What's inside
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links at no extra cost to you.
A wooden magazine rack is a useful beginner-to-intermediate project because it combines accurate layout, repeatable cuts, and simple joinery. The angled dividers keep magazines upright while leaving the covers visible. This plan makes a rack about 24 inches wide, 12 inches deep, and 14 inches high, with three compartments. Adjust the width if you regularly store oversized art, woodworking, or travel magazines.
Contents
Skill level, materials, and design
This is a solid weekend project for a confident beginner. You will make a rectangular carcass, then install three slanted dividers. The dividers lean back about 12 degrees from vertical. That angle is enough to support a stack without making the rack unnecessarily deep.
| Part | Finished size | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Bottom | 24 x 12 x 3/4 inches | 1 |
| End panels | 14 x 12 x 3/4 inches | 2 |
| Back rail | 24 x 3 x 3/4 inches | 1 |
| Angled dividers | 11 x 12 x 1/2 inch | 2 |
Use clear pine, poplar, or plywood with a hardwood edging strip. Pine is the cheapest option and works well if you inspect boards for twist and knots. A half sheet of 3/4-inch plywood is more stable than solid pine for the bottom and end panels, but its exposed edges need sanding, veneer tape, or thin solid-wood edging. For the cleanest appearance, use 1/2-inch plywood for the dividers and cover their front edges with 1/4-inch-wide hardwood strips.
You will also need wood glue, 1 1/4-inch brad nails or screws, 120- and 180-grit sandpaper, and a finish. A water-based polyurethane is a practical choice because it dries quickly and does not yellow light-colored wood.
Step 1: Cut and mark the parts
Break down the stock using a table saw, circular saw with a guide, or a track saw. Cut all pieces about 1/16 inch oversized first, then trim them to final dimensions. This small allowance helps remove saw marks and keeps the visible edges straight.
On each end panel, mark the inside face. Measure 1 1/2 inches up from the bottom front corner and draw a line toward the back edge. The exact line is less important than making both panels identical. A simple way to ensure this is to clamp the two end panels together with their inside faces touching, then mark and cut them as a pair.
For the angled dividers, cut each piece to 11 by 12 inches. Mark a line across the bottom edge 1 1/2 inches from the front. From that point, measure 2 1/2 inches toward the back along the bottom face and mark the contact area. This gives the divider a stable foot. Test the angle against a scrap before cutting any bevels.
Step 2: Assemble the rack body
Sand the inside faces and all edges to 120 grit before assembly. It is much harder to sand inside corners later. Apply glue to the bottom edge of each end panel and position the panels flush with the bottom and ends of the bottom board. Drill 1/8-inch pilot holes, then drive three screws or brads through each end panel into the bottom.
Check the box for square by measuring diagonally from corner to corner. If the two measurements differ by more than 1/8 inch, push the longer diagonal inward before the glue sets. A framing square is useful, but diagonal measurements catch errors across the whole assembly.
Install the back rail between the end panels, with its bottom edge flush with the bottom board and its back face flush with the rear edges. Glue and fasten it with two or three brads at each end. This rail prevents the side panels from spreading and gives the magazine spines something to rest against.
Step 3: Position the angled dividers
Do not permanently install the dividers until you test the rack with real magazines. Place the two dividers inside the box and space them so the three openings are roughly equal. With a 24-inch-wide rack and 3/4-inch end panels, the clear interior is 22 1/2 inches. After allowing for two 1/2-inch dividers, each opening will be about 7 1/6 inches wide.
Set the front edges of the dividers about 1 inch behind the front edge of the bottom. Lean the tops toward the back rail. Mark the divider locations on the bottom and back rail, then check that both pieces have the same angle. A scrap spacer cut to the desired width makes repeated positioning easier.
Glue the bottom and rear contact points. Fasten each divider through the bottom with two 1 1/4-inch screws or brads. If using screws, countersink them slightly and fill the holes. Add a small glue block behind each divider if the joint feels flexible. Avoid driving fasteners too close to the edge of 1/2-inch plywood, where splitting is common.
Step 4: Sand and finish
Allow the glue to dry, then sand the rack through 180 grit. Ease sharp exposed corners with two or three light passes. Do not aggressively round the front edges; a small consistent chamfer looks cleaner and reduces damage from bumping the rack.
Apply finish in thin coats. Water-based polyurethane normally needs two or three coats, with a light 220-grit sanding between coats. Oil-based finish offers a warmer color but takes longer to dry and produces stronger fumes. If you plan to paint the rack, use a sanding primer, especially on plywood edges and pine end grain.
For a rustic project, wood stain sample colors let you test the finish on offcuts before committing. The cheaper option—leaving the wood natural and using clear finish—is fine when the stock has an even color and few visible defects.
Tools, shortcuts, and common failures
A basic woodworking clamp set is more valuable here than a specialty jig. Two 24-inch bar clamps are enough for most assemblies. A circular saw and straightedge can replace a table saw, although each cut may need more cleanup. A brad nailer speeds assembly, but a drill and inexpensive trim screws work just as well for a one-off rack.
The most common failure is dividers that lean at different angles. Prevent it by cutting a dedicated spacer and checking both parts before glue-up. A second problem is magazines sliding underneath the dividers; raise the divider fronts to 1 1/2 inches above the bottom or add a 3/4-inch stop strip across the front. If the rack rocks, check the bottom for twist before adding felt pads. Pads hide minor unevenness, but they will not correct a badly warped panel.
Before loading the rack, let the finish cure according to the label—often 24 hours for light handling and several days for full hardness. Keep the heaviest magazines in the rear of each compartment so the angled dividers support the load instead of being pulled forward.