New overhead storage and loft platform

[foulkes]

I'm in the early stages of fixing up our two car garage in our new home we bought two years ago. Yesterday, I had a couple of fellas over and they built a storage platform over our fridge and built a storage area, four foot deep x the width of the garage, over the garage door. I finished painting the walls and will be painting the trim and the new storage areas next. New cabinets, floor, etc. to come.

 

[rocketman]

I LOVE the platform/mezzanine above the door. I have 18" above mine and want to do something like that vs. the steel/pre-made versions out there. Easy to frame it to the garage door header. Your layout pretty much sold me on the plan. ANYONE ELSE have a small platform above their fridge or what I plan, my compressor so I can put a 27" TV? I'd like to even use that foam/foil based wall sheathing for a removable wall, sound barrier around my compressor.

I really want to be able to get the numerous seasonal sports items and the coolers up and out of the way. This could become a good thread. More ceiling shelf pictures guys...

 

[kbs2244]

I don’t have a platform above my door.
It is too close to the ceiling.
But I do have room up there to hang my extension ladders.

My fridge is in a corner.
I boxed it in with a 2x4 at the outside corner of the fridge and shelf supports on the walls.
I kept the post short of the ceiling to make it easier to get things on to the top shelf.
The area along the side of the fridge is covered with peg board.

I ended up with 2 shelves apx 36x36 and a 30x60 piece of peg board.

 

[hondad]

The loft over the door is a great idea! I just finished installing some 18" shelves in that place in my garage. I think that I`m going to take them down and do what you did. Nice work.

 

[Tech Guy]

Nice idea. I was considering something like it but in a U shaped with a long shelf over each side rail and one across the top of the door to fit the rubbermaid containers. This may work out better.

 

[Tech Guy]

What size did you end up making it ?

 

[e-tek]

Nice idea. I was considering something like it but in a U shaped with a long shelf over each side rail and one across the top of the door to fit the rubbermaid containers. This may work out better.

Friend of mine did his like that - lots of room.

Both of us used REDI-ROD inserted into the roof rafters to suspend the shelf from, rather than nailing a 2x4 to the ceiling and using 2x4's to suspend it. It's cleaner and allows more space to get things onto the shelf.

 

[Jer]

Great use of usually wasted space!

 

[foulkes]

It's 4' deep x 19' 7" wide.

 

[richmondbob]

Friend of mine did his like that - lots of room.

Both of us used REDI-ROD inserted into the roof rafters to suspend the shelf from, rather than nailing a 2x4 to the ceiling and using 2x4's to suspend it. It's cleaner and allows more space to get things onto the shelf.

Any pics of the REDI-ROD shelves?

 

[Vinko]

great thread - I'm going to try something like this too

 

[Tech Guy]

never heard of Redi rod up here in the toronto area. Ill take a stab-is it threaded rod ? I have open rafters above my door so lots of room for framing

 

[Tech Guy]

Nice size. Can probably do the same at my place as your garage door and header are very close to mine. Nice job

 

[Tech Guy]

wouldnt mind seeing the redi rod shelves myself

 

[Tech Guy]

Foulkes, are those 2ft centres on the platform ? any lag bolts or just screws ?

 

[foulkes]

Both the storage above the garage door and the platform over the fridge are 2 ft centers. I don't see any lag bolts used, just screws. Both pieces are extremely sturdy. I've already moved all the kids bikes on the platform above the fridge, for the winter. I moved patio tables, waterski stuff, camping gear etc. above the garage door. I love the overhead storage for storing the bulkier stuff.

 

[e-tek]

Sorry guys, just got out of my Hot Tub - took a little longer than usual as I made the mistake of sitting down for a split second outside....at MINUS 40!!!! Talk about "literally" freezing your ars off!!

Here's the shelves I put up on my shop. I call it Redi-rod, but you're right, it's just threaded rod. I drilled up through the rafters and bolted them above with a big washer on each. I imagine with the rod and the load spread like this, it would hold MUCH more than I could lift up there. The beauty is it doesn't take up any floor space. At some point I may run them right across the length of the shop.

I have another set behind the lift as well - where I keep tires and more car parts.

 

[jgabl]

Sorry guys, just got out of my Hot Tub - took a little longer than usual as I made the mistake of sitting down for a split second outside....at MINUS 40!!!! Talk about "literally" freezing your ars off!!

Here's the shelves I put up on my shop. I call it Redi-rod, but you're right, it's just threaded rod. I drilled up through the rafters and bolted them above with a big washer on each. I imagine with the rod and the load spread like this, it would hold MUCH more than I could lift up there. The beauty is it doesn't take up any floor space. At some point I may run them right across the length of the shop.

I have another set behind the lift as well - where I keep tires and more car parts.

Hey E-Tek-
Whaddya complaining about?? It's not -40, it's only -36/37! Besides>>>it's CELSIUS! Isn't that like 50 degrees Fahrenheit??
bawh haw haw!Jk
BTW- You've got my Mopar pinup girl sign I want!

 

[XR80David]

Nice! But how do you get the bikes down conveniently? I'd say a nice stairway would suit it good?

 

[foulkes]

I just used my ladder to get the bicycles up and down (my kids bikes are up there now and my big bikes have been moved and are now hanging on a gravity rack. The bicycles are going to be kept on the platform only during the winter months when they're not being used. Once spring hits, they'll be moved to the ground where the kids can get to them. That'll leave my platform open to store additional stuff if needed.

 

[e-tek]

Nice! But how do you get the bikes down conveniently? I'd say a nice stairway would suit it good?

I imagine "MOST" would just use a step ladder - but there was a post on here of a great loft set up with a "library ladder" that rolled along the entire width.

 

[Tech Guy]

Threaded rod idea is nice but since I have the rafters open, I can add any framing I need for the weight I want to put up there. Nice size you have there foulkes. Should fit nicely above my door as well.

 

[Vinko]

E-Tek: I love that redi-rod set-up. It's ****, man I had thought of doing something like that for shelving but didn't know about redi-rod. Instead, I thought about marine supply hardware or something that I saw at a neighbor's office who is structural architect/engineer type. Not rod as much as the type of material they use for a mast -- a stainless steel steel cable with stainless marine fasteners. But maybe I should try this redi-rod stuff,.

 

[benjacobs]

I really want to be able to get the numerous seasonal sports items and the coolers up and out of the way. This could become a good thread. More ceiling shelf pictures guys...

Here's a variation I did using an old bent-up wire shelving rack with 6 2'x4' shelves that I tore apart, some allthread, and some unistrut. My clearance is about 20 inches, and I only store lightweight stuff up there because it's on 24" centers and I don't want any unnecessary sag. Regardless, I enjoy having the space available, and it was a fun, easy, home-made project made from pieces and parts that might have ended up in the trash or something. If I was going to do it again, I would probably cut the strut in 12" pieces or so, instead of running it the length of the two shelves.

 

[BigChevy80]

Guess I'll throw my loft pics in here as well. I used eye-hooks and chain because I already had the chain and thought it would look cool anyway.

 

[383IROC]

Heres a pic of the overhead storage I just finished up. I was inspired by the setup the Mythbusters have in there shop. Its made from 1'' angle and OSB. It will get some paint when the weather is warmer.

 

[beelsr]

How is it attached to the ceiling/walls?

Heres a pic of the overhead storage I just finished up. I was inspired by the setup the Mythbusters have in there shop. Its made from 1'' angle and OSB. It will get some paint when the weather is warmer.

 

[383IROC]

How is it attached to the ceiling/walls?

It has a #10 3 1/2'' screw where ever the angle iron goes across a ceiling joist or wall stud.

 

[beelsr]

thanks. seems a little, umm, marginal. I hope they're real screws and not just large drywall screws. I'd add a washer to the screws, at least. Unless you don't have heavy things in the boxes...

Then again, I have this mezzanine in the woodshop - 14'x25'. Lagged into studs on the back and sides, a couple 3-4" angle pieces in the front on the block columns and 2 1"-ish pieces of threaded rod hanging from the I-beam and through some U-channel through the double (shimmed with ply for the rod) header.

It looks so different now. It's almost completely filled with cherry, maple and poplar. It scares me every time I climb up there looking for a piece of stock, half-expecting the whole thing to come crashing down.

 

[383IROC]

thanks. seems a little, umm, marginal. I hope they're real screws and not just large drywall screws. I'd add a washer to the screws, at least. Unless you don't have heavy things in the boxes...
QUOTE]

I read in a construction handbook that #10 wood screws have a 950lb tensile strength and 200lb lateral load carrying ability. They are far from drywall screws and I don't have anything heavy in the boxes anyway so I'm not really worried. Nice mezzanine and shop BTW.

 

[beelsr]

Well, just making sure. I'd hate to have it all come tumbling down on ya'...

thanks on the kudo, spent 3 hours today cleaning it up. ugh!