How to Re-String a Clothesline

Written By George Mylne  |  Home & DIY  |  0 Comments

If your clothesline cord snaps or is sagging, replacing it is an easy job that takes very little time. It is the same process whether you are a rotary or folding clothesline.

In this blog, I will take you through the steps I did when restringing my wall-mounted clothesline. I have to do it as the old clothesline cord snapped in several places.

What you will need

The tools and materials you will need to replace your existing clothesline cord you will be:

  • New clothesline cord, and
  • A pair of wire cutters or something similar that can cut through the wire (as the clothesline cord is a rubber-coated wire).

Make sure you measure out how much cord you will need so you buy a pack that has enough cord.

Next, follow the steps below on how to replace your clothesline cord.

How remove and replace clothesline cord with a new one

  1. Prepare for restringing the clothesline

    Before you start, you will need to gather the tools and materials required for this job. You will need:
    1. A wire cutter. This will help remove the existing clothesline cord and trim any excess cord off the new line.
    2. Replacement clothesline cord.

  2. Remove the existing clothesline cord

    Using your wire cutters, cut all of the clothesline cords that you are wanting to remove. This is much easier than trying to feed it back through the holes.

    Once all of the cord is cut, remove it from the line.

    Make note of which hole the clothesline cord started so you can start stringing the cord from there.

  3. Tie a starting knot

    The first step in stringing up your clothesline with a new cord is to feed the start of the cord through the first hole and tie it off.

    You can use any knot to tie this off. I just used a double granny knot. Do not overthink it, as long as it holds and does not come loose. Over time the sun will heat up the cord and it will become a very tight knot.

  4. Pull the new cord through loosely

    Pull and feed your new clothesline cord through the holes in the frame.

    There is no need to start pulling the line tight until it is pulled through all of the holes.

  5. Pull the cord tight

    Once you have fed the clothesline cord through the whole clothesline frame, you can go back to the start and pull the cord tight.

    Work your way along, pulling the cord tight, until you finish it all.

  6. Lock the clothesline cord

    Once you are happy that the clothesline cord is pulled tightly through the whole clothesline, you can lock it off using the mechanism on the clothesline frame.

    If your clothesline cord doesn’t have a mechanism that can lock the cord off and keep it tight, then you will have to do a knot like a truckers knot, or something similar. Here is a video on YouTube that explains how to tie a truckers knot.

  7. Trim the excess cord

    Once you have locked off or tied off your cord, and you have successfully tested your clothesline, you can trim the excess cord.

    For me, I left approximately 15 centimeters of cord, so if I ever need to re-tension the cord, I have something that I am able to pull. I wrap the excess around the clothesline frame in a couple of half-hitch knots.

    Otherwise if you want, you can trim the cord off neat to the frame.

Tools:

  • Wire cutters

Materials: Clothesline cord

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