Rack on the balcony with your own hands

Balcony furniture should be practical and compact. These requirements apply to shelving, in addition, they must correspond to the aesthetic preferences of the owner. You can make a piece of furniture yourself, spending a minimum of effort and money.

A rack is a functional piece of furniture that allows you to place your home library, tools or dishes on the loggia. The main advantage of the cabinet located on the balcony is the ability to unload the apartment from unnecessary items. In addition, beautiful furniture will decorate the interior and make the room cozy.

What is the role of the rack on the balcony:

• Contributes to maintaining order on the loggia;
• Allows you to place flower pots or seedlings;
• Used as a pantry;
• Can be used as part of a kitchen unit;
• Suitable for storing seasonal items.

When furniture is made by hand, it is possible to track the process of its creation from start to finish. So the owner of the apartment will be confident in the quality of the assembled rack, if necessary, he will be able to modernize it or repair it in case of breakdown. The advantages of a self-made cabinet are also the ability to choose any materials and dimensions.

When choosing a wardrobe, take it into account: purpose, the presence of niches and glazing on the balcony, the width of the loggia. These criteria will allow you to make a rack of the desired size, featuring maximum functionality. Depending on the design features, several models are distinguished:

• Built in. Rack equipped with hinged shelves. Mainly installed on those balconies with niches. The model allows you to make the most of the available space. The width of the rack will be limited by the size of the niche.

• Angular. The corner cabinet is attached to the wall on both sides. Brackets are used as mounting elements. The advantage of the model is its spaciousness and compactness. The model will take up less space, will not block the passage.

• Open. The rack, devoid of doors, is installed against the wall and can be of any height and width. The model is well suited for storing seedlings, since this way the plants will have enough sunlight. If you make it in the form of hanging shelves, there will be a place at the bottom for storing bulky items. In particular, a bicycle can fit under the closet.

• Closed... Model with doors. In such a rack, items that need to be kept in a dark place are stored, as well as things that the owner of the balcony wants to hide from prying eyes. The doors can be located along the entire height of the cabinet or cover only a few shelves. When choosing such furniture, it is important to leave free space for unhindered opening of the rack.

When developing a rack plan, choosing the right material becomes one of the primary tasks. They differ from each other in cost, performance and appearance.

What racks are made of:

• Wood. Environmentally friendly material that does not emit harmful substances into the air, resistant to temperature extremes and high humidity. Excellent external characteristics allow you to place wooden furniture in almost any interior. To extend the service life of wood racks, it is recommended to cover them with special antiseptic solutions.

• Particleboard, fiberboard and OSB... Plates are used to make shelves. The materials are easy to work with, they are of low cost. Before use, the edges of the slabs are covered with a solution to prevent rotting and the appearance of fungus. Building materials are not suitable for open loggias, as they are not resistant to moisture and can swell after rain or snow.

• Metal. Strength and wear resistance are the main characteristics of the material. The durability of metal racks is achieved due to the presence of an anti-corrosion coating. For the manufacture of furniture, aluminum and galvanized materials are chosen. Such a rack is more expensive, however, its service life will be longer. A piece of furniture will be indispensable for storing heavy items, such as tools.

• Plastic... Lightweight material that is not afraid of humidity and sudden changes in temperature. A variety of colors and textures allows you to choose plastic elements for any interior. Plastic window sills can also be used as shelves.

• Impact resistant glass. Shelves made of this material look stylish and are suitable for the embodiment of bold design ideas. Glass is not afraid of exposure to sunlight and high temperatures. To create cabinets, special durable glass is taken, which is difficult to break. However, it requires careful regular maintenance and is quite expensive.

• Combination of materials. When creating furniture, you can combine different types of materials. A wooden frame will look good with glass shelves, and metal parts can be combined with plastic elements.

Wooden furniture is versatile: it is suitable for both classic and country and Provence interiors. Glass will become the basis for creating an ultra-modern cabinet, and plastic furniture will attract with its practicality and ease of maintenance.

It is not difficult to design the simplest racks. You can come up with your own design from scratch or use ready-made drawings and diagrams, selecting them for a specific idea.

Furniture is created in several stages. First of all, a drawing is made on paper, taking into account the functional features of the future rack. The diagram shows the height and width of the cabinet, the depth and height of the shelves, the attachment points of the brackets.

Progress:

• A place is chosen where the rack will stand;
• Excess garbage is removed from the balcony, space for the rack is freed up;
• If wood parts are used, they must be treated with special solutions;
• Bars are screwed to the wall, dowels and self-tapping screws are used as fasteners;
• Shelves are installed on the uneven bars.

If the structure of the rack includes doors, they are attached separately. Parts are of two types: swing and folding. The first ones are made of plywood and wooden planks, after which they are screwed with hinges. You can add a latch or magnets if needed. Folding doors are made from several slats connected by hinges.

You can clearly see the process of making a rack with your own hands in the video below:

Minimalistic shelving with a minimum of parts is versatile: they can be placed in almost any interior. If the owner of the balcony wants to create a unique, eye-catching interior, he can opt for furniture of unusual design. Gardeners will love the shelving with cut-out pot holes in the shelves. The solution not only looks original, but is also characterized by high functionality.

Models with asymmetric shelves are an option for those who want to furnish a loggia in a modern style. You can choose materials in bright colors, play with contrasts, place souvenirs, books, photo frames or decorative elements on the shelves. Such furniture will look advantageous with variegated walls.

A narrow wall-mounted shelving will be appropriate in a limited space, when every centimeter counts. The choice of wood as a material will give the model conceptuality and deliberate simplicity.

The original solution will be a rack constructed of square cubes attached to the wall. The alternation of open and closed shelves will create the illusion of a checkerboard pattern. There are figurines, flowers, table clocks, small candlesticks in sight. And behind the doors, you can hide items that are not used every day.