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Hi there! If you don’t already know me, I’m Brittany! Over here at Our Home Made Easy I am passionate about sharing time saving projects, simple recipes, and easy home decor for any busy mom. One of the most popular Instagram-worthy collections lately is all things Rae Dunn. There are so many #neverdunn hashtags that make me giggle. So it was no surprise when my sister, who visits her local Home Goods more than she cares to admit, asked Jordan if he’d consider building her a coffee mug holder to store her collection (and free up counter space for more 😉 ). Jordan built this holder in an afternoon and I’m even considering starting a collection…..

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Isn’t this adorable? Jordan added the metal rod to add some rustic-industrial character and make sure that one of Cady’s mugs wouldn’t accidentally tumble out. She has an active toddler, too. 🙂

You’ll see that the Kreg Jig is central to assembling this holder. If you don’t have a Kreg Jig, I cannot recommend it enough! It’s perfect for weekend DIY-ers who want to create their woodworking projects, but don’t need to spend a lot of money.

Supplies Needed For Making Rae Dunn Mug Holder

• 2- 1″ x 6″ x 8′ Pine Boards
• 1/4″ x 6′ Metal Rod
• 2- Keyhole Hangers
• Table Saw
• Miter Saw
• 5/8″ Forstner Bit (for hanging)
• Chisel (for hanging)
• Kreg Jig
• Paintable Kreg Plugs
• Orbital Sander & Pads
• Stain (used my ol’ favorite)
• Polycrylic (I used this sheen)

 

Prep Your Boards

Using the diagram below, cut your 1″x 6″x 8′ boards. You won’t want the mug holder to be the full 5.5″ deep, so you’ll need to rip it down to 4.5.”

 

Then, you’ll want to mark your drill holes 1″ above each level, 3/8″ from the edge of the front of the board. Drill your rod holes using a 5/16″ bit. You will drill through the entire board for the inner 2 boards. For the outer boards, only drill 1/2  through (you don’t want to see any holes on the outer sides).

Once your boards are drilled, you’ll want to measure the keyhole hanger, about 3″ from the top of the board. Since the forstner bit is 5/8″, it’s important to very carefully drill into the wood, as it’s only about 3/4″ wide! Use the bit to remove the wood from the top and bottom for the hanger. Use a small chisel to remove some wood in between.

Optional: You can install your keyhole hangers now, or wait until you’re finished.

Dry fit your boards to make sure they look straight!

 

Start Joining Your Boards

Next you will want to start joining your boards! To make it easier, use a right angle clamp. Your pocket holes should always be on the bottom of each level so that when you are looking at it (and empty of mugs), you don’t see any pocket holes. Always down.

Jordan created these diagrams to help you fit the pieces together.

You can see that it’s easier to assemble in inner sections once your outer box is joined.

DO NOT Complete the assembly until you read the next step about installing the metal rod!

To make it as easy as possible, fill in your Kreg plugs and sand them down prior to installing the metal rod. This leaves you with the most room to move around and sand the plugs.

 Install the Metal Rod

As you’ll piece it together, you’ll end up with one open side. This is where you’ll install the metal rod. Cut the rod to 21″ for each level.

Simply thread it through the holes and finish the assembly by joining the remaining exterior piece.

 

Finish the Mug Holder!

Once your mug holder is assembled, lightly sand it down along the edges using an orbital sander.

Then, stain it and apply a sealer. We always choose our go-to stain color and sheen.

Lastly, drill in your keyhole hangers if you didn’t do it in the first few steps!

 

Cost Breakdown of the Rae Dunn Mug Holder

• Boards: $9.50
• Kreg Plugs: $3
• Metal Rod: $5.40
• Keyhole Hangers: $1.75
• Stain & Poly (used leftovers)
• Total Cost: $19.65

 

And that’s it! It wasn’t nearly as complicated as reading this may appear. 🙂 Once you have your cuts completed and boards ripped to a smaller depth, it’s pretty easy after that. You’ll find that using the Kreg Jig really makes the project easy. Are you a Rae Dunn collector, or do you know someone who needs this? Let me know in the comments!

 

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