Reclaimed Solution

With one small coat closet to house all our winter gear, the vacuum, our board games, and our first aid kit, I decided I needed a new remedy for the stuff we use everyday.  I've been loving all the recycled wood projects I've seen on Pinterest, and a big pile of abandoned pallets and lumber was beckoning across the street.  After "liberating" one of the boards from the pile, I still had to deal with my two concerns. 

a) Old wood is splintery, and I don't think anyone wants splinters lodged in their coat hood.

b) Old wood might be home to any one of a number of gross crawly critters.

Both problems were addressed with my quick four-step process:
1) Brush loose dirt off with a whisk broom and follow with a quick scrub with a sanding sponge (medium grit).  Examine everything closely for movement.
2) Use Kilz primer to thoroughly (but thinly) coat every surface, even the cracks.
3) Paint the front and the sides that will show with your favorite color.  (I chose a sample pot of "Deepest Aqua" by Glidden from Wal-Mart.  For your information, a sample pot will cover a four-foot length of a 2x6, if you don't paint the back.)
4) When the paint is dry, brush on some antiquing glaze and wipe it off immediately with a paper towel.  I love how the black stays down in all the cracks and shows off the reclaimed texture without the splinters and  the feeling of bugs coming out to land in my coat.  (One small bottle of glaze can do a gazillion projects.)

With the addition of some ebay-ed hooks, and with John's cooperation to screw it straight into the studs, it works perfectly for my purposes.  Adds color, gives the girls a place for their backpacks, lunchboxes, and coats, and keeps John's jacket off the chairs.  Done.