Converting to a permanent outdoor clothes line

**MomToTwoBoys** · 03-12-2009, 10:37 AM

How many of you have done this? I mean, the concrete with the metal T-pole version?

I want to put one up in our side yard this Spring. Our backyard has too many pieces of foliage and kids running around for me to want to put one there. So I'm putting up one in the side yard. But I'm concerned about costs. Was it a whole lot to put one up for you?

**Spirit Deer** · 03-12-2009, 10:50 AM

I made T-poles out of pressure-treated wood and added 2x4 braces to the T so it's more of a Y. It's very sturdy and has been in the ground close to 20 years.

We did not use concrete to set the poles but it hasn't really been a problem.

When I was a kid, my mom had clotheslines made from big metal poles set in concrete and spaced about six feet or so apart with a horizontal pole on top of the two uprights. She stretched chicken wire between the uprights and then created a raised bed for planting morning glories, which grew up the chicken wire every year.

**MoonMommy** · 03-12-2009, 10:56 AM

Mine were here when we moved in. The one side is basically pieces of pipe..two uprights that are cemented in with an elbow on each. One pipe connecting the two. The opposite sides of the lines connect to the garage. I can't remember how they put the hooks in the pipe. I don't know if they go all the way through and then bolted on the back or if they are just screwed through the pipe. I love it. The only problem is that it is fairly close to our house and we would like to put a patio off of the back door. We will have to move the clothes line system to do so...which doesn't make Dh happy since it means digging up all that concerete.

**rainbowgc** · 03-12-2009, 12:42 PM

Just a thought, I like the umbrella type:

**MomToTwoBoys** · 03-12-2009, 12:46 PM

Originally Posted by rainbowgc

Just a thought, I like the umbrella type:

I had thought about the umbrella type but I wash a lot of blankets too. It just wouldn't be big enough for what I want.

**thefrug** · 03-12-2009, 01:24 PM

I was raised with clotheslines and we put one in when we bought this place 24yrs ago. Metal poles concreted in. At our old place we put one in but they were treated wood just put in the ground.Lasted while we lived there, 5yrs.

I say go for it! It'll save tons on the electric bill. I couldn't tell you what it would cost now a days. Shop around, if it was me, I'd concrete them in.

**Grainlady** · 03-12-2009, 01:24 PM

My mother had the long T-lines and all they did was take up way too much realestate, in my opinion, and dad was always having to adjust them when the lines would go slack.

A former neighbor, who also had a long run of clothes line, really loved his wife because he poured narrow sidewalks along her clothes lines so she didn't have to walk in the grass.

We've installed Umbrella (round) Clothes Lines in 3 different homes over 30+ years time (used when we had 2 kids still at home and we used cloth diapers back then). Blankets, sheets, everything got hung on them. You just have to do some creative folding and start on one line and end up on another line, but they work.

We placed them as close to concrete as possible (one was just off the backyard patio, another just off the deck on a wide sweep of sidewalk, and we designed a "laundry courtyard" where we live now when we had the landscaping done). I've never had to walk through wet grass to get to the clothes line, and track in a pile of grass clippings stuck to my wet shoes coming back into the house. I've always been able to stand on concrete to get the job done. Because the clothes line rotates, I can stay in one place to hang the clothes, and at least half the line will reach out over the concrete.

Secondary to these choice locations.... We can pull the clothes line out of the sleeve that's stuck in concrete (I put a bungy cord around the clothes line to keep it from accidently opening up when I move it) and put an umbrella for shade in the same hole. Now we have shade for those guests at the bbq, or a shaded space to place the serving table.

We purchased our Umbrella Clothes Lines at ACE Hardware and I don't think we paid any more than $60 for one.

We also converted a small unfinished room in the basement into a drying room so it's VERY rare that we use the dryer. We purchased 2 retractable lines (looks like this: http://www.acehardware.com/sm-sunlin...i-1276893.html) for $5 each at Big Lots. We strung them through hooks in studs (going back and forth until we used up the entire line length) for a total of 6 lines out of the 2. Now we hang clothes inside or out. We also installed a ceiling fan in the room and that helps dry the laundry quicker. Occasionally we run out of line, so we used our drying racks for the extra stuff.

I actually love using the inside line because we do laundry at night while we watch TV and run it downstairs to dry and I can take it down at my leisure the next day. I don't have to worry that the 40 mph will blow something off the line and into the next county, no bird droppings, wasps hidden in sleeves, or those sudden showers while I'm away from the house getting groceries.

Hubby also put up a clothes rod along one wall in the basement drying room where we hang wet clothes on hangers to dry. If a garment is normally hung on a hanger, I also dry it on a hanger so they go from the rod, or the line outside, to the closet. I use wood hangers with a heavy-guage wire hook - no wire hangers because they tend to rust. And for sweaters and heavy cotton shirts, I use a TIDE Smart Dry Hanger - http://www.drugstore.com/qxp190609_3...dry_hanger.htm These are vented for air circulation, and you don't get "bunny ears" at the shoulder like you can with other hangers.

We had to overcome one challenge with the clothes rod. The air from the fan would cause the hangers to slide to one end of the clothes rod, but we fixed it by putting a "noodle" of foam pipe insulation purchased at the hardware store over the rod. Now the hangers stay put.

I had a friend who's husband put a length of chain between two posts on his garage and she could hang things on hangers through a link of the chain. The clothes didn't slide together and the size of the link prevented the hooks from the hanger from slipping off. I always thought that was a great idea.

Last hint: Clothes hung on a line will dry with fewer wrinkles in them if the clothes are fairly wet to begin with. Gravity will work for you by pulling the wet clothing down. I happen to have a spin cycle on my washer designed to be used when you line-dry. If I use the 1,000 rpm spin, everything comes out super wrinkled. Yes, they are much dryer, but I now have a new set of problems from the wrinkles - and 5 bottles of Wrinkle Release later - you may wish you would have turned your spin cycle down to the slowest one possible.

**pinetree** · 03-12-2009, 02:19 PM

I have the old t post clothseline that are cemented in. I mean old, they were here when we bought the house, 17 yrs ago, the old owner well, she had 17 kids & used them all the time, house was built in 1906.

I hang everything outside, including my heavy curtains. If I were you, I'd go for it. It has saved me alot of money not using the dryer, I wouldn't give mine up for anything.

I also have cal king sheets, etc. the umbrella lines arent wide enough for them.

I have seen some of the old ones on craigs list, you might find some there, I would also cement them in.

**tiff** · 03-12-2009, 03:16 PM

Everyone has a clothes line here. Between November and Feb most people dry inside, either on an airer or tumble dryer. Once Feb comes I cant wait to put my clothes on the line, so satisfying watching it blow around!

**Starlight9803** · 03-12-2009, 03:26 PM

we have permanent clotheslines, but we just used pressure treated 4x4s for the posts and cross pieces, bolted together. We've had these up for 7 years with no problems. I would love to have the metal t-poles, but they just aren't available around here, so instead of ordering (and paying shipping) we went with our cheapest option.

**redmaples** · 03-12-2009, 03:48 PM

We have the metal t poles too & they were here when we moved in.
they are awesome, about 12 ft apart w/5 lines. I can hang a lot of laundry.
I wouldn't want to be without it.
Bet you will love having one too!

**MomToTwoBoys** · 03-13-2009, 01:21 AM

Yeah the trick is being able to find them around here without having to order them. I was debating the pressure-treated 4x4s with the support beams like some of you have mentioned before, so I'll check the pricing on that and compare the two together. We get Chinooks here and it's great clothes-drying winds. I figure that if I can get an outdoor clothes line going and even put a couple retractables inside, it'll really lower our utility bill.

**Ilovesewing** · 03-13-2009, 09:23 AM

My mom is English, and when I grew up there everyone had a clothesline. She still does, and when I moved out -27 years ago! - I insisted that dh put one up for me. He built me one between two wooden poles that had a line or two on it...don't remember now! Anyway, at some point that gave way to this one:

http://www.clotheslineshop.com/mm5/m...egory_Code=OCI

It looks different than the umbrella type - I've never seen one of those. Anyway, it takes up little room, and I can fit a king size quilt on it no problem. Mine has moved from one house to this one, and it's now cemented in. I don't even remember where I got it as I've had it so long.

I do remember my mom and dad going back to England once, and she bought a new clothesline like the one above. Just had to be English

So I go pick them up from the airport -remember the days of waiting for them at the end of the walkway from the plane? - and here comes my dad who is rolling his eyes at me. Followed by my mom who has brought this clothesline on the plane with her. No box, just a huge clothesline LOL She didn't want it getting messed up in the luggage area

I can only imagine what she had to say to get that on with her, or what the other passengers thought!

Well, I've saved tons of money over the years hanging our wash....and it's something I love doing. Even our dog gets excited...she knows when the washer goes off and she runs to the laundry room and waits patiently while I get the clothes into the basket. Then we both go outside to hang them up. Dh always laughs and laughs at her

**Grainlady** · 03-13-2009, 10:30 AM

Ilovesewing - Thanks for posting that link. That's the exact model of clothesline I've always used and I found them at ACE Hardware.

**OliveOyl** · 03-18-2009, 06:56 PM

A long time ago we had a welder to make our clotheslines. He welded a metal pole across the top to the metal pole that goes in the ground and my husband cemented them in the ground. They were still their after we left....just a thought.
OliveOyl