How To Put Up A Coat Rack | Step-By-Step Guide

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How To Put Up A Coat Rack - The Complete Guide

If you don’t already have a wall mounted coat rack, summer is a great time to think about putting one up, before the big coats come out later in the year. This sort of job can seem arduous, which is why we’ve put together this step-by-step guide. This piece is about putting a manufactured coat rack up but if you’re looking to make your own from scratch, we do have woodworking tools to help with the Kreg range proving particularly popular.

What You’ll Need to Put Up a Coat Rack

The tools you’ll need for this job are similar to those you might use for other DIY projects around the home, such as putting up a curtain rail.

A combi drill
The correct drill bit for the kind of wall you’re working on – for example, a masonry drill bit if you’re drilling into brick. We have a comprehensive range of drill bits and accessories for virtually any project
A tape measure
A screwdriver - this could be either a cordless screwdriver and a hand tool
A level
A marking out tool, such as a pencil
Suitable fixings
Depending on the kind of wall you’re working with, you might need a detector to find the wall studs and help you avoid drilling into pipes or wires

READ MORE: Best Combi Drills For 2024

Stay Safe

Make sure the working environment is suitable and that you have enough room to carry out your task. You should also make sure you have suitable eye and face protection for the task – consider wearing safety glasses and a dust mask.

Fitting A Coat Rack - Step-By-Step Guide

If you’re drilling into a stud wall, start by using your detector to find the studs, as these will support your coat rack.
The next thing to do is measure up, to identify the height at which you want to place the coat rack and make sure it will fit into the space you’ve earmarked for it. Height is important because if you place the rack too low, coats will drag along the floor. Put it too high and it might be out of reach for some people. Coat racks are often found in restricted spaces such as behind a door; when putting anything up in that kind of environment, you should always make certain it won’t stop the door from opening or closing, especially when fully loaded.
Once you’ve checked your measurements and marked up where you will place the coat rack, use a level to make sure your positioning is spot-on. If your rack has been supplied with countersunk holes, mark up the position of these.
Now, it’s time to get your drill out. If you’ve already marked the position of the pilot holes, you can now make them. If your coat rack doesn’t have pre-drilled holes, start by making pilot holes in that, ideally using a countersink bit so the screws are less visible. Select a drill bit similar to the size to the screw to make the pilot holes for the wall anchors/plugs. Don’t over drill the holes or else the holes will be too big to secure the fixings. If you are drilling through a drywall, make sure the plugs/anchors are flush against the wall.
Now the pilot holes are ready, you can fix your coat rack to the wall using the screws supplied. Slowly tighten the screws as they go into the anchors, so you don’t overwork them and split the anchor.

Do I have to put my Coat Rack on the wall?

In some homes, mounting a coat rack on one side of a door can be a useful alternative to drilling into the wall. The key thing to remember here is to ensure that the anchors you’re using are short enough that they won’t go through the door. You can do this by holding the anchors up to the side of the door. It’s also worth thinking about the kind of door you have, as a solid wood door might be better suited to hanging coats than other types.

If you do hang a coat rack on your door, be careful not to overload it. Winter coats are heavy and if the total weight on the rack is greater than the anchors can support, the rack will come away, damaging the door.

READ NEXT: How To Put Up A Curtain Rail

ToolStore UK – here to help, no matter the project

Our passion is getting the #JobDone right first time, which is why we love sharing information as we have in this guide. Whether you want to know how to put up a shelf, put up wallpaper, wall mount your TV or change a plug socket, we have sensible, easy-to-follow advice.

We’re here to help, regardless of whether you’re starting your DIY journey or a trade professional in need of hard-working cordless power tools. If you have a question for our team, just hit the chat button at the bottom of the page. You can also send us a message, call 03330 043777 or come and see us. Our shop is within walking distance of both Wigan’s railway stations. It doesn’t matter how you get in touch, you’ll always get friendly, efficient and honest service from our fantastic team.