Tips for Selecting the Right Ceiling Pot Rack

What do I need to know to choose a rack that will work in my home?

First, measure these:

  • The height of your ceiling
  • The height of the person using the rack and what a comfortable reach is for them

How to pick the right ceiling

  • Ceiling Height: Measure floor to ceiling. In the example, ceiling height is 9 ft. (see "A" in picture).
  • Reaching Height: Reach your arm into the air as if you were reaching for the bottom of a pot or pan. Find out what this height is.
    • Typically, this would add 6-10 inches to your height, depending on the length of your arms. In this example, we’ll assume a 5’6″ person (see "B1" in picture).
    • They would want the bottom of their pan to be about 6’ 2” up in the air (see "B2" in picture).

Remember: you do not need to be able to reach the hanging hooks on your pot rack. You only need to reach the bottom of the pan to lift it off the hook.

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Then figure out the rack size

  • Rack Size: If you subtract the “reaching height” from your ceiling height, there are 34 inches of space left over (see "C" in picture ). This space needs to encompass the height of your rack and the length of your pans.

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Calculate if the rack fits

Now you need to find out the height of the rack you like. This measurement is from the ceiling to the bottom of the pot hook.

  • If, in the example, this person wanted a Three Foot Oval Rack (PR16b), which is 22" high (see "D" in picture ).
  • Their pots then need to hang at least 12 inches below here for them to reach, since their reaching height is 6’2” and the ceiling is 9’ tall. (see "E" in picture ).
  • A small, 2-cup pot is about 10” long; a 12” skillet (with handle) is about 21” long. Your pots will range from 32” to 43” below the ceiling (see "F" in picture). You may have to stretch a bit to reach the little pots, but the rack should fit nicely without any adjustments.

Important note: In this example, the rack is hanging over a kitchen island. Remember in this case you need to reach not only up, but in. You need six inches of clearance on all sides, so you’ll need to add to the distance down that you need your pots to hang for you to reach them (see "H" in picture ). See the small pot in the middle of the rack? That will need to hang toward the outside so that you can reach it easily.

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How do I make adjustments if my rack is not a perfect fit?

Hang where you'd like and use the easy dry wall installation with heavy duty toggles -- included with your rack. Or choose a traditional mount into your ceiling joists. In our example, everything works out well with one exception – the Three Foot Oval has 12” hanging holes, and most ceilings have 16” joists (including our example – see "G" in picture). The rack fits nicely, but Enclume racks need to be mounted into solid wood. If your joist runs parallel with the rack, you can mount it by drilling two holes in the same joist. If your joists are perpendicular, however, then we need to find another way to hang it. The easiest way to solve this problem is to use a custom ceiling plate. An Enclume ceiling plate has two eye bolts that are welded to a flat piece of steel that matches your pot rack. It has holes drilled that are the same distance apart that your joists are (you specify). The ceiling plate is mounted into the ceiling joists and the rack hangs from the eyebolts.

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Too high or too low?

A different problem would be having a ceiling that hangs with your pots out of reach (too high) or one where the pots are in your way (too low). Enclume racks are generally designed for a 9 foot ceiling. If your ceiling is lower than this, our low-ceiling racks are your best options.

If your ceiling is higher than this, the rack will need to be lowered. There are two options for this. One is with chain. The advantage with chain is it is flexible; if you are off in your measurement, you can simply take it up a link to make the chain shorter. Chain is sold in 1 foot segments but will be cut to meet your specifications. The other option is extension hooks, which come in 5”, 7”, 10” and 15” lengths.

**For items discussed here and not listed on our site, please contact us and we can help you find the right product for your home.