How To Make a Kids Hanging Rack
How do you make a kids' hanging rack for bags and jackets?
A row of timber dowel knobs on an L-shaped timber shelf gives kids somewhere obvious to put school bags and jackets, and it takes an afternoon to make. The joinery is simple — two lengths of timber screwed together at right angles — and the knobs are held by a two-part epoxy, Selleys Araldite 5 Minute.
The reason an epoxy is used rather than a wood glue is worth knowing. A dowel knob in a drilled hole with a bag hanging off it is loaded in bending, and the hole is never a perfect fit. A two-part epoxy fills the annular gap around the dowel and cures to a rigid solid; a PVA wood glue needs close-fitting faces under pressure, which a dropped-in dowel does not give you. The trade-off is that you have to mix it, and mix it correctly.
Technical specification — Araldite Super Strong 5 Minute Epoxy
| Technology | Epoxy, two-part |
| Colour | Dries clear |
| Set time | 5 minutes |
| Usable working time once mixed | 2–3 minutes at 20°C |
| Initial bond time | 30 minutes |
| Maximum bond time | After 16 hours |
| Strength | Holds up to 150 kg/cm² when fully cured on clean, abraded copper |
| Temperature resistance | Up to 60°C |
| Packaging | 8 mL and 24 mL syringes, 35 mL tube |
Indicative data only, not intended for the preparation of specifications.
What you need
- 2 lengths of timber
- Timber dowel for the knobs
- Selleys Araldite 5 Minute
- A drill with a 25 mm spade bit and other bits as needed
- A saw
- Screws
- Tape measure and pencil
- Sandpaper
- A clean disposable surface and a spatula for mixing
How to make it
- Measure and mark. Measure out your timber to the length you want the shelf to be and mark it with a pencil.
- Cut both pieces to length with your saw.
- Cut the dowel into short lengths for the hanging knobs.
- Mark the knob positions along the timber.
- Drill the holes. Using a 25 mm spade bit, drill out the positions for the timber dowel knobs.
- Sand and assemble the frame. Lightly sand the timber, then screw both pieces together at right angles.
- Fix the knobs. Using Selleys Araldite 5 Minute, fix the dowel knobs into the pre-drilled holes.
- Let it cure completely before hanging the rack up.
Mixing the epoxy correctly
This is the step that decides whether the knobs hold. Selleys' own tip for this project is to mix equal portions of the glue to ensure maximum bond strength, and the technical data sheet says the same thing in its directions: dispense equal parts of both liquids onto a clean disposable surface and mix them together thoroughly with a spatula.
The reason matters. A two-part epoxy is a chemical reaction between resin and hardener in a fixed ratio. Get the ratio wrong and the excess of one component never reacts — it stays in the joint as a soft, weak inclusion. The bond will look cured and feel hard, but it will be well below full strength, and you will only find out when a school bag pulls a knob out of the wall.
Two practical notes from the data sheet. Do not use the plastic blister as a mixing surface, and the mixed glue remains usable for only 2–3 minutes at 20°C. That is a short window, so mix a small batch and glue a few knobs at a time rather than mixing enough for all of them at once.
Surface preparation matters too: abrade, clean and dry the surfaces. Roughening the inside of the drilled hole and the end of the dowel gives the epoxy something mechanical to key into.
How long before it can take weight?
Three figures, and they mean different things. The epoxy sets in 5 minutes — that is when it stops being liquid. The initial bond time is 30 minutes, during which you should not apply undue strain to the joint; hold the join in place with tape or weights if necessary. Maximum strength is reached after 16 hours, and longer in colder weather.
So the honest answer to "when can the kids hang their bags on it" is the next day, not the same afternoon. A knob loaded before the epoxy reaches full strength is the classic way this project fails.
Limitations — what this epoxy will not do
- Will not bond PTFE, polyethylene or polypropylene plastics. Not an issue for timber dowels, but relevant if you substitute plastic hooks.
- The bond softens above 60°C, though strength is restored when the temperature returns to normal.
- Allow longer bonding times in colder weather.
- Pre-test on leather and rubber to determine suitability.
- The product may discolour if exposed to UV. Worth considering for a rack mounted where strong direct sunlight falls on it — the clear glue line around each knob can yellow over time.
Mounting the rack
The epoxy holds the knobs into the shelf. It does not hold the shelf to the wall, and nothing in this project is a wall fixing — a loaded bag rack pulls hard, so fix it into studs or with appropriate wall anchors. There is separate guidance on locating studs and choosing anchors in how to put up bedroom shelves.
Clean up and storage
Clean up uncured Araldite with acetone. Place the cap from the plunger onto the nozzle for storage, and keep the syringe in a cool dry place.
Common questions about making a kids' hanging rack
Why does the mix have to be equal parts?
A two-part epoxy cures by reaction between resin and hardener in a set ratio. An unequal mix leaves unreacted material in the joint and a bond well below full strength. Selleys' tip for this project is to mix equal portions to ensure maximum bond strength.
How long do I have to work once it is mixed?
2–3 minutes at 20°C. Mix small batches.
How long until the knobs will take weight?
Do not apply undue strain to the bond for 30 minutes, and note that maximum strength is only reached after 16 hours. Leave it overnight before loading it.
What size hole do the dowel knobs go into?
The method uses a 25 mm spade bit.
Should I sand the dowel and the hole first?
Yes. The data sheet's surface preparation is to abrade, clean and dry the surfaces, which gives the epoxy a key.
Can I mix it in the plastic blister pack it came in?
No — the directions specifically say not to use the plastic blister to mix the product. Use a clean disposable surface.
How strong is the finished bond?
The data sheet quotes up to 150 kg/cm² when fully cured on a clean, abraded copper surface.
Will it hold plastic hooks instead of timber dowels?
Not if they are PTFE, polyethylene or polypropylene — it will not bond those. Other plastics should be tested.
Does temperature affect it?
Yes. Allow longer bonding times in colder weather, and note that the bond softens above 60°C, recovering when it cools.
Will the glue line yellow?
The product may discolour if exposed to UV, so a rack in strong direct sunlight may show it over time.
How do I clean up a spill?
Acetone, while the epoxy is still uncured.
Is a faster or slower Araldite available?
Yes. Araldite Rapid sets in 90 seconds with a self-mixing nozzle and reaches maximum strength after 16 hours, while Araldite Extra Time gives a longer working window for jobs with more parts to position.
Why does the mix have to be equal parts?
A two-part epoxy cures by reaction between resin and hardener in a set ratio. An unequal mix leaves unreacted material in the joint and a bond well below full strength. Selleys' tip for this project is to mix equal portions to ensure maximum bond strength.
How long do I have to work once it is mixed?
2–3 minutes at 20°C. Mix small batches.
How long until the knobs will take weight?
Do not apply undue strain to the bond for 30 minutes, and note that maximum strength is only reached after 16 hours. Leave it overnight before loading it.
What size hole do the dowel knobs go into?
The method uses a 25 mm spade bit.
Should I sand the dowel and the hole first?
Yes. The data sheet's surface preparation is to abrade, clean and dry the surfaces, which gives the epoxy a key.
Can I mix it in the plastic blister pack it came in?
No — the directions specifically say not to use the plastic blister to mix the product. Use a clean disposable surface.
How strong is the finished bond?
The data sheet quotes up to 150 kg/cm² when fully cured on a clean, abraded copper surface.
Will it hold plastic hooks instead of timber dowels?
Not if they are PTFE, polyethylene or polypropylene — it will not bond those. Other plastics should be tested.
Does temperature affect it?
Yes. Allow longer bonding times in colder weather, and note that the bond softens above 60°C, recovering when it cools.
Will the glue line yellow?
The product may discolour if exposed to UV, so a rack in strong direct sunlight may show it over time.
How do I clean up a spill?
Acetone, while the epoxy is still uncured.
Is a faster or slower Araldite available?
Yes. Araldite Rapid sets in 90 seconds with a self-mixing nozzle and reaches maximum strength after 16 hours, while Araldite Extra Time gives a longer working window for jobs with more parts to position.