The Convenient, Sturdy Outdoor Clothesline

(Page 3 of 3)

June/July 2009
By Steve Maxwell 
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Perfect the fit of the knee braces against the crosspiece and main post, then drill holes for the carriage bolts and install them with a socket wrench. Finish up by angling the ends of the main post and crosspiece, then chamfering the edges of these parts with a router if you’d like a more finished look. Tip the assembly upright in the hole you’ve dug (I got some help from a neighbor with a loader tractor), have someone hold the post plumb, then fill in and pack down the soil around the post.

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Attach pulleys to the crosspiece(s) and the wall, being careful to anchor pulleys to studs — not just the siding or sheathing — and string the line. I find it best to pay more for the high-grade, stainless steel cable that’s covered with plastic. Less expensive kinds are covered in plastic, too, but stainless steel doesn’t rust if the plastic cracks. I’ve also found that the stainless steel versions are stronger.

Now you’re ready to dry clothes without spending a dime on fossil-fuel-produced electricity!

Clothesline Options for Smaller Spaces

You can dry clothes without using any fossil fuels — even if you have a small backyard or live in an apartment. There are lots of options in addition to a permanent clothesline stretched between two posts.

Single-pole rotary clotheslines (see Image Gallery) fold up like an umbrella. Some models can be removed from the yard when not in use.

Retractable clotheslines attach to the outside wall of your house, and several lines are pulled out from a canister and attached to a pole or fence. After the clothes are dry, the lines roll up into the canister.

Folding-frame clotheslines (see Image Gallery) attach to a wall and fit tightly against it when not in use. To dry clothes, simply unfold the unit.

Drying racks can be used outside on a balcony or patio in good weather. You can also use them indoors, especially in winter when indoor air may be particularly dry.

— Troy Griepentrog

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Contributing editor Steve Maxwell writes many of our “Do It Yourself” articles.
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  • Bill Stephenson 6/14/2009 4:50:24 PM

    The "No Clothes Pin Line"...

    I spent a few weeks in Progresso, Mexico this winter and the locals there use a pair of thin (3/16") nylon or poly line, twisted together into one line, and tie it between poles or trees.

    Then, instead of using Clothes Pins, they just pull the twisted line apart and insert one corner of the clothes in to it (between the two lines that are twisted together) and then pull the other corner tout and insert it in to the twisted line.

    I saw these lines hold heavy denim jeans in a strong wind all day long.

  • Terran 6/7/2009 4:02:39 PM

    Susan S, and Jessica,

    Click on 'Image Gallery' in the Article Tools box at the top right hand side of the page.

    Terran

  • mikeo 6/7/2009 12:24:33 AM

    My experience with the line:
    Do not use the cotton line from Walmart. It won't carry much load before breaking. Plastic line with a hollow core is also a bad choice. It has a tendency to stretch on washday. The green coated wire is alright for a couple of years. It will eventually rust. The best choice is a galvanized line with a vinyl coating. They generally sell this at hardware/farm stores. I got mine at Rural King. Get a couple of turnbuckles to tie onto and if they sag you can tighten without untying. Good luck!

  • Cabby 6/4/2009 7:45:15 AM

    Decided to get a "solar/wind powered dryer" at Lowes a week ago, a rotary umbrella style line. Asked floor staff if they had any self-supporting clothes lines... got blank stares in return. Finally invoked the manager option, and he was sure they had them, but wasn't sure where they were. After 15 minutes of searching they were found... 15 feet in the air on top of a storage shelf, with no display or pricing. 50 bucks later and I'm drying clothes for nada. Just the effort to hang 'em. (it's good exercise anyway :)

  • Susan S 6/4/2009 7:26:05 AM

    I agree about a drawing or photograph. Many of MENew's wonderful project ideas do not include illustrations online. I can't tell by reading the material list if it is a project I want to attempt w/o seeing a picture of it.

  • Sinic 6/3/2009 11:24:57 AM

    Clotheslines are great, cheap to use, I like that.
    Also, it doesn't shrink the socks !
    Just one thing to remember, ALWAYS turn coloured clothes inside out or the colours will fade.

  • jbh123 6/3/2009 10:22:44 AM

    What material(s) does the author recommend for the actual line?

  • Jan 6/3/2009 8:49:25 AM

    I love drying my clothes outside in the fresh air. They smell so wonderful, reminds me of when I was a kid and mom always used a clothesline and my sheets always smelled so wonderful. I appreciate that now that I am grown. It is so easy also. When the weather is not so great for drying outside, I simply use one of the indoor folding drying racks and turn a fan on low to circulate the air around it. You will notice a difference in your electricity bill not having to use the electric dryer all the time, and you will be helping to do your part conserving energy. I have convinced several other dryer users to try this and they have switched also. Oh, and if there is a nice breeze when you hang clothes out, almost totally eliminates the need for ironing also!

  • George Works 6/3/2009 7:55:57 AM

    I live on a small island where electricity to run a dryer is costly. After our old propane dryer rusted out we used a series of make-shift clotheslines strung from papaya trees before finally putting up a sturdy support for a pull-out line, which works great.

    My pull-out came through Amazon.com and has five parallel lines that roll up into a box. I installed a 2" pipe in concrete with a wood cross-piece at the top attached to the pipe by two U-bolts. The pull-out box mounts to the board. The other end attaches to a fitting U-bolted to an existing fence when in use.

    The clothes do smell quite fresh and are generally nicer than when dried in the dryer with the single exception of bath towels, which are a bit stiff from the line. This is in spite of our very soft rainwater. Also, the frequent brief showers here require keeping an eye on the weather and running out to take in the laundry occasionally.

  • Jessica 5/29/2009 3:01:31 PM

    Great article, but I'm a visual learner :) Do you have any pictures of the clotheline?

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