How can I support a closet rod where there's no shelf?

Question

I'm in the process of redoing a walk-in closet myself and need some help figuring out a solution. I installed two horizontal rods (each about 7 feet long) to hold a lot of clothes, but I need a sturdy way to support them. My initial idea was to buy a floor-to-ceiling pole and use crossover brackets to attach the horizontal rods.

The only brackets I've found so far are pretty ugly and not exactly what I had in mind visually.

Does anyone know of a better bracket system that's more aesthetically pleasing or maybe even a completely different way to achieve the same result? I'd love any suggestions or ideas that could help!

Answer 1

This is entirely dependent on on the type of rod you have and the current brackets that you have on each end.

If the current brackets are not attached to a stud then I would say you need two closet rod supports in the middle because the ends are not doing anything and they would need to be attached to studs.

However if your brackets are attached to studs and you have a rod that is heavy duty - most will handle a 7' span. Most rods however won't but it is usually only another $10-20 for one that will and it looks better.

Side note: I will erase this if I am wrong. But I am afraid the support brackets look too close to the back wall. An adult hanger is about 17". That means half of that is 8.5". Then add on 4-6" for sleeves to fit without folding over and getting in the way (think coats too). That means realistically 12" is the bare bare minimum and actually probably too tight. I do not think you are at 12".

Answer 2

Usually rods are supported underneath with closet rod supports They are placed so to be anchored where there are studs in the wall.

You probably don't need one at every stud, but it will depend on how much weight is expected to be on the rod. You may be able to get away with every 3rd stud or about 4 feet.

Answer 3

Surely you should use hangers from above?

At the position of your green box left, find "whatever" in the attic, above the ceiling (or next floor, whatever), that is some structural member.

Have say an iron rod made by a blacksmith, drop it from there to the clothes bar, with a kind of a claw-hook on the bottom that holds up the clothes rail seen in the picture.

If necessary have TWO of those along the run.

Supports that go up from the bottom (the bottom half of the red line in your picture) are utterly useless, horrific, disgusting, sickening: don't do that.

If you're going to muck about with supporting HUGE amounts of weight, it needs to be from overhead. Clothes bars end up packed with enormous loads, kids hang on them, etc.

You need at least one massive support from overhead, in the image.

Answer 4

This one is quite streamlined and shiny.

Here's a variation. Smaller, maybe needs painting.

The ultimate, this one "flush fit". Man it's sexy, it's practically invisible. But 13 times the price. You turn the set screw and the square thingy pops out and grips the pipe from inside!

And just for fun ... if you really want to snazz things up, find the link yourself :) I can't condone this unless you're a set builder for Housewives.