# Help designing above garage door storage for a ladder...



## dbhost (Jul 20, 2009)

Okay simply put, I have to ladders, and only the space to store 1.

My current configuration is a couple of bicycle hooks hung from the studs between the garage doors, I simply hang the ladder between the doors. Sadly I don't have enough room for 2 sets of hooks and ladders.

I can keep the 10 footer there with no problems. It's the 6 foot ladder that I am worried about.

I am considering hanging it horizontally above one of the garage doors, between the shop lights. This poses a HUGE problem though. I SERIOUSLY doubt that studs will be exactly where I want them to put screw hooks. I am looking for alternative means to hang the ladder, tight up against the ceiling so that it is out of the way, not interfering with lighting, or door operation.

I am not thinking super fancy, but something akin to either one of these designs…










Or something I already have, one of those pulley bicycle hanger system thingies. I used to use it to hold my canoe off the ground, but that has since been moved… 









I am obviously quite open for ideas. The biggest thing is that it be able to hold the ladder out of the way, safely, and be easy to access when needed…


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## screwikea (Feb 1, 2013)

The 2 things I've done are either hang it horizontally along the wall (more or less above where your gardening tools are now) or have a lineup of them in the garden shed. In my experience, the bicycle hangers can be used to hang lots of stuff, but they're kind of unwieldy, and I'm not a fan of putting big, awkward things overhead. I know a lot of guys will put things like ladders and sheet goods over their garage doors, but I've always found it to be awkward getting that stuff down without feeling like I'm going to fall on my beautiful, precious face.

Is it realistic to maybe put a couple of big L-style hooks about 6" from the wall overhead so you can just hang the ladder and it's clear of the rakes and such?


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## bigblockyeti (Sep 9, 2013)

I like the bicycle pulley system, thought about having one end of my ladder supported by two hooks on one end rung, and the other end hoisted tight to the ceiling with one of the bike holders. Put a cleat on the wall to tie it tight and it would be safe and readily accessible for one person working alone, even with a fairly long ladder.


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## jbertelson (Sep 26, 2009)

For an immediate solution, the bicycle hook or something similar would do, or even something made of wood. If it is the usual fairly light weight aluminum thing, then you could make a pole with a large hook on the end. First lift one side off and put it on the floor, and then the second side could be lifted off by hand, doing the whole thing standing on the garage floor. The trick is the special pole with a hook. To put it back just reverse the process. The first end you put up by hand, then use the pole to lift up the other end, all while standing on the floor. This idea takes advantage of the ladder being quite long and relatively light….............

In La Conner I have a little rod with a special piece of wood on the end to lift the tennis ball hanging from a string (used for positioning the biggest car) onto a hook on a beam. It is a 10 foot ceiling, roughly. That way the ball isn't in the way when I am working in the shop. I also labeled the special tool so someone doesn't walk off with it or use if for something else.

Remember, one difference between humans and most animals, is the use of tools. But of course some birds and chimps use tools as well…........


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## FirehouseWoodworking (Jun 9, 2009)

If you set the screw hooks (L-shaped would probably work best) to hook onto the ladders rail (beams) rather than the rungs, the position of the rafters should not be an issue.

You can set L-brackets fairly tight to the rails. To remove the ladder, you just twist (unscrew) a quarter turn the two L-brackets on one side of the ladder and down it comes. To hang the ladder, hook it onto the two you did not unscrew, then swing the ladder up, flat to the ceiling, then twist (screw in) a quarter tun and you're done.

I have a couple of my aluminum ladders hung this way and it works great. Cheap and easy. Nothing fancy. Good luck.

Cheers!


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## Richforever (Mar 19, 2008)

You might be able to build "hooks" to replace the bicycle hooks that hold the first ladder. Just angle a support piece out from the wall a little bit to support the horizontal piece that would hold two ladders instead of one. Just a triangle out of 2×4's with a little longer horizontal top. I did this with pipe clamps, and outfeed table. With the vertical piece next to a stud, it supports a lot of weight.


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## dbhost (Jul 20, 2009)

I think I just figured it out…

#1. Move the bicycle hoist system to within the garage door rails space between the lights, lag bolted directly to the studs, and arranged so that when in the up position, the ladder will fit between the rails and lights.
#2. use spare closet rod I have laying around cut into 48" segments (to accomodate for slipping and sliding).

Drop the bicycle hoist hooks all the way through the ladder, and slide the closet rods into the hooks so that the rods hold the weight of the ladder and hoist it up to the ceiling. Once the pulley is locked in place the ladder should be secure!

Of course once that is done, I will need to patch the ceiling where the hoist currently lives…


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## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

The bicycle thing works really well, I have one for my bicycle (go figure). But have often though about the other stuff it would work with as well, the ladder being one of them. Besides, they are fairly inexpensive.


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## stevepeterson (Dec 17, 2009)

The bicycle hoist should work just fine. I have 2 of them for bikes and they work great. It does seem like an awful lot of pulling on the core to lift something as lightweight as a ladder. I would be more likely to hook one end of the ladder over a nail and use a single pulley to lift the other end. That way you only have to pull the cord 6' to lift the ladder 6'. The hoist has a 4:1 ratio and you have to pull 24' to lift the ladder 6'.


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## stevepeterson (Dec 17, 2009)

deleting duplicate post


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