How to Build a Kayak Rack out of PVC

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I am going to show you how to build a kayak rack out of PVC. This project is very easy to do. It only takes a couple of hours to create this kayak rack. You can build this for under $100 but the best thing is that this rack solved a problem for us. Read how below.

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Our struggle

We used to drag the kayaks to the pier and drag them back up to the house every time we used them. The kayak rack we built is super light. I can lift it easily all by myself. This rack allows us to leave the rack down by the pier while we are at the lake. When we get ready to leave the lake and head home, we take the rack and the kayaks back to the porch. Problem solved!

We built this kayak rack two years ago and did not plan on doing a blog post for it. Our neighbors have asked us to tell them how to build it. They said that they have taken pictures of it when we were not there. We are sharing our instructions so you can build one too.

Supplies

32-1 1/4″ Ts

8-1 1/4″ End Caps

9- 10′ 1 1/4″ PVC Pipe

PVC Pipe Cutters

Purple primer and regular clear PVC cement

Instructions

1. Cut the PVC pipe into pieces.

You need 6- 3-foot pieces.

6-5 foot pieces.

8-1 foot pieces.

20-4 inch pieces

Instructions for the four corner post

First, we are going to build the four corner post made up of the following. We think that it is best to put the post together without PVC cement to make sure that you have the correct pieces in the correct direction.

2. Place an end cap on a 4-inch piece of PVC.

3. Place the 4-inch piece with the cap to the T.

4. Place a 4-inch piece and one T at 45 degrees from first T.

5. Place a 4-inch piece and one T at 45 degrees from second T.

6. Place a 4-inch piece and one T at 45 decrees from third T.

7. Place a 12-inch piece and one T at 45 degrees from forth T.

8. Place a 4-inch piece and one T at 45 degrees from fifth T.

9. Place a 12-inch piece and an end cap.

Repeat steps 2-9 until you have all four posts built.

11. Add a 3-foot piece in T starting at the top (off 12-inch piece). Next, add a 3-foot piece at every other T.

12. Add a 5-foot piece to the bottom T. Add a 5-foot piece at every other T.

13. Connect all four corner posts together. Make sure your rack looks correct before cementing.

Cementing

We recommend taking your pieces of PVC apart one and gluing one section at a time. 

1. Apply the purple primer to the inside joints per manufacturer’s instructions.

2. Apply the regular clear PVC cement to ends and joints.