Super Simple Tape-Roll Storage Rack

This is a very simple, highly customizable project that allows you to store rolls of tape so that they are neatly organized and easily accessible. This tape-roll storage rack can be sized according to the space and the tape you have.

I made mine out of scrap plywood, wood glue, and brad nails, but if you don't have wood you could very easily make this out of stiff cardboard (or foamcore) and hot glue, and if you don't have hot glue, you could probably just use tape. And if you don't have tape, why on earth are you making a tape-roll storage rack?

Watch the video to see how I did it, or follow the steps below. This is my first video, and my first Instructable, and I've had a lot of fun making both! I hope you enjoy!

Step 1: Tools and Materials

Materials used:

• 1/4" plywood
• 1/2" plywood
• Wood glue
• 18ga brad nails
• Paint

Tools used:

• Table Saw
• Miter Saw
• Jigsaw
• Brad Nailer
• Air Compressor
• Paintbrush
• Paint Roller
• Measuring Tools
• Pencil

Note: I used these tools because these are what I have access to. The cuts in this project are very simple, however, and you could make it all just using a circular saw, a jigsaw, or hand tools.

Step 2: Parts

The parts list for this project is very simple. I have included mine above, as well as in a PDF you can download, so you can build exactly what I did, but you can and definitely should adjust the measurements to fit your own needs.

Step 3: Make the Sides and Cut the Shelves

As you can see in the drawing above, this project requires two sides that are 5 inches wide, and of a sufficient height to suit all your tape. In my case that was 18.25".

I determined this number by just sort of putting a few rolls of tape on the ground and looking at how much space I wanted around them.

Note that you can vary the width if you have smaller rolls of tape than I do. Just make sure to change the width of the shelves and wedges, as well.

You should also cut the shelves at the same time, since they need to match the width of the sides.

Step 4: Make the Wedges

Now you need pairs of wedges. They should also be 5 inches wide, and have a ten degree angle. This angle does not have to be precise, just so long as it's steep enough to prevent the tape from rolling out of the rack.

It doesn't matter if all the wedges match each other perfectly, so long as they are in matched pairs. Mark them so you can easily tell which ones match.

Step 5: Make the Shelves and Backs

Now we need to cut the shelves and backs.

Determine how wide you want your tape rack to be. I wanted mine to fit between these studs, so it needed to be 11". I have no idea why the studs in my closet are spaced like this, but that's what I have, so that's what I made this to fit. You should size yours for your available space, and tape storage needs.

In my case, since I wanted to fit between 11" studs, I made my shelves 10 3/8" wide, so that when I added the 1/4" plywood I was using for the sides, I would come out to 11 7/8", thus giving me 1/8" of wiggle room between the studs.

The shelves need to be 5" deep. They should match the wedges and sides of the unit.

For the backs, I cut mine initially to 3" x 10 3/8", but later I realized the shorter shelves would need shorter backs, and so I trimmed them accordingly. I think next time I will just make them all 1" tall. I'm sure that would be sufficient to keep the tape from rolling out the back.

Step 6: Assembly - Determine Shelf Height and Glue on Wedges

This is pretty straight forward. Put the sides next to each other, and glue on a matched pair of wedges, lined up with one another. They need to mirror each other.

Now position a shelf on one of the wedges, and put a roll of tape on it, then mark where you want your next shelf to be.

Glue a matched pair of wedges at this next location. Make sure to get them lined up evenly. I did this by lining up the sides and then using a t-square.

Repeat this process until you're done. Try to be careful about the sizes of tape you plan to store, and don't make the shelves too low, or you will have to do what I did. See step 8.

Step 7: Assembly - Glue Shelves and Backs

Now just glue the shelves to the wedges, and then put the backs on. The first shelf is the hardest, but if you have a clamp you can make things a lot easier by kind of wedging the unit in there like I did.

If you don't have clamps you might want to ask a friend to help hold things together for this bottom shelf. Otherwise it's probably gonna be annoying. After this one it's much easier.

Note that in my photos you can see pocket holes were drilled in the back pieces. I had planned to just use pocket hole screws instead of glue and brad nails, but it turned out I don't have any screws short enough to go into the 1/4" plywood sides. Oh well! Luckily those face the back, and will never be seen.

Step 8: Fix My Mistake - Don't Do This One

I somehow made a mistake when laying out the shelves, and the top shelf was too low, meaning the second from top shelf wouldn't hold the size tape rolls for which it was intended.

Luckily the top shelf was always meant to hold little tiny rolls of tape, so it didn't actually need to be the full 5" deep, and I was able to use a jigsaw to trim it back.

Hopefully you won't need to do this, unless you want to, in which case I suggest you cut this shelf shorter before you glue it. It'll be much easier, and come out better. You can see the result in the next step.

Step 9: Paint (Optional, and Unnecessary)

I painted mine, because I had paint, and wanted it to look cute on the internet. You can make yours look as cute as you like, or just leave it bare, or put a French polish on it, if you want.

Step 10: Finished! Organize Your Tape

Your tape rack is done. I hung mine on my pegboard with these straight hooks, but you can mount yours any way you like. A couple of nails would probably do it. Now load it up with tape, call your friends over, and have a big organized tape party. That's a thing that people do, I'm sure of it.

I hope this has been helpful. It's a very simple project, but it works well and looks pretty good.

I've submitted for the Organization contest, so if you like this project, please vote for me!