How do I put up a clothes line?

[MamaPyratekk]

**Not sure if this is the right forum for this**

My husband and I have been living in apartments ever since we got together, so a clothes line just wasn't an option. I did, however, have a drying rack that I used for things like towels and washcloths here and there. Now we're in a house, and just as I'm now able to plant a garden like I wanted...now I can have a clothes line!

Problem is I have absolutely no idea how you get one or how you put it in. How the heck do I do that? TIA (thanks in advance)

[freebs]

Well you could just put up a retractable one and attach it to trees. To put up a clothes line with poles you will need a metal pole that is like a T, we just drilled holes in the top part to slip the line thru. Then of course you will need holes dug to put it in. OR you could buy those round style ones at lowes or home depot that have everything on them and you can fold them up like an umbrella then all you would have to do is have a hole to put it in.

[Greebo]

A permanent clothes line fixture should be set into a concrete base below the frost line. In NC, that's probably about 2 feet down at most. Its actually not all that HARD, but if you've never used concrete before, it'll be daunting, I'm sure.

[Mom23boys]

You can purchase T-post at Lowes or Home Depot. I have 2 T-post cemented in the ground with clothes line wire strung between the two. I currently only have 2 lines strung, but am wanting a third one. I have plenty of room for an additional line. I hope this makes sense.

[stinkbug]

I highly recommend the umbrella style. Just one post, you cement in the sleeve and you can lift it out and mow over it! This is the only kind I have ever had, and they take up very little space.

[Russ]

Or..you can put up one pole with a hook on it, and attach one of THESE to your house or somthing that is permanent.

The pole does not have to be permanent or set in concrete. I simply bought a piece of pvc pipe large enough for the pole to fit in, buried it in the ground and capped it. Take the cap off, slide the pole in, hook up the clothesline.

[Momto2Boyz]

DH and our neighbor put ours up. The posts are 4x4's and the T's & braces at the top are 2x4's. They anchored it with quick crete, which worked really well. Then got cable and brackets meant for clotheslines (found at Lowe's).

The whole project was under $30 when they did it last summer. I loved this design, becuase I could put up 4 lines in a small amount of space. It is enough to get 2 full, super capacity loads on the line at once.

Here is a picture (don't mind the kid's slip and slide drying on it!):

[lunarstar9]

My friend has the round kind and she uses a heavy umbrella stand. Cast iron I think, that way she can move it whenever.

[IntlMom]

I sooooooo want one. But our cc&r's won;t let me have one. No fences, or sheds, or anything like that........
Go figure, you own the property, but cannot do want you want with it!! argh

[sdrjeolsen]

Congrats on the new house and clothesline, You'll love the savings and the way it makes your clothes smell. We gave up our dryer when we moved. Can't believe I haven't used a dryer on over a year.

I sooooooo want one. But our cc&r's won;t let me have one. No fences, or sheds, or anything like that........
Go figure, you own the property, but cannot do want you want with it!! argh

Could you put one up in your basement? Or put a short line low and close to a corner so no one else can see it? Or maybe a line you put up to dry and then take down immendately? We were't supposed to have one either when we lived in town, but I put it low and along a fence near a tree and no one was the wiser. I tried to be good about taking it down when not in use.

[IntlMom]

Could you put one up in your basement? Or put a short line low and close to a corner so no one else can see it? Or maybe a line you put up to dry and then take down immendately? We were't supposed to have one either when we lived in town, but I put it low and along a fence near a tree and no one was the wiser. I tried to be good about taking it down when not in use.

The basements a possibiltiy, but it doesn't get the heat the the outside does, of course. In our neighborhood, there are no fences, and none allowed, so there is no place to hide one....bummer! What I do is take my rack out on the deck, but the KS wind is always blowing, so it almost always ends up blowing over!!!

[The Muse]

Here's the one that DH built for me using pressure treated wood. He sank 2 posts into concrete, then sank an eye hook into concrete on each end. There's one continuous rope that gives me 4 lines and ties on each end to the eye hooks to maintain tension.

We'll be adding a gate and trellis to hide it from the road.

[IntlMom]

I just wanted to tell the two of you that put up picutres....thanks! The are both very nice, and I am very envious!!

[bumplett]

same here Traci ~ no clotheslines according to our HOA, but what irks me is that you would have to LOOK OVER OUR privacy fence to see our backyard -

oh well ~

[Darlene]

I highly recommend the umbrella style. Just one post, you cement in the sleeve and you can lift it out and mow over it! This is the only kind I have ever had, and they take up very little space.

That's what we have here and love it.