Whether it is a bike hanger, bike hook, or wall mount, you can do it yourself!
Before you start your project, make sure that you have all product components and tools in advance (See Picture 1 and Picture 2). This blog serves purely for inspirational purposes; so if you are feeling creative, just give it your own twist. We would recommend using oak wood as it’s not just beautiful; it’s also easier to work with as it’s very strong. Some types of plywood might be cheaper, but can be more challenging to mount the individual pieces together as it’s not always straight.
Picture 1: Shopping List
Picture 2: Recommended tools
Once you have everything on your shopping list, get your tools and your safety & personal protection items in place to start.
- You will find the drawings of each of the four bike hanger parts at the bottom of this page. Draw them carefully on the wood with a pencil. If you would like to make some changes to the design, then this is your chance.
- Cut out your hanger. Preferably use a circle saw for all the long cuts. Try to saw each of the pieces very precisely (and safely). The more precisely each of the pieces is sawn, the more easy it is to mount all pieces together. Use a jigsaw for smaller parts.
- Sand the four pieces to get rid of any splinters. This also allows you to straighten-up some of the parts.
- If you don’t have a second pair of hands to support you, you might want to consider screw clamps. With screw clamps, you are able to fix the ‘side panels’ against the ‘rear panel’ in a 90° angle.
- You can now drill 2 holes, from the ‘rear panel’ into each of the ‘side panels’ of the bike hanger (so 4 in total). The thickness of the drill depends on the screws you are using. If you were using four 60x4mm screws, we would recommend you using a 3.5mm drill. Make sure to drill straight and deep enough.
- Use a countersink bit on each of the 4 holes on the side panel. The ‘rear panel’ will be mounted against the wall, so the head of the screws can’t stick out. The countersink bit makes sure that the screw head will fall into the wood.
- Drill 2 holes, from the ‘rear panel’ into the ‘top panel’ of the bike hanger. Make sure to drill straight and deep enough. Finish the holes off with the countersink bits.
- Unscrew the screw clamps and take out the wood glue. Apply the glue on each of the areas where the four pieces of wood are going to connect. Don’t apply too much. You can sand away any glue that’s leaked at a later stage.
- Insert the 6 screws in the ‘rear panel’ and slowly screw these into the two ‘side panels’ (2 pcs each) and the ‘top panel’ (2 pcs). Screw each of the 6 screws in for 50% – 75%.
- Turn the bike hanger around, as now we will be working on the ‘top panel’. Drill two holes on the ‘top panel’ towards the front of the bike hanger, one hole on each side. This is where the dovels will be inserted going in from the ‘top panel’ into the ‘side panels’. Carefully measure where to drill the holes. If you are using 19mm thick wood, drill the holes about 9.5 mm from the edge. When performing this action, be mindful that the wood can split quite quickly. Take you time. First drill a hole with a 3mm drill, widen it with a 4 or 5mm drill, to finish off with a 6mm drill. Make sure not to drill any deeper than the length of the dovel, otherwise the dovel might sink too deep. Apply some wood glue in the holes and carefully insert the dovels. Use a leftover piece of wood between your dovel and the hammer so you don’t damage your bike hanger.
- When the two dovels are in place, it’s time to go back to the ‘rear plate’. You are able to screw in the remaining bit (25% – 50%) of each of the 6 screws.
- Lastly, drill two to three holes (about 6 mm) on the horizontal axis of the ‘rear panel’. These are the holes to mount the bike hanger to the wall with your mounting gear (8x65mm plug). Make sure that each of the holes is not too close to one of the other panels, as you need some space for your drill machine when mounting the bike hanger to the wall. Finish each of the holes off with a countersink bit.
- The rough work is done, congratulations! Now remove any stains, glue leakages, splinters, or uneven pieces with your sanding machine.
- Some natural oil will make the drawings from the oak wood come to life. You can also choose any other colour you like. Apply two pieces of felt to protect your frame.
- Mount your bike hanger on a brick wall (not a gypsum wall). Be mindful of any electricity cables running through the wall.
- Decorate your bike hanger with a photo frame, plant or a book. Sit on your couch, tap yourself on the back and enjoy your handmade piece of art. If you have a minute, please take a momente to inspire others as well by sharing your results on Instagram or Facebook (@BOTL Amsterdam)
***Disclaimer: BOTL Amsterdam is not responsible for any damage related or caused by the construction of your bike hanger. Always get appropriate advice from a technician or your local hardware store. ***