Keeping Wood High and Dry

Lumber needs to be cared for and not stored in areas of high moisture or high traffic. Leaning beams and slats against a wall or in a corner won't do. The easiest solutions are ceiling slings or wall racks that will keep your wood out of the way and in good shape.

In areas where ceiling joists are exposed, lumber can be stored using two U-shaped ceiling slings spaced about 4 feet apart. The slings are constructed with 2x4's bolted together. The two 2-foot long vertical pieces are fastened with lag bolts against the face of a joist. The vertical pieces are 3 to 4 feet apart and joined at the bottom by a horizontal piece that's secured with machine bolts.

If the ceiling joists are hidden the lumber can be stored in a frame that has a 2x4 top plate set flat against the ceiling and perpendicular to the joists, and lag bolted to each joist

Wall racks are another great option and in some cases the lumber is a bit more accessible. Wall racks require 2x6's and are fastened to joists using machine bolts. You should use three brackets to support the lumber that consist of a horizontal 2x4, 3 feet long, bolted at one end to a vertical 2x6 and at the other end to a diagonal 2x4 that is 5 1/4 feet long that extends upward from the vertical support at a 45 degree angle. Each diagonal brace is bolted to its vertical support through a 2x4 spacer block and overlaps the end of the horizontal 2x4 by 1 foot to prevent the lumber from slipping off.

If your workshop has exposed studs these racks can be installed directly on the studs. You can also nail plywood strips directly across the exposed studs to create vertical storage for dowels, moldings, and other thin scraps.

    May 13, 2008 | Comments ()