How To Make A Christmas Stocking Hanger

Instructions for DIY Easy Christmas Stocking Hanger

It helps to have someone with you, but it can be done alone.

Here’s the overview: You’ll decide the length and cut your board and trim piece. Then you’ll attach the trim. Then sand and paint the whole thing. Then attach the angle brackets and knobs to the board. Then attach it to your mantel. And that’s it.

There are some choices that will depend on your own mantel and the look you’re after. You need to decide several things: The color of your hanger board, the length, and the knobs you will use.

Although my mantel is stained, I used a painted hanger board. It doesn’t have to match your mantel, but you might prefer that it does. I was able to use a piece of primed MDF, but if you’re staining you’ll want an actual board.

The size of your angle brackets matters, having a good place to attach them.  I actually realized I could have reversed their placement direction and had less overhang. After I was all finished, of course. 

What helps: Take a few pictures of your mantel with your phone, even holding a measuring tape in place if you need to. Write down a clear list of your measurements, even a drawing if you want.

Because when you’re at Lowes standing in the wood trim aisle, you’ll be overwhelmed with the choices and you’ll forget what you know.

Constructing the hanger board

To determine the length of the board, just review the structure of your mantel and decide what works. Our mantel has several widths, tapering down toward the bottom. So I had a lot of choices. If yours is more simply constructed, or straight, this isn’t a hard decision. Make your board slightly wider than your mantel. This is so that you can accommodate those angle brackets out of sight.

You’ll cut the board to the correct length, and also cut the small decorative trim board to that same length.  The store will cut it for you if you ask. That saves some work at home!

Once the board and trim were the correct length I sanded the cut ends, and also sanded off the sharp corners.

Then I glued the decorative trim to the face of the hanger board.

I painted the whole thing with white paint that I had on hand. (This was just latex wall paint, and it has held up nicely for a number of years.)

Attaching the brackets

Now, having a helper is kinda necessary here. You’ll hold that board in position, and get it centered where you’ll attach it. It should extend slightly beyond your mantel on each end. Maybe by a tiny bit or even a couple of inches. This is just because your brackets need to be on the back.  Get one of the brackets, and mark its position on the back of the board. Then mark the bracket position on the other end.

Lay the board down on the floor, and attach one bracket, and take the board back to the mantel. Make sure the bracket will be attachable to the side of the mantel, then check your marks for the second bracket. 

Once more, lay the board down and now attach the second bracket. Then try it in position again, to see if it will be correct to attach.  Just by luck, mine fits snugly into a recess and will even stay in place without being held, while I use the screws to attach each end. (You can try attaching it now, but you’ll have to take it down again to get the knobs placed. We’ll get the knobs in place then put the finished product up after that to really attach it.)

Attaching the knobs

Now it starts to get pretty.

Here are the considerations for knobs.  

1. You need a knob that has threads inside the hole on the back of the knob, with a screw that goes into the knob from the back. And you need screws (or bolts) long enough to reach through the board and into the back of the knob. (Explanation: If you use the kind of knob with the threaded post that comes out the back of the knob, it can extend out the back of the board and scratch your mantel. If you use that kind, you’ll need a bolt cutter to shorten it after installation.)
2. You need knobs that fit two important things: they need to fit the size of the board, and they need to fit your stocking loops. So try them out before you attach them.

I had painted my board white, and then found white ceramic knobs I really liked.  You could go for a contrasting color, or buy wood knobs and paint or stain them. 

Simply decide how many knobs you will attach for a symmetrical look, knowing that you don’t have to hang a stocking on each one. You can measure and space them evenly, or group them in sections. Just your preference. I did 12 but we don’t have that many stockings.

How large are your stockings? If they’re big, you may need some space between the knobs. If you have a lot of stockings, you may need to let them snuggle a little closer.

Lay the knobs out until you’re happy with the spacing and the number, and mark the placement for the holes. A drill is really handy for this since the screws will go all the way through, from the back of the board into the knob.

Get the knobs all attached, and you’re finished with your creation.

Attaching the hanger board to the mantel

You’ll need a tiny hole to start the screw, so hold the thing in place once more, and mark the location of the screws on each end.

Then simply attach the brackets with screws and your Christmas stocking hanger is firmly in place and ready to use! Merry Christmas!

At the end of the season, just remove the screws and take the whole thing off the mantel. Use painter’s tape to attach the screws to the back and they’ll be ready for next year. I wrap the whole thing in plastic to protect the finish, and store it with our other decorations. 

And those tiny screw holes on the ends of the mantel are hardly visible.