Wood & Clothespin Photography Hanging Display

Howdy y'all!

For my first Instructable, I'll be constructing a wood clothespin hanging display. This wall piece is perfect for displaying photographs or postcards.

I love that I can display 20+ photos at a time and swap new pictures out in no time. It's also easily scaleable to fit any size wall, and you can change the number of wood pieces for a taller or shorter wall.

Even better, the total cost was under $30 (barely the price of two picture frames) and it took a couple hours plus some impatient overnight waiting for stain to dry.

Step 1: Materials

- 3x 4'x4" wood pieces (I cut a 12' pine piece from Home Depot.) You can choose how long and how many pieces you want. $8 - hardware store

- 2x screw eyes. $1 - hardware store

- Wood stain (Minwax Dark Walnut or your choice.) $5 - hardware store

- Polyurethane (optional, unfinished look vs. protection and gloss.) $5 - hardware store

- Paintbrush. $2 - hardware store

- Twine or string. $2-4 - craft store

- Mini clothespins or clips. (Hobby Lobby has a few styles of clips/pins.) $4 - craft store

- Saw (optional, I cut wood at Home Depot.)

For Hanging

- Drill (1/4" bit or any size larger than the nails)

- Hammer & large nails

- Measuring tape

Step 2: Cut the Wood

Alright, now that you've got all the materials, let's get to work!

This one's easy: cut the wood into the three pieces. That wasn't so bad, was it?

Step 3: Stain the Wood

Alright, this step requires a bit more effort. Before you start: be in a well-ventilated area and don't wear anything that you remotely care about (INCLUDING your shoes...)

To stain wood:

Sand along grain (can start with ~100 grit and move up to ~200.)
Wet the paintbrush in the stain.
Use long horizontal strokes along the grain of the wood.
For lighter stain, wipe off with an old rag immediately, or leave on for 5-10 minutes before wiping.
Don't forget the sides too!
You can apply a second coat if it's not dark or even enough after one.
Let sit overnight; even if it's dry sooner, it'll still smell up your house.

Any imperfections and markings in the wood will absorb stain differently and give interesting results, so I looked for a piece with many knots and grain.

Step 4: Finish the Wood

*DISCLAIMER* I have no pictures for this step, since I didn't actually do it. But if you so choose, you can apply a coat of finish to add a layer of protection and sealant.

Step 5: Drill Hanging Holes

Now that your wood is stained and dry, flip it over to the unfinished wall side. Measure to the middle horizontally and drill a hole slightly higher than center on the vertical. I hung each piece with one large nail.

If you wanted, you could put two nails into each piece of wood. It would be more stable, but make sure you get 100% accurate measurements on the wall so you don't end up with a slanted display.

Step 6: Attach Screw Eyes & Hanging Twine

1. First, mark 2" from the end of each side and screw in the screw eyes.

2. Next, cut pieces of twine and tie a hitch knot through the eyes. I used this tautline hitch since it can be tightened after both sides are tied, crucial so your twine isn't saggy in the middle.

3. Clip off the spare ends of twine and you are good to go!