Lumber Rack- take two *w/pics*

[Alan in Little Washington]

Well, as you may remember, I wasn't happy with my first lumber rack (first pic below). It was high and up out of the way like I had originally planned, so I could put stuff underneath of it. However, the height made it difficult and dangerous to reach, and stacking lumber flat would have made it nearly impossible to sort through to find the right piece of wood.



So, I took it all down and repaired the wall. Then I made a new, simpler rack where the boards will stack vertically. I no longer have space underneath the rack, but it will be much easier and safer to rack, stack, and sort through lumber. It will also hold way more lumber without weight restrictions. In the first pic below I have started to load the new rack.




In the pic below I have already stowed about 200 bdft of oak. It looks like the new rack may hold 500-700 bdft. It's a done deal and so far I'm happy with it.




Now. it's on to the next project- bathroom and office doors. Let's see, half windowed door on the bathroom, solid door on the office??? hmmm no that's not right!

[NCPete]

nice looking rack! Mine, when it gets built, will be a hybrid. pine and molding will be laying flat, up out of the way, everything else will be standing up, like you have, after having made note of your experience.

[Travis Porter]

That looks like you can get some good quantities into it. When you get it full post a pic so we can get a perspective on how much it will hold.

Alan, I think that will work out great. Two things, if I may add.

I assume that one piece of pipe is good and secure next to the door? That would be a painful experience to have that pile of wood fall while opening the door.

Maybe think about duplicating the same rack about 1/2 way between the floor and the top part of your rack. That may help the longer boards from bowing from the weight of the shorter boards. And you would be able to store shorter boards without the need for one long one in each bay.

Just a thought, great simple design, lumber length is limited to ceiling height.


Thanks

[Monty]

Simpler and better - nice combination. How high is your ceiling for the longest boards?

[cpowell]

Although your shop is roughly the size of a football field, it occurs to me that you are beginning to fill it in a little more!

It looks great, of course.

I am not a big fan of vertical stacking. There is no logical reason for it, it just seems that laying wood flat is the way to help keep it flat. I will give the vertical system about a tenfold rating over horizontal when it comes to selecting stock. OK, at LEAST 10 times better.

I may need to rethink my lumber storage...no, I can't, my ceiling's only 9 foot high!

Chuck

[Alan in Little Washington]

Originally Posted by jeff...

Alan, I think that will work out great. Two things, if I may add.

I assume that one piece of pipe is good and secure next to the door? That would be a painful experience to have that pile of wood fall while opening the door.

Maybe think about duplicating the same rack about 1/2 way between the floor and the top part of your rack. That may help the longer boards from bowing from the weight of the shorter boards. And you would be able to store shorter boards without the need for one long one in each bay.

Just a thought, great simple design, lumber length is limited to ceiling height.


Thanks

The pipes are set securely in 2" of oak. Yup, I've been toying with a lower set of dividers but also I don't want to be impalled in the stomach by a pipe either I'm gonna wait and see if I need it first.

[Alan in Little Washington]

Originally Posted by Monty

Simpler and better - nice combination. How high is your ceiling for the longest boards?

The highest part of the ceiling is 10'. Since I want to stack stuff as near vertical as possible and to ease handling, I have been cutting off about 6" from the 10 footers.

[Alan in Little Washington]

Originally Posted by cpowell

Although your shop is roughly the size of a football field, it occurs to me that you are beginning to fill it in a little more!

It looks great, of course.

I am not a big fan of vertical stacking. There is no logical reason for it, it just seems that laying wood flat is the way to help keep it flat. I will give the vertical system about a tenfold rating over horizontal when it comes to selecting stock. OK, at LEAST 10 times better.

I may need to rethink my lumber storage...no, I can't, my ceiling's only 9 foot high!

Chuck

Yup, I'm running out of space!

If the lumber is dry (this is NOT a drying rack) there should be no warping in an indoor vertical rack, expecially if the boards are stacked as near vertical as possible. It is so much easier to sort through, inspect, select, and remove a board from a vertical stack than it is a horizontal stack.

[Travis Porter]

Originally Posted by Alan in Little Washington

I don't want to be impalled in the stomach by a pipe either I'm gonna wait and see if I need it first.

That would definitely happen to me. I am pretty safe when it comes to using the tools, but the incidental accidents (scraping my hands, splinters, dropping stuff on my toes) is where I seem to have consistent problems.

Originally Posted by Alan in Little Washington

The pipes are set securely in 2" of oak. Yup, I've been toying with a lower set of dividers but also I don't want to be impalled in the stomach by a pipe either I'm gonna wait and see if I need it first.

Alan, how ingenious you are, I'm sure you'll come up with something. I was thinking of a board to cover the pipe ends of the lower divider, that would save the stomach. Maybe it might lock into position with some type of sliding pin, lift it up to take it off, push it down to put it on. That way the boards won't tip forward and fall on someones head too. I have kids so I have to think that way.