Industrial pipe clothes rack: parts, assembly, 12 sizes and 3D model

The industrial pipe clothes rack, piece by piece

The industrial clothes rack is one of the great classics of our Annecy workshop: a frame built from genuine malleable cast iron fittings and 3/4" (20/27 mm) steel pipe, standing on two T-shaped feet, and just as at home in a shop as in an open-plan dressing room.

This page brings together everything there is to know about this model: the assembly video, the exact parts list to build it yourself, the overall dimensions of every size in black steel and in galvanised steel, and its 3D model to open in our 3D configurator. If you would rather receive it assembled and adjusted, it also comes ready to use in black cast iron or in a galvanised version.

The assembly on video

Less than a minute to see how the build works, from unpacking the parts to the final tightening:

Anatomy of the rack: a closed frame

The structure is a closed rectangle — top rail, two uprights, bottom stretcher — standing on two T-shaped feet. Each foot is built around a 4-way tee distributor: the upright screws into the vertical outlet, the stretcher into the side outlet, and two short pipes capped with small radius elbows form the bearing points on the floor.

The detail that changes everything sits at the top corners: union elbows, not ordinary elbows. On a closed frame, an ordinary elbow simply cannot be screwed home at the last corner: geometrically, you would have to turn a pipe that is already screwed in at both ends. The free-spinning nut of the union elbow solves the problem: you offer up the rail, then tighten the nut without turning any pipe. Our 3D configurator in fact confirms it automatically when you rebuild this assembly: "Closed loop feasible: fig. 96 allows the final tightening". To understand this principle in depth, read our guide Closing a threaded plumbing loop.

The parts list to build it yourself

Eight fittings and eight pipes, all in 3/4" (20/27 mm). The same parts list applies to black cast iron and to galvanised cast iron — only the finish changes.

Full parts list (size 3/4" – 20/27 mm)

Part	Qty	Black version	Galvanised version
Union elbow F/F Top corners — these are what let you close the frame	2	View product	View product
4-way tee distributor The hub of each foot	2	View product	View product
Small radius elbow 90° F/F Ends of the feet, resting on the floor	4	View product	View product
Threaded pipe — hanging rail 1000 to 2000 mm depending on the width	1	View product	View product
Threaded pipes — uprights 1000 to 1500 mm depending on the height	2
Threaded pipe — bottom stretcher Same length as the hanging rail	1
Threaded pipes — feet 150 mm	4

As a guide, buying the parts separately costs around €100 for the 112 × 110 cm and up to around €156 for the largest 162 × 210 cm in black cast iron (allow a few euros more in galvanised). The exact price of any configuration is shown live in the 3D configurator, where the complete assembly goes into the cart in one click.

Step-by-step assembly

No welding, no special tools: everything screws together by hand, with an adjustable spanner used only for the final tightening. Allow 20 to 30 minutes.

Finishes: lacquered black steel or galvanised

Two finishes, two approaches — and one important difference between the assembled rack and the separate parts.

Ready-to-use rack: lacquered in the workshop

On the assembled black cast iron version, our Annecy workshop applies a clear satin lacquer once the rack is built: it protects the steel and fixes the anthracite grey tone the steel already has. Material on show, soft reflections, a strong contrast with the clothes — and nothing left for you to do. Recommended indoors — dressing room, bedroom, shop.

Black separate parts: bare, finish up to you

The black steel pipes and black cast iron fittings sold individually are bare and unlacquered. After assembly, apply a clear matt or satin lacquer (two coats from a spray can are enough) or a paint, depending on the look you are after.

Galvanised cast iron & hot-dip galvanised steel

Bare zinc, a slightly iridescent silvery look, no added coating — and no finish to apply, neither assembled nor as separate parts. Galvanising gives lasting protection against corrosion: it is the choice for storerooms, back-of-shop areas, utility rooms and damper spaces — or simply for an unapologetic "galv" look. To choose between the two families, our comparison Black cast iron, galvanised or brass sets out the differences, and the guide Black steel vs galvanised pipes covers the pipe side.

Overall dimensions: all 12 sizes in detail

The rack comes in 3 heights and 4 widths. The rule is simple: overall width ≈ rail length + 9 cm (the two union elbows overhang on either side) and overall height ≈ upright length + 12 cm (feet and union elbows included). The depth on the floor is the same for every size: about 43 cm, which makes for excellent stability.

Why only 6 sizes in galvanised? There is no 1200 mm galvanised pipe as a standard length in our catalogue, so the 132 heights and the 130 widths are reserved for black steel. The 112 cm height is perfect for a child's bedroom or under a sloping ceiling; 162 cm is the classic shop height.

The 3D model in our configurator

We rebuilt this rack part by part in our 3D configurator, from scans of the real fittings. You can examine it from every angle, switch between black cast iron and galvanised, read off the exact footprint (W × D × H), the weight and the price in real time — then add the complete assembly to the cart in one click.

Nothing to download: each link opens the configurator with the assembly already loaded, ready to be examined from every angle, modified (lengths, finish, parts) and added to the cart in one click. The "direct cart" link, meanwhile, drops the 16 separate parts of the chosen size straight into your cart, without going through the 3D configurator.

Once the project is open, everything remains editable: pipe lengths, finish, extra parts. It is the best way to check a size outside the range before ordering.

Ready to use, extensions and the wall-mounted version

Not keen on picking up a spanner? The rack also comes assembled, adjusted and checked in the workshop, shipped ready to load:

Industrial clothes rack — black cast iron, 12 sizes Industrial galvanised clothes rack — 6 sizes Simple clothes rack — black steel Simple galvanised clothes rack Wall-hung clothes rack — dressing room & shop Straight extension for the simple rack Angle extension for the simple rack

Got a load-bearing wall to work with? The wall-mounted version is just as easy to build using flange fittings. And if you would rather put together a completely different rack — double rail, castors, low shelf — our general tutorial on the industrial clothes rack runs through every possible variation.

Frequently asked questions