# Need to create some sort of lumber storage solution...suggestions???



## AngieO (Jul 9, 2012)

So… if you look at the pics of my workshop you will find that in my small one car garage I've created a very usable space for my workshop.
As you can maybe see in this picture… Almost 1/4 of the space is being taken up by… "stuff". In the far left hand side of the pi I have four beds, mattresses, bunkie boards, a dresser and a kitchen table. This stuff belongs to the ex so yesterday I got rid of it. (LOL…. no I didn't destroy it or sell it off for wood or tools. I simply moved it to another location)  I needed my space. LOL










Anyhow… I created more of a mess than anything. So today I'll be rearranging the shop again and cleaning up. And now… I need to come up with a way to store my lumber.

Here is what I'm doing right now… LOL… Not very effetive, Huh?



















Anyhow… I really want to make one like Steve from WWMM posted recently. But I would like to use some of the material I already have on hand before I go buy more. You can see my stash has plenty to make something. Just no plywood 

So… I could get on here and on youtube and other sites to look up ideas… and I will. But for now I'm going to pick your brains and ask what you like, what you feel works well for you, things you've seen…. and while I wait for some responses… I'm going out there and getting started on the clean up and arranging.

Can't wait to hear what you guys say. It always sparks ideas and makes me think of things I wouldn't have thought of. You guys are a wealth of knowledge and information


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## kdc68 (Mar 2, 2012)

I made something similar to this one. Sheet goods on one side, lumber on the other. Put on heavy duty castors for mobility


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## jap (Oct 10, 2012)

I made this.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

Here's a few ideas


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## AlanBienlein (Jan 29, 2011)

Here is what I did in my shop. Cost $75 and is made from 2×4's and 3/4" emt. It's been up for 13 months and is one of the projects I should have done a long time ago.

















I drilled the holes at a 5 degree angle so the emt would angle upwards and spaced them about 6" apart. I cut the emt into 20" lengths which leaves 17" sticking out. I did a test before I did this by supporting a 80# bag of sacrete on a 24" length of pipe with out a problem.


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## JoeinGa (Nov 26, 2012)

Does your garage have open rafters? or is it sheet-rocked up there?

You can get a bunch of stuff (including lumber) up in the rafters if it's open. Biggest downside to that is having to use a ladder to get anything you might want down.

If you have the wall space, the 3rd pic down in a1Jim's post is a quick and easy way to get instant storage from scraps.


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## Grumpymike (Jan 23, 2012)

I have used the brackets like the third photo in a1Jim's selection and the one in 10asee's photo.
These are cheap, easy to build and you can change the size or spacing at any time with little or no expence.
Snap a chalk line along the studs to give you a level streight line and put 'em up … easypeasy.


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## Alongiron (Jan 10, 2011)

Angie

I am a simple guy.. I just went to hardware store and bought some heavy duty shelve brackets and screwed them to the studs in the wall . Super easy, super cheap, and super strong.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

That's down right scary Alongiron!!!! A hand full of dry wall screws holding all that weight ??? 
What ever works for you.


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## b2rtch (Jan 20, 2010)

The simplest way I know to do that is the take 2×4 and to drill holes in at a slight angle in them and to put piece of 12"x1/2" pipes in the hole, spaced may be 12 or 16" apart and then screw these in the existing 2×4 in your wall. 
They are very easy and very inexpensive to build and they are flexible to use.


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## boxcarmarty (Dec 9, 2011)

Angie, Your wood storage is like mine, Stacked high on the floor. The best storage if you can do it would be racks hung from the ceiling. Just make sure your joists will support it. As far as scraps, this is my wood bin…..


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## mrtoasty (Jan 13, 2011)

Angie,

Check out my shop picture for the wall unit I use. Just 2×4's with 1" wood dowels. I have a 2×10 with 4" legs on the floor under the lumber. Make sure you put the cord on at least one set of dowels, it keeps the lumber from falling out if it gets unbalanced.

I am in Columbus, In so if you get up this way give me a hollar and you can look at it.

Les


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## mojapitt (Dec 31, 2011)

Sorry Angie, right now mine is much worse than yours. No suggestions here.


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## AngieO (Jul 9, 2012)

wow… so many good suggestions. What I really want is one like the fourth one down that A1Jim posted. It's like the one on WWMM. Also… I had seen the one that's in A1Jims post as well as joein10asee's. I was trying to remember where I had seen it and was looking for it. I will probably end up doing that for now.

I also really like the one that boxcarmarty showed.

As far as rafters… yes it does have open rafters. I have a few long 2×6's stored up there. Also there are other things stored up there. For the most part… the space that's left right now isn't really usable for that because it will block out the lights.

alongiron… quick and easy. I like 

Monte… Well… LOL… did you get any ideas for yours?

I knew I could count on you guys for great ideas. Thanks to everyone for sharing.

AlenBienLien…. nice!


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## AngieO (Jul 9, 2012)

grumpymike… I agree.

Les… I just checked out your shop. NICE! And I really like what you did. Looks super simple. Gonna have to do like grumpymike said or this. These are my top two favorites.

Thanks again everyone.

Btw… I'm not done… but here is a quick peek of what I got accomplished today.










Here's the space that I'm going to use for the storage. My pile is neater right now but it needs to be up off the floor and separated. You know the boards I'm gonna want to use next are on the very bottom of the stack. LOL


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## AngieO (Jul 9, 2012)

And… LOL… just so you know what I started with this morning… to give you a little perspective. Here are the before pics. LOL…. They are pretty scray. I didn't realize it was so bad..



















Another "after" picture
AND… check out that workbench… got the casters put on today. Love that I can move it wherever I want.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

Wow now you can move in there and get some work done.


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## AngieO (Jul 9, 2012)

Yep! Once i get that lumber storage thing done I'm just gonna have to make a list of the projects I want to make. Then throw them all in a hat and pick one out, get it done… then pick another one. LOL


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## woodbutcherbynight (Oct 21, 2011)

I see potential in adding on to the side of the shop where the side door is. Of course if you are like me money not time would be the issue. Not to mention permits, building codes, okay I need a drink….


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## doubleDD (Oct 21, 2012)

Angie, this is only my opinion but where there are many different way to store lumber and many are giving good ideas, I have found from experience that keeping any of your longer stock upright is better and a lot easier to store and get at later. A strong set of steel shelving with lots of shelves to separate different lumber and size is great for all the smaller 3'- 4' stuff. You can buy used shelving pretty cheap sometimes. So I'm not saying, I'm just saying. Pick what works for you. Storing lumber neatly will give your shop that wow look. Good luck


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## redryder (Nov 28, 2009)

To each his or her own of course but looking at all of the wood piles above which would you rather get the oldest and best piece of wood from?? The horizontal or vertical stacks?? When you go to the lumber yard or the box store and pick out your own lumber, do you have an easier time with the horizontal or vertical stacks?? I personally prefer the lumber yard to store the wood so I tend to keep only big pieces when I am building something big. The rest is usually just broken down into manageable selections. I agree with a lot that "doubleDD" has to say.

Here is my stash….....................


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## AngieO (Jul 9, 2012)

I'm kinda leaning toward the vertical storage. I know that yesterday I worked on stacking all that wood in a neat pile and then when I wanted something it was enevitably on the bottom of the stack. I think it will also be quicker and easier to build something like that. I have a feeling I will end up with something between what rest user has and what Les has. At least for now.


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## moonie (Jun 18, 2010)

Well this my be outside the box but mybe its time to build a wood shed if there is any room but your like me you are out growning your shop. But I biuldt a nice 6×9 wood shed with pillets and 4 2×6s and srap ply wood it was just a thought.


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## rexb (Mar 28, 2012)

I built a small version of the Wood Whisperer's lumber rack and hung it up high enough to walk under. Yeah, I have to use a ladder to access the top shelf, but it doesn't take up any precious shop space.



Here are some good ideas to check out: The Wood Whisperer's version, Woodgears.ca version


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## VinnieP (Apr 22, 2009)

Sorry, not related to the wood, but does that iMac still work?


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## AngieO (Jul 9, 2012)

VinnieP….. What? LOL

Some good ideas. I actually had a lady come over today and she me to build her two of the doll beds I made. Except she wants them for her Yorkie and her ********************zu. (sp?). And my other stepdaughter has put in an order for her own doll bed. She wants hers to be bunk beds. Plans are online at ana-white.com. So I have those three projects that I need to get done with. So in the mean time… this is what I did as a temp fix.










It's not pretty but it's SOOOOOOO much better than my pile on the floor. I've pulled several boards out to plane and I had no trouble finding the one that I needed. Plus I separated them from what I believed to be pine, some cedar and then stuff I don't know what it is. LOL. The wood isn't all pretty… but actually I like the way it looks. My shop is really coming along. Thanks for the suggestions guys!


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## doubleDD (Oct 21, 2012)

Looks very neat and manageable. Soon it will be like walking into a owl lumber store.


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## kdc68 (Mar 2, 2012)

*AngieO*...wow doesn't look like the same shop….nicely done!


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## AngieO (Jul 9, 2012)

I walked in there today and just stopped, looked around and stared thinking how awesome it is to have it …. it's not the same space. My son even came out and was walking around telling me some story. He stopped mid sentence, looked around, put his hands up as if asking me… "where am I". He said it's totally different.

I LOVE IT!!! If it wasn't for being sick right now I'd be out there right now. I was out for a little while. Had to call it a day.


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## jordanp (Feb 1, 2013)

A small barrel works to for a space saving solution. 
I have a 30-40 Gal barrel in the corner that has a selection of different wood


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

Being organised really makes difference. Hope your feeling better soon.


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## MrRon (Jul 9, 2009)

Whenever one thinks about lumber storage, the first thing that comes to mind is; keep it out of the way. The first place one would use to store lumber is in the overhead. If the overhead is already cluttered by other storage or light fixtures, the second place is along a wall, but high up on that wall. The second consideration is accessibility of each piece of lumber. Stacking lumber may save space, but it also becomes hard to get to a piece of lumber that is buried at the bottom of the stack. My thought would be a storage rack suspended from the overhead by a system of ropes and pulleys. When you need a piece of wood, you could lower the rack, pick your piece and return the rack back to the overhead. This could be effective in a shop of any size. With a normal ceiling height of 8ft, you could reserve 12" for a rack with lumber storage. You might have to relocate some light fixtures. There could be adequate space above your garage door for storage. One thing to keep in mind is to limit the amount of lumber you keep on hand. Sometimes, you can experience a windfall of lumber that you can't pass up and that puts a strain on a small shop.
You mentioned an "ex"; could there be a spare room in the house that you could use to store wood?


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## AngieO (Jul 9, 2012)

This is how it looks now. 


















It's kinda a mess right now. I still have a lot of organizing to do. But it's all very usable right now. I'm loving it.

I do have some Walnut and some other longer stock boards overhead. But as you can see… for now the other lumber is standing up against the wall. It's working out pretty good so far. Just need to make some dividers and tie something across.


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## RussellAP (Feb 21, 2012)

An alternative suggestion would be to keep the wood in your basement if you have one. An outdoor shed would also be a good place to store lumber. Even outside stickered and covered. That way you have more room in your shop. I have twice the room you do and I'm tripping over stuff all the time. Cant wait for the weather to get warmer so I can take it outside and blow the dust off everything and maybe even work out in my huge drive way which is thankfully in back.


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