DIY Industrial Hallway Cart – Step-by-Step

After scouring Craiglist for an entryway table and coming up short, I decided to make my own DIY Industrial Hallway Cart.

Many times when you find tables they are too wide and really cut off the hallway.  Making one yourself can allow you to get just the depth you want for your foyer.

This one is so simple to make and uses nothing but 2″ x 4″s which are cheap and obviously very durable.

While I did tweak the measurements a bit the original inspiration and full-tutorial is on Decor and a Dog.

This table measures 39″ wide, 14″ deep and 33 1/2″ tall.

Supplies:

• Angle braces 
• 6 – 2″ x 4″ x 8
• Minwax Dark Walnut
• Minwax Pre-wood Conditioner
• Minwax Wipe-On Poly in Satin
• Kreg Jig
• 2 1/2″ Kreg Jig Screws
• Clamps
• Drill
• Miter saw
• Tape measure
• Casters 
• Sander

Cut list for a 39″x 14″ wide cart:

• 4 – 30 1/2″
• 10 – 7″ or if you want to rip the 2 x 3 then do 4 – 7″ piece and 2 – 2″ x 3″
• 6 – 28 7/8″
• 6 – 35 7/8″

How to make the DIY Industrial Hallway Cart Step-by-Step

Step 1 –  Cut all your pieces with a miter saw.

I like to sand as I go so sanded all the pieces with 100 grit sandpaper before I drilled pocket holes.

Following Michelle’s tutorial, I a 2″ x 3″ for the side pieces and just ripped a 2″ x 4″ down to size.

However, I think using a 2″ x 4″ is just fine.

I don’t think the 1″ less added anything to the overall design.

Step 2 – Drill pocket holes with a Kreg Jig.

You have to think about where the pocket holes are going to go so that everything drills in nicely and doesn’t bump up against another screw.  Here is my placement of all my pocketholes on the shelves.

Clamps are your friend if you are building solo.  It is easy to get one of the boards higher than another if you don’t.

Step 3 – Put it together

Once all the shelves are completed you can attach the sides to the shelves.

To make it look a little more rustic I used a hammer and nails and pounded the cart to give it some dings and knicks.

Once stained it darkens the dinged area.  I didn’t fill in my pocket holes.

The only ones that are kind of visible are those 4-7″ side pieces.

I just made sure to use a q-tip and stain inside the hole so it blended nicely.

Step 4 – Finishing

To finish with a stain make sure you use a pre-wood conditioner since pine is a soft wood.

I then followed that up with Minwax Dark Walnut.

Step 5 – Drying

I let it dry overnight and then put two coats of Minwax Wipe-On Poly in Satin on it (sanding in between coats).

Step 6 – Last finishing touches

I used angle braces and nailhead tacks (from Jo-Ann Fabric & Craft Stores) on the top of the shelf to give it an industrial look.

I sanded the braces to dull the finish.

Step 7 – Put the casters on

I ordered these casters from Amazon because I wanted an all-metal wheel look.

They don’t swivel but honestly, they are just for looks and the slight moving of the cart when I want to clean under it, which as you can see by the pic below, isn’t often enough.

I am loving the Dark Walnut stain with the contrast of the metal accents and wheels.

Paired with the wood shim mirror I made, it’s a pretty fabulous little nook of my house.

DIY Industrial Hallway Cart Styling Source list:

Sea Grass Baskets – Lowes.

Galvanized metal bins from Wal-Mart

Faux fur throws from Wal-Mart

Faux Succulent from IKEA

Lantern from Kirkland’s.

Reality check: peek left at the mess I call an office.

It houses several practical things like extra blankets, sunglasses (I always lose them so I buy a truckload at a time), some basic tools we use inside (the rest is in my workshop), our batteries, first aid kit, etc.