How to Make a Mountain Range Coat Hook
"Today’s wall hook project is my spin on the trend of bringing the outdoors inside."
Materials
I was scrolling through Instagram one day and saw someone who had this really cool wooden mountain scene hanging over their bed, and I immediately fell in love with it. I’ve been seeing a lot of outdoor-themed decor—mountain pillows and cloud-shaped odds and ends—and I’m a huge fan of bringing the outdoors inside. Today’s wall hook project is my spin on the trend.
This project is versatile enough that it’d work just as well in a nursery as it’d work in a mudroom or entryway, and if you stain it, you’ll get an entirely different vibe that’d be fun in a Pacific Northwest-themed home or cabin.
The options for customization are endless, and this project is a great way to spend an afternoon, practice your jigsaw skills, and get a fun new coat hook out of the process!
Step 1: Cut Wood
Start by cutting your one-by-twelve down to 28". I just used a jigsaw since I already had it out, but you can use whatever you have on hand (or get it cut at Dunn Lumber). I cut it to 28" fairly arbitrarily—you can make this coat hook as long as you’d like.
Step 2: Mark Mountains
Next, measure and mark what will be the peaks of your mountains. I used a speed square for this part.
This is a super basic three-mountain range, but you can take it wherever you want to go. There’s no wrong way to make a mountain, so feel free to follow your own artistic preferences and make your own shapes here—there’s nothing precious about mine! If you'd prefer to follow my design, I'll share the measurements in this step.
I like to start by designating the mountain peaks with marks on the board. Then I connect the points with tape, and pencil the lines over the tape so I can follow them with a jigsaw. This makes for a cleaner cut with the jigsaw.
To make the big peaks like I did, measure 1 1/2" from the bottom side of the board and mark along the left side of the board—this is the base of the mountain. Measure 5 5/8" from the side of the board and mark along the top side for the mountain peak. Connect the dots with tape, then draw a line between the two marks on top of the tape to create the side of your mountain.
Measure along the bottom 10 3/8" from the end, and mark. From this mark, measure up 2 3/4" and mark—this is the opposite base. Tape from the top mark to this mark and draw a line.
Repeat with the same measurements on the opposite side of the board to make two large mountains.
To make the small peak in the middle, measure up 7 1/4" from the middle of the board for the peak. Tape off and draw a line from this point to the two base points on the big mountains.
Step 3: Cut Mountains
Once you have your shapes taped, it’s time to cut them out. To do this, clamp down your one-by-twelve onto your work space. Use a jigsaw and follow the lines on the tape, trying to keep your hand as straight and steady as possible.
Don’t worry if you don’t have a jigsaw—you can get by without one. If you have a miter saw or a circular saw, you can take care of these cuts—you’ll just have to go back with a handsaw to clean up the tight corners. It’s totally doable.
Step 4: Drill Peg Slots
Now it’s time to make the slots for the pegs to fit into. To do this, find the center of each peak and make marks 1 1/2" up from the bottom. The slot should be in-line with the top of the peak.
Drill on top of a piece of scrap lumber or over the edge of your work table, and use a 3/4" spade bit. Don’t go all the way through, but drill until the tip of the bit is breaking through the back side. This ensures you’ll have plenty of surface space for your peg to glue to.
Step 5: Sand
You can break out a sander on this step and really take your time smoothing every sharp edge and wavering line, or you can grab a piece of 150-grit sandpaper, clean up the edges, and call it good.
Step 6: Paint Snowcaps
Note: If you want to stain your wood to fit the aesthetic of your room, you should do this before you paint. I went with a bare look.
There’s something so lovely about a white-capped mountain. To make ours, we’re using acrylic paint. I made a tray out of a piece of scrap wood, then dipped a small flat brush in the paint to fill in the tips of each mountain top with white. I’m not skilled as a painter in general, and while I made do with the flat brush, I’d opt for a rounded-tip brush if I were doing it again. I think it’d be easier to maneuver and easier to make the curves. I did a little freehand painting and made the snow-capped edges uneven, but you can tape off a straight line for a more geometric look. Apply one coat of paint, then let dry. You may want to add another coat.
Step 7: Cut and Glue Dowels
Cut a 3/4" dowel into three (or however many pegs you’ve created) 4 1/2" lengths. Put a dab of wood glue on one of the ends, then insert it into the peg slot. Let dry.
You can add a coat of polyurethane to seal everything in (I didn’t), and voila! A 20-minute project that holds your many pieces of outerwear (it is the Pacific Northwest, after all) and looks good. This is one of those projects that’s just so satisfying because it’s so quick and easy. Plus, it makes a great gift. I’m thinking of packaging mine up for some of our very "PNW" friends who are expecting—or maybe I’ll just keep it for my own place!
