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Make your own luggage rack

By Bunnings magazine /

luggage rack being set up 

Overview

If you regularly host overnight guests, you’ll want to ensure your spare room is set up for success. Impress visiting friends and family with this handmade, D.I.Y. upcycled luggage rack, which is as stylish as it is practical.

Take a preloved Mimosa folding canvas director’s chair and transform it into a luggage stand that supports a medium-sized suitcase and tucks away neatly when not in use.

If you’re upcycling and working with a reclaimed piece, adjust the instructions to suit the construction, as some styles already have rails across the base. The key is to dismantle the arms and legs, while keeping the fold-out cross-rails attached to the seat supports for the new frame.

Safety tip: Always wear the appropriate safety equipment (gloves, mask, ear muffs and eye protection, for example) and always follow the instructions for the product or equipment.

Steps

  1. 1

    Remove fabric and dismantle the legs

    Slide off the fabric parts. Use a screwdriver or drill to loosen the seat braces and dismantle the feet on the back legs.

    Green Bunnings hammer
    Tip: Keep the two cross-rail foldouts assembled with the seat supports joining them.
    Close up of a hand holding a piece of fabric attached to the legs of a foldable chair
  2. 2

    Drill into and pull out the rivets

    Remove the side frames (arms and legs) and braces, using a 7mm bit to drill into the back of the rivets. Tap away the breakout and washers with a chisel, then position an offcut to pull out the rivets with a claw hammer.

    Close up of a drill removing the rivet in a length of wood
  3. 3

    Take apart the side frames and cut two rails

    Dismantle the side frames by drilling through the dowels with a 5mm bit and tapping the joints apart with a hammer. From these pieces, cut 435mm and 330mm rails with a mitre box and a handsaw to fit across the foldouts.

  4. 4

    Position rails on frames, drill and secure

    To attach the long rail to the outside of the larger frame and the short rail to the smaller frame, position them 80mm up from the base. Drill with a countersinking bit, pre-drill into the frame with a 3mm bit, then secure with 40mm screws.

    The frame of a foldable chair lying on a wooden surface
  5. 5

    Use adhesive and push dowel into seat grooves

    Apply adhesive to 8mm fluted dowels, pushing them into the seat grooves to be flush with the ends. Sand over the screws with 180-grit abrasive paper to remove breakout, then smooth the holes with timber filler and leave to dry.

    Close up of a hand pushing a small fluted dowel into the end of a wooden frame
  6. 6

    Sand over rail ends and apply wax

    Position clamps on the bench to hold the frame open while sanding. Round over the rail ends slightly and remove excess filler. Wipe away dust with a damp cloth and apply wax with a clean cloth, leaving to dry.

    Green Bunnings hammer
    Tip: Tinted wax evens out the finish and helps to hide the filler.
    The frame of a foldable chair propped upright, attached with clamps to a wooden table.
  7. 7

    Apply adhesive into seat groove and staple for support

    Cut seven 540mm webbing pieces. Apply adhesive into a seat groove and set the webbing evenly along the groove, folding it over and stapling into the side of the seat support. Apply adhesive to the opposite groove, fold over the webbing, and secure.

    Green Bunnings hammer
    Tip: The adhesive will help to prevent fraying.
    A hand attaching strips of webbing into the groove of a wooden frame with adhesive.
  8. 8

    Cut webbing pieces and tack frames

    Cut five 720mm webbing pieces. On the smaller frame, tack the ends to the base rail with two vertical staples. Fold the webbing around the rail to hide the ends, securing with three staples. Hold the frame together to fold over and secure the webbing to the opposite rail the same way.

     

    Some products are not available at all Bunnings stores, but may be ordered.

    Strips of webbing looped through a wooden chair frame being tacked onto the frame with staples.
  9. 9

    For more D.I.Y. projects sure to impress visiting guests...

    Try your hand at making a side table or tiled tray. 
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Health & Safety

Asbestos, lead-based paints and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber are health hazards you need to look out for when renovating older homes. These substances can easily be disturbed when renovating and exposure to them can cause a range of life-threatening diseases and conditions including cancer. For information on the dangers of asbestos, lead-based paint and CCA treated timber and tips for dealing with these materials contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer or visit our Health & Safety page.

When following our advice in our D.I.Y. videos, make sure you use all equipment, including PPE, safely by following the manufacturer’s instructions. Check that the equipment is suitable for the task and that PPE fits properly. If you are unsure, hire an expert to do the job or talk to a Bunnings Team Member.