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DIY Cookbook Stand with Free Woodworking Plans

Keep your cookbook where you can see it and out of the way while you're cooking using this easy wood DIY cookbook stand. It's a great gift idea that is an easy beginner woodworking project! Make your own DIY cookbook holder with the downloadable cookbook stand plans.

Thank you to Kreg for this DIY cookbook stand project! All opinions are entirely my own. This post also contains affiliate links, but nothing that I wouldn’t recommend wholeheartedly. Read my full disclosure here.

I’ve got a news flash for you… Mother’s Day is less than one month away!! So now is the time to get started on your DIY gifts for mama.

Today we’re sharing an idea that is absolutely perfect for Mother’s Day (or really anytime you need a good gift for someone that loves to cook or cooks a lot)…..a DIY wooden cookbook stand!

The modern design incorporates a cute house shape that is unique. The build is very easy and perfect for beginners.

You will need to use a scroll saw to cut out the house shape – but alternatively, you could use a jigsaw instead (Learn more about the different types of saws here). Otherwise, it incorporates only a handful of beginning woodworking tools.

Kreg 720PRO Pocket Hole Jig

If you’ve been following Making Manzanita for a bit, you know that we are big fans of the Kreg pocket hole system. We built tons of projects using our original K5 Pocket Hole Jig, we even have a super detailed guide and video about how to use it that you can check out here.

In 2021, Kreg released brand new pocket hole systems that replaced the K4 and K5, and the upgrades are pretty freakin’ awesome.

The new 720PRO (which we were using for this DIY cookbook stand) and the 520PRO (which replaced the smaller K4 system) were improved a ton, the most noticeable change being that they are easier to set up and use – score.

My favorite new feature of 720PRO and 520PRO is the clamp that you don’t have to adjust anymore. You should clamp it down and it automatically adjusts to match the thickness of your wood, so cool, right?

Pocket hole joinery is definitely one of the easiest ways to join wood in woodworking projects. It’s our favorite hidden weapon for beginning woodworkers!

Want to learn more? I wrote a super detailed guide & created a video all about how to set up your Kreg 720PRO Pocket Hole and use it, so be sure to check that out too!

We teamed up with our friends Kreg again for these cookbook stand woodworking plans and we are sharing them online for free, which are now available on KregTool.com!

Kreg’s website is chocked full of so many easy-to-follow FREE woodworking plans! I promise that you are going to find so much inspiration while you’re there! It is a goldmine!

Cookbook stand: video tutorial

If you love DIY videos, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel!

Ready to see how the DIY cookbook stand came together?

Wood cut for DIY cookbook stand with kreg marking pencil and tape measure.
Man attaching bottom of cookbook stand using drill and pocket hole joinery.

The process of building the DIY cookbook stand was fairly straightforward using pocket hole joinery.

Because the front lip on the bottom of the cookbook holder was so narrow, we needed to use Kreg’s Micro Pocket Hole kit – which we have never needed to use before!

Kreg Micro-Pocket Drill Guide Kit

The Kreg Micro Drill Guide Kit makes pocket holes that are 25% smaller in diameter and are not as far out from the edge of the wood.

The Micro Drill Guide Kit makes pocket holes that are 25% smaller in diameter and are not as far out from the edge of the wood. It works great for smaller projects and thinner stock. In fact, you can use it with 1/2″ thick wood and pieces of wood that are as small as 1″ wide.

To use the Micro Drill Guide, you simply swap out the drill block on the pocket hole jig. It quickly clicks into place and you’re good to start drilling pocket holes.

Image of man making pocket holes in a board using a pocket hole jig.

The version that was used worked with the 720 and 720Pro pocket hole jigs, but Kreg also makes a Micro Drill Guide Kit for the 520 pocket hole jig if you have that one instead.

Image of the back of the DIY cookbook stand sitting on the kitchen counter.

Didn’t the DIY cookbook holder turn out great? I love the finish that we ended up with – which is a gray wash. Learn how to get the gray wash wood look in this tutorial.

Closeup of DIY cookbook stand with cookbook sitting on the kitchen counter.
DIY cookbook stand on the kitchen counter next to the stove with the Magnolia Table cookbook sitting in it.

The cookbook stand holds cookbooks large and small! I was sure to make it large enough to hold my Magnolia Table cookbook, which is the largest size cookbook I’ve seen.

Cookbook open to recipe of chicken pot pie on the DIY cookbook stand with a rolling pin and wooden spoon and gray kitchen towel sitting on the kitchen counter.

I just LOVE how the wooden cookbook stand turned out. The house shape is definitely my favorite part – it is so unique and unlike anything I’ve seen before.

DIY Wooden Cookbook Stand Cost Breakdown

Note: these costs are, of course, subject to change and may be different in your region.

Wood Products Needed

Materials Needed

**Already on hand: clear lacquer spray, 80 & 150 grit sandpaper, dark walnut stain, white paint for gray wash, wood glue, and all tools required, like the Kreg Pocket-Hole Jig 720Pro and the Kreg 720 micro pocket hole kit**

Total Cost of Wood Cookbook Holder – $53.46

Because I had to buy both a whole box of screws and plugs, the price of the cookbook holder ended up being more than I originally thought it was going to be.

However, if I were to make this again, I would only need to purchase the wood, hinge, and drawer pull…so the price to build the cookbook stand in the future would be closer to $36.50.

At the bottom of the tutorial, you’ll also see a link to download the woodworking plans (for free) to get all of the detailed measurements.

Who do you know that would love a DIY cookbook holder like this?

Let us know in the comments below!

image of DIY cookbook stand with cookbook and text overlay
DIY Cookbook Stand

DIY Cookbook Stand

Yield: 1 cookbook stand
Active Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours
Difficulty: Intermediate
Estimated Cost: $50

Make your own DIY cookbook stand. The modern design incorporates a cute house shape that is unique. The build is very easy and perfect for beginners.

Materials

Tools

Instructions

    1. Cut pieces from the poplar project board according to the visual cut list in the woodworking plans with a miter saw.
    2. Mark and cut the house shape using a scroll saw, then sand smooth.
    3. Drill micro pocket holes on the front lip as shown in the woodworking plans.
    4. Using 1” pan head screws, attach the front lip to the house shape.
    5. Using the micro side pocket hole plugs, attach the plug to the pocket holes with wood glue. Sand smooth.
    6. Take your chosen stain and apply it to your cookbook holder. 
    7. Once dry, seal with a clear lacquer spray in the sheen you want.
    8. To finish the cookbook stand, add the hinge on the back.
    9. On the front of the lip, add the drawer pull. 

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