Balconies and loggias are an additional space of a modern apartment, which every owner tries to use with maximum utility and efficiency. These premises traditionally serve the majority of Russians for storing and storing all sorts of necessary things that do not have enough space in the apartment. Balconies and loggias are great for drying clothes.
What should be the clothesline for drying clothes on the balcony
The clothesline on the balcony is the easiest and most affordable device for the convenience of drying clothes. A few years ago they were tied to primitive nails or screws, they stretched, sagged, it looked unaesthetic and irritated. Today there are many types of clothesline, they are made from various materials, and for the convenience of their fastening there are many devices.
In terms of quality, all clothesline on the balcony must have high strength, be wear-resistant and not give in to stretching. Good, high-quality products in all weathers retain their appearance and technical characteristics, they do not crack in the cold, and in the heat they retain their size.
Sheathed steel cable - strong and long-lasting clothesline
A material such as a steel cable in a PVC sheath is perfect for clothesline functions. Manufacturers recommend using it for reliable fastening, the period of which is very long. The cable is quite flexible, and its extensibility is very low. The top coat will protect the metal from rust.
The clothesline on the balcony of this material will serve you for a very long time. No problems with sagging.
Jute - Environmentally Friendly Ropes
If you have a child in your apartment, then the best environmentally friendly devices for drying children's things are natural jute ropes. The jute rope seems graceful, but rather strong. It has a beautiful brown color, the so-called wood color, and fits perfectly into any interior. When wet, jute products do not sag and look flawless.
Plastic and polypropylene rope - a budget option
The clothesline on the balcony, the photo of which you see below, is made of plastic. It is produced specifically for drying clothes. For convenience, it is usually equipped with hooks. Such ropes are quite durable and inexpensive. Over time, they stretch a little, but without any problems they can be pulled again. Plastic ropes come in different colors and successfully fit into any interior design.
Ropes made of polypropylene fibers are also quite cheap and durable . They are also made in a wide range of colors, environmentally friendly, non-electrifying and very convenient to use.
Ordinary twisted rope is not the best option
Traditional twisted rope is usually made from soft yarn. For a long time it was widely used for drying clothes, but with the release of alternative materials superior in quality, this rope has lost its relevance. When wet, its fibers stretch and it sags easily. Twisted rope is easily contaminated. Dust settles on it and penetrates inside. Not only that, in a short time the twisted rope loses its appearance, but it also leaves a dirty mark on clean linen.
Modern manufacturers offer all kinds of clothesline on the balcony. Weigh the pros and cons and decide on the choice of material. It remains to figure out how to pull the clothesline on the balcony. Before answering this question, you should know that it can be strengthened both inside the balcony and outside.
External structures for drying clothes: save space
Recently, more and more often balconies and loggias are used for a study, a relaxation room, a winter garden and so on. In this case, drying clothes inside the balcony will be inappropriate, hanging things will interfere with movement. External mounts will save space and solve the problem.
In order to pull the ropes outside the balcony or loggia, you need a strong mount. On both sides with the help of bolts with a diameter of 8-10 mm, metal supports are installed - brackets to which profiles or corners with holes for tensioning the ropes are attached. This design should be made of thick stainless steel. In the absence of a stainless steel, you can take ordinary metal hire, pre-ground it and paint it to avoid corrosion.
External fastening of clothesline on the balcony is usually done at right angles to the wall. However, for greater convenience, it would be better to pull them up a little.
Getting to pulling the clothesline
The holes are drilled at a certain distance strictly opposite each other. You should know how to properly pull the clothesline on the balcony so that it does not sag. When pulling the rope, it does not need to be cut into pieces for each opposite hole. It will be much more convenient to blow the rope in a spiral in a snake, starting from the farthest hole and ending with the closest. Thus, you will need to tie only two knots.
When pulling the rope, you can use special rollers, clamps, rings - it’s just worth it to show a little imagination and effort.
Outdoor structures for drying clothes have their advantages - they save space, when drying things are blown with fresh air, but if the weather outside is bad, if you live on the ground floor or you have a main line outside the window, then using external drying of clothes becomes impossible.
Internal constructions. Wall mount
Drying clothes indoors has its advantages, the main one of which is that you can dry things at any time of the day, regardless of the weather. You can do this when you are not at home, they will not become dusty or saturated with the smell of smoke.
The simplest and most common mount is a wall mount. On both sides of the loggia or balcony, the same corners are attached with holes for the rope. Instead of corners, there may be hooks. Choose the height of the fastenings you need, pull the ropes - and the dryer is ready.
Modern manufacturers offer prefabricated prefabricated structures that can be mounted on the wall of a balcony or loggia. Factory dryers are convenient in that you do not need to invent anything yourself, the manufacturers took care of everything for you. In addition to the rope itself, the set contains all the elements for fasteners, bolts, anchors and a detailed guide on how to hang the clothesline on the balcony. The more advanced factory design of the wall dryer is inertial. A coil with a rope wound around it is located inside the dryer, which is mounted on any of the walls of the balcony. By pulling the rope and securing it to another wall, using a special hook, you can hang the laundry. When it dries, the rope hides back into place.
Ceiling construction "Liana"
The most successful version of internal dryers is the ceiling design "Liana". It is practical and very convenient, but you will have to tinker with its installation.
The design consists of two fasteners and several plastic or aluminum crossbars in which the ropes are threaded. Independently from each other, with the help of the roller mechanism, the crossbars can be lowered down and, hanging the laundry on them, released back.
The price of different manufacturers of such a ceiling dryer depends on the quality of the material from which it is made. The strength and carrying capacity of the structure are also reflected in the cost. However, even the most budget options will last you more than one year.
For those who prefer to dry things on their shoulders, a dryer has been developed that attaches to the ceiling. If you pull on the bottom element, it moves apart like an accordion and goes down. In the transverse rails there are special holes where the hangers are inserted and where the clothesline is pulled.
Balconies or loggias are often sheathed inside with plastic, wood or other material. To fix the ceiling or wall structure, you should first prepare a place for it, using an additional profile, securely attached to the wall or ceiling with long dowels or self-tapping screws.
The market for clothes drying accessories expands every year, designs and models are improving, but if you come to the imagination of making fasteners for clotheslines on a balcony with imagination, you can use your own hands to design an equally practical and convenient clothes dryer.