How to Build a Custom Medal Hanger & Trophy Display

Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. For more information please refer to the Disclaimer, Terms and Conditions, and Privacy Policy.
Amazon Affiliate Disclosure: living-savvy.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a way for websites to earn advertising revenues by advertising and linking to Amazon.

Share on Facebook

Post on X

Save on Pinterest

This post is all about building a medal hanger display for medals and trophies.

If you’re a mom of kids involved in traveling sports, chances are your home is filled with countless trophies and medals commemorating their achievements. Have you ever searched for the perfect sports medal display hanger to showcase these accolades? Despite my efforts to find a unique and stylish solution, I couldn’t quite find what I was looking for. Sure, I stumbled upon some interesting options (more on that later), but none seemed to fit the bill. It wasn’t until I moved into my new home that I realized I already had the materials to create a custom medal hanger and trophy display. So, if you’re wondering how to hang medals and trophies in a way that truly reflects your style and personality, you’re in the right place. Join me as I guide you through the process of crafting your very own personalized medal hanger and trophy shelf that will beautifully showcase cherished medals and trophies. Let’s get started!

#MedalHanger #MedalDisplay #MedalDisplayHanger #MedalTrophyDisplay #MedalHangingRack #HangingMedals #TrophyShelf

This post is all about building a custom medal display hanger.

See below for the tutorial to make a custom medal hanger and trophy display shelf.

Table of Contents:

Supplies List: Custom Medal Hanger and Trophy Display

Step 1: Build the Medal Hanger Wooden Shelf

Step 2: Stain the Medal Hanger Wood

Step 3: Attach the Medal Hanger Rod

Step 4: Hang the Medal Hanger Display on the Wall

Comparing Alternatives: Custom Medal Hanger vs. Buying

Why you should Build your own Custom Medal Hanger Display and Trophy Shelf

Supplies List: Custom Medal Hanger and Trophy Display

To build this custom medal and trophy rack you will need:

Qty 2 – 1′ x 4′ boards – My shelf is 5′ long, but you can make the shelf any length you want. Common board, pine, or any wood of your choice.
Qty 1 – 1′ x 2′ board – 5′ long, or however long you choose to make your shelf. Be sure to use the same type of wood as your 1′ x 4’s.
Metal Rod – I actually used some leftover copper pipe that I had laying around because I liked the rustic look of it and how it went with the rustic look of the wood. If you paint your medal hanger shelf in white or black, or any other color, a curtain rod in a matching color would be a great option! You may even have a spare rod laying around the house that you could use for no cost! If not, I highly recommend this rod: https://amzn.to/49Rs4Ne. I have used it throughout my house and it is heavy duty.
2.5″ screws
2″ screws
Sand paper
Top mount curtain rod hooks
Wood Stain or Paint
Finish Nails

Step 1: Build the Wooden Shelf

Let’s get started building the shelf.

Sand Boards: Go ahead and give all of your boards a nice sanding. Sand the boards as well as the ends and edges of each board. You want them to have a smooth finish.
Attach the 1′ x 4′ Boards: Lay one of the 1′ x 4′ boards on top of the other, aligning the back edge. Screw the back edges together (see photo). I put in a screw about each foot along the board.
Attach the Front Board: Now we are ready to attach the front board to the shelf. Simply align the front board (as seen in photo below) and use finish nails to attach the board.

This is how the boards for your medal hanger shelf should be attached together

That’s it, your medal hanger shelf is ready to go, and we’re ready to stain or paint the wood!

Step 2: Stain the Wood

Customizing your medal display hanger is where the fun truly begins. Start by staining the wood with your preferred stain color, giving it a rich and polished finish. If staining isn’t your preference, feel free to paint the shelves in any color that speaks to you. Personally, I’ve experimented with both black and white ledge shelves, and both options produced stunning results. For an extra touch of personalization, consider painting the medal hanger shelf in colors that align with your child’s sports teams or local favorites. Take your creativity up a notch by incorporating decals featuring your child’s favorite sports team logos or adding personalized touches like their name and sports number. Need inspiration? Explore these decal stickers available on Amazon: https://amzn.to/433EwHI or https://amzn.to/3wAXTMe. The possibilities for creating a one-of-a-kind, personalized medal hanger are endless! If you decide to embark on this project, I’d love to see your unique creation. Don’t forget to share your masterpiece with us!

Step 3: Attach the Medal Hanger Rod

So, I have a little explaining to do here. If you want your shelf to turn out like mine, you’ll have to do a little extra work. See, I had some old curtain rod brackets laying around, and I was feeling cheap, and impatient. I didn’t want to wait to order top-mount curtain brackets, so I went full DIY and bent my brackets. Not that easy. Do not actually recommend. 😜 The smarter thing to do would be to just order some top mount brackets like this: https://amzn.to/3P5LN3Z. I’m sure there are other brackets that could be used for this too. If you end up building a medal hanger shelf and find a great bracket option, please share with me in the comments! For what it’s worth, bending my brackets really did work just fine!

To attach the brackets, just use screws that almost go through the wood. For an even more secure hold, you could use a nut and bolt, instead of screws.

My medal hanger bent brackets! 😉

Step 4: Hang the Display on the Wall

This step is easy. Find the studs in your wall and mark them. You want to make sure you attach the shelf directly to the studs in the wall. Once you have located the studs, drive a screw directly through the back of the shelf and into the stud.

Step 5: Fill the Shelf with Trophies and Hang your Medals!

Now comes the exciting part—hanging all those hard-earned medals and filling the shelf with trophies! Your child will likely be eager to take on this task themselves. Watch them decorate and hang all their hard-earned medals. Witness their joy as they decorate and proudly hang their medals, showcasing their dedication and achievements. With this stylish and unique medal hanger and trophy shelf, they’ll have a special place to display their accomplishments for all to see. It’s a moment they’ll treasure and a display that will inspire them to keep reaching for new heights!

Sports medal hanger rod on bottom – Trophy shelf on top

Comparing Alternatives: Custom Medal Hanger vs. Buying

Now, let’s explore some alternative options for displaying medals and trophies. As mentioned earlier, I extensively searched and considered various ideas. Here, I’ll outline a few key drawbacks I encountered with these alternatives:

Price. Buying a medals hanger display was actually quite costly. See links to some of the most popular Medal Display Hanger Racks and Trophy Shelves below.
Size. Most of the medal display hanger options I found were smaller than I wanted. The bigger options got pretty expensive.
Hanging Rod. I really didn’t find a medals hanger display that had a rod to hang the medals. Most of these displays had separate pegs to hang the medals. I just really liked the look of a rod, and I think you can actually get more medals to fit on a rod vs. pegs.

Here are a few options that I considered.

2 ft. – Medal Hanger Display Rack and Trophy Shelf

3 ft. – Medal Hanger Display Rack and Trophy Shelf

4 ft. – Medal Hanger Display Rack and Trophy Shelf

Why You Should Build Your Own Custom Medal Hanging Display

Building your own unique display offers unmatched satisfaction, allowing you to fully customize your display to suit your preferences. From adjusting the size to match your available space to selecting the perfect color and adding personalized decals or stickers, the possibilities are endless. Not only does crafting your own medal hanging display enable you to create a truly unique piece, but it also proves cost-effective, with materials for this project being relatively low-cost. I wholeheartedly recommend embarking on this DIY journey to create your own custom medal hanger and trophy display shelf. Trust me, you won’t regret it!

If you’ve been pondering how to hang medals in your child’s room, I hope this medal hanging display tutorial has provided valuable insights. Are you ready to dive into this project? We’re excited to hear about your results! Feel free to share your experiences and showcase your creations by dropping a comment below!