For the last year or so, every few weeks I find a new use for some of the scrap wood I have laying around my garage workshop. Most of the wood goes towards small jigs and storage items. This week I finally got around to building a spray paint can rack so that I had a much more organized way to store all of them. This spray paint can rack only took a few hours, and the entire was rack was made from the equivalent of one 10 foot long 1×6, and one 4 foot long 1×2, plus 40″ of 3/4″ trim. I originally planned on making it four shelves high. Then I realized that I wouldn’t be easily able to reach the top rack given where I wanted to mount it on the wall, and I also rarely have 24 cans of spray paint or lacquer at any given time.

I made all of the cuts for my rack using a miter saw, including the angled dados. I just set the depth stop 1/4″ lower than the top of the 1×6 boards and then set the angle to the desired 35°. I could have just as easily used the table saw for all of the cuts, or even a router with a straight bit for the dados. Then I used the 2 5/8″ hole saw on my drill press to cut the holes. If you don’t have a drill press you can use a drill instead, it’s just a bit more difficult.

This spray paint can rack is obviously focusing on simplicity of construction, and functionality over form. I could have rounded over the front edges all of the shelves and the sides, and better hid the dados, etc… But I really just wanted to make something quick and easy that serves the purpose. I think this checks all of those marks.

Materials Needed / Cut list

• 2 – 1″ x 6″ @ 20″ (sides)
• 3 – 1″ x 6″ @ 19 3/4″ (shelves)
• 2 – 1″ x 2″ @ 19 1/4″ (back stretchers)
• 2 – 20″ pieces of 3/4″ wide trim (optional)

Tools Needed

• Miter saw or table saw
• Drill (a drill press is easier)
• 2 5/8″ hole saw
• 18-gauge brad nailer
• Wood glue
• Combination square (extremely helpful)
• Various clamps are helpful

Step1: Cut the sides

The first step in building this spray paint can rack is to cut two pieces of 1×6 to 20″ in length. Then you’ll need to cut three 1/4 deep x 3/4″ wide dados in each, slanted at a 35° angle. I put the top of my first dado 3 3/16 from the bottom of the front edge of each. This will allows the spray paint cans in the lowest shelf to not hang lower than the entire rack unit.

I then cut the second dado so the top is 6 1/8″ above the top of the first dado. The third dado is then set the same distance from the second.

Step 2: Cut the shelves

Next we’re going to make the shelves to hold the spray paint cans. You can really make these any length that you want, but I chose to make them long enough to hold six average size spray paint cans. Since the average spray paint can fits nicely in a 2 5/8″ diameter hole, I decided to space the holes out 3 1/8″ on center. I then added 1/2″ on each end to account for the dados and a little extra spacing around the outside cans.

I also have the holes offset towards the front of the shelves, putting the centers just over 2″ back from the front edge. All of these measurements are where a good combination square really comes in handy. It just makes it a lot easier to have consistent measurements across each hole and each shelf. I actually only measure the holes out on the first shelf. Then I use my second shelf as a backer when I’m cutting the first shelf on the drill press, making certain all four edges are perfectly lined up between the two shelves and using double-sided tape to hold them in place. The bit of the hole saw will go into the second shelf and provide you the perfect mark to ensure the holes line up from one shelf to the next. Then do the same with the third shelf when cutting the second.

Once your shelves are cut, use wood glue and brad nails to attach them to the sides ensuring the top front corner is slightly recessed from the front edge of the sides. If they protrude past the front edge, you won’t be able to add trim later.

Step 3: Cut the back wall

Once the shelves are installed, add two pieces of 1×2 along the back edge of the sides. Use wood glue and brad nails to attach them. These will provide you an easy way to attach the spray paint can rack to the wall when ready.

Step 4: Add trim (optional)

This last step is completely optional, and it was a last minute decision for me because I really didn’t like seeing the exposed dados. So I took two pieces of 3/4″ wide trim and attached them to the front of the sides using wood glue and brad nails.

That’s it, that’s all there is to the construction of these plans to be build a spray paint can rack. Depending on the wood you used to build this, you could opt to just put a nice lacquer on it before hanging. Or, if yours is like mine, and a Frankenstein of different scraps, you’ll probably want to throw a coat or two of paint on it.

I hope you enjoy these plans and find them useful. Please check out our other tool and workshop plans. If you have any questions, leave us a comment below. And don’t forget to submit your build if you use these or any of our plans to build something of your own.

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