A ceiling-mounted clothes dryer is one of the necessary things for those who live in apartments and do not have the opportunity to dry washed clothes outside. A design installed on the ceiling will not only help you place a large number of things for drying, but will also save useful space. But are drying devices always convenient?
Installation method
Depending on the installation method, a clothes dryer on a balcony can be:
- ceiling;
- wall;
- floor;
- mounted
Various in type, mounting, volume and design
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The installation features of each model are clear from the names. Only clarification may be required regarding wall-mounted clothes dryers. They are usually small in size - 60-100 cm long, with 3-6 ropes/beams (pictured).
Wall-mounted clothes dryer for the balcony
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They are equipped with two or three large-diameter hooks, which allow you to hook the structure to horizontal partitions, for example, to a balcony railing. They can be placed indoors or outdoors, so the option is mobile and convenient. You just need to find a place for storage or make loops on the wall that you can hook onto a wall-mounted clothes dryer.
Types of dryers
Balcony dryers come in two types: external and internal.
The difference between them is that the first ones are mounted outside the balcony on two slats and are convenient to use if the balcony is not glazed, as they save space, but when it rains, the laundry gets wet and you have to dry it again.
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Also, dust and smog flying in the open air are more likely to stick to wet laundry.
The second option is usually placed on a glazed balcony and is convenient because clothes dry quickly on indoor dryers in any weather.
Ceiling models
Clothes dryers mounted on the ceiling of a balcony or loggia are one of the most popular models. They consist of two slats with crossbars or ropes attached to them, on which laundry is hung.
There are two main types of ceiling dryers for balconies:
- With independent suspension of each bar. The most popular models in this group are called “Liana” and GIMI Lift. This is the same design, it’s just that the manufacturers are Russian (Liana) or foreign. They are easy to use, as they allow you to lower and raise one bar at a time, and place them at different heights. Clothes dryer with ceiling mounting
- Single suspension for the entire structure. Several crossbars (from 2 to 6) are mounted on telescopic hangers. They can only be lowered and raised together.
The second option is easier to install, has a lower cost, but is less convenient. All planks are at the same height. This makes it difficult for laundry that is located closer to the wall or in the middle rows to dry. The second point: it is not so easy to lift a dryer loaded with wet laundry.
This is a “Liana” with a ceiling mount
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Free-hanging dryers are a little more difficult to install. All crossbars are attached to two slats on the ceiling, but each of them has a rope, which allows you to lower/raise the rods for hanging laundry. So during installation, in addition to installing the crossbars on the ceiling, you also have to attach a plank to the nearby wall on which the ropes are fixed. The crossbars in ceiling dryers of this type can be made of plastic, steel coated with powder enamel (Gimi) or aluminum (Liana). You can find wooden crossbars from other manufacturers, but those listed above are represented by a large number of models.
Peculiarities
"Liana" consists of ceiling brackets and a wall bracket. The ropes are passed through movable rollers on the brackets and hold the crossbar on which the laundry is hung. The free ends of the ropes are fixed in a wall holder and regulate the raising and lowering of the crossbar. Despite minor design differences, all Liana ceiling dryers operate on the same principle.
Liana ceiling dryer equipment:
- Locking bar (side bracket);
- 2 ceiling brackets;
- Set of rods;
- Ropes, 2 for each rod (short and long).
Liana can be installed not only on the balcony. If the apartment is on the ground floor, it is often installed in the bathroom and even in the hallway.
Wall models
The most famous model is a wall-mounted clothes dryer for a balcony with twine attached to opposite walls. In homemade versions, hooks are driven into the wall or a strip is attached to which the same hooks are attached (these can be nails bent upwards). There are strings/thin ropes stretched between these hooks. This is a long-known option. Far from the most aesthetic, but the cheapest and very common.
An improved and refined option is a clothes dryer for the balcony with twisting ropes. It consists of two parts: a stationary one, which is attached to one of the walls, and a mobile one, which we attach to the opposite wall before hanging the laundry, and remove it when it is dry and removed.
Compact balcony clothes dryer mounted on the wall
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There are several more designs of wall-mounted clothes dryers for balconies and loggias. They have one thing in common - they are mounted on corner or T-shaped brackets. And in structure they can be very different. For small amounts of laundry, folding wall-mounted dryers on the balcony are convenient. When folded, they do not clutter up the space, unfold and fold easily - you just need to pull the outer bar and you can hang your laundry. The model is also easy to fold - just press the outermost bar towards the wall. Everything folds into a compact rectangle.
Folding wall-mounted clothes dryer for the balcony
These dryers have one drawback: when closed, you can’t hang anything on them. And you can only unfold them entirely - you can’t pull out one or two slats.
Also, folding wall-mounted dryers do not clutter up the space. They are a frame with tensioned ropes or installed rods. The frame is movably mounted directly on the wall or in the housing. It can be fixed with stops, strips, chains. If you want to make a clothes dryer for your balcony with your own hands, these are the simplest, most reliable and compact models.
The designs are very simple, easy to do with your own hands
If necessary, it is tilted back, the angle of inclination is determined by the side holders - thrust bars, but there are models with thick tapes.
There is also a wall-mounted version of the “Liana” described above. In this case, the bracket to which the strips are attached is fixed on the wall higher, the strip with the adjustment threads is on the same wall, but lower.
Drying "Liana" in a wall-mounted version
When installing wall-mounted models of clothes dryers, it is advisable to mount them using all the holes that are in the brackets. Then we can hope that even when loaded to the maximum, they will not fall.
Buying Tips
First of all, buyers look at the price and the name of the manufacturer. This data, of course, plays a big role, but first of all you need to decide on the following economic and technical parameters:
- Number of things. If the family is small, then there is no point in purchasing structures with a large number of strings, and purchasing a vine will be an unnecessary waste of money, because all its capabilities will not be used.
- Load capacity. If you have terry bedding sets or other heavy textiles at home, you should choose a stronger dryer. Manufacturers of clothes dryers always indicate the maximum weight of wet clothes their product can withstand. And the weight of the laundry can always be approximately calculated by loading the automatic machine. When purchasing a hanging dryer, the load capacity must be taken into account with a small “margin”.
- How to hang. Installation is always done with your own hands, and before purchasing you should consider your experience with various tools or whether it is possible to turn to friends or relatives for help. Contacting a specialized company can cost about the same as a hanging dryer.
- Quality of material. Hard surfaces must be coated with anti-corrosion protection or made of stainless steel. It is necessary to pay attention to both the strength of the linen string and the thickness of the rope: thin strings, popular among many housewives, on bulky items when drying leave deep indentations that are difficult to smooth out with an iron. It is better to choose a medium thickness.
- Possibility of replacing parts. There are almost never any difficulties with this. Sometimes only inexperienced craftsmen may encounter difficulties when repairing wall-ceiling dryers.
After all the requirements for choosing are met, you can pay attention to the manufacturer’s brand and price. If you want the purchased item to serve for a long time, then it is better to purchase products from well-known manufacturers. In this case, the price will be slightly higher, but you can get a quality guarantee.
The temptingly low price indicated under a product of a well-known brand should not please, but be alarming: this is either a product that has been discounted due to an identified defect, or it was assembled not in the company’s workshops, but in other, cheaper workshops.
Ceiling-mounted clothes dryers, compared to floor-mounted or wall-mounted ones, take up little space, allow you to dry even large items and almost do not interfere with the aesthetic appearance of the bathroom or balcony. If you clean them from dirt in a timely manner, do not exceed the recommended load capacity and replace small parts if necessary, then the structure will serve for many years.
Floor installation
This group does not require installation at all, but to save space, floor-mounted clothes dryers are usually made foldable. For the most part, they are made from thin metal pipes coated with powder paint. More expensive models can be made of stainless steel, but there are also wooden ones. The latter are mostly homemade. In any case, wooden ones are rare in our stores.
Different models and materials
In any more or less large store, there will be models with folding legs and folding sides. Moreover, there are both simple models and those with electric heating. In this case, a low-power heating element is built inside the tubes on which the laundry is hung. If you touch the tube while the heater is operating, it will feel pleasantly warm, but not hot, so there will be no harm to even the most delicate fabrics.
Flooring options for every taste and color
Selection options
A clothes dryer for a balcony is selected not only by design, but also by parameters:
- number of rods and their length;
- rod material;
- bracket material.
Everything is clear from the materials. The best, but also the most expensive, is stainless steel. Just don't confuse it with chrome steel. As a rule, chrome plating wears off very quickly, after which the metal begins to rust. Ordinary powder-coated steel behaves quite well, but only if the technology was not violated during painting. Otherwise, rusty spots will also appear.
The combined option is very good: the load-bearing parts of the structure are made of powder-coated steel, and the lintels on which clothes are hung are made of plastic. This type of dryer can be called optimal in terms of price/quality ratio. Modern plastics are a fairly durable material that can withstand the load of laundry, it is not very expensive and does not change its performance characteristics for a long time. But in load-bearing structures, especially at the junction of the legs of folding floor models, the presence of plastic is undesirable. This is still too much of a load for plastic.
In places marked with arrows, the presence of plastic is not the best option
The set of characteristics will determine how convenient or not it is to use a particular model. For example, for drying bed linen, rods at least 2 meters long are optimal. In this case, any part of the double set can be hung without folding.
Outdoor clothes dryer for a balcony or loggia
The amount of laundry that can be hung at one time is determined by the total length of the rods. It is usually in the description, but if not, then you can multiply the number of rods by the length. So we get the same characteristic. Here, of course, the larger the number, the more laundry you can hang. But, on the other hand, the more space on the balcony or loggia will need to be allocated for the dryer.
Automatic electric dryer
Equipped with remote control and lighting. Operating voltage is 220 V. This is an excellent option for anyone who is able to buy such an achievement of technology. It is raised and lowered by a control unit mounted on the wall or by a remote control.
Pros of an electric dryer
This device is significantly superior to other dryers in terms of ease of use and mobility. Its advantages:
- The ability to serve as a device for lighting a balcony due to the presence of a built-in lamp.
- Compact size, able to fit into any interior.
- The materials for the production of telescopic rods are aluminum or stainless steel.
- Engine protection from overheating, presence of a switch-off sensor.
- The presence of height adjustment, as well as hooks that prevent hanging things from collecting in a heap, even in the event of strong wind.
- Ability to withstand loads up to 35 kg.
- The height of the folded electric dryer is 30 cm, unfolded – no more than 14 cm.
- The range includes 3 colors: silver, white, champagne.
- Resistance to temperature fluctuations. Ability to work in the temperature range -25…+40.
- The booms can fold up to 125 cm and extend up to 2 m.
- Items are hung using built-in hooks.
- Resistant to wind gusts and impacts.
Photos of interesting ideas
A clothes dryer can also be original and interesting.
There are models that are convenient and compact, and there are those that surprise with the presence of technical bells and whistles. In general, interesting models are presented below. An idea for attaching ropes when installing a clothes dryer on the balcony yourself
Folding brackets may vary
Compact option
One of the ceiling mounting models
Column dryer
Convenient and safe drying of “serious” things
Models built into furniture
Gimi Spider model - resembles a huge spider
The simplest version of a homemade clothes dryer on a loggia
With hairdryer, light and remote control...
Original and interesting model
Electric dryers
A special place in the line of clothes dryers is occupied by devices with electric drying. They can be used for any type of loggia, both open and closed.
Things hung on such a dryer dry quickly at any air humidity.
