Installing clothesline?

Question

Hi - I'd like to put up a clothesline in my back yard, without having to install poles. I have the nylon cord, and there is actually enough space between the garage and house, that I could mount the line between them without having to buy poles, etc. What is the best way to mount the cord? There is one hook already screwed into a window-frame... how would I knot the line onto a hook so it would stay? Or should I staple-gun it on? Would that hold the laundry? Any ideas appreciated!

Answer 1

Staples are not a good approach in my opinion. A 1/4" round eye screw is what I would use, find them at the home center. I would find a stud or the side of a beam in the house or garage framing, drill a pilot hole, use a piece of pipe, rod, or large pliers to turn the eye screw in at least a inch of threads into the framing. A square knot or clove hitch would work to tie it off.

Answer 2

maybe you can take something from my comment. My mom set up one metal pole into cement in the back yard. Her clothesline went from the house to the pole to the garage (so I suppose she could have eliminated the pole if she had less clothes to hang). There are very long screws that can go into concrete (that did go into the house and garage) and that held a hook. She had a single line (I think single is nicer than a double line, although in some cities they would use the double line if people hung their clothes over the city and from a second floor or higher). She would use cotton clothesline (although I see in the stores there are blends now), and clothespins. I don't think a staple gun staple would hold any weight at all. The cotton clothesline would be attached to the hook by a permanent knot with a loop on say the house side and then a non-permanent knot at the garage side (so you can pull the line as tight as you want). I don't remember how the knot was made; all I remember is that it was a loop with the clothesline wound around it. I don't think you want clothes hanging from a line that is attached to a window frame though. It should be thru the brick itself. I guess too it would depend on how many clothes and what weight the clothes were. Maybe if you could at least have a washer then when you hand the clothes they would have already gone thru the spin cycle and be lighter in weight without all the heavy water in them. You could, of course hang light clothes on hangers on a pole in your bathroom which pole would sit above the wallplates and would be expandable (with rubber ends).

Answer 3

The rope line has got to be high enough so that someone walking in the dark would not get hit in the face or neck by the line.

Also, tieing a knot will strain the rope in the area of the knot over time. Best way is to weave the threads back into the rope, something I doubt you can do. And use multiple loops.

Not everybody can (or should) actually "do it themselves". Better you get someone who can do it right for you to do it right for you.

Answer 4

Install another hook at the garage. You can tie any knot in one hook and then run the line to the other hook. Pull it tight and wrap around the other hook a couple times and then tie it off. It will stretch so don't tie a knot that you cannot untie. Better to use a couple half-hitches instead of a knot.