How to Keep a Garment Hanging Rack Sturdy

closeup of a clothes rack
  • 2 hours
  • Intermediate
  • 200 - 500
What You'll Need
Paint
8 2-inch PVC pipes (4 48-inches long, 4 12-inches long)
2 4-way PVC connectors
2 PVC elbow connectors
4 PVC elbow connectors OR 4 furniture caster wheels
Drill
What You'll Need
Paint
8 2-inch PVC pipes (4 48-inches long, 4 12-inches long)
2 4-way PVC connectors
2 PVC elbow connectors
4 PVC elbow connectors OR 4 furniture caster wheels
Drill

For anyone who has ever dealt with the hassle of storing and displaying clothing, a garment hanging rack is a must. It keeps clothing off of the ground and prevents delicate clothing items from becoming torn or wrinkled. In addition, garment racks make it easier to browse through clothing items without having to tediously unfold and re-fold sloppy stacks of clothing. However, anyone who has deal with clothing storage also knows that garment racks can be tricky. Poorly designed or improperly installed garment racks can be unstable and prone to frequent failures. A garment rack that frequently falls out of place can lead to hours of wasted time re-hanging and re-organizing clothing. However, there are ways that you can make your garment hanging rack a great deal sturdier and stabler than it may have previously been. Read the following guide for information on how to do just that.

Process

Step 1 - Purchase Materials

You can make a garment rack out of several different materials. The most popular materials are pipes and wood. The simplest way is to construct it from pipes, so that will be the method explained here. You will need 4 2-inch PVC pipes that are 48-inches long, and 4 that are 12-inches long, as well as 2 elbow connectors and 2 4-way connectors. You will also need either 4 more elbow connectors or 4 furniture caster wheels. As you grow more used to the process, you can buy pipes of different lengths to make garment racks that are different sizes.

Step 2 - Build Rack

Skip this step if you plan to install a pre-made garment rack or stabilize a currently installed rack.

Your first action will be to connect 2 of your 48-inch pipes with one of your elbow connectors. You will then use another elbow connector to connect another 48-inch pipe to these 2. When you have finished, you should have a shape that looks like a square 'C', or a square that is missing its fourth side. Next, take your 4-way connectors and attach them to the open ends of your incomplete square. Then, attach your fourth 48-inch pipe to the attached 4-way connectors, completing your square.

Insert your 12-inch pipes into the open connector holes. At this point, your garment rack is technically complete, and will stand, but it will be unstable and wobbly. In order to complete and stabilize your garment rack, move onto the next step.

Step 3 - Stabilize and Complete Rack

If you purchased 4 additional PVC elbows, connect them to the open ends of the 12-inch pipes. The open connector hole of the elbows should touch the floor. If you purchased furniture wheels, take your drill and use it to create small holes on the 12-inch pipes. Your holes should be on the underside of the pipes, so that you can insert the wheels.

Although at this point your rack will most likely be very stable, you can use a strong adhesive to glue the pipes and wheels in place for even more stability. When you are satisfied with the structure of the rack, you can paint it however you like. Once you are comfortable with the process of constructing a garment rack, you can make them in many different sizes to suit your needs.