Anchoring a Bathroom robe hook to hollow core door

The new Bthroom robe hook we just received comes in two parts. The internal part came with three plastic anchors, each 2 1/2" long obviously designed to hang it on dry wall and secure the outer part to it. But there isn't room in our situation and we need the hook to go on the back side of a hollow core door. I'm not quite sure just how I want to do this. We're tall people and our Turkish bath robes have some weight to them. I've cut apart a hollow core door and seen diagrams of them and I'm a little "antsy" about what to substitute for the 2 1/2" plastic anchors. Any suggestions?

I know its not fine woodworking but I would use toggle bolts. I would have said 'Molly' bolts but upon reflection decided that the 'wings would not be long enough to allow as much weight bearing as toggle bolts. I would get the widest wings I could that will still go through the door panel and not hit the opposite side panel.

George

Yea,

I guess toggle bolts are the "best answer" here. My wife was surprised they sent that type of hardware as she said "Everyone mounts them on doors, they should have sent hardware for mounting them on doors!" Apparently not as the plastic anchors they sent certainly weren't for a door.

Off to HD for some toggle bolts.

Thanks

Also, mount the hooks as close to the top of the door as possible. There should be a "real wood" top rail that will be anywhere from 3/4" to 1 1/2" wide. You might be able to get a screw into that but, if not, the 1/8" door skin will be more rigid closer to the rail.

Here is what I did... Bought a large wood knob and faced the rounded front flat. I glued the knob to the door and screwed the robe hook to the knob. Now there is enough surface area so that the robe hook won't tear the door skin, even with heavy robes.

Why not use a wreath hanger? They hook to the top of the door (door still closes)...

That's what we use.

Replace with a solid-core door. Doesn't have to be solid wood -- they make solid MDF doors milled to look like they have panels. Use the old door as a template for mounting the hinges.

I don't think even toggle bolts will work great with a hollow core door. The "skins" are pretty thin.

JW

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Originally Posted by Don Morris

The new Bthroom robe hook we just received comes in two parts. The internal part came with three plastic anchors, each 2 1/2" long obviously designed to hang it on dry wall and secure the outer part to it. But there isn't room in our situation and we need the hook to go on the back side of a hollow core door. I'm not quite sure just how I want to do this. We're tall people and our Turkish bath robes have some weight to them. I've cut apart a hollow core door and seen diagrams of them and I'm a little "antsy" about what to substitute for the 2 1/2" plastic anchors. Any suggestions?

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I have had very good luck with the Toggler brand anchors in thin material such as doors. You can get them for different thickness material. The Home Depot sells them, maybe Lowes also...
http://www.toggler.com/products_hwm.html

"Replace with a solid-core door..."

Best idea yet.....

"...The "skins" are pretty thin...."

Amen.....

Run a piece of lumber from one side of the door to the other. Near the ends, screw it into the door's frame. In the middle, hang your hook.

(BTW, I use this trick to hang heavy stuff on walls, when the homeowner needs me to put the heavy stuff between the studs. The bridge screws to the studs. The mirror or whatever fastens to the bridge.)

Plasplugs makes hollow door anchors.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jamie Buxton

Run a piece of lumber from one side of the door to the other. Near the ends, screw it into the door's frame. In the middle, hang your hook.

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Similar concept to a french cleat, except the object rides on top, not screwed in. All about the load distribution into the wall/door!

Don,

I had the same problem. Buying a solid core door was not an option, because I couldn't match the other existing doors and make SWMBO happy. Three possible solutions. The hard way, is to remove the solid top rail that forms the core of the door. You are cutting down into the door from the top. This opening should be the entire distance between the two skins. Be careful not to damage the skins. Insert a piece of 2 X ? (2 X 6, or 2 X 8) planned to the thickness of the door between the skins, and glue it securely. Be certain that the width of your 2 X ? goes deep enough down into the door to provide an anchor for your hooks from the outside. Also be certain that the 2 X ? is re-anchored securly to the side rails as it was before you started. If not, it will greatly reduce the strength of your door. This may seem a little drastic, but I once had to cut a 36" door to fit a 18" frame, and thought it would be nearly impossible to reassemble it securely, but it was really very easy, and took only a few minutes. Medthod 2. Cut or buy a square (or any other shape) piece of wood about 3/4" thich, that is at least 9sq inches. Glue this to the skin of your door (remove any paint under the area to be glued), and screw your hooks into this plate. This will cause an increase in the depth behind the door, and it could hit the wall before the door stop catches it, so be careful. Over time, the weight of the robes can still cause this to pull and distort the door skin. The third solution, is to buy over the door wreath style hooks for bathrobes. I got some at "The Container Store", but I'm sure "Linens and Things" or "Bed Bath and Beyond" or other stores of this type will have them. I'm lazy. I chose door number 3. Good Luck.

Brian