Screwing something into thin divider walls

[BeatsWorkin]

I need to hang a closet rod over the length of my upper bunk which is never used and I plan to turn into storage. I have a good wooden rod and the hardware which includes 3 small screws for attaching each end.



The screws will go into the thin (1-inch?) divider wall that connects the bunk area to the entertainment center on the other side. These panels have a laminate-like wall covering on each side and I'm not sure there is anything inside the wall to hold a closet rod that will be carrying a little weight over the long term.

I'm tempted to overengineer it, using small bolts and nuts and go entirely through the wall to secure it, perhaps even using a small, thin disk of wood on each side to help distribute the weight.

Of course, this method will work on the divider wall, but won't help me on the other end, which is the back wall of the trailer. Are there studs in the walls that can be screwed into? Will a regular stud finder work to find them?

Any thoughts, ideas, comments will be greatly appreciated. If you have a method that worked for you, even better!

[Cirrob]

I've read that using a right gun (the kind that pull and smash the back of a right in place) is the best option.

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[Cirrob]

Sorry. Rivet gun

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[Sundancer330]

I saw a picture with something similar where they used the 3M Command large hooks and drilled a hole in the rod so it would slip over the hook to hold it in place. This way no holes are drilled and they are easily removed and will hold a good amount of weight.

[TWP723]

We used a tension rod in the slideout wardrobe and it works great.

[RogerR]

Consider running a 1 x 3 or similar size from one side to the other then mounting the rod hanger on that. If you can find the studs secure the cross piece to them with longer screws.

Hanging clothes sway back and forth while driving and need a little more to secure the rod than the static load when parked.

[Kim Gass]

be very sure you won't hit wiring.

[hoppers4]

You could also consider drywall screws like those used to hang pictures on drywall. I would only use one of those and then very carefully screw in two of the provided screws to keep it straight.

[DMRGMC]

You can glue wooden blocks made from plywood, spruce or pine, 5/8" or 3/4" thick on to the wall surface with a product called no more nails, a caulking type adhesive and then you will know for sure what you are anchoring in to. They could be square like a rosette or round like the rod support fittings. At the most you lose 1 1/2" in the length of the rod. Not sure what the narrow interior wall is made of but it probably has a core that might strip if you over torque the screws. Then you will have to fill the holes with wood/glue and re drill.

[wags999]

Originally Posted by RogerR

Consider running a 1 x 3 or similar size from one side to the other then mounting the rod hanger on that. If you can find the studs secure the cross piece to them with longer screws.

Hanging clothes sway back and forth while driving and need a little more to secure the rod than the static load when parked.

X2 I agree and yes there are studs and a standard stud finder should work. But actually you can feel them by pushing on the wall.

[BeatsWorkin]

Thanks to everyone for the feedback. I greatly appreciate it.

I thought about Command hooks, but I haven't had the best luck with them staying stuck on those particular panel walls, which have a bit of texture to them.

I certainly understand that swaying clothing would be an issue, but I only intend to use it when parked to hang those cloth shelves that hold shoes and sweaters and such in a closet. When I'm traveling, I have very few items of clothing that need to be hung up rather than folded.

Normally, I'd consider a tension rod, but the length of the closet rod will be 76 inches and that's just too long to hold up, especially when the walls have some give to them because they are so thin.

At this point, I'm leaning towards using a 1 by 3 on each end and screwing them into what studs there are. There seems to be only two studs, one on each end of the divider panel, but that should be enough. I have yet to check for studs on the back wall but I'm betting it's beefier than the internal divider.

Wish me luck! I will try to post a photo when I've finished, but that may be a couple of weeks from now.

Thanks again for all the great responses!