[MinnesotaMaker]

When I first started out in this hobby, I needed racks to store my wine. I was spending all my money and time on kits and equipment and didn't have any left over to build wine racks for my new babies. I had a crawl space that was perfect for storage, I just needed racks. I made these and they were quick & easy. The only cost was a few nails.

First, find someone who will donate a few skids (pallets). They need to be the type that have boards only on the top side. They should all be the same width and in fairly good condition. You should also take an empty bottle along so that you can make sure that the sides of the skid are tall enough so that a bottle will slide under the skid (a full bottle might be a good idea too, it comes in handy with skid negotiation).
 skid1.jpg (4.94K)
Number of downloads: 104

Second, grab a saw and cut the pallet crosswise to make a skid that is about 10" deep. You'll get at least two sections out of each skid, maybe three.
 skid1_cut.JPG (5.24K)
Number of downloads: 87
 skid1_cut2.JPG (3.64K)
Number of downloads: 62

Third, invert your section and put it on the floor where you want your wine rack to be located.
 skid1_inverted.JPG (3.56K)
Number of downloads: 71

Fourth, stack your sections one on top of the other and secure them together. Go as high as you need (but you may want to secure it to the wall if you go above chest level). I just toenailed them together with a few framing nails, but you could also nail or screw a board up the sides or back.
 skid1_assembld.JPG (15.08K)
Number of downloads: 148

Fifth, load it up with your new wine. These racks are very heavy duty and will last forever. You can paint them if you want to dress them up a bit. They are rough cut, so they look nice and rustic, but could also scratch you or give you a sliver if not careful. Another nice feature is that as your cellar grows, you can just add more sections to the top. Some of the skids I used were tall enough to hold the 1.5 liter bottles, others only held the 750ml bottles. Also watch for warped boards, if they curve too much, you'll have areas that a bottle may not fit in.

[Merilyn]

Wow ! You sure were using your noggin' !! What a great idea !

[Little Blind Guy]

Interesting idea Lon. Do you have any photos of the end product? These seem like they would be ideal for my back room. This is also a great way to recycle an item that will usually just end up on a burn pile.

[MinnesotaMaker]

Interesting idea Lon. Do you have any photos of the end product? These seem like they would be ideal for my back room. This is also a great way to recycle an item that will usually just end up on a burn pile.

Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures. I used these racks when I lived in Canada. When it came time to move, I cased up all the wine and we just didn't have room for everything in the trucks, so the racks got left behind. I figured they were easy enough to construct, so I'd just make new ones when I moved into the new digs.

[Howie]

A friend of mine made cheap wine racks by collecting the cardboard tubes left over from a local carpet store and cutting them to length. He stacked them up in frames made of 2x4s.

[Bill C]

 0929082022.jpg (73.25K)
Number of downloads: 553

When I first started out in this hobby, I needed racks to store my wine. I was spending all my money and time on kits and equipment and didn't have any left over to build wine racks for my new babies. I had a crawl space that was perfect for storage, I just needed racks. I made these and they were quick & easy. The only cost was a few nails.

First, find someone who will donate a few skids (pallets). They need to be the type that have boards only on the top side. They should all be the same width and in fairly good condition. You should also take an empty bottle along so that you can make sure that the sides of the skid are tall enough so that a bottle will slide under the skid (a full bottle might be a good idea too, it comes in handy with skid negotiation).
 skid1.jpg (4.94K)
Number of downloads: 104

Second, grab a saw and cut the pallet crosswise to make a skid that is about 10" deep. You'll get at least two sections out of each skid, maybe three.
 skid1_cut.JPG (5.24K)
Number of downloads: 87
 skid1_cut2.JPG (3.64K)
Number of downloads: 62

Third, invert your section and put it on the floor where you want your wine rack to be located.
 skid1_inverted.JPG (3.56K)
Number of downloads: 71

Fourth, stack your sections one on top of the other and secure them together. Go as high as you need (but you may want to secure it to the wall if you go above chest level). I just toenailed them together with a few framing nails, but you could also nail or screw a board up the sides or back.
 skid1_assembld.JPG (15.08K)
Number of downloads: 148

Fifth, load it up with your new wine. These racks are very heavy duty and will last forever. You can paint them if you want to dress them up a bit. They are rough cut, so they look nice and rustic, but could also scratch you or give you a sliver if not careful. Another nice feature is that as your cellar grows, you can just add more sections to the top. Some of the skids I used were tall enough to hold the 1.5 liter bottles, others only held the 750ml bottles. Also watch for warped boards, if they curve too much, you'll have areas that a bottle may not fit in.

Thanks MinnesotaMaker

I made a rack with your idea and it work out great. I even added some to the side to fill the rest of the wall.

[MinnesotaMaker]

 0929082022.jpg (73.25K)
Number of downloads: 553
Thanks MinnesotaMaker

I made a rack with your idea and it work out great. I even added some to the side to fill the rest of the wall.

Nice looking rack and I'm sure the price was right! I hadn't thought of doing vertical sections; it sure adds a nice element to the whole picture. Makes me want to open a bottle, sit back, and admire.

[Jrocco]

Wow, what a great idea. Thanks fo posting the diagrams and the pictures. I was about to ask how many bottles will fit in each half and then I saw the post from Bill.

[Calamity Cellars]

That is a GREAT idea. Consider it utilized.

[ff/medic]

That is a very good idea. I am new to this site and to wine making. I will have to find me some pallets!!!

[Wade's Wines]

I think you can buy them used for about $5 each, and pick out the best. Great idea!

[billybahbah]

Wow!! I just did this I received a free pallet and I got 4 sections out of it and it nicely holds 40 bottles of wine, from one pallet, I am picking another free pallet tomorrow and adding four more sections for 80 bottles of wine. This is a really nice inexpensive/free idea. I love it and I will post pictures sometime this week. Just look on craigslist for pallet and free one are sure to pop up.

[sharpstick]

I think you can buy them used for about $5 each, and pick out the best. Great idea!

just cruise the back streets and alleys behind home depot and other stores and industrial places. i see stacks of them all the time and throw one or two on the roof rack, tie them down and take them home.
i want to try that. i have a lot of wine that needs to be racked.

[winesupplyfetcher]

Great idea, great photos, cool racks. When Wade and I were early in this hobby of his, we used to go to recycling places and (he) picked up many used wine bottles that way. We also found a store that was throwing out a ready made wine rack, or else we bought it for next to nothing, I can't remember. We ended up with three of those racks and I think they had some dowels in them. They weren't nearly as good as what we currently use. We are using stainless shelving now that he has adapted with some wood inserts and also some bins we bought at Sam's. It works well, but the pallets would have been nice too.

Here's to creative recycling!

[MinnesotaMaker]

I just ran out of rack space, so I built another for overflow storage.

Attached File(s)

•  dun_small.JPG (94.61K)
  Number of downloads: 345