DIY Ladder Tutorial

Want a unique piece of decor that will add tons of character to a room? Learn how to build your own ladder with this simple, step-by-step tutorial don by Love Grows Wild!

1)  I picked up 2 – 6 foot 1 x 4 boards from the hardware store and one 6 foot 3/4″ dowel rod. I sanded down all edges of the boards to give them a worn, rustic look.

2) I cut the dowel rod into 4 – 18″ pieces.

3) I laid all the pieces out to find the spacing I wanted for the ladder rungs and marked where each rung would go on the 1 x 4’s. I ended up spacing mine 14 1/2 inches apart.

4) Using a 3/4″ paddle bit, I drilled a shallow round in the 1 x 4’s  for each of my rungs. *You only need to make a small groove for the dowel rod to set in.

5) I drilled long screws into one of the boards, securing the dowel rods in place.

6) Then I lined up the second board and screwed the other side of each dowel rod in place.

I wiped the ladder down really well and stained it with my favorite dark walnut stain. After it was dry, I applied a coat of paste finishing wax.