 400mm up from the base). Use a try square to measure 45mm in from the sides to mark the centres.

5Use a 25mm spade bit to drill halfway through the posts at the bolt marks, checking the holes are at least 45mm deep with a measuring tape. Complete the hole by drilling through the centre with a 12mm bit, then drill through the centre of the spacers.

7Position each post against the wall with the spacers behind, lining up the holes and pushing bolts through into the wall. Tighten each nut with long nose pliers until the anchor engages and the bolt is secure.

DIY board stacker

3Prepare the drill press with a 25mm spade bit, setting the depth to 80mm and angling the base to 20°. Clamp the posts to the workbench to drill each hole, enlisting a second pair of hands to hold the posts and distribute the weight.

6Position the posts against the wall to mark through the bolt holes with a pencil. Measure 50mm up from the tip of a 12mm masonry bit to wrap painter’s tape as a depth indicator, then drill the holes into the wall for the bolt anchors.

8Smooth over the posts and rails with 180-grit abrasive paper, sanding into the rail holes. Dab timber adhesive in the holes and tap in the rails with a rubber mallet, twisting them so the ends are angled with the posts and leave to dry. ◆