We are Paddy and Mona from pamo. Design and have made it our mission to ensure that everyone can afford individual furniture solutions in the urban industrial design of a New York loft. Because we also want our home to reflect our individuality.
Whether walk-in closet, clothes rail from the ceiling or a simple rod in a niche. Our tutorial explains what material and tools you need and shows you with the help of many images, how you can build our clothes rail "Kim" yourself.
THE CREATION OF THE KIM II CLOTHES RAIL FROM WATER PIPES
When planning for our first clothes rail for our own use, the KIM series was born. The double version in the bedroom (Kim II) was quickly expanded due to more available space.
We also explain you the structure of the double version as an example. This is perfect for hanging jackets or coats with two horizontal tubes made of malleable cast iron.
Easily Kim II clothes rail can be extended with additional horizontal tubes - even afterwards.
These are the tools and materials you'll need for your custom clothes rail:
Tools:
- Metal saw
- ¾“ Thread cutter
- Pipe vice / pipe wrench
- Deburrer / file
- Drill
- Screwdriver
- Folding rule / tape measure
- Pen
With these tools and our DIY clothes rod building tutorial, you can build your own custom clothes rod.
Depending on how much space you have or need, you can choose between the 1-slot, 2-slot and 3-slot version of the KIMs.
On the right you will find the components and the dimensions for the different versions. In our example and our instruction we build the 2-part version.
The following components/temperature cast fittings are required (Please select the needed number from the specifications of the chosen version).
There are 3 different variants, single, double or triple. Choose your matching version!
BUILET LIST | Build your own clothes rail
A - plate
B - Adhesive pads (stick under the plates to protect the floor from scratches - cut a silicone adhesive mat to size or buy ready-made felt glides and stick them under the plates)
C - 4 L pieces
D - cross of 4
E - 90° angle
F - connecting piece
G - 3/4 " tube, thickness 1.3-1.5mm, 250 mm long
H - 3/4 " tube, thickness 1.3-1.5 mm, We have used 2 x 930 mm long pieces for the feet and connected them with component F - connecting piece to be more flexible. But you could also omit the connecting piece and simply cut a 1860 mm long tube.
I/J - screws (preferably black) and dowels. Screw each plate to the wall with at least 2 screws.
WHERE CAN I GET THE PARTS?
We initially looked around Bauhaus and found the right parts, but unfortunately they are relatively expensive. We therefore recommend ordering the parts online.
You can also find the individual parts in our DIY shop.
You won't find the tubes in matt black as shown in the picture. These have been specially coated in raw matt black, scratch-resistant.
Firstly for the beautiful look and so that the coat hangers don't scratch the surface. Clearly a matter of taste! More about the surface later in the blog.
Once you have all the necessary parts and tools together, you can start building. First of all, measure the pipes to the correct length. The number of pipes required can be found in the list above.
Then measure the pipes with a folding rule and mark the lengths with a pencil.
Now it's time to saw off the pipe sections. Before you start sawing, you should make sure that all lengths have been measured and marked correctly. For sawing, clamp the pipes in a vice and make sure the cut is at a right angle. We also use special plastic jaws for clamping pipes, firstly to avoid damaging the surface and secondly to be able to clamp the pipe correctly in the first place.
Once all the pipe sections are the right length, deburr the ends of the pipes with a deburrer or file. Deburring means that you remove any parts that protrude on the inside or outside. The cleaner you do this, the easier the next step, tapping, will be.
If you do not grind off the burrs cleanly and evenly, the later thread will be skewed and you will have difficulty screwing the pipes together.
Follow these steps:
1. Using plastic clamping jaws and a solid vice, clamp the pipe straight and tight
2. Saw the pipe to size.
3. Use a simple deburrer for pipes to make the next steps easier.
Thread cutting is the most difficult part of the build. When tapping, pay close attention to making sure you place the ¾" tap as squarely as possible on the end of the pipe. Then carefully turn it clockwise. After a half turn, turn the tap back a quarter turn to break the chip and make it easier to continue threading.
For tapping, be sure to clamp the pipe in the vise and lubricate the tap with a drop of oil to reduce friction. After 4 to 5 complete turns, you've done it. Simply unscrew the tap counterclockwise again and you're done. Repeat this process until all tubes are threaded at both ends.
A cheap 3/4" tap is available in hardware stores or on Amazon.de from about 39.95 EUR. In addition, necessarily directly get cutting oil (about 8-10 EUR / can), because extreme forces and friction arise when cutting a 3/4 inch thread.
4. For a secure hold and straight thread cutting, simply clamp the pipe in a vice. It is important that the tap is set up straight.
5. With a little oil, thread cutting is easier because the friction is reduced and a clean thread can be cut.
6. After 1/2-1 turn, turn the tap back 1/4 turn to break the chip. After 4 to 5 complete turns, unscrew the tap counterclockwise again.
Before assembling, however, it is now about the appearance of your clothes rail. Here you have several options.
Either leave all the pipes as they are, paint them a matching color, or have a professional coat them matte black. The latter will probably give the best result.
We chose the coating from the professional because it just gives a super nice finish and lasts longer.
Uncoated and coated tube for your clothes rail in comparison. On the left the "Raw" version.
On the right our "Raw Black" version matt black coated.
Before assembling, check again whether all threads of the pipes and fittings are free of coatings and varnishes. If they are not, re-cut the threads with the tap. To do this, simply clamp the coated/painted pipe carefully in the vise. Here either use plastic jaws or clamp a cloth to protect the surface between the pipe and the vice (no cutting oil used here).
. ADVANTAGES:
Nicer clean look
Matte black surface
Scratch resistant even with sharp-edged hangers
Paint also holds very well on the fittings (With self-painted parts, this often comes off)
Oil free surface
DISADVANTAGES:
High cost
Elaborate
After all parts are finished, the final assembly of the clothes rail can start. Here in the example, the 2-compartment version is built. But simply adjust the respective number according to the variant. You can also download our Assembly instructions of the individual models.
8. Screw the feet together. Screw 2 long tubes together with a connector and a plate. Do not forget to use carpet glides on the lower side of the plate.
9. 5x Screw plates onto short 250mm water pipes.
10. Screw an additional 90° angle piece onto each of 3 of the 5 rods.
11. Screw the upper part together. Screwing the individual parts together is best done on a carpet to avoid scratches on the floor.
12. Finally, screw the feet to the top and put the clothes rail against the wall - ideally with 2 people.
13. simply put clothes rail on the wall and mark corresponding drill holes on the plates.
14. Tip the clothes rail back onto the floor and drill the corresponding holes for the dowels. Push the dowels into the holes.
15. Lean the clothes rail back against the wall and screw in the screws (preferably black screws). Now unscrew the feet and brace them against the floor for extra stability. Done!
The beauty of your new clothes rail made of tubes is their easy changeability. Especially after moves, it can quickly happen that old furniture no longer fits and must be replaced with new.
Add more crossbars to your existing clothes rail or change the length of the crossbars to alter the dimensions. Below we show you several ideas on how to expand the DIY.
The dimensions of the clothes rail are chosen so that a standard wardrobe (eg IKEA MALM dresser) fits perfectly between them. This creates a real space miracle with numerous storage options for clothes and accessories.
Furthermore, the clothes rail is extremely stable thanks to the strong ¾" inch tubes. Due to the flexible tube- & screw-system, the complete clothes rail can be easily extended or reduced.
In our shop you can find ready-made kits and inspiring ideas for your project. You can find the three "Raw Black" variations described above below.
Of course, you can change the dimensions of the KIM right from the start and adapt it individually to your free space. You can either change the height or width by sawing the required tubes. The self-made clothes rail can also be adjusted afterwards.
To do this, re-cut the threaded pipe on one side and repeat the steps of deburring cutting a thread. Due to the high compatibility of the bars and the simplicity of construction, the clothes rail can be used in ever new variations.
By adding another crossbar, you can create even more space to hang your clothes. Depending on the model you have chosen in the DIY, up to 3 crossbars can be added afterwards.
For this you need to repeat the steps of sawing the tubes, deburr and cut a thread. Choose the same length of the already used crossbars of 930mm.
To install the additional crossbar for the DIY clothes rail, 2x T-piece connectors are required. These are used instead of the F - connectors to allow screwing in the additional water pipes.
This crossbar can serve as a middle additional bars on one the side you prefer, but you can also add an additional crossbar to all the sides - depending on what fits best in your home.
You would like to complement the clothes rail DIY with boards, so you can easily store pants or shoes? Then add matching boards to the tubes for an industrial design made of wood and metal.
In our DIY Shop we offer matching sets, with which you can supplement your self-made clothes rail from pipes with shelves. Of course, you can also choose a suitable piece of wood at the hardware store.
Make sure that it is stable enough to hold the weight of your clothes.
