Project details
A 14" deep tower leaves room for hanging clothes in a standard 24" deep closet. The sides run the full 72" height; a fixed top and bottom fit between them at 22.5", and four adjustable shelves are 1/8" narrower for shelf pins and 3/4" shallower so they stop short of the front edge.
The tower is 72" rather than 84" tall for a reason: at 84" the two sides take so much of the sheet that the shelves no longer fit beside them, and the calculator moves to two sheets. At 72" everything fits on one. If your closet needs the taller tower, plan a second sheet and use the leftover for a shoe shelf or a second set of shelves.
Additional materials
| Part | Size (in) | Quantity | Material | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hanging rod | Closet width minus 24.75" | 1 | 1 1/4" wood or metal rod | Runs from the tower side to the closet wall. Rod brackets are 3/8" thick each, so measure before cutting. |
| Back cleat | 22.5" long | 1 | 3/4 × 3 plywood | Screws through to a wall stud so the tower cannot tip. Not optional in a kid's closet. |
Cutting sequence
- Rip the sides first
Two rips at 14" along the length of the sheet. Keep the factory edge on the front of each side.
- Cut top and bottom from the next strip
Rip a third 14" strip and crosscut two pieces at 22.5".
- Cut the shelves from what is left
Rip 13.25" for the shelves and crosscut at 22.375". Three come from the end of the sheet and one from beside the top and bottom.
- Drill shelf pins, then assemble
Drill the pin holes while the sides are flat, then join the sides to the top and bottom and anchor the tower to the wall.
Questions
Does it fit on one sheet?
Yes. Eight parts at about 83 percent yield with a 1/8" kerf. The leftover is a few narrow strips.
Can I make it 84" tall?
Not on one sheet. The 84" sides leave a strip just under 12" wide at the end, too narrow for the 13.25" shelves, so the calculator needs two sheets. The second sheet then has room for a second tower's shelves or a matching 24" wide shoe cubby.
How many towers fit on two sheets?
Two. The calculator lays out one tower per sheet, since each tower's two 72" sides take 28" of the sheet width and a second pair will not fit alongside.