Storing scrap lumber/materials

[Raymond Fast]

Okay folks, I'm new here and this topic may have already been thoroughly discussed, but I did a quick search and didn't find anything. If you know of any threads where I might get some ideas, just link them. Otherwise, I'd really like to hear your thoughts.

I'm in the process of converting an overstuffed garage into a versatile, useful work space. Some stuff I'm getting rid of, other stuff I'm sorting/rearranging to make better use of space. One of the challenges I'm facing is that I never throw away scraps. I have small pieces of lumber - boards from about 1' to around 6' long, partial plywood sheets - as well as pieces of pipe, angle, conduit, and various other materials too odd-shaped and big to shelve. On the upside, before I buy anything for a project, I always go through my scraps first and use what I can, so I don't accumulate that much of it, but I still have a rather daunting storage issue.

I'd like to come up with a way to use space that normally gets wasted to store this material (I'm thinking overhead here but I'm open to anything). Please share your suggestions, ideas, or (best yet) examples of how you've met this challenge in your own work space(s). (Pictures/links would be a big plus!!!)

 

[PelicanPines]

I have limited space in my garage... I have a series of photos of my space attached to my profile...

My garage has a 12 foot ceiling... so I went UP with a lot of the storage. I got 3 sets of storage shelves and built them as two... making them 9 feet tall. Each set had two 3 foot sections that could stack...

I also mounted a wood storage system on the wall with the lowest shelf above my head.. I need a step ladder to access it but it uses wasted space.

I also have 3 wooden work benches with solid storage below... 3 additional "this end up" cabinets along one wall filled with stuff. Hardware store parts storage all over the place.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Makes me think of this news story I saw yesterday: Man uses piece of wood he put in the garage in 1982 because it might come in handy in the future.
http://www.walesoncraic.com/man-use...because-it-might-come-in-handy-in-the-future/

There have been a number of spare lumber storage methods shown here, the problem is trying to find them...the board search function doesn't work all that great, it usually works better to search the site from Google.

 

[matt_i]

The garage attic is usually an excellent place to store these things, they don't care very much about the high temps usually found up there.

 

[Raymond Fast]

Stuart in MN ... good advice. Thanks. I used Google and found some really helpful ideas in some older posts.

 

[D45]

Wood scraps go in this crate, that I found for free

I just added some scrap plywood on the bottom for reinforcement and bought some 210 pound rated swivel casters and some lag screws

I like the fact that these cheap *** casters use bolts, rather than rivets..........so they cant be replaced if needed

Rolls and works perfectly, even loaded down and filled up

Long scrap pieces of plywood and 2x4s, go in the ceiling rafters

 

[chops101]

Stuart in MN ... good advice. Thanks. I used Google and found some really helpful ideas in some older posts.

Try looking at Pinterest pictures, it is fast and easy to stop and look or scroll.

I'm in the same boat, longer pcs of wood that don't have a home.
I recently de-commed a lot of tongue and groove cypress from my family room that the previous owner installed. Many pcs are 16', can't throw it away and hard time getting it out of my way.

Check out "EMT conduit lumber rack", that's the direction I'm going, but I also need to incorporate an extension ladder holder on it. I have a 32 footer (16' collapsed) that I need out of the way.

 

[Firebird 1]

I am a contractor and also have a small shop attached to my house for building furniture. I would love to have the answer of what to do with scraps. Recently the best I could come up with is the fireplace. I have boards from 3' to 12' piled in everycorner of the shop and barn. I hate to throw wood away.

 

[Falcon67]

As I got along on my shop build I needed to get material up off the floor. you can see the hack/rack in the upper right - worked well for me. Other material now like spare 2x4s get's stacked up against a wall. I don't keep much and it takes a bit to fish those pieces out but it works for me.

 

[guyerst]

I got this idea from someone on this site, though they drilled into the vertical 2x4s at an angle to keep the wood from sliding off. I just used a 90 and stubby on the end.

I used 1/2" black pipe and cheap 1" pic to keep the wood clean.

Sorry, not sure how to rotate the pic.

 

[southalabama]

For longer material I used "L" brackets. Put one on each stud for the length of the wall.

Longer and wider on bottom. Stacked.

Installed a couple feet from the ceiling.

For small pieces a big metal bookcase.

 

[bczygan]

Stacked in the yard and double tarped.

Leaned against a privacy fence, off the ground, and double tarped.

Add a lean to shed to the house or garage.

Box out a bump out.

Add a couple of wood columns and a shed roof to the side of an existing structure and tarp the lumber under it. Keep lumber off the ground with scrap pallets.

Put it on an open (I do with a tarp) or in an enclosed trailer or van or box truck or shipping container or bus or RV that has been gutted.

Build a lumber shed.

Fill a nearby abandoned house with it (I live in Detroit!)

If your insulation isn't too deep, cut a hole in the gable end of your first floor and fill the attic over your living area.

Fill the unfinished area of your walk out or regular basement.

Unused bedroom of kids away at college.

Convert your formal dining room. You never use it anyway.

Under the deck.

In the pool you haven't used in years (With a cover). In fact, set up a free above ground pool from CL that has a cover.

Stack in the yard, cover with a tarp and camouflage by covering with firewood.

Gut a junk car, park in the back yard and fill it. Cover with a fancy car cover for camouflage.

Unused bonus room over the garage.

Excavate a pit and cover it.

I'll think of more.

Double walled privacy fence.

Stone property wall (Tall) with interior space.

Camping tent in back yard. I once hid a motorcycle in plain sight that way, in a part of the national forest where they weren't permitted.

Temporary garage structure.

Cabana structure (Install side panels).

Is that enough ideas?

Bill

More:
Get the biggest trash cans/dumpsters with covers or lids, that you can find, and put a small row of them against the fence.

Add a shed dormer to your roof.

Put one of those plastic roof top carriers on an unused or seldom used car. Put two on a van.

Fill a boat and cover it.

Get a free kids playhouse off CL and fill it.

 

[engineer2]

Don't have a pic, but bend 1/2" electrical conduit into a U shape to whatever width you need.
Screw a pair of them to your garage rafters or basement ceiling joists.
Handy for long pieces of wood and ladders.