- Location
- Grantsville, Utah
I have just over 4' in my loft. The hoist has a harbor freight ATV winch on it, wired to a riding lawn mower battery. I only charge it every other year, and I can lift 2 waggy Dana 44's up there at once.
overhead garage storage solutions
- Thread starter N-Smooth
- Start date
sixstringsteve
Well-Known Member
- Location
- UT
Look, Costco copied you!
http://www.costco.com/CatalogSearch?storeId=10301&catalogId=10701&langId=-1&keyword=saferack
http://www.costco.com/CatalogSearch?storeId=10301&catalogId=10701&langId=-1&keyword=saferack
sixstringsteve
Well-Known Member
- Location
- UT
My friend helped me paint my garage this past weekend, and I'm ready for some more shelves. I have a super tall ceiling, so I'm going to take advantage of it. I'm hoping to get a shelf up tonight.
Here's the spot it's going in. 11' tall, 16' wide:
Wood is easier to source and cheaper, so I'm going to go with something similar to this:
I'm trying to decide on one giant shelf 4' tall, or two 2' tall shelves. I don't really have any huge things I need to store, so I'm thinking of making it two rows of storage.
Here's the spot it's going in. 11' tall, 16' wide:
Wood is easier to source and cheaper, so I'm going to go with something similar to this:
Here is my BIL's shelving.
I'm trying to decide on one giant shelf 4' tall, or two 2' tall shelves. I don't really have any huge things I need to store, so I'm thinking of making it two rows of storage.
Last edited:
sixstringsteve
Well-Known Member
- Location
- UT
I'm thinking of using 2x4's. It's not as robust as Rholbrook's but I think it should be fine. I'll be using lag bolts into the studs.
Thoughts? Suggestions? I'm a total noob when it comes to building stuff like this.
Thoughts? Suggestions? I'm a total noob when it comes to building stuff like this.
- Location
- Draper, UT
The main problem I have with these suspended shelves is that it is difficult to securely fasten 2x material that is under tension. If you put much weight up there, there is a tendency to pull apart. To help with that, I'd put the ceiling 2x on edge, drill part way through with a hole big enough for a washer on the lag screw, and use good long screws. This gives you a full 4" (ok, 3.5) to bolt the vertical hangars to, keeping the bolt much farther from the end of the hangar 2x. For even more security, use plumbers tape (the metal strip with holes in it) between the lag screw into the ceiling and the bolt through the hangar 2x. That, or just put a couple legs on it....
Oh, and just because you want to, about 10,000 screws
Oh, and just because you want to, about 10,000 screws
sixstringsteve
Well-Known Member
- Location
- UT
THanks for the feedback, I think that's what I'll do. I'm going to get this thing built tonight so I can get the garage cleaned.
I'd rather not have legs on it if I don't have to.
I'd rather not have legs on it if I don't have to.
Here's a very-temporary storage area I built about 2 years ago. (still temporarily in use today, although a lot of the weight is gone from it now) It's 2 2x4's, a sheet of 7/16" waferboard, and 3 smaller width-wise braces that won't do much for strength. I used ratchet straps to lift it into place, then screwed steel strips between the 2x4's and the roof trusses. I left the straps in place just because.
You can see the 2x4's have bowed over time....I don't like that too much. Because of that, I'd maybe double up the front-side 2x4's on yours? I'm assuming the back one will be bolted to each stud, so there should be no bowing problems there.
But what do I know, wood and I don't get along very well. :greg:
You can see the 2x4's have bowed over time....I don't like that too much. Because of that, I'd maybe double up the front-side 2x4's on yours? I'm assuming the back one will be bolted to each stud, so there should be no bowing problems there.
But what do I know, wood and I don't get along very well. :greg:
- Location
- Draper, UT
Do you have a stud finder, now that the paint hides the location of the drywall screws?
Cascadia
Undecided
- Location
- Orem, Utah
That's what a knuckle is for. Just knock on the wall and you can feel and hear the difference.
jentzschman
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Sandy, Utah
Looks nice steve! Cant wait to see it all come together...
sixstringsteve
Well-Known Member
- Location
- UT
I have one somewhere. I doubt I'll be able to find it, everything is in disarray.
- Location
- Price, Utah
When I saw this thread pop up it inspired me to solve the problem of needing more space in my garage. As it is my garage offers me about 1000 square feet to park and store all my junk. But as we all know, there is no such thing as enough garage space.
The ceiling in my garage is 14 high and the third car side is 35 feet deep with the final 15 feet being walled in. I used 2x10 for the wall plates and trusses and 3/4 OSB for the floor. In all it took me 2 full days to do this by myself (with the exception of my wife helping me hang the wall plates ) and clean up the mess.
There is about 5'10" of space in the loft......so for someone short like me (5'8") there is enough room to stand up.
Since desert racing has taken up a lot of our time, I am needing more space to work on bikes. Therefor I am planning on making this loft my bike work space. I am still working on a design for a ramp that I can winch up out or the way that the bikes can be ridden up.
One piece or folding? Right now leaning towards 1 piece.
The ceiling in my garage is 14 high and the third car side is 35 feet deep with the final 15 feet being walled in. I used 2x10 for the wall plates and trusses and 3/4 OSB for the floor. In all it took me 2 full days to do this by myself (with the exception of my wife helping me hang the wall plates ) and clean up the mess.
There is about 5'10" of space in the loft......so for someone short like me (5'8") there is enough room to stand up.
Since desert racing has taken up a lot of our time, I am needing more space to work on bikes. Therefor I am planning on making this loft my bike work space. I am still working on a design for a ramp that I can winch up out or the way that the bikes can be ridden up.
One piece or folding? Right now leaning towards 1 piece.
sixstringsteve
Well-Known Member
- Location
- UT
Thats awesome.
YOUKNOW
Well-Known Member
- Location
- South Jordan, UT
When I saw this thread pop up it inspired me to solve the problem of needing more space in my garage. As it is my garage offers me about 1000 square feet to park and store all my junk. But as we all know, there is no such thing as enough garage space.
The ceiling in my garage is 14 high and the third car side is 35 feet deep with the final 15 feet being walled in. I used 2x10 for the wall plates and trusses and 3/4 OSB for the floor. In all it took me 2 full days to do this by myself (with the exception of my wife helping me hang the wall plates ) and clean up the mess.
There is about 5'10" of space in the loft......so for someone short like me (5'8") there is enough room to stand up.
Since desert racing has taken up a lot of our time, I am needing more space to work on bikes. Therefor I am planning on making this loft my bike work space. I am still working on a design for a ramp that I can winch up out or the way that the bikes can be ridden up.
One piece or folding? Right now leaning towards 1 piece.
Voted best garage of the forum!!
My wife and I were just talking about garage storage yesterday then I saw this. She loved all the ideas you guys had. Great info.
Now that I have some more storage I would like to improve the lighting. Any suggestions? I only have two lights right now and they just don't cut it, especially cause the new shelf blocks some of the light from one of them. My real concern is wiring up new lights. Can I reuse my current wiring for some bigger, brighter lights?
I think I'd like to add a couple big 500 watt halogens in the corners and just plug them in to the wall but I need more overall lighting too
I think I'd like to add a couple big 500 watt halogens in the corners and just plug them in to the wall but I need more overall lighting too
see, this is why i ask
i always thought a couple of them in the corners would be nice and still might do that regardless because they are $12/each.
what fluorescent fixtures can i run in place of my incandescent bulbs/can i use the "stock" wiring
they had the dual 4' T8 shop lights at walmart and lowe's for pretty cheap but i'm not sure they're very bright without having a ton of them.
okay, go
i always thought a couple of them in the corners would be nice and still might do that regardless because they are $12/each.
what fluorescent fixtures can i run in place of my incandescent bulbs/can i use the "stock" wiring
they had the dual 4' T8 shop lights at walmart and lowe's for pretty cheap but i'm not sure they're very bright without having a ton of them.
okay, go
sixstringsteve
Well-Known Member
- Location
- UT
what fluorescent fixtures can i run in place of my incandescent bulbs/can i use the "stock" wiring
they had the dual 4' T8 shop lights at walmart and lowe's for pretty cheap but i'm not sure they're very bright without having a ton of them.
I just did this in my garage this past weekend, and in addition with painting the walls semi-gloss white, it makes a HUGE difference. I have 3 total 8-foot tubes and my garage glows. It's crazy how much more light I have in there. With the help of some great friends, I pulled out my regular light bulb socket and wired in my florescents into that wiring. They draw less power, so the wiring is plenty for those. I do know that some bulbs putt off different color light. At the recommendation of a friend in the know, I got 6500K bulbs and I love 'em. Even my neighbors notice how much brighter my garage is.