Simple DIY Herb Drying Rack (for fresh herbs and flowers)

If you’re looking for a simple DIY herb drying rack for fresh herbs and flowers, you are in the right place! Not only is this DIY herb and flower drying rack decorative, but it’s also a functional way to dry herbs this growing season. This project uses inexpensive materials and takes 30 minutes to put together. As an added benefit, this homemade drying rack for herbs has two options for hanging and can lay flat!

Last summer I got myself into an herb dilemma because I quickly ran out of places to hang herbs while they dried.

Not only did I have a space issue, but I couldn’t dry herbs and flowers like sage, chamomile, or calendula without using my oven or dehydrator. With humidity levels, they simply took too long to hang dry.

I really wanted a drying rack to set my herbs and flowers on to air dry. Last growing season I didn’t have the time to make something. As a result, it gave me all winter to think about how I was going to make a DIY herb and flower drying rack for this year.

Below is a list of must-haves for my simple DIY herb drying rack for fresh herbs and flowers.

My Homemade Drying Rack for Herbs Needed To:

Have hanging options. I wanted to have the option to not only hang it on the wall, but to suspend it from the ceiling, too.
Lay flat on a table for drying herbs and flowers like sage, chamomile and calendula.
Be decorative and match my vintage farmhouse home décor.
Be functional. I know I said I wanted it to be decorative, but I also need functionality. Because honestly, what would be the point?
Have the ability to store easily if I no longer needed it (the lull when you run out of herbs in late winter).

How To Hang DIY Herb And Flower Drying Rack

This DIY herb and flower drying rack can function and/or hang in four different ways! Because of this, it will fit in just about any space you need it to.

It lays flat. This option allows you to place the herb drying rack on any flat surface to dry your herbs. As I have said, this is a benefit for herbs like sage, chamomile or calendula where you only want to dry the leaves or flower heads.
Suspend from the ceiling. I attached knobs to the back of my homemade drying rack. This allows me to tie sturdy twine to each of the knobs. Then gather the four pieces of twine up in the center. Next, I tie the twine in a loop and attach it to a sturdy ceiling hook to hang.
Hang on the wall. As a result of the knobs being attached to the back of the DIY herb drying rack, it allows the rack to protrude from the wall. Not only can air dry the herbs from the front, but it also allows air to flow behind the herbs. This allows for optimal drying.
Stack it. Find a frame or window of the exact same size, or a smaller one that will comfortably stack on the top of a larger one. Then stack your homemade herb drying racks while they sit on a flat surface. This can double the amount of herbs being dried!

Needed Supplies

An old wood window frame without glass, or a large wood picture frame
Four unfinished round Wood Knobs
Wood glue
Chicken Wire (this one comes with cutters, too!)
Paint
Small paintbrush
Staple gun
Staples
Jute twine for hanging, optional

How To Find the Perfect Wood Frame Window

Check your local Habitat for Humanity. Because Habitat for Humanity accepts old building materials for donation, this is the first place I would look. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, ask if they have any windows they are throwing away. Oftentimes, if the glass is broken, they will toss the window. Because you don’t need the glass anyway, this is the perfect option!
Go Antiquing! It seems like I can’t enter an antique store without finding at least one old wood frame window. It’s worth mentioning again to ask if they have any broken glass windows they would be willing to discount.
Check the trash. The night before trash pickup, drive around a few neighborhoods and see what you can find. Beware! Chances are, you’ll end up with more than just a window!
Ask a local builder. Believe me, any builder that does windows has removed right around 2,558 wood frame windows in their career. Ask if they have any laying around they want to get rid of. You might hit the motherload and end up with a small collection of them for free.

Using The Right Wire

Using the right wire is crucial to achieve the best results for your simple DIY herb drying rack for fresh herbs and flowers.

If you use wire with too big holes, your herbs could fall through them. Especially since the herbs shrink as they dry.

Using wire with too small holes will not allow for proper air circulation. As a result, your herbs could potentially mold.

As can be seen, I used two different types of wire.

Chicken Wire– I will use the chicken wire side to hang herbs, such as bundles of thyme and rosemary.

Woven Wire Mesh– This side will be used when I lay my herb drying rack flat to dry herbs like sage and calendula.

How To Make A Simple DIY Herb Drying Rack (for fresh herb and flowers)

If necessary, you will first need to remove the glass from your wood window frame. Ensure all glass fragments have been removed.
Now that your window is safe for use, you will need to prep the frame for paint. Using a fine grit sandpaper, rough up the paint or stain on both sides of the window frame. The goal is not to sand down the window to raw wood, just to rough it up.
Because sanding leaves dust, you will next use a slightly damp cloth to wipe the dust from both sides of the window. If necessary, let the wood dry before moving on to the next step.
Now that the window is prepped, paint both sides of the window. Use a paint brand and color of your choosing. For best coverage, you may need to put two coats of paint on the window. While you have your paintbrush out, paint the unfished wood knobs too. I decided to accent my knobs by using a different color. Let everything dry completely.
Next, measure and cut the chicken wire and/or woven mesh to fit in your window opening(s) where the glass previously was.
In order to secure the wire and mesh, you will need to staple it down. Take note to check your staple size so they don’t penetrate the front of your window. Using your staple gun, place a staple on the very edge of your screen, securing it to the window in an inconspicuous way.
Now, using a dab of wood glue, adhere the round wood knobs to the backside of the window. This will be the same side of the window in which you placed the staples. I suggest placing the knobs in the upper corners of the window, but use your judgement. Allow to dry overnight.
At this point, your herb and flower drying rack is finished if you will be using it for flat drying. However, if you would like to hang the herb drying rack on the wall, you will need to attach a thick piece of jute twine to the back of the window. In order to do this, you will need to staple a length of jute twine to the back of your window, at the top.
If you would like to hang your DIY herb drying rack from the ceiling, or the bottom of a shelf, you will need to attach jute twine to each knob. Secure the jute twine around each of the four knobs. Then gather each string in the middle of the window and tie all of the twine together in one looped knot. You will then hang the loop from a secure ceiling hook.
Now your homemade drying rack for herbs is ready for use!