Here’s a DIY project that’s pretty simple, cheap, and looks nice. It’s also a good use for old skis you might have lying around the basement or garage. If not, beautiful wooden skis like this are also easy to pick up for a couple of dollars from a flea-market or yard sale.

This is basically just putting up a shelf but using a ski instead of a piece of wood. For the full details on putting-up a shelf, here is a good tutorial.

You’ll need:

1. A pair of wooden cross-country skis.
2. A pair of shelf brackets, available at Ikea or virtually any hardware store.
3. Screws and drywall anchors to attach everything.

The Steps

1. Cut the skis, if necessary. My shelf had to fit into an alcove, and so I needed to cut off the backs of my skis. I also sanded the rough edge.

2. Mount your brackets on the wall, using drywall anchors if there are no studs where you want to mount the shelf. Use a level to make sure they’re mounted straight.

3. Drill the holes in the skis. I also did a poor-man’s countersink using a large drill-bit to make sure the screw-heads will be flush with the surface of the shelf.

4. Put it all together. Yep, there really isn’t too much to it.

As a final note, some skis are more curvy than others, which could be a problem. Some simple steel bookends can help ensure everything stays in place on the shelf.

For certain uses, you might also be able to use a single ski per shelf, though two probably works best.

Tags: DIY