A refurbished wrought iron gate works great as a ceiling pot rack.
Pot racks are space savers in any size kitchen. Pots and pans take up a lot of space and, when you're in the middle of cooking, it's nice to reach up and grab the pot you need without scrambling through a dark cupboard. Get creative and try using an old iron gate as the rack for hanging your pots. Clean it up, purchase some sturdy hardware and hang it. You'll enjoy being creative while giving the old gate a new life. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
Iron Gate Preparation
1. Clean the wrought iron by brushing it with dish soap and warm water, using a nylon brush to get into the cracks and crevices. Make sure to get both sides as clean as possible.
2. Scrub the gate with a short-bristled wire brush for a more effective scrub, working diligently to remove any flaking paint, especially around the intersections of parts. Work over areas that appear sound and rough up the surface for the paint that will follow. Remove any rust by scrubbing until the metal shows.
3. Wipe the surface down with a damp rag, rinsing it often in clean water and wringing it out. Make sure there's no grit left from the wire brush scrubbing.
4. Prime the iron with primer made specifically for metal, preferably for an outdoor application since the kitchen environment can be harsh. Spray or brush on the primer outside for good ventilation. Follow the manufacturer's directions for drying times.
5. Paint the metal with a metal paint, following the manufacturer's directions. Let it dry, then repeat twice, for a total of three coats.
Iron Gate Pot Rack Installation
6. Use a stud finder to locate the supports in the ceiling and mark the direction and space between them with chalk or pencil.
7. Drill 3/8-inch wide, 3-inch-long pilot holes through the ceiling into the ceiling joists for the eyebolts. Screw the eyebolts in place until they're flush with the ceiling.
8. Slip the wire thimble through the eyebolt and slide one end of the steel roping through the thimble. Secure the end with wire rope clips, making sure the nut side is on the weight bearing roping.
9. Attach four forged D-shackles to the iron gate at thicker points a few inches in from each corner.
10. Slide wire thimbles onto all the shackles and feed the wire through each, securing them with wire rope clips.
11. Adjust each of the wire clips until the iron gate is hanging perfectly horizontal, using a level set on top of the gate.
12. Slip several S-hooks strategically over the bars of the gate, on which to hang pots.
13. Hang up the pots.
Tags: iron gate, Make sure, manufacturer directions, rope clips, them with, wire brush, wire rope
