The first day of fall is tomorrow which means it’s time to bring out those blankets from storage! Instead of leaving them aimlessly around the house, or bundled on the couch, you can make this DIY wooden dowel blanket ladder with a few simple steps and materials. Here’s how:
What You’ll Need
– Wooden dowels
– Copper tee fittings (I used 1″)
– Saw
– Spray paint + primer
– Tape measurer
– Sand paper
– Mallet
I created this ladder for a smaller wall space area that we have in the apartment, so it’s a bit narrower than a standard ladder. If you have the room, and want to make it larger, take that into consideration when deciding how many dowels to buy. I suggest buying your dowels + tees in person so you can make sure they’re the right size and fit in to one another.
To give this project a pop of color without going so far over the top, I decided to paint the copper tees. Start by giving them a coat of primer; once dry spray with two coats of spray paint.
Tip for painting– instead of laying these on their side, sit them upright then flip to paint the underside. This will give the tees a nice even coat. You can watch a video I made of the DIY process for this project over on TikTok.
How to Make a Blanket Ladder with Wooden Dowels
If you’ve ever wanted to take on a project with power tools, this is a great and easy place to start since you only need to make a few cuts.
1. Cut your dowels into equal size pieces (mine are all 12″; 14 pieces total).
2. Once cut to size, you’ll need to really sand down the ends and wipe clean. This will help them fit into the copper tees much easier. If you struggle with this, use a mallet to gently fit them together.
3. As you’re putting the ladder together, it helps to measure the wooden pieces to ensure the sides and middle parts are equal size. Continue fitting the dowels into the copper tees until assembled.
My advice is to take your time and make sure the dowels are all in at the same measurement when fitting into the copper tees– they should fit fully in. This will make your ladder so much sturdier!
Once all your pieces and in place, add your favorite blankets and enjoy! I actually made this project 5 years ago and am so much happier with this version.
I can’t wait to see your version of this DIY wooden dowel blanket ladder in your home. If you have any questions, just leave me a comment below!
PS be sure to check out the DIY wall art + the Ikea dresser makeover I made (both pictured here)!