Here goes again about the clothes line pole. How about 6x6 inch 8 ft?

Question

I am going to buy two 8 ft long 6"x6" post and two 4 ft 6"x6" posts weather treated of course.
Then I plan to dig a 2 1/4 foot hole about 45 feet apart and drop the posts in the holes and pour a bunch of cement around them. Then wait about 2-3 days and hook the rope on the poles at each end. I need a suggestion on how to mount the top pole on. Is there a way to screw it in? I also plan to cut a couple of 2x4's to act as a wedge for the top part.
Do you think my clothes line pole will stay standing up or should I come up with another idea? Also is 2 1/4 feet deep enough to hold the pole up and how wide should it be?
I need help I do realize. This is what happens when your an unmarried, ambitious 43 yr old with the kids raised.

Answer 1

4x4 posts should be fine, unless your serious about the 45'. That's a lot of clothes. 2' should be deep enough. Not sure what the wedges are for. The stress on the T of the clothes line comes from pulling the top of the T off of the leg of the T. A wedge would be virtually useless, especiall considering the stresses that would be necessary to keep the line taught at 45'.

Don't use rope, use clothesline cord. Place the poles about 10 to 15' apart. You should be able to string the line 4 - 5 times. That will give you 60 to 75 feet of line to hang on.

As for joining the cross member to the post, you could notch the back of the leg posts 4" deep by 2" across the top of the post, same notch in the middle of the crossmember. I would just lag bolt the 2 together with two 1/4"x6" lag bolts. The lag bolts will only be there to hold up the cross member.

Actually, now that I think of it, you could put a single lag bolt, as above, in the center of the cross member and in the center of your post at the top. Make a T out of your members and drill two holes at the bottom of your crossmember on the post such that you will be able to fit a 2 1/4" U bolt into the holes. When the U bolt is inserted, it will hold up the crossmember. When the Ubolt is removed you can spin the crossmember out of the way. Placed next to a fence, it would only take up about 3' when put away. Cool.

God Bless

Answer 2

two 1/4" carriage bolts will hold the top on the post with the cross peice on the outside of the verticals. the 2x4 diagonals are a good idea use deck screws to fasten these although the load is small they will help to prevent the cross peice from dipping to one side or the other. the depth will get you in trouble if you live where there is frost over time the poles will be "jacked" out of the ground. in central MN. the frost depth is 42". more than 15 feet apart is a LONG way for clothesline poles and has been mentioned there is a lot of room for lots of clothes even at 15 feet

Answer 3

Wash Line Pole

Answer 4

The other answers seem to be good advice, but I would like to add:

Use 1/2" lags instead of 1/4", do not use carriage bolts in wood, and make sure any lumber in touch with the ground is pressure preservative treated, and labeled "ground contact". If it is not labeled ground contact, it will rot in a few years - even if it is treated.

Answer 5

I have a 4 inch round pole--works good until it loosens up due to making to big a round hole to put it in. What could I do to make it solid. Please help [e-mail]