DIY Small Space Hall Tree | Video + Plans

*This post is sponsored by DAP Products. I have been compensated for my time and provided with product or payment in exchange. All opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.

How are you guys doing? Are you hanging in there during quarantine? Are you staying home and going nuts like me? I'll be honest, trying to build a new house, keeping up with work and doing my best to home school the kids is a challenge for sure.

Speaking of challenges, my best friend Sam from Diy Huntress wants to make the most of her time at home and decided to get 15 of her friends involved (including me!). She challenged me to #BuildatHome using only scrap materials I have laying around. Check out the links below to see what everyone made!

#BuildatHome Challenge
Maker	Blog	Video
DIY Huntress	Patterned Plywood Keyholder	https://youtu.be/SbPTWohMKiU
Walker’s Woodworks	Scrap Wood Toilet Paper Holder	https://youtu.be/_1PBBnGi9Wk
Jaime Costiglio	DIY Desk Topper Shelf	https://youtu.be/pApA5VRCr_Q
Addicted 2 DIY	Bandsaw Box with a Speaker
Ugly Ducking DIY	DIY Carved Hexagon Planter Stand
Jen Woodhouse	Scrap Wood Challenge
The Build with Ethan
Lazy Guy DIY	Scrap Wood Toy Dinosaur	https://youtu.be/_JNQu-8Ryh4
Genealogist Woodworker	Build at Home Challenge	https://youtu.be/a9BsZIAw8ng
3 X 3 Custom	Marble Solitaire Game	https://youtu.be/G3HiJ8ZSNqI
Anikas DIY Life	DIY Toy Car Ramp	https://youtu.be/CnlO8RZpmbs
Eye in the Detail	DIY Storage Bins
Penalty Box Woodshop	Magic Golf Ball & Cube Within a Cube	https://youtu.be/tNasM4mS4_g
At Charlotte’s House	Colorful Wooden Cooler Box
Cowdog Craftworks	Live Edge Dovetailed Japanese Toolbox	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4LFwkQVwes
Never Skip Brunch	DIY Quote Bookeneds	https://youtu.be/Swp39K4Z4RU

I had a weird shaped off-cut of PureBond maple Europly plywood leftover from building my boys' modern bunk beds WAAAAAAAY back in 2016. We've moved twice since then, but I refused to throw it away. This is no ordinary plywood. Europly is similar to Baltic Birch plywood, having 15 gorgeous plys in a 3/4" sheet, but sourced locally in North America and formaldehyde free. The edges are designed to be left exposed. You've probably seen it used in modern furniture in your local hipster coffee shop.

While we're building our house and detached workshop, we are living in my in-laws guest house next door. It's very conveinent being only a few hundred feet away from the construction site, but downsizing from 1800 sq ft to only 900 sq ft is tight! We have furniture stuffed into every room! Even with all that furniture, I needed somewhere to drop my keys and purse by the front door. I figured the Europly scrap would be perfect to make a simple and minimal hall tree.

My friend Mandi from Vintage Revivals recently built these FANTASTIC Plywood Memo boards that had a full-radius arch on top. I FREAKING LOVE THEM! I actually loved the design so much I asked if she would mind if I stole her idea and incorporated it into my hall tree design.

Don't have fancy plywood in your stash? You could use almost any material you have on hand (inexpensive plywood, laminated hardwood, closet shelving). You could always add some iron-on edge banding to get a clean and more traditional look.

Material List:

(1) 16" x 96" x 3/4" plywood sheet or board
(1) 12" Round Craft Mirror: https://amzn.to/3e3VfAG
OOK Hangman French Cleat: https://amzn.to/2y2LTEY
(1) 1-1/4" wood screw: https://amzn.to/2Vk3mAy
(5) 2-1/2" wood screws: https://amzn.to/2RtYRm1

DAP RapidFuse All Purpose Adhesive: https://amzn.to/3cawbGD
DAP Weldwood Wood Glue: https://amzn.to/3a4nyvS
DAP DYNAGrip Construction Adhesive: https://amzn.to/3c7YoxM
Minwax PolyAcrylic Satin: https://amzn.to/3egxvJZ

Ryobi 18V Cordless Circular Saw: https://homedepot.sjv.io/mdZjD

Ryobi 18V Cordless Drill: https://homedepot.sjv.io/1N6K6

Ryobi 18V Cordless Impact Driver: https://homedepot.sjv.io/ANrYJ

Ryobi 18V Cordless Jigsaw: https://homedepot.sjv.io/VXq0R

Husky Folding Speed Square: https://homedepot.sjv.io/j0AbZ

Cut List:

(1) 3/4" plywood @ 13-1/2" x 72"
(1) 3/4" plywood @ 13-1/2" x 7"
(1) 3/4" plywood - arched triangle, approx. 5" x 5"

Check out the build video for all the details or keep scrolling for the step-by-step diagrams.

1. Cut Arches

Start by cutting your plywood to width using a circular saw. Next, cut a 6-3/4" radius arch on the top of the 13-1/2" wide board or sheet of plywood, using a jigsaw or router.

Utilizing remaining scrap material, cut a 13-1/2" x 6-3/4" full-radius, semi-circle shelf using a jigsaw and circular saw. Cut a 5" x 5" arched, triangular support bracket from the remaining scrap , using a circular saw.

2. Assemble Shelf

Center the arch support on the underside of the shelf, flush to the back edge. Pre-drill through the support and into the shelf. Countersink the holes and attach using glue, (1) 1-1/4" screw and (1) 2" screw.

TIP: I almost always use the "dual glue trick" when I'm assembling my wooden projects. I apply a thin layer of Weldwood Original Wood glue to the joint, but then follow up with a couple drops of quick setting RapidFuse All Purpose Adhesive. The RapidFuse grabs the wood quickly and dries within seconds, acting almost like a clamp while the longer lasting Weldwood Wood Glue fully cures. Try it. I promise you'll never go back. The "dual glue trick" is especially handy for small and angled builds like this one which are difficult to get a traditional clamp on.

3. Attach Shelf

Place shelf assembly on the face of the board at desired location. Attach using glue and secure from the backside of the board. Pre-drill through the board and into the back of the shelf assembly. Secure in place using 2-1/2" screws.

4. Attach Mirror

Using construction adhesive, mount mirror to the top of the board. Allow a 3/4" reveal evenly around the perimeter.

A thick consistency construction adhesive is the best option for attaching a mirror to the plywood.

DYNAGrip Construction adhesive from DAP is my favorite. It's the perfect consistency and has a strong initial tack. That means it grabbed the mirror right away and I didn't have to worry about it sliding around while I tried to move it into position. Although I used the Heavy Duty version, DYNAGrip actually comes in a special formula designed for mirrors and natural stone. It won't affect the delicate mirrored backing on the glass like some glues can.

5. Mount on Wall

Use a french cleat (I recommend this one from OOK) or some other secure mounting system to hang the hall tree on the wall at your desired height. Depending on your personal height and your baseboards, you may need to add/remove length from the bottom of the back board so the mirror can be positioned properly.

Ready to see the new small space hall tree finished!?

You see those clean narrow plies on the side of the plywood? That's the Europly/ Baltic Birch look. I personally love it!

The little shelf is just the right size. It's big enough to hold a couple of phones, wallets and keys, but not so large that it gets filled up with clutter.

Does the small round mirror on top look familiar? Maybe you saw it in a wedding centerpiece in the 90's? Thankfully, the mirror and floating candle decor craze made it really easy to score an inexpensive 12" mirror on amazon for around $11!