How Long Can A Closet Rod Be Without Support?
A long-time myth is that in order for a room to be considered a bedroom, it must have a closet. This is not true; besides, a closet can be found anywhere in the home. You could have an entry closet for your winter coats and boots, but you could have a utility closet that stores your cleaning supplies and equipment as well. Most of them include closet rods.
If your closet rod is longer than 48 inches, you will need support. However, regardless of how long the closet rod is, if you’re hanging heavier items such as winter jackets, then you will want support no matter what.
Regardless of where or what you store in your closet, a common structure found in the closet is a closet rod. The closet rod is used to hang clothes from but can also accommodate different hanging accessories that hold shoes and purses. The rod can be made of various materials and can span a certain width without sagging or breaking, whereas more extended widths require some form of support. Let’s discuss this issue further.
How Long Can A Closet Rod Be With No Support?
A closet rod can be used for a plethora of items. When hanging heavier clothes such as weight suits or winter coats, you will want to support the dowel rod regardless of the width. On average, a closet rod comes in lengths up to 96 inches. When the closet rod exceeds 48 inches in length, you will want to add supports.
How To Add Appropriate Supports To A Closet Rod
There are multiple ways that you can add support to your closet rod. This can fix or prevent any sagging that you could have.
- Make sure your rod is hollow. Check the center of your closet rod, and it should be hollow; you may have to remove a plastic place holder to open the cylinder.
- Insert a dowel. Measure the diameter and insert a wooden dowel rod into the hollow area.
Alternately, use a bracket. If inserting a dowel rod is not an option, or maybe you do not want to go that route to support your closet rod, there are support brackets you can use. These brackets are considered “L” brackets and resemble that of a curtain rod holder. This can add to the aesthetic of your closet if you so which.
If your rod is sagging, the reason it may be is that there is too much weight on it; you could consider removing some items and eliminating the need for support.
What Is The Best Material For The Closet Rod?
When shopping for a closet rod, there are many options that you can choose from. Most closet rods, especially those that are custom-made, are made from sturdy metal.
However, some have been known to be made of wood. A metal rod option will offer you more support and hold more weight. Furthermore, it will be less likely to sag, thus making it the better choice if you have a larger hanging space.
Can A Wooden Closet Rod Hold A Lot Of Weight?
Wooden closet rods have been around for a very long time. It was an original construction of a closet and was usually made of oak, which is considered a harder wood.
It is commonly mounted with a cleat, which adds to support. An average pair of jeans weighs about 1.5 pounds, and shirts are around 0.5 pounds, whereas suits are up to 4 pounds. These rods, if made correctly, can hold up to 170 pounds.
How To Decide On A Closet Rod
There are many factors to consider when shopping for a curtain rod. These factors are the wall thickness and how the rod is made, like the material and diameter of the tube. This will determine the strength of the rod.
Diameter is defined when looking at the cross-section of the tube as the distance across the “circle” of the rod. The wider the diameter of the rod, the stronger it will be.
What Sizes Are Available For Closet Rods?
The diameter of the rod is a determining factor for the strength of the rod to avoid it breaking and bending. The average diameter is 1-1/4 to 1-3/8 inches.
The closet dowel rod is secured by brackets that are usually round and affixed with drywall anchors and screws to the wall. The dowel rod will hang between the two brackets and, if supported corrected, will resist breaking and bowing.
What Is The Proper Placement Of A Closet Rod?
When measuring for your placement, you will want to measure approximately twelve inches from the back to the center of the wall. The most common placement is the middle of the wall, with an average closet depth of 24 inches. So, it is recommended to measure your closet depth first and then measure by half of that for the perfect placement.
If you chose a single closet rod, you would want to measure at least sixty inches from the floor for proper placement. However, there are some closet rod options that have two dowel rods. For the top rod, you will want to measure about 80 to 82 inches up from the floor, then measure 40 inches from the floor for the second dowel rod.
How To Effectively Secure A Closet Rod To The Wall
Ensuring your closet rod is secure is one of the most important steps you can take during this entire process. This also includes adding supports where needed.
Materials Needed
- Tape Measure
- Drill and Drill Bit
- Screws
- Drywall Anchors
- Hammer
- Closet Rod Hardware
Instructions
- Measure and mark. Measure appropriately and make guide marks for your screws. You can use the hardware to make these marks more accurate.
- Drill the holes. Using your drill and drill bit, line up with the guide marks to drill pilot holes.
- Set your anchors. Once the holes are made, use the hammer to tap in the drywall anchors gently. If your marks line up with a stud, you will not need the drywall anchors.
- Secure your brackets. Line the brackets up with the screw holes you created and secure them to the wall with the screws.
- Place your dowel. Place your dowel rod within the brackets to complete your project.
Please be sure to read all the directions for the assembly of your closet rod since different manufacturers may require different construction.
Closet Rods With A Shelving Unit
A lot of closet rods purchased at big box stores come with some form of a shelving unit. When you choose this setup, more consideration needs to be put into measuring so that everything is placed correctly. You will want to pay attention to the vertical distance between the rod and shelf. Ultimately two inches should be enough to place the shelf above the rod.
Some of this can be subjective to your closet space as well as the size of your hangers. So it is pertinent to take the time to measure the shelf placement accurately. Anything less than two inches, though, may be difficult for you to use your closet rod. The end goal is to have your shelf as close to eye level and within comfortable reach.
Related Questions
How do you increase the use of your closet space?
 There are many DIY hacks to increase the use of your closet space. This consists of using a tab from a pop can on your hanger, so you can double it up with another hanger.You could also turn a shelf bracket upside down to use as a hanger like that you find in clothing department fitting rooms. There are some things you can invest in like drawers, over-the-door shelving systems or extra dowel rods.
What should you consider when you’re installing your closet rod?
 If a stud is not available to anchor your mounting brackets to you will want to consider drywall anchors. However, if you are installing the closet rod with the intention of hanging heavy apparel you will want to install the mounting brackets with extra support from the beginning. This stronger hardware will be molly bolts or toggle bolts.
How do you place your closet rod if you want to hang clothes on both sides?
 A walk-in closet is a great option and dreams for any homeowner. In order to hang clothes on both sides of the closet, you will have to have a closet that has a minimum of six feet in width.Each closet dowel rod to effectively hang clothes would need a two-foot clearance on each side, which in a six-foot closet leaves you two feet to walk through.
Wrapping It Up
Closet rods have become an essential part of the concept of the closet throughout the USA. But knowing how to install one and support one correctly is vital so that you don’t damage your closet space or belongings.
If you’re hanging heavy clothing on your closet rod, it should have supports no matter what. On the other hand, if it’s there for lighter materials, you won’t need support unless it’s longer than 48 inches.
Heather is a passionate writer who loves anything DIY. Growing up, she learned everything from home repairs to design, and wants to share her tips with you. When she's not writing, she's usually hiking or searching for her next DIY project.
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