How to assemble a wine rack

• Rubber mallet
• Cross-head screwdriver
• Spirit level
• Wall fixings for tall racks

Before you start, lay everything out on a soft surface (the flattened box works) and check it against the parts list in your manual.

• Uprights or end frames
• Scalloped bottle rails or wire cradles
• Screws, dowels or clips
• Wall bracket, if supplied

1. 1

   Step 1: Sort the rails by type; the scalloped front and back rails are usually not the same as any top or bottom rails.

2. 2

   Step 2: Lay one end frame flat and push the dowels or screw ends of the rails into it, working from the bottom row up.

3. 3

   Step 3: Turn the scallops so every bottle cradle faces the same way and the necks point slightly downward if the design allows it.

4. 4

   Step 4: Fit the second end frame onto the other ends and tap it home gently with the mallet.

5. 5

   Step 5: Stand the rack in place, check it is level, and pack under a foot if the floor slopes.

6. 6

   Step 6: For a tall or stackable rack, fit the wall bracket or strap into a stud or suitable anchor before loading.

7. 7

   Step 7: Load bottles from the bottom row upward, spreading them across the width rather than filling one side first.

• Fitting one rail with its scallops upside down, so bottles will not sit.
• Stacking two modules without the connectors that lock them together.
• Loading the top rows first, which makes the rack top-heavy.