I recently gave our half-bath a facelift and just finished a nautical style towel rack with boat cleats. I am head over heels for it! The bathroom theme is "subtle nautical" with touches of chrome and rustic wood and a few beach accessories.
For the towel rack I applied a homemade stain on new wood, and attached three boat cleats for a one of a kind nautical towel rack on a budget. Scroll down for all the details.
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How to Make a Nautical Towel Rack with Boat Cleats
Supplies
Piece of thin wood (about 24" long)
White Vinegar, Steel Wool, Container with lid, gloves
6” boat cleats painted white (similar here)
Screws for cleats and for mounting on wall
Make a steel wool stain
Pour vinegar into jar leaving room for steel wool. With gloves on tear/fluff the steel wool before placing in jar with vinegar. Seal tightly and shake a bit once a day for 7 days. The solution will oxidize (and will NOT look pretty).
Using a paint brush or rag, wipe vinegar solution on board. I went back after and rubbed off a bit of the solution. And if you are looking for a darker tone add another coat after first coat dries.
Lay out where you would like your boat cleats and mark where you want the holes in pencil.
Make a pilot hole for each hole before screwing in the boat cleats and wall hooks. Skipping this step could make the wood splinter.
Those are the basic steps to creating a nautical towel rack with boat cleats. You could leave the boat cleats unpainted for a more authentic look. This project cost me under $20 to complete, and if you skip the steel wool stain step you could easily make this towel rack in an hour.
Update: I’ve had this boat cleat towel rack in our half bathroom for 5 years and it still looks beautiful and holds extra towels and toilet paper.