Need suggestion for simple, cheap wood rack?

[DaveinFloweryBranchGA]

Does anyone have a suggestion for a really cheap wall mount wood rack?

I am working out of a basement garage, just getting set up and I have need for an overhead wall mounted rack to store assorted boards. The walls are open to the 2 x 4 studs and I can mount just about anything to them. I would like to keep costs low, as I'm trying to do about a dozen things in there at once.

I only need to store boards, as I plan on building a sheet good storage bin in the future. Btw, I do have some scrap 2 x 4 and plywood, but wanted to check if there are better solutions that I haven't thought of. I believe many minds are smarter than mine, especially since when it comes to woodworking, I'm just in the game.

Thanks,

Dave

[LCHIEN]

a while back someone posted how they nailed vertical 2x4 flat to the vertical studs on their garage walls. Before installing the 2x4 they drilled some holes in the face of the 2x4 to accept 1/2" black pipe.
They cut the pipe to about 12" or 18" long. They drilled the holes at about a 5" angle to keep the wood and pipe from sliding out.
After placing the pipe in the holes they put the wood on these racks.
Depending upon the length and thickness of your wood you'd want them every stud or every other stud.

[Jim Boyd]

Here are some links to plans and pics.

http://store.yahoo.com/woodstore/lumstorrac.html

http://www.tooltrip.com/tooltrip8/woodworking/woodrack/woodrack.htm

http://www.forums.woodnet.net/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB8&Number=972661&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=2&fpart=all&highlight=lumber+rack#Post978390

http://img36.photobucket.com/albums/v108/JimBoyd/New%20Shop/?action=view&current=DCP_0709.jpg

[LarryG]

I made mine using the classic recipe of bolting short 2x4 outriggers to each stud. I bought 8' material and cut each outrigger ~16" long, so each 2x4 made six outriggers. The wall studs were two feet on center so six outriggers were enough for a rack 10' long. I think one such 2x4 cost $3.15 at Lowe's ... can't get much cheaper than that. Of course you'd still need bolts or lag screws; I already had enough available so I didn't have to buy those.

If you use this method, here are a couple things I did and would recommend:

1. Cut a rabbet in the end of each outrigger where it overlaps the supporting stud. I made mine 1/2" deep by the full 3-1/2" width of the stud. The rabbet provides a shoulder that sits tight against the face of the stud, to resist the outrigger's tendency to bend downward when you load it up with wood.

2. Use a carpenter's levels to keep all the outriggers at exactly the same height along the full length of the rack. IMO this step deserves some care; I didn't want my outriggers at different heights so that the lumber would be induced to bow after being stacked on it for long periods of time.

[doctordremel]

I happened to have picked up a bundle of common aluminium 10”shelf brackets, the type that locks in the slotted vertical rails. I screwed them into my studs on 24” centers and there are holding a whole lot of hardwood up. I figured they were intended for bookshelves so the load factor seems safe.
For my new shop I am considering slatwall if I can find a good price on it. Ebay has lots of slatwall accessories.

[Bob Crosley]

I picked up heavy duty shelf standards from HD. They're very heavy, double row of hanging holes, and the brackets are also very strong. Since you can move the brackets around as necessary, it's very flexible for different board lenghts. It's what Norm used for the garage workshop project.

Bob

[DaveinFloweryBranchGA]

Wow, some really good ideas are coming out, keep it coming and thank you fellas a lot, gets me thinking more on what's required to do the job and not just that it needs doing.

thanks,

Dave

[Woodnut]

I am, at the very moment, building a rack similar to Jim Boyd's (as seen in the post/link above...)

[SteveR]

Here's what I built on the cheap..some recycled 2x4's SYP (will buy new ones next time)all the supports (horiz. and vert. pcs.) are 4 degrees to level, back to wall to prevent lumber spillage (I hope)[:I] Each outrigger is about 18" long if I recall correctly. Each support (total of 3 2x's) are cut equal length, so there is a 1.5" space to slip onto the vertical wall 2x.

The main vertical supports to the wall are countersunk and lag screwed (BIG ones)into the wall 2x's

Shows side attachement to the main vertical 2x and fastening of the horizontal members to ea. other..it does not look like it in the pic, but the horizontal are 4 degrees pitching to the wall

And added metal bracing at each lumber support....just in case

project complete....now for more

Note: [u]this is not engineered</u> by any stretch of the imagination!! Although I was able to pull myself (180# on a really humid day) up off the floor using only one "outrigger" and it did well w/ no movement. I do constantly monitor it...just in case.

[DaveinFloweryBranchGA]

LarryG and SteveR,

I checked my scrap pile and it appears I have enough scrap 2 X 4 and assorted small pieces of plywood to duplicate something very similar to what the two of you have done.

I was wondering if one really needs the lag bolts to suppport the wood or can one get by with four or five deck screws in place of each bolt or lag screw? I don't want to under engineer the project, but I don't have a lot of extra cash right now to buy the bolts/lag screws and I have two or three boxes of excess deck screws.

Would deck screws and wood glue do the job? Or do I need the strength of a bolt to keep the boards up on the walls? Perhaps a 45 degree triangle support made of 3/4 plywood between two 2 x 4's that are rabbeted as LarryG described in his design to provide the requisite weight support?

Thanks again,

Dave

[LarryG]

quote:Originally posted by DaveinFloweryBranchGA

Would deck screws and wood glue do the job?

I would think so. Use three screws per outrigger, arranged in a triangular pattern such that no two screws are aligned in the same part of the grain, to help stave off splitting. Pre-drilling the holes would be a good idea, too.

Again, I highly recommend the rabbets on the outriggers. It takes some time but it's worth it. The way the shoulder wraps around the front edge of the stud really contributes to the strength, and the resistance to sagging. When I was putting mine up I was amazed at how stout an outrigger was even with only one bolt through it (I used a total of two).

[SteveR]

I agree with what Larry said...And the 45 degree plywood idea is great and will provide tons of additional support. I was going to go with that in my original concept, but I wanted to optimize space. So the reason for heavy gauge fasteners and metal stiffeners.
I would still entertain the idea of using lag screws to secure the main vertical member to the wall. I think I used 4 or 5 per vertical member (all countersunk/predrilled). I have alot of weight on these, mostly hardwoods, and they weigh quite a bit more than pine. If your plan is to store pine and such, the weight issue will not be so severe.
And as Larry said....go with the rabbet/saddle concept...I did the same with my 3 2x's/outrigger and it for sure created added strength.

[Hal4son]

I cut some 1 x 2 scrap that I had laying around and screwed it into the studs (16" centers)- then drilled holes into the 1x2s to hold 14" pieces of small PVC pipe I had left over from an outside sprinkling system. Works well, only problem I had was the drilling, my drill press table (Sears) is supposed to tilt and give you various inclininations, I chose 5 degrees, but the table bolts wouldn't screw tight enough to hold against the pressure of the drill bit. So each vertical 1x2 starts out with inclined piece of PVC and as you go down the vertical the PVC slowly come back to horizontal. Not pretty, but still functional.

[bdk5]

The latest issue of Wood has plans for 3 wood storage projects. One is very similar to those discussed above--basically, 2x4s attached to wall studs. What's nice about the design is that it has adjustable arms. Here's a link to the picture:

http://images.meredith.com/wood/images/160scrapstorage_bg.jpg

-Bryan

[don_hart]

I just saw the one in wood magazine last night. I was planning on building it to replace the non adjustable one I have right now. Looks simple to build and I can make it mostly from scraps.