Introduction: Make a Set of Kitchen Hooks

I made some simple kitchen hooks with 8 gauge wire and wood

Step 1: Cut the Wire and Wood

I cut my wire into pieces about 7 inches (17.5 cm) long. This wire is thick, and regular diagonal cutters would not cut it so I use vice grip pliers. Another time, I used an old wood chisel and hammer to cut this stuff with great success, but it does dull the chisel considerably.


I used a miter box saw, wood rasp, and sandpaper to get the wood into the desired shape and smoothness. One thing to consider here is the weight of the objects you're going to hang on the hooks. For pots and pans, I used 1x2 lumber, but for some towel hooks I used a smaller piece.

Step 2: Drill Your Holes

Since neither the wall nor the wood here is perfectly straight, the first step here is to choose which side of your wood will be the 'back', that is the part that goes against the wall. I marked mine so I wouldn't make any mistakes.

This apartment is small so there's no real woodworking space. I drilled my wood over the kitchen sink to make cleanup easier. Be sure to choose a drill bit that is slightly larger than your wire in order to make it easier to insert the wire through the holes.

The spacing between hooks is another important consideration. The pot rack hooks are spaced about a foot apart, while the towel rack is spaced much closer together.

Step 3: Straighten Your Wires a Bit, Then Bend the Hooks

At this point I find it useful to use the holes in the wood to straighten the wires. The sides of the holes make a good tool to bend the wire and see how straight it is.

I bent the bottom hook first (see diagram), and then between steps 3 and 4, I inserted the pieces into their holes.

Step 4: Mount It on the Wall.

When hanging heavy item hooks, screws are suggested. I also suggest putting those screws INTO THE STUDS.

If you can't find the studs you may need a stud finder, a little electronic device which sells for about $10. I was able to see the drywall seams and nails through the paint due to shoddy workmanship, but you may not be so *ahem* 'lucky'.

Studs are usually spaced 16" from the center of one to the center of the next so a tape measure may come in handy.

Once you've decided where to put the screws, you'll want to drill pilot holes in your wood to prevent it from splitting. This wood is thin, and will probably split of you neglect pilot holes.

Now you can enjoy some extra space in your kitchen!