Steel/lumber storage

[xtremek]

Hey Ladies and Gents, I need some suggestions. I've got some longer lengths of steel (4'-12') and lumber (12'-16') that I want to store. I don't need to get at the lumber very often, but I want easy access to the steel. The standard lengths(4'-10') of lumber are in the rafters. I have some 2"x 3", 2"x 4" and 2"x 6" that I can use. My floor space is at a premium, so I was thinking about hanging something at about 6'6" off the floor so no one bonks their head.

 

[drmarkr]

I have something similar to this. Use if for some steel, mostly wood.

 

[xtremek]

I have something similar to this. Use if for some steel, mostly wood.

I was thinking of something like that, but I'm worried about weight. It'll hold mostly steel and a lot of it. How much do you think each rung will hold?

 

[archirelic]

I was thinking of something like that, but I'm worried about weight. It'll hold mostly steel and a lot of it. How much do you think each rung will hold?

They sell set-ups like that or you could fabricate some yourself. In my opinion if you make them yourself, you'll be able to engineer/construct it to hold more weight than the prefabricated units you can purchase off the shelf.

 

[akdiesel]

Please ignor the mess on the shelf, but this one is made out 1 1/2" square tube. Each vertical section has 6 24" supports with an additional angle support for each one.
Before I made the ladder in the front I had to climb at times to reach items. I don't suggest it but it holds my weight and the weight of the the wood and metal.
It has 6 4" lag bolts attached to the wall on each vertical section also.

 

[sixleaker]

I built my own with scrap steel. Easy project and can be tailored to fit exactly how you want it

 

[nolimits76]

Good ideas thus far.

If you don't want to fabricate something, check your local CL ads for pallet racks. They come in varying sizes (both width & height), capable of holding heavy loads, adjustable, and you can add additional shelving as needed.

 

[xtremek]

Good ideas thus far.

If you don't want to fabricate something, check your local CL ads for pallet racks. They come in varying sizes (both width & height), capable of holding heavy loads, adjustable, and you can add additional shelving as needed.

Money's super tight, so I doubt it. But can you hang them from the rafters? My floor space is super tight. I'm about to start tearing my/my daugther's truck down for an engine rebuild/air suspension install and I have a electric garden cart and motorcycle about to go under the knife. On top of lumber to build a 14' x 26' garden shed/chicken coop drying out in the corner. And I'd like to be able to park one of the vehicles in the barn this winter.

 

[LX-Markham]

I just bought this rack from HD for $50. Great for 8' lengths. Get 2 of them and you could store longer stuff.

Each rung is rated for 100 lbs.

 

[djjsr]

I made this from 2" sq tubing to hold some wood. I have another similar one for steel.

View media item 35080

 

[nolimits76]

No, you cannot hang them from the rafters, or I've never seen it done.

Depends how configure the racks though. If you look closely, you can see the legs take very little floor space. The shelving is completely adjustable so you could put it at a higher level so it doesn't screw with your lower level space.

But you know your space best...this may not work.

 

[78RS_to112SS]

This works great: http://www.leevalley.com/en/Wood/page.aspx?p=32145&cat=1,43326

 

[Victorymike18]

Nice use of the odd space.

Only thing I would add would be two "outrigger" rungs to the left and right of the lowest one, to support very long pieces. (such as the wood on the second set of rungs)

Heck, if you could buy just one of those 6-Rung pieces, you could cut it in half and accomplish that.

 

[pendragon1998]

Slam the door and it all falls on your head. Lol

 

[Duker]

Here is a simple DIY rack that can hold a surprising amount of weight. I have built three of these sets with this last one on the back of a storage shed. I store steel and lumber on these. 1/4" Angle iron and 4" x 4" posts and some bolts and you can knock these out in few hours. The posts could bolted/lagged to a wall if they needed to be elevated.

 

[Justanoldguy]

POst 5 is the very reason I have stopped using racks.
Gets too messy too easy, just like my bench space.

I now prefer to stand all my wood and steel upright in racks.

OK so it takes floor space, but the compromise is well worth it.
sorry no pics, but I'm sure you've seen what I mean before.

 

[LX-Markham]

Here is a simple DIY rack that can hold a surprising amount of weight. I have built three of these sets with this last one on the back of a storage shed. I store steel and lumber on these. 1/4" Angle iron and 4" x 4" posts and some bolts and you can knock these out in few hours. The posts could bolted/lagged to a wall if they needed to be elevated.

Did you cope the ends of the angle iron? Or did you cut a dado in the posts?

 

[JakeKohl]

Here is a simple DIY rack that can hold a surprising amount of weight. I have built three of these sets with this last one on the back of a storage shed. I store steel and lumber on these. 1/4" Angle iron and 4" x 4" posts and some bolts and you can knock these out in few hours. The posts could bolted/lagged to a wall if they needed to be elevated.

That's a lot of trouble to trim that angle iron...couldn't you just turn it with the flange pointed away from the post and leave it intact?

 

[A**holes Garage]

Unistrut

 

[LX-Markham]

^^^unistrut, great idea!

nice garage.

 

[A**holes Garage]

^^^unistrut, great idea!

nice garage.

I have them loaded up with steel right now. The main reason I went with the Unistrut is that it allows me to adjust the support brackets up and down as needed for short and long pieces, bundles, etc.

 

[shooting4life]

Unistrut

Nice, is this what you used?
http://www.mcmaster.com/#strut-channel-systems/=pckgyf

Also, how much of a load can they take? I was thinking about doing the same thing but with the premade shelf brackets they sell for strut, I like the way you did it better.

 

[Dale1962]

http://hostedmedia.reimanpub.com/TFH/Step-By-Step/FH060611_002_GARSTO_10.jpg
1/2 emt works also

 

[A**holes Garage]

Similar stuff through Mcmaster. My local electrical, nut/bolt supplier sells Unistrut.

Here is their loading information:

http://www.unistrut.us/index.php?WP=cat_detail&S=S02&P=P1000

I had to modify their brackets because the 18" were on backorder at the time I needed them. They had 12" brackets and I welded the additional 6" and put the vertical stops on all of them.

http://www.unistrut.us/index.php?WP=cat_detail&S=S05&P=P2944

I have several hundred pounds of steel on the long runs for the past 2 years with no issues. Just ahev to make sure you hit the studs and anchor accordingly. Tighten the adjsuatble brackets and you're good.

 

[A**holes Garage]

Another problem I had was how to store the shorter drops and ends? So I fabricated a cart with welded tubes to hold pieces vertically. It tucks under the lowest Unistrut shelf.

 

[ducktapeguy]

That's a lot of trouble to trim that angle iron...couldn't you just turn it with the flange pointed away from the post and leave it intact?

To me it looks like he cut a slot in the 4x4 to support the angle iron, the bolts just keep it from slipping out of the slot.

 

[sberry]

Add stuff is hard to store, we usually process it to stock pieces easier to manage.

 

[xtremek]

Add stuff is hard to store, we usually process it to stock pieces easier to manage.

"Hey Sberry, look over there!", as I back my truck and trailer up to your shop. I only wish I had that much stock to deal with.

 

[xtremek]

I love theses ideas, thanks for your input. I really love the cart, but again, floor space is gold for me.

 

[Duker]

Did you cope the ends of the angle iron? Or did you cut a dado in the posts?

I cut slots in the posts on my table saw using a 1/4" dado set up. You could do the same thing with a couple of passes with a skil saw. Line the posts up and cut across all of them at the same time. You just hammer the angle iron in and bolt to the post. The only thing you need to be careful of is that if your using treated lumber that is wet cut them all then load up the shelves as soon as possible so that they dry with the weight distributed evenly together. The first set I did years ago it was weeks before I loaded them up and a couple pieces of angle were no longer level.

 

[JMartel]

For now, I have the standard garage wire shelving that was in the garage when we bought the house.