How High to Hang Hook on Back of Door

The 8 Best Door Hooks

Add these organizing wonders to every door in your home

Our editors independently research, test, and recommend the best products; you can learn more about our review process here. We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links.

Whether you're looking to maximize the storage in your closet, find a place to stow towels or a robe in a bathroom, designate a landing place for your work bag, or create a place for your kids to hang their coats, hooks are a low-commitment solution to a host of organizing dilemmas. Hooks are an easy way to keep your clothes, accessories, reusable shopping bags, and assorted items stored away without too much thought or effort.

Door hooks come in all shapes and formats, from single decorative hooks to double hooks and swivel hooks, and require minimal tools to install. If you're a renter or don't like the idea of drilling holes in your walls, single adhesive hooks or over-the-door hooks are a handy solution—no tools necessary.

Below, our pick of the best door hooks.

Our Top Picks

An attractive but simple design.

Read Review

These basic metal over-the-door hooks can work in just about any place in your home.

Read Review

Can hold up to five pounds, plenty for a purse, coat, towel, or oven mitt.

Read Review

A great solution to add a lot of storage without drilling holes.

Read Review

An easy add-on to hang one or two extra things.

Read Review

Gives you lots of hanging power with none of the bulk.

Read Review

If you want your hook to be just as much about looks as it is about function.

Read Review

So cute kids will want to organize.

Read Review

With an attractive but simple design, six hooks for hanging power, and four good-looking finish options, this over-the-door hook is a great addition to a bathroom, guest room, or kitchen. The multiple finish options (including on-trend copper) mean that you can match the hooks to your other hardware, doorknobs, or faucets, or you can choose a color that will blend in with the door to have it disappear for view.

The six double hooks offer storage for bathrobes and towels, coats and hats, or even cleaning supplies in a kitchen pantry. It also comes in a three-hook option, if you don't need quite as much storage or are using it in a smaller space.

At less than a dollar per hook, these basic metal over-the-door hooks can work in just about any place in your home, including over pantry doors, garage doors, closet doors, and in the bathroom. Because they're single hooks, you can use them as a group or individually, and space them as close or far apart as you'd like, giving you versatile options for adding storage. They're also great for places where you may want to add storage temporarily, like to make your home office a guest room for a weekend or in the winter when you need extra coat storage. Each can hold up to 11 pounds, which is a lot considering how small they are.

If you want to install a hook onto your door without drilling, consider an adhesive hook. These stick to just about any surface, and when properly installed, can hold up to five pounds, which is plenty for a purse, coat, towel, or oven mitt. (Just be sure to follow the directions exactly, including cleaning the surface first and allowing time for the adhesive to cure, so that they can work their best.)

One big benefit that you don't get with an over-the-door hook: you can mount these anywhere you'd like, making them a good choice to install lower down so children or someone in a wheelchair can easily access the door hook. Even though the hook is adhesive and made of plastic, the brushed nickel-look finish gives it the look of hardware, so it has a more decorative feel than clear or white plastic.

Whether you're living a rental or simply don't want to commit to a hook forever, an over-the-door-hook is a great solution to add a lot of storage without drilling holes. They're also a great option if you'd working with a door made out of something other than solid wood (like aluminum or a hollow-core door) where screws might not holds. This multi-hook rack is a great option for kitchens, bathrooms and closets—any space where you might need extra storage. Because the 11 hooks are different sizes and placed at different levels, it gives you more options to store different kinds of items within a tighter space.

Often, in the bathroom, you only need a teeny bit more storage—a space to stash a towel or robe while you shower or to hang it to dry once you've gotten yourself dressed. This classic double-prong robe hook offers just that: two gently curved hooks just deep enough for a towel or robe, in a simple and attractive design that will work with your existing hardware and fixtures without making too much of a statement on its own. Hang one or two on the back of the door for extra storage, and consider installing one at a lower level, too, if you share your bathroom with kids. Beyond working in the bathroom, it's an easy add-on inside closet doors or the pantry to hang one or two extra things.

The beauty of a swivel hook: It gives you lots of hanging power, with none of the bulk. This swivel hook has three prongs that extend up to 2 ¾ inches from the wall, deeper than many installed hooks, but lays almost flat when not in use, so it's a great option for the back of a door you usually keep open, like a bedroom or laundry room door, when you want storage that won't mark up the wall behind the door, or in any small space where even a few inches makes a difference! This one comes in three traditional hardware finishes as well as two fun colors, making it a good option for spaces from bathrooms to playrooms and anywhere in between.

If you want your hook to be just as much about looks as it is about function, consider one of these cute birds. These sculptural hooks will look just as pretty on the front of a closet door as they will on the back of a bathroom door and can add functionality while serving as a decorative element, too. The birds have a versatile antiqued gold finish that works seamlessly with traditional interiors, as a happy contrast to modern interiors, or as a sparkle in an eclectic space. Buy them individually or as a set to mount on a door. They're also pretty enough to act as little art pieces when they're empty or to show off tomorrow's outfit of the day.

One of the best ways to get kids into organizing at a young age: make it easy for them to put their stuff away where it belongs. Hanging hooks inside doors at your child's eye level can be a great way to get them to put away backpacks and coats, for example, and will make it easier for them to get ready all by themselves in the morning. Or use hooks to hang up dress-up clothes, art supplies, towels, or even bags of toys inside cabinet doors in their room or the bathroom so it's easy for them to follow the "system" without help from their parents. This set of hooks is so cute they'll want to organize! In the bathroom, consider giving each child their own color so they always know which washcloth or towel is theirs.

Materials and Finishes

The best materials for a door hook are both lightweight and durable. Look for high quality materials such as wood, or metals such as chrome-plated steel that won't warp or rust. Think twice before buying plastic hooks, which don't wear well, can scratch, and swell in high-humidity areas.

Weight Capacity

Because over-the-door hooks are lightweight and are not screwed into the wall, their weight capacity is limited. Be sure to choose hooks sturdy enough to support the weight of what you are hanging on them. And be sure to properly install hooks on walls for safety purposes and to avoid damaging walls.

Compatibility With Your Doors

When choosing over-the-door hooks, be sure to check that the hooks you select are compatible with the width of your door. You want to be sure that the door can close as comfortably as possible with the addition of the rack. Otherwise it will catch, cause items hung on the hooks to shift, scratch the door jamb, and generally be annoying. Keep in mind that doors are not designed or hung to accommodate over-the-door hooks and that using them is rarely seamless, so you should expect a little awkwardness in exchange for the convenience of using them.

FAQ

• How high should you hang a hook on the back of a door?

  As a general rule, hooks should be hung approximately four inches from the top of the door. If you are hanging a single hook on the back of a door to house your bathrobe, for example, the standard rule would be to hang it 4 inches from the top of the door. But keep in mind that this is not a hard and fast rule, and can be modified depending on who is using the hook, the length of what you plan to hang, how high your ceilings are, or other considerations. For a robe hook, hang it as high as is comfortable to reach, making sure to leave enough room so that the robe doesn't drag on the floor.

• How do you install a door hook?

  Installing a conventional door hook is a simple process that requires a drill, screwdriver, measuring tape, a pencil, and mounting hardware that usually comes with the hook. The method of installation depends on what type of door you are working with, whether solid wood, solid-core, or hollow-core. To hang a conventional door hook on a solid wood door, measure the width of the door four inches from the top, and mark the center with a pencil. Then use a drill to create a hole in the wall, place the door hook hole over the wall hole, and use a screwdriver to tighten the hook in place. Installing a hook on a hollow-core door requires using hollow-core door anchors. An adhesive hook is installed by marking the spot, removing a plastic strip from the adhesive on the hook, and pressing it firmly into place at the desired height, no drilling required. An over-the-door hook requires no to minimal installation depending on the model.

• How do you tighten an over-the-door hook?

  If your over-the-door hooks are coming loose, check and tighten any screws using a screwdriver. Take care to make sure the screws are tight but not overly tight, which may cause the hook to warp. If you are using an adjustable fit hook, make sure it's adjusted to fit your specific door.

This article was researched and written by Ayn-Monique Klahre, a product reviewer for The Spruce, as well as the former magazine editor at Good Housekeeping and Woman's Day magazines. She has written about décor for The New York Times, Real Simple, and more.

How High to Hang Hook on Back of Door

Source: https://www.thespruce.com/best-door-hooks-4158841