Who's got innovative ideas for regular stuff like yard tools - can't build a shed for that stuff so it has to share valuable space in our already crammed 2 car garage. I've already put shelves level with the garage door tracks to take advantage of that high space.
I have a pretty good way to store yard tools, shovels, rakes, brooms. The idea I stole from the Smith & Hawkins store we used to have here several years ago, before they sold out to Target. Their store was like catnip to gardeners. It had a raw concrete floor, the shelves and display tables were plywood with galvanized sheet tops. There were lots of great plants and flowers arranged nicely. On the corrugated metal covered walls were these black iron pipe racks that allowed them to hang multiple shovels, rakes and other heavy akward yard tools in a small amount of real estate. Here is my take on their idea.
I went to the big box store and purchased 12" black iron pipe threaded on both ends. There is one 4 hole flange and one cap per bracket. Each mount rack takes two of each. This is attached to the 1/2" plywood with 4, 1/4" carrage bolts installed with the nuts to the front.
Before you mount your brackets cut your plywood length to size and locate the wall studs you will be attaching to and mark this on your plywood. That way you won't inadverdantly put your pipe flange over the stud where you need to fasten the whole thing to the wall. I used 1/4" X 3" lag bolts to fasten the plywood to the wall. The sledge hammer, axe rack is 3/4" plywood for a little additonal strength.
Some of the Pairs are mounted close together and some are mounted a little farther apart. I just set the tools on the floor and stood the pipe flange racks up next to the head to find a good measurement between the tools.
Originally my plan was to have specific tools stacking on specific spots, but over the years the tools have changed, and my family doesn't always pay atttention where it came from so we just hang the stuff wherever it will fit. Occasionally a tool will fall off while you are removing one from behind, but you quickly learn to set the front tools down first before getting that back one out. We have had this up for about 15 years and it works great, keeping all the tools close to the door and has no strength problems or maintainance required. As you can see, you can also hang other stuff in between where the handles are.
