Ditch The Overflowing Shoe Rack: A Smarter Way To Store Your Footwear
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The trouble with most shoe racks is they simply aren't big enough. You may buy a shoe rack that fits your current shoe collection perfectly, but then you add a new pair to the mix and suddenly find yourself left with overflow. Or, you have a lot of tall boots or high-top sneakers and wind up discovering that most shoe racks just aren't high enough to accommodate them. So, you end up with a pile of shoes on the floor, which only makes getting out the door more challenging.
Instead of relying on pre-made options for your entryway shoe storage, follow the lead of TikToker motiankari and build a more practical custom shoe wall with industrial pipes. The creator used two 48-inch lengths of threaded steel plumber's pipe to fashion a wall-mounted shelf. The depth of the shelves is just right for supporting a range of shoe sizes. Plus, this works beautifully alongside all those industrial pipe closet ideas that deliver a chic and trendy look. Since the shelves are mounted on the wall, they make perfect use of vertical space, leaving the floor area clear. It's also easy to put your own spin on the DIY project by spray painting the pipes before you hang the shelves.
How to make shoe shelves out of industrial pipe
To make each shoe shelf, you'll need two 48-inch-long lengths of black pipe, two 90-degree elbows, two T-connectors, two 2-inch lengths, two 5-inch lengths, and two floor flanges. Clean the pipes before assembling them, using an adhesive remover like Goo Gone or just dish soap and water. Build the shelf by screwing the elbows on to each end of the first 48-inch pipe and the T-connectors onto the ends of the second pipe. Screw the 5-inch lengths into the elbows and one end of each T-connector. The two long pieces should now run parallel to one another in one connected piece. Connect the 2-inch lengths into the opposite side of the T-connector. Then, screw the flanges onto the other ends of the 2-inch pipe.
@motiankari DIY Shoe Wall— using black industrial pipes.... #diy #diyproject #tutorial #tiktokfashion
Make the shelves as long or short as needed to accommodate the size of your shoe collection and your available wall space (a 48-inch shelf holds about six pairs of shoes). You could also vary the depth of the shelves based on your shoe size. Use 2- or 3-inch lengths instead of 5-inch connectors to make a shorter shelf for kids' shoes, or make deeper shelves by swapping the 2-inch lengths for either longer ones.
Mount the shelves to the wall by using a stud finder and screwing into the stud for the most support (use wall anchors if you can't screw one of the flanges into a stud). You aren't limited to using the shelves for shoe storage, either. The pipes can serve as a rack for hanging coats in your entryway or as shelving for backpacks, handbags, winter accessories, and other items you need to grab as you head out the door.