Hanging spice rack on hollow core door

[David Utterback]

I would like to hang an oak spice rack to a hollow core door. The interior construction of the 6-panel door is a mystery to me. Are their any interior rails or stiles or is it a rectangular frame with Masonite sheet attached? Our house was constructed in 1992 and I would assume the doors are the low-priced contractor grade.

Thanks for any guidance you can provide.
David

[Dave Richards]

Typically hollow core doors have a web of corrugated cardboard inside (http://makeitmissoula.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/spacers.jpg). Nothing to really attach screws to, though. You could probably use some toggle type anchors but I would be inclined to make some aluminum or brass brackets that go up to the top of the door. Screw them to the back of the spice rack and to the top of the door.

I guess it depends on whether or not you care about putting holes in the skin of the door. Personally, I would want to make it as reversible as possible.

[Lee Schierer]

You can use the expanding hollow wall type fasteners for 1/4" material. They will hold your spice rack with no problem.
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[Frederick Skelly]

Got one on a hollow core door at my folks'. Builder glued a 1/4" MDF back on it and then stuck it to the door with construction adhesive. Been on there for years.

[Yonak Hawkins]

You can use the expanding hollow wall type fasteners for 1/4" material. They will hold your spice rack with no problem.
393057

+1 . . . .

[Bob Michaels1]

+1 . . . .
Not sure these anchors will do the job as even a 1/4" version requires the the door skin to be 1/4", which it certainly is not on the usual hollow core door. I suspect you could install a small 1/4" thick square of mdf, or the like, and drill through the mdf and the door to make up the minimum 1/4". However, my desire would be to make it reversible, as was previously mentioned.

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi David, a couple of small toggle bolts would do the trick...........Regards, Rod.

[Aaron Rosenthal]

Very wide french cleat?

[Doug Garson]

If you don't want to trust any of the hollow wall anchors why not just run 1/4" carriage bolts thru the whole door?

[Ellen Benkin]

I agree with Aaron. Screw the cleat into the stiles and you can hang anything from it,

[Brian Holcombe]

Build a new door.

[Peter Kuhlman]

The skin is usually around 1/16-3/32” thick or thin I should say. A loaded spice rack especially with glass bottles gets really heavy so care needs to be used trying to hang it on the door. At some point you will sell the house and you will have to replace the door panel as it would be an ugly door with holes in it. Does this door get opened and closed much?

[David Utterback]

The thoughts of a true craftsman!
Build a new door.

Your views on the toggle bolts are very helpful. The skin is probably too thin for the 1/4" variety. I found some that do not have a minimum thickness but they also have no tangs. Not sure how these would fasten to the door.

The stiles are not much wider than the door jambs so clearance would be too limited on the sides. Maybe the top rail is wider and I can find a good anchor there.

As always, thanks for the great input from all of you.

[michael langman]

David, I attached a 1x6 to the hollow core door going down into my cellar with molly bolts. I then used the 1x6 to attach clips to to hold a broom, mop and dust pan.

[David Utterback]

Michael, Did you use the bolt type recommended above by others? Thanks

[lowell holmes]

I think Frederick has the solution. Glue a 1/2" pad with a routed edge to the door and mount the spice rack on it.

[Davis Young]

Do like those hanging shoe racks. Get some thin strips of metal and bend a hook on one end to fit over the top of the door. Then drill some holes to mount the rack.

[Mike Cutler]

Do like those hanging shoe racks. Get some thin strips of metal and bend a hook on one end to fit over the top of the door. Then drill some holes to mount the rack.

Exactly! You can even screw them to the top edge of the door. Some even form a "U" over the top and just hang.
I know that these are also premade, but I don't where you would get them. They used to be on some of the doors at work, that were metal fire rated doors that couldn't have holes drilled in them.

[David Utterback]

Got some 1/2" wide by 1/16" thick aluminum bar from the big box and will fasten to the top of the door. Thanks for the suggestion, Davis and Mike.


Exactly! You can even screw them to the top edge of the door. Some even form a "U" over the top and just hang.
I know that these are also premade, but I don't where you would get them. They used to be on some of the doors at work, that were metal fire rated doors that couldn't have holes drilled in them.

[michael langman]

David, Sorry I got back so late. I used the molly bolts that are hinged and use a bigger hole drilled in the door, then the ones shown in the previous posts.
The 1x6 wood covered the larger hole needed for the bigger molly bolt. Using the wood and larger molly bolts would look nicer then hanging brackets over the door. The brackets tend to rub against the door frame when closing also.

[Tom Bender]

If you don't want to make visible holes in the door

1. Use adhesive of some sort, may leave a mark when removed.

2. Run a pair of vertical cleats top to bottom and fasten them using thin metal brackets flat on the top and bottom of the door. The cleats might be 1 x 1 hardwood, attach the spice rack to them.