Higher Wall Shelves for occasional-use storage

[anjp]

Just moving in to a new place and setting up the garage. I have higher ceiling and would like to make use of the empty space for storing tools & that I don't use frequently (or seasonal items). I DID try searching the forums first, but didn't come up with much, so here it goes....

My garage currently looks like the attached photo. I want to make a large shelf above the workbench area. I don't want it to go to the floor so it must be entirely supported by the wall. I have an abundance of 2x4s lying around and am thinking of doing a number of truss-style supports. My garage studs are spaced at 24" on centre.

Here are a couple ideas (a la google). Note that the photo with the girl is sort of an open truss (no 2x4 on the back wall). I would probably make the full triangle.... thoughts? Other ideas? cheers

 

[Krash Kadillak]

Great way to store your extra kids................

 

[jlckmj]

Looks good,
here is what I did to close them in
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=198872
Jim

 

[dittle fart around]

Looks good,
here is what I did to close them in
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=198872
Jim

Liken the cabinets.

View media item 30834
I was thinking the same way but with doors that swing up like airplane overhead storage.

 

[scottydosnntkno]

that verticle 2x4 is a waste of wood.

with the downward angle, you have verticle shear forces, but most pull-out forces on the top connection and push-in forces on the bottom connection.

if the 2x4s angle up like the first picture, you get verticle shear on the bottom connection, and pull out/down on the top.

angled supports on the bottom is stronger, which is why shelf brackets are made that way

 

[Jackson]

Depending on how much weight you are putting on it, I will try and describe what I did at my old house but I have no pics. I didn't want the support beams hanging down and was only putting up Christmas decorations etc, so nothing crazy heavy.

I nailed a 2x4 ledger board across the wall to support the 3/4" plywood shelf, which was ripped lengthwise to make it 2' deep and 8' long.

To hold up the front of the shelf I used eye bolts tapped into the overhead joists/trusses. Then ran aircraft quality cable down to a bolted eyebolt using the largest washers I could get at each end of the shelf and one in the middle. Worked great for years, and I trusted my Corvette under it. I also tipped the front up just slightly to make sure the majority of the weight went on the ledger board, which is easy to do as the eyebolts are threaded making levelling adjustments a snap.

Think self tapping eyebolt up top, threaded eyebolt with 2 fender washers and a nut at the bottom. And the aircraft cable secured using a sling for the loop and 2 cable clips for security at each end.

Honestly it worked amazing. I'm surprised at all the work people put into wooden support when they aren't hoisting hundreds of pounds up that high anyways.

 

[OJ Bartley]

I was thinking the same way but with doors that swing up like airplane overhead storage.

That would be really cool, if you had the time and money to attach some kind of gas springs or dampers.

I'm planning to install shelves around most of the perimeter of my garage, hopefully with fluorescent lighting underneath. I hadn't planned to close them in, but I did want to tie the structure into the ceiling at intervals with a section of 2x4. I have seen a few others use threaded rod for this as well.

 

[anjp]

that verticle 2x4 is a waste of wood.

with the downward angle, you have verticle shear forces, but most pull-out forces on the top connection and push-in forces on the bottom connection.

if the 2x4s angle up like the first picture, you get verticle shear on the bottom connection, and pull out/down on the top.

angled supports on the bottom is stronger, which is why shelf brackets are made that way

Yeah I sketched some plans yesterday and decided not to go with the vertical post. I'm planning to angle down (like the 2nd picture), but to attach the 45 degree supports to the wall with an angled cut, AND put a horizontal 2x4 immediately below (running the span of the shelf). I'll also screw in the supports to his horizonal piece.

I want to do the same thing with the upper attachments (the horizonal ones connecting the angled pieces to the wall). This shelf will be used to store winter/summer shovels/tools in the off season, extra junk, extra military kit, and overall I think it will be fairly heavy. So I want to make sure that the initial plan can support the weight.

Thinking of an 8 ft long shelf with support arms every 2 ft (my studs are 24" ctr). Is a 45 degree support best, or would it be better to have a sharper angle and attach the support halfway out from the wall?

 

[mike_81]

the one with the girl in the pic is using the wall stud as the "3rd" side of the triangle. you can see metal hangers in the pic.

 

[Slednut]

I used these with 3/4 inch ply at my parent’s house to store stuff, I don't really understand the maximum load of 1000 pounds. I used 1/4 in lag bolts, spaced the brackets 32 inches apart.


http://www.homedepot.com/p/Richelie...racket-20-In-494W20B/202205511#specifications

 

[Redhotrod]

I did like Jackson did above my 16'x7' garage door, but I took 1/2" osb, ripped it in half lengthwise, made (2) 2'x4' 2x4 frames on 2' centers and used eyebolts in the front of the frames plumb with the trusses with jack chain to support it to eyebolts in the trusses. I then lag bolted the 2x4 underneath to the garage door header

 

[tomshep]

If you can get to your attic you can support the outer edge by laying a 2x4 across the attic ABOVE your joists. Then drill through the 2x4 and use all thread to go down through the ceiling and tie into the outer edge of your shelf as described above with a fender washer and nut. Very strong and takes up minimal space when loading the shelf.

That way you have no bracing below the shelf.

Tom

 

[JimVonBaden]

Great way to store your extra kids................

Nice!

Jim

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Gang:

Legacy Industrial just launched a modular system for garage storage.
They are simple and solve a problem.
Link: http://legacyindustrial.net/cart/legacy-garage-rack-4-x-8-p-273.html

 

[adpprop]

I just wanted simple

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

I decided to have our units designed after building my own wooden version and taking an entire day to do it. Although similar to other brands we have a unique support system under the grid deck.

Naturally, gj is full of DIY type people as evident in the excellent pics shown in this thread.
However, there are folks out there not as motivated to reinvent the wheel.

 

[adpprop]

I agree with LI.
We are generally not motivated to reinvent the wheel.
However it took about 8 hrs, some left over lumber and some glue and screws to build and install approx 48 feet of over head shelves.
Took longer to sort them than build them.
I guess a different type of motivation was the difference.

 

[anjp]

A combination of busy work schedule and just plain old dragging my heels meant I didn't actually action anything on this shelf idea until last weekend. I ended up just going with some spare 2x4s I had lying around + chipboard. Simple 45 degree arm support design. I have 24" centre studs and had some existing junk in the way on some of them. But I only missed 2 on a 12' shelf.
Here's the end result

 

[theoldwizard1]

I used these.

Richelieu Hardware White Heavy Duty Shelf Bracket 20 In. $12 @ Home Depot

Lag them to the studs. (Use 1/4" lags. Drill a pilot hole first.) If you do every stud, you can rip a sheet of 3/4" plywood the long way and they will hold a lot ! I have mine spaced every other stud and am using "1 by" for less sagging.