Hooks - the great guide

What is a hook?

The answer is almost self-evident, as we know hooks as parts we mount on a wall to hang things on.

But hooks come in many shapes, forms, and materials - and in addition to individual hooks, you can also get a coat rack that has several hooks combined in the same product.

If you were looking to read about the expression 'you're a gem', then you'll have to look further, because that's a completely different story, probably referring to either the practicality of a nearby hook or the related word 'knast' (knot), which is something 'central' and 'essential' in many pieces of wood.

Hooks in various designs

There are almost as many different design options for a hook as there are creative people - but of course, there are some elements that typically recur and some things to consider before buying a hook.

The traditional design

A hook is essentially a practical item, and its purpose is to provide a way to hang something up.

If you don't care much about design, then how the hook is specifically shaped is probably not important to you.

However, many people want a hook that matches the decor of their home, and here in Denmark, we are quite famous for our stylish and minimalistic decor with a focus on simplicity and quality.

Shape is important

Most of the hooks you see originate from the shape of an upward-facing hook.

Image: Gatis - wooden hook

 

A hook must 'point upwards' otherwise your jacket, dishcloth, and similar items will fall off.

The Gatis hook you see above is a good example of a hook with a good angle and a stylish and clean design at the same time - and it is also one of the most popular hooks in the shop (and it is available in both natural and brown).

Hooks of this design can hold many different items: jackets, dishcloths, bags, etc.

However, if you take a hook like the Raitis hook (further down), it is not suitable for items that require a large hook that points sharply upwards.

Conversely, you get two hooks in one, so there are several things to consider when looking for new hooks.

Hooks can be straight, crooked, curved - but generally, the traditional design essentially offers a hook function.

Image: Raitis - dark wood hook with two hooks

Coat rack

You can choose to buy a certain number of loose hooks and mount them - but you can also choose to buy a coat rack.

As the word suggests, it is a number of hooks placed in a row with the purpose of allowing more items to be hung in the same place - and with the advantage that you only need to mount once - and then you get more hooks from it.

That's not to say that the coat rack is the lazy choice :) The coat rack is a practical and often relatively inexpensive choice that works very well in many rooms.

Coat racks come in many different designs but are always characterized by offering multiple hanging options in the same product.

The disadvantage of the coat rack compared to individual hooks is that you cannot place your hooks in an individual pattern with a coat rack.

Conversely, you have this option if you buy individual hooks and, for example, want to place them staggered, which I have seen used in, for example, an entryway.

Image: Raitis in light wood - with two hooks

The creative solutions

In addition to traditional shapes and designs, there are also many creative solutions that provide a unique look to your decor.

Here in the shop, the hooks category offers, for example, hooks in an organic teardrop shape, just as you can get a hook designed with inspiration from the animal world - namely a deer.

You may also have seen the funny takes on a hook from the creator of Mr. P (the penis lamp, as it's popularly called here in Denmark :)? Here, Mr. P's appendage has been turned into a hook that protrudes neatly into the room, and it comes in many different colors.

Only imagination sets the limits if you search for funny hooks on Google, because you can get hooks designed as, for example, a clothes peg, almost all different animal heads, a dog's rump, the third finger on the right hand in a stretched position, smiley faces, figures climbing up the wall, and many other creative inventions.

Perhaps the classic design fits best in certain parts of your home, while the funny and playful solutions fit better in other parts of the decor - the possibilities are many.

Image: Aivars - teardrop-shaped hook in light oak

Hooks in various materials

When it comes to material choices, you have many options to find a hook that suits your particular decor.

Wood

Wood is one of the most frequently used materials for hooks, and there are also several great advantages to using wood in your decor:

1. Wood is unique - no two products are alike
2. Wood adds something natural and warm to your decor
3. Wood in organic shapes is often a really good solution and a good counterpoint to a minimalistic decor with clean, straight lines
4. Wood is a natural material that lasts for many years
5. Wood is an environmentally friendly and sustainable choice

But wood is, of course, not just wood. There are countless varieties of wood and types of wood products.

Oak

A very obvious choice and perhaps one of the most exquisite choices for wooden hooks is oak.

Oak has a beautiful, light color, and it is a very durable and strong type of wood that is very suitable for the production of, for example, wooden hooks, floating shelves, and furniture in general.

Generally speaking, there are two ways to cut oak, which is largely reflected in how it ends up looking:

• Plain-sawn is the inexpensive way to cut oak. You cut through the entire tree and get large planks with great variation and clear and large growth rings.
  
  
• Quarter-sawn is a more expensive way to cut the wood. Planks are cut from a quarter of the trunk to achieve a more uniform cut with greater strength and fewer growth rings and knots.

In this blog post, you can read more about the two methods of cutting wood.

The challenge with oak is that it is also a slightly more expensive type of wood to use, at least when talking about solid oak.

Beech wood

A cheaper alternative is beech wood, which is a light wood species - like oak. Beech wood has a slightly reddish sheen and is also a type of wood widely used in Denmark because we have so many of them.

Beech wood is strong and uniform in structure, just like oak, but beech has the disadvantage that it continues to 'work' even after it is thoroughly dried. This makes it susceptible to moisture in particular.

Ash wood

Ash wood is another light wood species that shares many similarities with oak, although it is not as resistant to moisture as oak.

Prices for ash wood and oak are very close, so most people choose the slightly more golden oak in their material selection.

The difference between solid wood and veneer

A solid wood product means that it is pure wood of the same wood type all the way through.

A cheaper solution is veneer, where plywood in particular is popular.

However, there are other significant differences than just the price between solid wood and veneer.

Generally, plywood is used for thinner products. With plywood, many layers of wood are glued together, and veneer planks are cut very thinly along the length of the trunk.

You can read much more about the difference in this blog post

Most wooden hooks will typically be made of solid wood, as the desired look matches the advantages that solid wood offers - namely, that a single piece of processed wood hangs on the wall instead of a product with multiple, visible layers.

Metal

Metal is another popular material for hooks. It will typically be either lacquered iron or stainless steel that is used for metal hooks, and this gives a completely different expression than wooden hooks.

Hooks in metal will typically give a more stringent look with a somewhat industrial feel.

At the same time, the expression will be more raw and solid, taking up more space in the room.

Many people buy metal hooks for the bathroom to match other elements, which are typically made of stainless steel.

Plastic

I would also like to mention plastic as an option. Plastic can be used for many things, and hard plastic is therefore also used as a material for hooks. Typically, it is painted in a color - and the price is often at the lower end because plastic is a cheap but unfortunately not very sustainable choice.

Combinations of several materials

You also have the option of finding a hook made from a combination of several materials.

For example, the deer model here in the shop is made from a combination of ash wood and either brass or stainless steel, and it's a truly exquisite and elegant way to combine two materials, offering a great opportunity to match your existing interior.

Image: Deer - wooden hook with steel antlers

Another thing you also encounter - especially with coat racks - is a combination of a wooden 'skeleton' with metal hooks or arms.

The combination of wood and metal is interesting because it aims to combine cool metal with warm wood, which fits well into many styles.

Typically, the arm has a tilting function, so you tilt it down when you need to hang your jacket.

Metal in combination with other materials such as cork is also a possible solution if you are looking for hooks made of multiple, composite materials.

Here again, the interplay between industrial metal and a softer type is aimed for, and it's actually a similar story if we, for example, look at wooden hooks with plastic details, where there is ample opportunity to combine the natural color and glow of the wood with, for example, a colorful and vibrant plastic knob.

Hooks with special features

There are both very ordinary hooks - but there are also hooks that have fun features, special designs, or otherwise stand out.

I have previously mentioned hooks where you, for example, get two hooks from one hook - or where the hook is designed to resemble an animal or something else, but special features also include the small things that you might not otherwise notice.

For example, the Gatis hook here in the shop is not the same at both ends. One end is pointed with soft edges - while the other end is completely rounded with soft edges.

Another example is the teardrop-shaped hook from Normann, which is designed in 3D and gives a lovely depth - or the hanger coat rack from the same company, which is designed as a lot of criss-crossing metal hangers and really brings a smile to your face.

Mounting hooks

Many of the less visible refinements are often discovered when the hook needs to be mounted - exactly as with wooden floating shelves.

The traditional and easiest method is to make a hole in the hook, through which the screw is then driven to hold the hook in place.

The advantage is that it is easy to mark where to drill. The disadvantage is that the screw is visibly exposed once the hook is mounted.

The solution for mounting the hooks here in the shop is via hidden screws - in several different ways.

Some of the hooks are hung by mounting two screws in the wall, into which the hook is then inserted and pulled down over, locking it into a 'keyhole' on the back of the hook.

Another method uses a single double-headed screw, where one part is screwed into the wall and the other part into the hook, which is then twisted on.
Finally, there are also hooks where a kind of 'base' is first mounted, and the hook is then placed over it.

The disadvantage is that it takes a little longer to measure - however, the screws are hidden once the hook is mounted.

Finally, there is also the option of avoiding drilling altogether - namely, using double-sided tape.

This has the great advantage of being very easy to use. The disadvantages are that, firstly, you don't get the same load-bearing capacity as when mounting with screws - and secondly, you risk damaging some of the wall's wallpaper, plaster, or similar if you want to remove the double-sided tape one day.

There are therefore several different options depending on your preference, and often the mounting is incorporated as part of the design - and sometimes also reflected in the price.

Manufacturing hooks

Hooks are manufactured in many different ways.

There are cheap, mass-produced hooks, manufactured in factories by the thousands, which perfectly meet the need to hang something up.

These typically feature industrial design and materials such as iron or plastic, where function and price are highly valued.

Within wooden hooks, there's a bit more work involved in creating a quality material, but here too, there are large factories specializing in producing exquisite wooden products. However, there's a big difference in where the hooks are produced, what wood is used, whether sustainability and local materials are considered - or whether the focus is on a low cost price.

Finally, there are the smaller manufacturers, typically a small business, a joinery workshop, or a similar type of production, where there is a limit to how many wooden hooks can be produced while maintaining top quality.

Typically, both the cost price and the retail price are higher here, because there are no economies of scale and because much of the work is done by hand - e.g., sanding and varnishing.

If it is also manufactured in the EU, the hourly wage is higher, and this is reflected in the product's price.

It is worth noting, however, that in both Denmark and the EU, we generally have very high standards for wood production, so you can usually expect a product that is exquisite and created with the goal of delivering high quality.

If you look a little away from the big mainstream brands, you will also find some unique hooks, where there is a passion for both design and manufacturing, and where the focus is on creating something special, and then the price is also higher again.

In return, you get something unique - and something that will last for many years, and that you can enjoy.

Enjoy your hunt for your next hooks.