Create a Wine Barrel Glass Rack

Create a wine barrel glass rack and add a distinctive, convenient way to serve your guests at your next gathering. A creative, customized wine barrel glass rack can hold up to 18 sparkling wine glasses within easy reach and can be mounted to the ceiling right above a wine cooler.

Step 1: Measure and Cut Framing

Cut two longitudinal stiles, 30 inches long by 3 inches wide. Next cut two latitudinal rails, 14 inches long, also 3 inches wide. Cut a smaller latitudinal rail to separate the two longitudinal stiles, 8 inches long by 3 inches wide. Finally, cut two longitudinal stiles to run inside the frame, 10 inches by 3 inches wide. Essentially, you will be making a frame longer than it is wide, with a cross within it.

Step 2. Clamp and Glue Frame

Apply glue to the ends of the two 10-inch stiles and clamp them securely to the 8-inch rail to form the inner cross of the wine barrel glass rack frame. Be sure to use scrap wood where the clamps contact the frame so as not to mar the wood. The joinery for the frame will be 45-degree mitered joints, cut with the miter box and miter saw. The inner cross, rails and stiles, will be fitted within the frame and attached with butt joints. Place the cross in the middle of the frame. Adjust everything to insure a tight fit, apply glue and tightly secure the cross piece within the frame with clamps

Step 3: Drill and Cut Wine Glass Slots

Depending on glasses being used, measure equal distances and drill a ¼ inch hole along the rails, stiles and inner stiles. Do not drill holes in the inner rail. Be sure to reinforce the pieces being drilled with a scrap piece of wood where the drill is exiting. This will prevent blow-out of the wood. When all holes have been drilled, use a keyhole or jig saw to cut slots from the end of the rails and stiles into the previously drilled holes. Attach four wine barrel staves as outer rails and stiles, leaving enough room to slide wine glasses into the slots created in the inner rails and stiles.

Step 5. Sand and Apply Finish

Using 100-grit sandpaper and working up to 220-grit sandpaper, sand the wine barrel glass rack to a smooth finish. Wipe with a clean, dry cloth. Apply a 50 percent mineral spirits, 50 percent varnish initial coat to the glass rack. When thoroughly dry, apply a final finish of 100 percent varnish.

Step 4. Mounting Wine Barrel Glass Rack

Attach 4 ceiling bolts to correspond with each corner of the wine rack. Attach 4 eyebolts at each corner of the rack. Attach the wine rack to the ceiling bolts.