Keep your favorite caps together with a slim wooden organizer that makes use of an empty strip of wall. This project uses one piece of lumber, a portable drill and a jigsaw, with a warm wood finish that works in an entryway, bedroom or closet.
You will mark a repeating layout, drill the rounded pockets, cut the side openings and smooth every edge before finishing and mounting the rack.
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Tools and Materials
- One straight nominal 2 × 3 board; check the actual dimensions before marking.
- Tape measure, square and pencil.
- Portable drill with a 1-inch wood spade bit or suitable Forstner bit.
- Jigsaw with a wood-cutting blade suitable for the board thickness.
- Clamps and a scrap backing board for drilling.
- Sandpaper and a small sanding block.
- Wood stain and a compatible protective finish, if desired.
- Two suitable recessed keyhole hangers, their mounting screws, and wall fasteners selected for your wall.
- Eye protection, hearing protection and dust protection appropriate to the task.
Choose a drill that is rated for the selected bit and hold it as directed by its manufacturer. Clamp the wood instead of holding it by hand while drilling or cutting. Use drilling mode, not masonry hammer mode, for these wood holes.
Plan the Repeating Layout
The tutorial that inspired this project uses nominal 2 × 3 lumber, a 1-inch drilling bit and marks spaced 3 inches apart. Our proposed ten-position layout uses a 33-inch board, with centers at 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27 and 30 inches from one end. This leaves 3 inches from each end to its nearest center.
A typical surfaced nominal 2 × 3 measures approximately 1½ × 2½ inches. Measure your own stock. Mark the centers along the middle of the 2½-inch face so that the holes pass through the 1½-inch thickness.
The 33-inch length and equal end margins are our adaptation. The side entry is a custom-fit part of the project: Step 4 explains how to test one opening on scrap and turn it into a reusable template. Use the written dimensions for the hole layout, and repeat the same trial-fitted entry profile at every position.
| Layout item | Proposed dimension |
|---|---|
| Board length | 33 in (838 mm) |
| Typical actual section | 1½ × 2½ in (38 × 64 mm); measure your stock |
| Number of positions | 10 |
| Center-to-center spacing | 3 in (76.2 mm) |
| End to nearest center | 3 in at each end |
| Drilled pocket diameter | 1 in (25.4 mm) |
| Side-entry profile | Make and trial-fit one template on scrap, then repeat it unchanged |
Step 1: Prepare the Wood
Select a straight board without splits or loose knots around the future slots. Cut it to the planned length, square the ends and identify the face you will drill. Mark the top and the edge that will face the wall so the orientation stays consistent throughout the build.
Step 2: Mark the Centers
Draw a light centerline along the wide face. Measure each center from the same end of the board, using the ten positions in the layout above. Measuring from one reference end helps avoid accumulating small spacing errors.
Check every mark with a square and draw the drilling circles. Count ten centers and check the two end margins before you drill.
IRWIN 12-Inch Combination Square
Use the square against the board edge to check the centerline and mark each position from the same reference end.
View on Amazon →Step 3: Drill the Holes
Clamp the board over a sacrificial backing board on a stable work surface. Keep clamps clear of the bit and make sure the drill cannot contact the bench or its hardware.
Place the bit point on the first center. Keep the drill perpendicular to the face, use the speed recommended for the bit and let the cutting edges work without excessive pressure. Clear chips as needed after stopping the tool. Reduce feed pressure as the bit exits into the backing board.
Repeat at the remaining centers, maintaining the same bit diameter throughout. Wait until the bit has stopped before moving the drill or adjusting the clamps.
WORKPRO Bar Clamps — 6-Piece Set
This light-duty set contains four 6-in. and two 12-in. clamps. Check opening and throat depth for the rack and sacrificial backing together; use another clamp if these jaws cannot reach. Keep clamps outside the bit and blade paths.
View on Amazon →One Board Today. What Would You Build Next?
This free project develops marking, drilling and careful cutting skills. For future furniture and workshop builds, TedsWoodworking advertises a separate paid plans collection. Our review explains what to consider before deciding whether that offer fits your tools and experience.
Explore the Paid Plans CollectionStep 4: Cut the Side Openings
First make one trial opening in an offcut of the same board. Drill a 1-inch pocket on the same centerline used for the rack. Mark two straight, parallel lines from the chosen long edge into the pocket. Keep the entry narrower than the circular pocket and leave the rear spine intact.
With the offcut oriented as the installed rack, slope the entry upward from its outer mouth toward the inner pocket. This leaves a higher inner resting point. Clamp the scrap with clear space under the blade, cut along both lines with the jigsaw and remove the strip between them. Smooth the opening before checking it with a cap.
Try the caps you intend to store, arranging the back fabric gently without forcing it. If a cap will not enter easily, adjust the trial opening in small increments. If it slips out or needs a sharp forced fold, revise the trial profile on another offcut. There is no single entry width or angle specified here for every cap fabric; the test piece determines your template.
Once satisfied with the trial fit, trace that exact hole-and-entry outline onto a small piece of stiff card. Mark a center reference and an edge reference on the card. Align those references with each drilled hole and the same long edge of the rack, then trace the entry at all ten positions. Keep the template in the same orientation throughout.
Clamp the rack securely with the cutting area projecting clear of the bench. The jigsaw blade needs free space below the wood throughout its stroke. Keep the base flat, make both cuts into each drilled pocket, and let the blade stop before withdrawing it. The photograph shows the piece at rest for inspection, not an operating setup.
Step 5: Sand the Edges
Complete the remaining openings using the same template. Sand the faces with the grain, then use folded sandpaper around the rounded pockets and along the entry walls. Ease sharp edges without changing the shape or thinning the supporting wood unnecessarily.
Check for splinters with a cloth and inspect every opening. Remove the pencil marks and sanding dust before applying a finish.
Fandeli Sandpaper — 25 Sheets
The 25-sheet assortment includes 80, 120 and 220 grit. Use compatible sheets by hand around the pockets and openings, without widening the slots or thinning the rear spine. These are sheets, not round random-orbit discs.
View on Amazon →Step 6: Apply the Finish
Test the color on an offcut first. For a warm brown appearance, apply a suitable wood stain, followed by a compatible clear protective finish if required by the products you choose.
Apply thin, even coats and follow the label instructions for surface preparation, ventilation, drying and recoating. Keep finish from pooling inside the slots. Allow the final coating to cure fully before it touches the caps.
Step 7: Mount the Rack
Use two appropriate keyhole hangers on the narrow rear edge that meets the wall, positioned in solid wood clear of the slots. Choose hardware that fits that edge and follow its drilling and screw instructions. Prepare any recesses before finishing where practical, then install the plates after the finish has cured.
For recessed keyhole plates, the shallow plate recess and the deeper clearance behind the keyhole have different jobs: one seats the plate, while the other makes room for the wall-screw head. Use the actual hardware as the template; do not guess the recess size or depth.
Orient both hangers so that lowering the rack seats the screw heads into the narrow retaining portions. Transfer the actual spacing between the hangers to the wall and check the marks for plumb. Use screws with heads compatible with the hangers and anchors appropriate to the wall construction, or fix into suitable framing.
Seat the rack, check that both fixings engage and confirm it is stable before adding caps. The image shows the final alignment check; it does not show the hidden hardware. Do not rely on adhesive alone or assign a load rating without the hardware manufacturer's guidance.
Step 8: Hang Your Caps
Add your caps one at a time, letting them overlap naturally with the fronts and brims facing outward. Arrange the back fabric gently to suit each cap; avoid forcing stiff fabric or sharp folds. Use the positions that suit your collection and leave extra room where needed.
Check that the smooth openings do not snag the fabric and that the rack stays secure as you remove and replace a cap.
Questions About Using Your Cap Organizer
Will every cap fit the same opening?
Cap fabrics and back closures vary. Test the caps you actually use on the scrap template in Step 4 before repeating the entry profile. Never force a stiff cap through an opening or assume that all ten positions must be filled.
What if an edge catches the fabric?
Remove the cap and inspect the pocket and entry walls. Ease the rough spot with folded sandpaper without changing the opening profile. Remove dust and restore the finish as its label directs before using that position again.
How should I clean and check the rack?
Take the caps off and wipe the wood with a soft cloth suitable for the finish. Avoid soaking the wood. If the rack moves as you remove a cap, stop using it and check the mounting hardware before loading it again.
Project Inspiration
This project was inspired by The Sorry Girls' DIY Hat Rack tutorial. The article text and instructional illustrations here were created for Start Simple Woodworking. The proposed overall length and end margins above are our adaptation.
Choose Your Next Small Woodworking Project
For another small entryway build, make the wooden key holder next. Choose seasonal decorating inspiration, a different wall organizer or a toolbox according to the space you want to improve.
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Build a Wooden Toolbox →Choose Your Next Practical Woodworking Project
Try one of the free tutorials above, or explore TedsWoodworking for a broader paid collection of project plans. Check the current offer and the requirements of any plan you choose. This cap organizer is our adaptation of a separate tutorial; we do not claim that the exact design is included in the collection.
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