Lumber storage ideas

[erik a]

Looking for some suggestions for a lumber storage rack. Would like to mount to an exterior CMU wall, which is protected by a generous overhang. My short search turns up very cheap or very expensive options. 16" arms would be ideal... Has anyone found a decent heavy duty system they like?
Erik A

 

[nadogail]

I use repurposed pipe for vertical members and weld horizontal pieces from old bed frames.

 

[Crabman]

They are only 12" not 16" but I like my Bora. These two are $35 or $50, not sure what you consider to be "very expensive".

Good luck finding a solution.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004DGIZMW/?tag=atomicindus08-20

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07F6Y186C/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[nadogail]

With an Arc Welder and some imagination you can have some low cost solutions.
Welding is a way to build dreams from other peoples discards.

 

[youngleo]

Looking for some suggestions for a lumber storage rack. Would like to mount to an exterior CMU wall, which is protected by a generous overhang. My short search turns up very cheap or very expensive options. 16" arms would be ideal... Has anyone found a decent heavy duty system they like?
Erik A

I came up with a super cheap and super strong option that takes minutes to install. I just bolted pallet rack uprights to the floor and ceiling then cut the horizontal members to 24 inches I hung the lumber on the horizontal member stubs when attached to the upright. Both sides of the pallet rack. They are easily adjustable and stronger than any wood or bolted setup. Old pallet rack is pretty cheap when you do not need decking. Usually scrap yards get it in a few times a month. Also, lots of it on marketplace and at local auctions. Want a picture? Let me know. I will take one and send it to you. Just put some up in my barn. Farm hacks.

 

[Bucko]

I actually just bought similar ones like Crabman posted but they are still in the box. I went with 2 of the 3 shelf peg design because one is going to go up high for storage of more oddball stuff like specialty trim and the other is going to be mounted under an existing bench that is attached to the wall without a lower shelf.

The biggest issue I tend to have is knowing when to let some "scrap" go which is something I bet alot of us deal with.

 

[niget2002]

They are only 12" not 16" but I like my Bora. These two are $35 or $50, not sure what you consider to be "very expensive".

Good luck finding a solution.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004DGIZMW/?tag=atomicindus08-20

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07F6Y186C/?tag=atomicindus08-20

I have these too, but I haven't installed them. Went to install them and found out the wooden sub-wall in my metal shop wasn't attached at the top. I'm afraid of putting too much load on the wall.

My plan is to add some through bolts to bolt the top of the wall to the horizontal steel brace. Then install the lumber rack.

 

[APEowner]

It's not mounted to a wall but there are details on my material rack in my shop build thread linked in my signature below.

 

[RichieP_MechE]

Lee Valley sells this system which is actually a cable support product for manholes/underground vaults. It is cheaper to buy direct from an electrical supplier (I purchased from Georgia Underground Superstore https://georgiaunderground.net/categories/manhole-equipment-and-accessories.html ) and used it for a metal storage rack in my shop. My setup was $260 in parts but shipping was close to 100 bucks.

 

[Jgaz]

@RichieP_MechE
Thanks for the heads up and link to what that system was designed for.
Lee Valley and Garrett Wade were the only two vendors I knew that carried the system.

I bought my pieces from someone that was downsizing and used it as a lumber rack for years.
Now it lives in my garage as heavy duty shelf standards.

It did make a great lumber rack.
BTW, I really like your corrugated steel wainscoting.

 

[Crabman]

Woot has some 16" ones for cheap today

Delta HDRS1000 3-tier Heavy Duty Storage Rack - $24.99 - Free shipping for Prime members

Delta HDRS1000 3-tier Heavy Duty Storage Rack

tools.woot.com

 

[rayra]

Whichever you choose try to add as many elements horizontally as you can, or provide a solid shelf for the pieces to rest on, to try and preclude lumber warping.

 

[Jackfre]

For wood storage I went vertical after driving myself crazy with Horiz storage. Even with care it becomes a system where what you want is at the back, bottom or has simply disappeared into the rack. You then play, “I know it is here,” and unload the whole rack. I ditched that “system” and built a small platform at about 5* pitch back to the wall. Studs and plywood gave me the wall support. It is by farthe best most useful and accessible storage, for me. I also made a rolling cart 24” sq for shorts. For dividers on the wall I used some 1” black pipe I had & a security strap to keep things in place. It is far safer than horiz storage as well.

 

[gsmith22]

For wood storage I went vertical after driving myself crazy with Horiz storage. Even with care it becomes a system where what you want is at the back, bottom or has simply disappeared into the rack. You then play, “I know it is here,” and unload the whole rack. I ditched that “system” and built a small platform at about 5* pitch back to the wall. Studs and plywood gave me the wall support. It is by farthe best most useful and accessible storage, for me. I also made a rolling cart 24” sq for shorts. For dividers on the wall I used some 1” black pipe I had & a security strap to keep things in place. It is far safer than horiz storage as well.

can you post a picture? or have a link to something that looks/functions similarly

 

[grabeb]

I'm looking for the exact same thing. Any luck?

Inside I use the Bora rack and I like it a lot, just worried it won't support the weight I want for my outdoor stored lumber. I have 6-12) 2x12x12-16' and about that many 2x6's as well. Then I also have several dozen old growth 2x4's that are currently stored indoors. It's lumber I acquired for free and have been using it up slowly so down the road I may not have it, but it's always in my way and stored outside on scaffold. I want to keep the 2x12's around long enough to use a planks for the scaffold I have while I work on getting my 100yr old house repainted....hoping that gets done this year finally. I then have a mix of old cedar and treated fence boards and various other lumber as I like to make things out of them so I acquire lots of misc wood. Most the bora would be fine for, but the 2x12's not so much.

I've been looking at the cable rack stuff today, but it is pricy on the shipping, maybe I'll see if can source locally. My other thought is to go to metal yard and buy some 1 or 1-1/4" square tubing (can have them cut to length for next to nothing) then just laying it out and welding it up and going that route. But if that costs me $200 or more, I'd rather have the adjustability of the cable rack stuff.... I recently was given a Lincoln arc welder, which I haven't tried out....I need a reason to use it, but it's been years since I've stick welded.

I thought about 4 verticals up to about 6' each, then have about 12-15" in between each horizontal member. Probably have the lower 2 sets of horizontals at about 12-15", then reduce to about 10-12" up in the middle and have the last one or two at 6-10". Maybe put a hook on the top of the verticals so that I could attach a tarp to it to drop over the lumber to keep out of weather.

 

[rayra]

It's dead simple to make a very strong rack for lumber, from lumber, attaching to the 16" or 24" center wall studs. And it's a lot cheaper than cable racks, unistrut or any other manufactured solution.
Dead simple to use 2x2, 2x3, 2x4 for vertical rails, attached to the wall studs. bore holes in those added boards for inserting EMT or black iron pipe as stanchions.

I just suggest solid shelving across those supports, under any planks you keep on it, to preclude warping. And a vertical storage for lumber won't work for long especially in a drier climate, the boards will warp.

I've had to spend a lot of time digging thru vertical hardwood racks at big box stores in Vegas while building furniture this year. People don't seem to use it much around here and it sits so long all the older stock is badly warped.

 

[grabeb]

I don't want vertical, I want horizontal.

I suppose something like this is what you are referring to. Not sure I would want that attached to my siding but maybe it wouldn't be any worse than a metal structure.

Another thought is drilling into the 4x4 fence posts and using them but might cause accelerated end of life for the fence.

 

[Mandres]

I don't want vertical, I want horizontal.

I suppose something like this is what you are referring to. Not sure I would want that attached to my siding but maybe it wouldn't be any worse than a metal structure.

Another thought is drilling into the 4x4 fence posts and using them but might cause accelerated end of life for the fence.

That's very similar to what I did. I used 2x4s and 3/4" galvanized conduit. It's cheap, rock solid, and infinitely customizable to fit your needs and space. When drilling the holes for the conduit I tilted my drill press table about 10° so they angle up slightly.

 

[BroncoAZ]

I was looking at these Delta brand racks from Home Depot. I need to get some wood off the floor. I would use two sets of this for six uprights.

Delta 16 in. x 21 in. Heavy-Duty Wall Rack, Adjustable 3-Tier Wide Lumber Rack Holds 720 lbs. Steel Garage Wall Shelf Brackets HDRS1003 - The Home Depot

Add your own decorative touch to an outdoor wall or fence with this Delta HeavyDuty Wall Rack Adjustable Wide Lumber Rack Holds Steel Garage Wall Shelf Brackets.

www.homedepot.com

 

[paredown]

That's very similar to what I did. I used 2x4s and 3/4" galvanized conduit. It's cheap, rock solid, and infinitely customizable to fit your needs and space. When drilling the holes for the conduit I tilted my drill press table about 10° so they angle up slightly.

Built the same style, screwed to the wall with countersunk GRK construction screws into the wall studs. It holds what I put on it. EMT tubing cut to length with a plumber's pipe cutter, plastic caps readily available and it is cheap to build. I find it works better with at least some 'shelves' of plywood rips, since I always seem to have short stuff I'm trying to get up off the floor...

I did s set outside mounted to the back of my woodshed to get my drainage pipe collection up off the ground and out of the way,