How would I mount a laundry drying rack that doesn't line up with the studs?

Question

Drying rack is going on the wall in the laundry room. It is 24" wide, studs are 16". Well one option would be to mount two rails on the studs, and mount the rack to the rails. Maybe use 1x2 furring strips. Not sure how finished this would look, or how much I care given it's in the laundry room.

Looking for other ideas or options. Sometimes I am not always sure what products are out there that can help. Thanks.

Worth noting, the rack comes with drywall screws for mounting, but I think with all of the loading and unloading, that is doomed to fail.

Answer 1

A picture would be helpful, but here's my recommendation.

1. Attach a long piece of wood to both of the studs and then attach the drying rack to that piece of wood. Could be a fun project to add a nice finish to the wood too.

2. Use a french cleat. These come pre-made in all sorts of different sizes. However, you can make one from 3/4" plywood (birch would look best, but is pricier), or a nice 1x3 piece of pine. just cut it lengthwise with a table saw or circular saw at a 45 degree angle.

The french cleat can span the entire length between two studs (where you can add more for different designs), or just on that single stud. These things are incredibly strong. I have a 8" french cleat holding my bike on the wall.

3. I would choose the prior two before drywall screws, but those are an option too. You may want to invest in some better drywall screws that have a higher load capacity than the ones that came with it.