How to Build an Outdoor PVC Towel Tree

Cut the PVC pipe into eight 2-foot-long pieces, one 4-foot-long piece, and one 1-foot-long piece.

Assemble the base of the towel tree. Apply a coat of PVC cement inside each of the holes of the five-way connector. Apply it to the outside of the ends of four of the 2-foot pieces of pipe.

Insert a 2-foot length of PVC pipe into each of four holes in the five-way connector so that they radiate along the same plane. In other words, when you put the assembly on the ground, it forms a flat base with the four pieces sticking out. The remaining empty hole should be pointing up.

Apply PVC cement inside four of the endcaps and on the outside of the ends of the four pipes. Place an endcap on the far end of each of the four pipes you just put in the five-way connector.

Construct the towel tree's "trunk." Coat the fifth hole of the five-way connecter on the inside with PVC cement. Coat the outside of one end of the 4-foot length of PVC pipe and place it in the hole. This piece should stand straight up, forming the "trunk."

Add the first tier of towel tree "branches." Place one of the cross fittings on the top of the "trunk" piece, coating the relevant joining surfaces with PVC cement. You should have one empty opening of the cross-fitting pointing upward and two pointing in opposite directions away from the "trunk."

Put a 2-foot length of PVC pipe in each of the sideways-pointing holes of the cross fitting, using cement inside the holes and outside the ends of the pipes before joining them. Coat two endcaps and the two "branch" ends in cement and place an endcap on each one.

Coat and join the 1-foot length of PVC pipe into the upward hole of the cross fitting, using the cement. This continues the towel tree's "trunk."

Place the second cross fitting on top of this piece, coating appropriately with cement. Make sure the two sideways-pointing holes of the cross fitting stick out perpendicular to the first cross piece you added.

Cement and join the remaining 2-foot lengths of PVC pipe in the sideways holes of the cross fitting and place endcaps on these as well. Now you have a towel tree with four "branches" that point in four directions.

Cement and join the last endcap on top on the open hole of the second cross fitting.