This is a super simple DIY project that’s inexpensive, easy, and functional (aka: the holy trifecta of DIY projects).    I’ve seen different versions of this all over the internet and decided to give it a go since I already had all of the materials on hand.   The room in question for this project is our pool bath.   I’ve wanted to add a towel hook behind the door since we moved in as I figured it’d be the perfect place to hang damp pool towels in the summer.

Now, if there’s one thing you may not know about me, it’s this:  I’m a hoarder hooks.  Allllll the hooks.  Seriously, whenever I see them on clearance, I buy them.   I literally have a drawer full of hooks still in their original packaging.   I figure that they’ll all be used eventually somewhere.  Ya know, if I’d just get on that already.

So, anyways, here are my hap-hazardly-placed materials for this project…

A piece of scrap wood that just happened to be the exact length I needed

2 – 3″ wood screws (not shown)

3 – Young House Love hooks that I found at Target for (drum roll please)….

$1.18 (Woot!)

To get started, I decided to determine placement of my hooks and pre-drill my holes prior to sanding.  This way, if any splinters were created by my drill, the sander would quickly bid them adios.

I began by measuring three even distances across the board with my yardstick.  I placed my hooks on the plank at these designated locations and marked the holes with a pen.  Human note: I actually think this was the most time-consuming part.  Not because it was hard, but because 1. I’m clumsy… several times, I got the hook placement right, only to accidentally nudge the board and shift everything, which resulted in overly-dramatic-fake-ugly-cry-face.  Sorry, neighbors.   B. I’m the parent of a 4-year-old… who “helped” by “cleaning up my project mess”. #thanksbutnothanks #ugh

Once I finally managed to control both my child and my own appendages, I got my holes marked, and used a drill bit slightly smaller than my screws to drill pilot holes…

As you can see in the shot above, I also drilled screw holes that would be used to attach my board to the wall.   I don’t have pictures for this part, as the process took both hands to complete, but allow me to explain…

I wanted at least one of the wood screws to hit a stud, so I used my trusty stud-finder to locate said stud.   I held my board up and marked the stud placement on the board.   Then, I simply measured in the same distance on the other side of my board to determine where the second hole would be located.  This way, both screw holes would be evenly placed on the board.  I wanted a rustic flare, so the screw heads will be visible using this method.

Once all of my pilot holes were drilled, I used my orbital sander to remove any splinters and dirty spots.  Next, I stained my plank with the same grey stain that I used on my industrial pipe shelf…

I used the same technique as I did on that project.  Wax-on/wax-off with zero time to allow the stain to penetrate, which left a nice, light grey tone with lots of sandy wood-grain showing through.

And then I accidentally took a random shot of the ground…

Which coincidentally is clearer and more artsy than the shots I mean to take most of the time.  #youarewelcome

Next, I screwed the board to the wall behind the door in our pool bath, using a level to verify correct placement…

As mentioned previously, one screw went into a stud and the other went into a drywall anchor.   And, I attached my hooks…

Because I’d pre-drilled pilot holes for the hooks, attaching them to the board after the fact was a piece of cake.   I find that when it comes to glossy hooks like this, it’s better to use a screwdriver than a drill to avoid accidental scrapes or marring of the hooks.

Now, for a wider shot…

I have to say that I’m totally digging the contrast of the rustic wood next to the more graphic print…

As well as the glossy hooks against the rough, greyed wood…

Not too shabby for a project that literally cost me $3.54 (plus tax) (since I already owned the wood, stain, and screws).   Plus, now we have a place to hang our pool towels to dry once the warmer weather comes.  One small step towards a more functional home.  Music to my ears.