Make a Ladder-Style Plant Holder
In today’s post, we’d like to explain step-by-step how to make a ladder-style shelf for plants. We’re sure you’ll find it to be a simple and entertaining project.
You’ll barely have to spend a dime and it won’t take you much time to finish either. You can also personalize the project.
As you’ve already read in our other articles, plants have numerous health benefits in addition to looking fabulous as decor. With plants, we can breathe cleaner air at home, freshen up the ambiance and enjoy their scent.
If you’re into DIY, you’ll love the possibilities that plants offer. For example, you can make recycled flower pots by reusing household materials.
Below, we’d like to focus on one idea in particular: how to make a ladder-style shelf.
Converting ladders into storage spaces
First off, ladders are becoming increasingly popular in interior design. These days, we’re seeing them as towel holders, shelves, racks, etc. If you do a little digging into the matter, you’ll find that there are lots of ways to repurpose ladders.
If your ladder is wide enough, you can use it as a shelving unit. It can hold your books, figurines, magazines, plants… it’s a very original and easy idea.
Regardless of what size your ladder is, you can make the most of it. Many people use these kinds of structures to hang plants from the higher parts. Hung up high, the leaves will fall beautifully onto the rungs below. If you want to create a warm, cozy ambiance, you can try setting up some string lights. Don’t worry if you don’t have a socket nearby; some models feature a built-in battery.
You can also find double- or single-sided ladders. If you have a double-sided one, try setting it up in a way that showcases both sides. On the other hand, we recommend leaning a single-sided ladder directly onto a wall; attach it to the wall if possible to prevent it from falling over if someone bumps into it.
Make your own ladder-style shelf for plants
If you’re looking for a good shelf for your plants, remember that you can reuse a real ladder to do the job with no problem, regardless of the material. But you can also think about making the shelf yourself: you won’t need too many materials and it won’t take that much time either. If you decide to get crafty, you have two main options:
- Create the shelf from scratch.
- Use a wooden ladder as a base.
If you decide to go with the first option (which is a bit more complicated), you’ll need to put some slats together with glue and nails to create the base structure. You can think of the two sides as two easels.
In between the two sides, set up the slats, which should be thin and rectangular in shape. Depending on however many rungs you want your ladder to have, repeat this step accordingly. We recommend making three or four rungs.
When all of the slats are securely attached, your structure is finished and now you can use it as shelves. The lowest shelf should be the widest while the highest needs to be the narrowest; if not, the top part of your ladder will hit the wall or jut out. Your end result will be a single-sided ladder that leans against a wall.
Option #2 consists of using a double-sided ladder that has narrow rungs. You can securely place slats right on the rungs thanks to the double sides.
Put the finishing touch on your decorative plant ladder
To finish off, you just need to sand everything down to even the surface out, removing any splinters or imperfections. Then, paint it in a way that matches your home. If you want to leave the wood’s natural color, apply a coat of varnish to help keep it in good condition.