DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

Dear Experts

I have a converted attic room with a dormer window. The previous owner made a cupboard area (approx 2.2m in length by about 1.5m width, with a tiny skylight window in roof slope) to one side of the dormer window. I'd like to make this cupboard space into a 'walk in' wardrobe/closet. My question relates to the hanging/installation of a clothes rail/pole.

I'd like it to run the pole the full length of the cupboard (so spanning about 2.1-2.2metres) and have it hanging in the lowest part of the space/the area where the roof slope is lowest.

It's a wide gap to span so will need a sturdy pole that won't bend in the middle under the weight from the clothes but how should I fix it? Choices are, I think, either suspend from roof slope or fix to side wall of house and its opposite plasterboard wall? Surely it will just rip out of either the ceiling or walls especially the plasterboard when any weight is added to the rail? Thus wrecking my roof slope plasterboard or sides...

Is the ceiling hanging the better option? If so, how do I locate the wood within the roof /behind the plaster boarding which forms the cupboards ceiling, in order to screw into it as that would probably take the weight?

Or is there a way to screw it to the wall? The far end of the cupboard is the external house end wall so screwing into that poss not a problem, but it's opposite end -the small bit of wall/plasterboard which has been created from the formation of the dormer and the cupboard entrance door is surely not going to be strong enough to take the potential weight of the clothes rail?

Help?
Hope I've made my explanation clear and you can visualise where/what I mean. Will add an image if need be.

Help much appreciated.

Egg

Hi eggplant1972

Here's one suggestion. How about taking a length of wood, with a hole in one end to take the rail, and screw to the wall vertically with the other end resting on the floor. That way the weight will not be on the walls.
That's a very long span, I think you are going to have to provide some intermediate support whatever is used for the rail.

Hi Proptech

Thank you. I understand what you're saying about the vertical wood and affixing the pole to that -even though I'm not sure how the 'science' works with the weight not then being on the wall but this is why I'm the one asking rather than answering! So I very much appreciate your response. If I need to supply intermediate support in the middle should that be from the roof slope/above (same fixing question stands) or below a free standing pool screwed into the floor -would that work??

(I'm so useless..)

Without knowing the exact situation, I would suggest a support from the floor.
If there's no other means of fixing, go from the bottom up - if that makes sense.
The floor is the one thing you can rely on.