Lumber Rack & Plywood Cart

Video - April 10, 2011

Why Bother?

The lumber rack is the unsung hero of the woodworking shop. Its responsible for holding our raw materials safely, securely, and in an organized fashion until we’re ready to use them.

Let’s face it: we are all wood hoarders when it comes down to it and most of us over-buy lumber intentionally. So if you plan on amassing anything that can be called a wood “collection” you need a sturdy place to store it all.

How it’s Made

This lumber rack is made entire from 2×4 lumber and 3/4″ shop grade plywood. The uprights are bolted to the wall studs and the bracket supports are screwed to the vertical uprights. The sheetgoods and cut-off storage is tucked away underneath the lumber rack and swings out on casters for easy loading. In fact, I have mine positioned right by the front door so all I need to do is back up my truck and slide the sheets right in.

The Design

The design is very adaptable and can be customized to fit your personal preferences and shop needs. The inspiration for this project came from two folks: my buddy Aaron Marshall and Chet from the forum. Oddly enough, when researching for this build, the most useful and promising information came from our own forum. Gotta love when that happens! If you decide to build this rack or some variation of it, send me some pictures or post them in the Wood Talk Online Forum!

Downloads

Right Click to Download the PDF Plan
Right Click to Download the SketchUp File

Resources

Discussion

shotgunn April 10, 2011 9:55 pm

Very nice!!!

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Lori April 10, 2011 10:31 pm

Great video…I just knew you were going to make the “stud” joke..and I would have been disappointed if you hadn’t. :-) Really like the sheet good/scrap cart. You made the cart look so easy. I wonder if adding locking casters would help to stop the cart from rolling out, or did you find that it stayed in place better once the cart had wood in it to weigh it down. Great video and thanks so much for sharing it with us.

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Jacob April 11, 2011 12:46 am

Great Video!!!

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Dale April 11, 2011 12:47 am

Well done. JUst a quick question, Why did you build the wood ‘shelf’supports and not just buy metal ones? I am about to build a rack in my new/old shop and I was thinking about just using the $2.00 shelf brackets.

I’d appreciate your thoughts

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- thewoodwhisperer April 11, 2011 8:15 am
  
  Primarily because I wanted an “all wood” solution. And also, any heavy duty shelf supports with 18″ capacity that I have see were well over $2.
  
  Reply
  - Dave H May 7, 2011 6:52 pm
    
    I got super lucky and got the heavy duty steel stuff on closeout from one of the big box stores… I am going to copy that sheet goods rack though. I desperately need to solve that storage problem!
    
    Reply
  - sawdust September 20, 2012 12:17 pm
    
    Hi Marc,
    
    Just watched this video – and will probably put one of theses in my shop – do you have an idea of the weight capacity per shelf (as designed) – I have several cherry and white oak boards 12″x2½”x10′ that I am currently tripping over… and would like to get them on the shelving. My general test is at 180lbs if I can hang from one bracket and there are 4 then the capacity is approx 4×180 (not very scientific)
    thanks
    
    Reply
    - thewoodwhisperer September 20, 2012 12:37 pm
      
      I wish I had some real numbers for you but I don’t. I have seen others apply this design to their shops and stack way more wood on there than I ever have. So it can take what most of us would be able to dish out. But as for specifics, I really don’t know.
Tammis April 11, 2011 3:51 am

nice work!
You should use those small wheels wich have foot brake, so it will not run away all the time.

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Matt S April 11, 2011 6:07 am

Thanks for the inspiration! One of these will be going in up in my shop very soon.

As a fellow science nerd you may appreciate this–I got tired of trying to find the right combination of scraps and such to prop items up (as you did for the sheet goods rack) so I bought a couple used 6″ square, 12″ rise lab jacks and find them to be tremendously useful around the shop. After leveling and installing an item I can crank them down if they got wedged in a little too tight. Set on top of a 4′ step ladder they are great for setting an upper cabinet, I use them as side supports for very long items at the chop saw or the benchtop drill press, and they are nice for aligning long pieces while attaching one end (again, like your assembly of the sheet goods cart).

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- thewoodwhisperer April 11, 2011 8:16 am
  
  Cool idea!!
  
  Reply
Jeremy Bridges April 11, 2011 7:23 am

Thanks Mark. I’m actually in the process of dismantling my current lumber storage sled on which I store lumber as well as sheet goods. Pushing it around feels like an event at a world’s strongest man competition. Your ideas have really helped with my reorganization.

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Travis April 11, 2011 8:11 am

Is it wrong to get this excited about a wood Rack? Cause if it is I dont wanna Be RIGHT! Beautiful design Marc.

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Mike April 11, 2011 9:07 am

Love the shop projects! These generally become the most helpful episodes cause of the little tips and ideas that get used every day! I don’t need a lumber rack but the plywood cart idea is amazing!

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Todd April 11, 2011 9:24 am

Great design Marc. Thanks for the video.

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ShawnB April 11, 2011 9:25 am

Nice Rack, Marc! ;-) Missed that one, eh?

I’ve been looking at lumber storage for a long time. Unfortunately, I don’t have any studded walls yet. So, I’ll be picking up more than a few 2bys when I get there.

Thanks for the video. I always pick a little something up in them.

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tom April 11, 2011 9:58 am

How difficult will it be to get boards on and off the higher shelves? I ask because I have a high shelf with so much stuff in front, it becomes a major hassle to get to the wood. You look like yours will be clean, but I still have an issue with storing 12′ x 8″ oak on a high shelf.
Figuring out how to hoard wood and have room to move is a constant battle in my shop.

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- thewoodwhisperer April 11, 2011 10:27 am
  
  Of course, the larger the board the trickier and more dangerous its going to be. So its probably a good idea to put the largest boards near the bottom and keep the lighter stuff up top. Don’t know of a better solution than that….
  
  Reply
  - tom April 11, 2011 11:04 am
    
    And why is it that when you have four boards on a shelf, you need the bottom one!
    
    Reply
    - thewoodwhisperer April 11, 2011 11:14 am
      
      Haha. You figure that one out and you’ll be rich!
Scott April 11, 2011 1:32 pm

garage floors are poured with a slight grade, usually 1/4 inch per foot or so. I wonder if that’s causing any of the rolling issues.

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Danielmatic April 11, 2011 4:00 pm

Almost looks like you need some washers on those caster’s screws.

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- shotgunn April 11, 2011 4:13 pm
  
  I know, I thought the same thing. I was very surprise to see that he did not use any… I’m sure it’ll be o.k. I mean after all he did say, “Those aren’t going anywhere.”
  
  shotgunn
  
  Reply
  - thewoodwhisperer April 11, 2011 5:12 pm
    
    haha, well you guys can come over and help me lift it and we’ll add those washers together!
    
    Reply
Toby April 11, 2011 5:21 pm

Thanks for the great video! If you were to do it over again would you just go with the lag bolts you decided to add?

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- thewoodwhisperer April 11, 2011 5:39 pm
  
  good question. Maybe. I would probably use the Spax screws for simplicity and then reinforce again with more lags. But there’s no reason you can’t just go with lags the whole way.
  
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BarryO April 11, 2011 8:34 pm

Good tip on the “shop” ply. I was very glad when I discovered it at my hardwood dealer; it’s great for things like this. Nice design on the sheet goods cart.

One thing I’d change, for situations where’s it’s feasible, would be to run the vertical members to the floor, or provide some support between them and the floor. That way, vertical loads are carried directly to the floor, rather than it all being carried by the screws in shear. It seems like here the foundation may get in the way, though(?) No biggie, just and incremental change.

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- thewoodwhisperer April 11, 2011 8:51 pm
  
  No doubt the floor is a good way to go. There are a few reasons I didn’t go that route. First, I wanted as much height as I could get using that particular length of 2×4. Starting 16″ up from the floor helps me take advantage of the extra headroom. Second, the floor slopes a little and I really wanted all my vertical supports to be even with one another. Obviously a few shims would solve that problem. So as a compromise, the horizontal cleat serves the same purpose as the floor. Each one of the vertical supports is sharing the load with the cleat, which is attached to every stud along the length of the rack. Its also nice and level so each stud can simply be dropped onto the cleat and screwed into place.
  
  So its not quite as strong as having the floor acting as a support, but probably strong enough for my purposes.
  
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  - BarryO April 12, 2011 6:01 pm
    
    Ah, yes. Those concrete subs are limited it how level they get things sometimes. ;) With those lag screws, though, things should be just fine.
    
    Reply
- Beechwood Chip April 13, 2011 5:22 am
  
  Probably not a problem in AZ, but in PA I’d be worried about the end grain wicking moisture up from the concrete floor.
  
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D1st April 11, 2011 9:00 pm

Needs a WW logo underneath the pull handle. Otherwise nice Rack!

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Chuck McGuire April 12, 2011 12:06 am

Why not have longer 2×4 vertical members, that sit on the concrete shop foundation, allowing the fasteners to only be loaded in tension, rather that installing a ledger, and then the screws and lags have to handle bending loads too?

P.S.
I am not a structural engineer, but I was a Combat Engineer for several years. : )

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- thewoodwhisperer April 12, 2011 8:21 am
  
  I couldn’t find them in the longer lengths unfortunately.
  
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John Hixon April 12, 2011 3:44 am

I noticed an tool advantage that readers might appreciate. My impact driver is Makita, and the LED fades out a few seconds after the driver quits. That would eliminate the “strobe” effect that you get with your DeWalt. That would be annoying to me, especially in a dark environment, where the LED would be the most helpful.

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Alan M April 12, 2011 8:46 am

hi there
love the rack. must build one soon.
you bcould put shorter 2 by 4s under the ledger to and extra strength and have both advantages. this would take the weight off of the screws

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DEBO April 12, 2011 9:51 am

Nice Pee-Wee impersonation with the scorpion!

I liked how you put the supports together and installed on each vertical beam. It seems to be a great way to add more width for greater weight capabilities.
My only question though…is there a reason why you only screwed in from the sides and not up from the bottom at an angle as well? Or would that have been overkill?

Thanks for what you do!

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- thewoodwhisperer April 12, 2011 6:18 pm
  
  No reason in particular, other then you have to stop driving screws in at some point. :) I just didn’t feel driving a screw up at an angle was going to make much difference. But I certainly have nothing against overkill.
  
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James April 12, 2011 12:38 pm

Marc,
When you were laying the top sheet on the bin you said, “Be careful” and then laid the ply out by extending it with your arms, and thus you back. Way back when, I was shown to lift ply straight up, place the bottom edge on the surface, and then let the ply fall towards me by hand walking down and at the same time sliding it into place. I use this technique on the table saw any time I am going to extend by back.

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- thewoodwhisperer April 12, 2011 1:15 pm
  
  In most cases, I would absolutely agree with you. Unfortunately in this instance, that was a necessary evil of working alone. If I slowly leaned the piece forward, my plywood pieces would all fall over as the piece came down. The only way to avoid them falling over was to drop the large piece from above. Even then it was a little tricky. Obviously the smart thing to do would have been to construct more sturdy supports but as we all know, laziness has a way of overriding the smarter choices. :)
  
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Ryan April 12, 2011 5:11 pm

Please tell me that was a nintendo game system you used to prop up the hinge end of the swing-out sheet goods cart!

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- thewoodwhisperer April 12, 2011 6:19 pm
  
  lol no. it was a systainer from Festool. :) Almost as fun as a Nintendo.
  
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SignWave April 12, 2011 5:31 pm

Thanks for the video.

Is it possible that adding a shim to the lower hinge (on the wall side) would get the sheet goods cart to stay against the wall?

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- thewoodwhisperer April 12, 2011 6:19 pm
  
  Hmmm maybe…
  
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Chris April 12, 2011 7:29 pm

Marc-
Great quick video!
I have a stupid question…
I had a wood rack similar to yours, but had to disassemble during some renovations. I recently rearranged my basement and in the process I hung some shelf brackets on some exposed studs to use as a lumber rack. I did this as more of a time saver while I worked on other things, but I guess my question is, besides possible weight restrictions–is this a stupid way to go?

These are the generic brackets I used:
http://www.homedepot.com/Tools.....ogId=10053

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- thewoodwhisperer April 12, 2011 7:56 pm
  
  I definitely wouldn’t say that’s a stupid way to go. Its just one way to do it. I would recommend going with beefier shelf supports though. While those will probably hold quite a bit of weight, its a good idea to get the heavy duty versions just to be safe.
  
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- Ryan April 12, 2011 8:19 pm
  
  I worked at Home Depot, I wouldn’t use those dinky shelf brackets for much weight. There is a heavier duty bracket option at the depot, its white and has a cross member that connects the edges of the bracket (thicker metal too). This will dramatically increase the amount of weight you can put on it. This bracket should be very near the brackets you got. Even though you got the large sized brackets, I personally wouldn’t trust them to hold up too many pieces of lumber. Hope this helps!
  
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Tim April 12, 2011 9:58 pm

Marc-

I saw your void in your MFT to turn yours into a router table. I was thinking about doing the same thing with my MFT. How do you like it? Did you modify your table top in the shop or is that something you purchased?

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- thewoodwhisperer April 13, 2011 7:11 am
  
  Hey Tim. That is actually a pre-fabricated top called the Festop: http://www.woodwerks.com/festop/
  It worked quite well when I didn’t have much space to work with.
  
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Kurt Capehart April 13, 2011 2:39 pm

I like the sheet goods rack. I think I will build one for my shop. Thanks for the cool idea.

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Jeff Wenzel April 14, 2011 10:24 am

For those with small shops, there is an opportunity to use the vertical space between the studs that are mounted to the wall. I store longer skinny scraps in that dead space. The scraps are accessible when the cart is swung out away from the wall. To prevent the scrap from falling forward when the cart is swung out, I installed screw eyes near the leading edge of the studs and use bungy cords.

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Jeff Wenzel April 14, 2011 10:30 am

Here is a picture (poor quality, sorry)

https://picasaweb.google.com/l.....directlink

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Brody April 14, 2011 8:58 pm

Excellent design, Marc.

One question from a novice: Is there ever any concern for eventual sag with the shelving supports? I suspect that the beefy wood supports you designed will likely not encounter any sag, but is it worth installing at, say a 5 degree angle? Or is that just overkill :)

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- thewoodwhisperer April 14, 2011 11:01 pm
  
  Well its wood and its supporting a lot of weight. I suppose sagging is always a possibility. But I won’t really know until a couple years go by. Of course I’ll be watching for signs of problems so I can address them before anything goes too far.
  
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Dogwoodtales April 16, 2011 11:35 am

Hey Marc,
I have been a fan of yours since your first video. First time posting a comment though.

I like this project. I have a similar system going on in my shop, but with a fixed sheet good rack. I don?t have the available floor space for a swing out. If only I had a shop large enough for a swing out sheet goods rack! … Also, like Jeff said, that dead space between the studs is handy for storage of cut-offs etc. And since I have a low ceiling and concrete walls (basement garage/workshop) I have a pressure treated bottom plate on the floor with a header at the top and the studs are secured in between. I found it necessary to only adequately anchor it all to the ceiling at the header as the floor carries the weight and the resulting center of gravity holds it against the wall.

Anyway, I couldn’t help but notice that while you beefed up the bottom for the caster screws to have extra wood for the screws to bite into, you did not do the same for the hinges, nor even mortise them. These will carry sheer weight as opposed to compressed weight at the casters. Hopefully this will not become an issue for you.

Also, looking at the positioning of the sheet goods rack – it points towards the door. This looks like it would make it easy to load it from your truck with the trade off of making it less efficient to unload for shop use ? perhaps necessitating having to swing it out further to unload full sized sheet goods. (Hard to really get a perception of depth and available space from a video or pictures.) Do you think this will be a problem for you? Just asking.

Great site. I really enjoy it.
Raymond

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- thewoodwhisperer April 16, 2011 12:02 pm
  
  Hey Raymond. Thanks for making your first comment. :) The rack can swing out far enough that it shouldn’t present any problems for me in terms of getting things off the rack. Ultimately, after picking up sheetgoods on a hot summer day, I want the easiest system possible for getting those sheetgoods in place. By the time I am actually using them, I am usually in a better mood and won’t mind having to swing the rack out to remove the full sheets. So if I have to choose where to make things more convenience, it would definitely be on the load-in phase of the process. :)
  
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AJ Peck April 17, 2011 5:53 am

Hey Marc, looks great. My shop has concrete block walls, and I was wondering what your thoughts on attachment was? I’m going to go all the way to the ground to have the concrete pad support the vertical load, and I was thinking of taking 3″ L brackets and screwing those into the 2×4’s and then bolting those into the wall using concrete scews, approximately 4 per 2×4. Other than that, I really like the plans and it should work out great for my space.

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- thewoodwhisperer April 17, 2011 9:19 am
  
  I think you’re on the right track AJ. I don’t work much with masonry so I am hesitant to make absolute recommendations in that area. But you are pretty much doing exactly what I would do if I were in that situation.
  
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  - Aidan Johnson August 13, 2016 6:58 pm
    
    You can now get (in the UK at least) screws that go straight into masonry (no rawlplugs!). I used them this very day to attach the 2×4’s. After attaching a test shelf I hung on it and it held my weight, so they definitely work! They are 7.5mm wide and you have to drill a 6mm hole and then drive them in with an impact driver or powerful drill (in one breezeblock the drill wasn’t powerful enough and I had to use the torx bit in a ratchet driver to get past the stiff spots and boy they were stiff and in there real good!). I had a wall that consisted of both breeze blocks and 9″ red bricks and it holds in both (although the breeze blocks seem to work a little better).
    
    The screws I used were:
    https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mason.....B00CJ8IWRO
    I used the 120mm ones (5″) and had about 3″ going into the wall.
    
    Searching on amazon US, I found:
    https://www.amazon.com/WejR.....nry+screws
    which look the same sort of thing. Search for “masonry screws” and you’ll find them.
    
    Hope this helps!
    
    Reply
Scott April 17, 2011 9:42 am

Hi Marc,
Just finished watching the video for the third time. I have one bone to pick with you. You built the rack in the wrong shop! You were supposed to build it in MY shop not yours. Next time please get it right.

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- thewoodwhisperer April 17, 2011 9:55 am
  
  I knew something was off when I built this thing. Darn it!
  
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Chris April 20, 2011 9:58 am

I had a similar rack for sheet goods in my last shop, but haven’t gotten around to it yet in my current one. However one addition I has was a hunk of PVC tubing cut in half length-wise to make a slick bearing surface at the loading end of the sheet rack. It seemed (admittedly non scientific, certainly non-rigorous testing) to make it easier to slide the full sheets into the rack.

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Bob April 21, 2011 4:06 pm

Hi — Curious about the “low cost shop grade plywood” you mentioned. Can you expand on that. You said it was 11 veneer (or 7, can’t recall), which certainly puts it in the better grade quality. I have not seen anything like that around here (east coast/New England). When I asked for “shop grade birch ply” I was show what I would call CDX (it is probably better than that, but certainly 5 veneer fir core for “3/4” ply) with a THIN birch veneer on the face. That does not seem to be what you were describing. Thanks for any additional leads on sources for good quality shop grade ply. Bob

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- thewoodwhisperer April 21, 2011 5:35 pm
  
  At my dealer, they sell what would essentially be C or D grade plywood and that typically refers to the face quality. The stuff is no better looking on the face than the material from Lowes and Home Depot, but it is nearly always more stable. The material I picked up just happens to have 11 internal plies so you have to inquire about what cores they offer at your local shops. I can’t always get the 11-ply stuff.
  
  I used to even use a D-3 grade of birch ply that had a combination classic and mdf core. Love the stuff and it was only $40 a sheet. I actually made quite a few cabinets from the stuff and the faces were furniture-quality. I was always surprised that this material was graded at D-3.
  
  Ultimately, I suppose there will be some differences in terminology and materials from one place to another. But the stuff you see in the video is what I get when I ask for shop-grade ply as opposed to A1 cabinet grade.
  
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Erol April 21, 2011 8:18 pm

Hello Marc,
Great video. Quick question. What was the mindset behind not putting casters inboard, closer to the hinges? Seems like an inboard set of casters would dramatically lower the loading on the hinges. Just a thought.

Keep up the good work.

EY

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- thewoodwhisperer April 21, 2011 8:33 pm
  
  Yeah I think you’re right. Might not even be a bad idea to add a set in the center and keep the ones on the outside edge just for extra support.
  
  Reply
Ruhi April 23, 2011 9:32 am

Simple but elegant design….
Is there any chance to have the SketchUp plan in Version 7 as well. Version 8 is not backward compatible and requires Intel based Macs. Thanks.

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- thewoodwhisperer April 23, 2011 10:57 am
  
  I just converted it to version 7 and emailed it to you. Let me know if that works. But honestly, I think this is a great excuse to upgrade to a new Mac. :)
  
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  - Ruhi April 23, 2011 12:08 pm
    
    Thanks again. Got it. I may use this is as an excuse to retire my five years old PowerBook. :)
    
    Reply
  - Rick April 26, 2011 6:36 pm
    
    You’re worse than the guys at the Apple store!! I was looking for a cable for my 3-year old iMac, and he suggested a new MacBook Pro instead of the older mini-dvi cable!
    
    I have a very similar design in my shop, and was scrounging looking for pics, but couldn’t find any. I put mine on all studs (16″) because I was going to load it up, but I DID do the 5-degree.
    
    Caution, guys – I found it was easy to slip on keeping the arms tight against the vertical supports. I have a couple that are barely slack, and I can see it in those arms now, having had it up for about 6 months.
    
    I have been traveling for work, so it was after having been gone and “visiting” home on a weekend that it stuck out. Now I have to find time on the weekends I’m home to fix it!!
    
    Great job, Marc!
    
    Reply
John Davis April 24, 2011 4:53 pm

Well, I was about to go out to the garage (workshop) and start the sheetgoods rack when a storm suddenly swept in and attacked us. I lost almost half of the siding on the south-side of the house and quickly cut up my 4×8 3/4″ plywood to make a temporary floor in my attic so that I could cover the large air vent opening. It got sucked up in the wind along with the aluminum siding. Well, I guess it is back to Home Depot for my plywood Monday.

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- thewoodwhisperer April 24, 2011 5:13 pm
  
  Oh man so sorry to hear that John!
  
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Sarit April 26, 2011 9:42 pm

That’s a great project.
I’m sure your hinges are more than beefy enough, but if you mount them on the other face of the stud (so that the hinge is opened up 180 degrees) then the hinge wont be trying to pull the screws out. This is how gate hinges are intended to be installed (something I found out on This Old House).
Fixed casters are usually better in this application as the swivel gets in the way when you switch directions plus they usually cost less.
You can also line the floor of the plywood rack with a thin strip of UHMW plastic which makes sliding the plywood in much easier.

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- Jeff Hewitt December 1, 2011 1:01 am
  
  I just finished my sheet goods rack. I went with five casters and you are correct, the rigid casters would have been the better choice.
  
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Ed Rule May 2, 2011 2:33 pm

Hello Marc, at around 10:30, you use a saw with vacuum attached for cutting plywood. Just curious: Was the vacuum on? Your stuff’s great! Keep ’em coming, Ed

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- thewoodwhisperer May 2, 2011 4:41 pm
  
  Thanks Ed. Are you talking about the speed setting? it was on full blast if that’s the case.
  
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- shotgunn May 2, 2011 5:11 pm
  
  I’m not Marc, but I can tell you that the vacuum was on. The vacuum is powered on along with the saw. You may think that the dust collection is poor since there is some escaping directly from the cut but I can testify that this saw captures about 80-90% of the dust. You should see what shoots out the dust port with the hose removed.
  
  I love my TS-75!!!
  
  shotgunn
  
  Reply
- thewoodwhisperer May 2, 2011 5:15 pm
  
  Duh, I realized I misread the question. Thanks for posting the answer Shotgunn since apparently I can’t read, lol.
  
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  - shotgunn May 2, 2011 5:18 pm
    
    Lol!!! No prob man.
    
    Reply
Tasha Russell May 3, 2011 2:30 pm

Great video, I just wish I had a workshop big enough to build such a beauty! However, I will use some of the plan to reinforce my shelving system in my small humble shed :)

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David May 8, 2011 8:12 pm

My shop has exposed studs. Is it necessary to add the upright 2×4, or can I attach the shelf supports directly to the studs?

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- thewoodwhisperer May 8, 2011 8:17 pm
  
  I think you should be able to attach directly to the studs.
  
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Rob H May 11, 2011 12:57 am

Very simply but functional rack, I like it. However, your stud finder is broken and I’m sure an exchange should be clearly uncomplicated. Just repeat the demo at HD :) (J/K)
I agree with Sarit’s post, place a fixed wheel perpendicular to the rack’s long axis and it will move much easier (and never jam or wear out), and if you put another perpendicular at the other end you could use a cheap pair of hinges since they would no longer be load bearing.
A scrap of formica countertop material cut into strips could be glued to the bottom of the cart to make sliding the long stuff easier.
My only question is: Where the heck do you mount the flat screen man?
Add a couple cup holders and I think it will be complete. ; )

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Rusty May 11, 2011 7:39 pm

A really great lumber storage solution, Marc, but I’m curious why you didn’t somehow incorporate the vertical sheet-goods ‘3 veneer press screw’ design you had in your old shop to keep the plywood from bowing/warping etc.

//at around 7:30 http://www.thewoodwhisperer.co.....is-castle/

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- thewoodwhisperer May 11, 2011 7:52 pm
  
  Primary because I didn’t notice it doing much. It wasn’t as effective as I had hoped.
  
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Thomas May 15, 2011 8:22 am

I don’t think this will fit in my shop, but I plan on looking into the video again, because I think there is always something to learn.

Thanks

How do I get my picture next to my name???

Reply
- thewoodwhisperer May 15, 2011 8:43 am
  
  Set up a Gravatar: http://en.gravatar.com/
  Then just make sure when you leave a comment here, you use the same email address.
  
  Reply
MikeM May 15, 2011 11:02 am

That really is a great setup! I don’t have that much room in the garage, and I don’t think I have the room for the cart portion, but I may have to give the rack portion a go for my lumber storage.

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Curt F May 19, 2011 12:33 pm

I really like this lumber storage. I need to build me one some day.

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David May 22, 2011 8:54 pm

Hey,

Sorry if this is a little off-topic. I notice that when you use the festool track and plunge saw, you seem to lay the ply directly on the table. Are you putting a kerf in the table, or am I missing the spacer pieces underneath?

Thanks,

David

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- thewoodwhisperer May 23, 2011 7:01 am
  
  Yes, the piece is cutting a kerf in the table. That’s actually very intentional. The top of an MFT is sacrificial. You don’t want to cut any deeper than you need to, but the MDF provides a nice zero clearance for each cut.
  
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Graham May 27, 2011 2:48 pm

Cool Racking System going to make one of these for my garage. the one I have at present isn’t really working as I have everything vicky-virky.

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Jim_WoodWarden May 31, 2011 8:32 am

Well I am using this plan as inspiration for my own build of the lumber rack (that I am quickly trying to finish so I can get on with the Adirondack summer guild build).

My garage is in middle of re-arrangement to get access to the wall to do this (used to be where lawn/garden equipment and boxes of wife’s ex-husband and her stuff had been stored when we first moved into house – I finally got two of them to sort it and get rid of it and haul his boxes out of garage.

Anyway the ledger board and verticals are all up and all the arm pieces are cut except for the tapers on the plywood arm brackets. I came up with a good idea to make a quick taper jig from one arm bracket by leaving a portion behind to form a hook and then I can cut that hook off once all the other tapers are cut. Doing this because I have to unbury the band saw to get at it if I were to cut these the way Marc did and the table saw is out and available and I can cut the jig quickly using the handheld jig saw. Can’t wait to finish this and put my shop back together and get the lumber up off the floor.

My only modifications are dealing with the shorter ceiling so making the lumber rack take up a whole 22′ wall with the plywood bin at one end (to be built latter – don’t have but two half sheets to store right now). and the other end will have my radial arm saw bench (inherited the radial arm saw otherwise I would probably own a miter saw). The other modification I plan to make is to use some of the left over 2×4’s to make a 3 1/2″ ledge on top of the ledger board (the horizontal board) and cut two 6″ x 8′ plywood strips to run along the vertical support (horizontally) behind the plywood storage bin to allow for a bit extra storage of cutoffs between the vertical studs behind the plywood storage bin. I should have this all done just in time to go buy my lumber for the guild build by mid-week and have a place to put the rough lumber as well as the stack of lumber already in my garage.

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Jon McGrath May 31, 2011 6:01 pm

I have returned and watched this a few times – the simplicity is what works better than anything else – i expect to have completed with just a few alterations. Mainly i am going to set up the front side so I can (with Festool Plunge) do some tracksaw action and breakdown on the actual rack prior to milling to final on TS as needed. Otherwise – a WHOLE lot like this one – thanks Marc.

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dczward June 2, 2011 8:06 pm

I just built your lumber cart in my garage shop. I used a fixed wheel, not a swivel, but other than that I did it the same way. I worked out great, awesome solution. Thanks!

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John Walker June 5, 2011 4:30 am

Hi Mark,

Good solution for a wall rack. I work from a single-car garage. So I don’t have spare wall space. All my machines have to go against the walls! I use a ‘rafter-rack’, just high enough so my up and over door can open and close without fouling!

With your horizontal supports though, I might have notched them into the upright supports for extra strength., Although maybe I am just a ‘Victorian over-engineered’ kind of guy!

10/10
JW

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Mike G June 18, 2011 1:31 pm

Nice job, Marc!

Just what I need for my shop.

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Bryan V June 30, 2011 5:06 pm

I love the pull-out lumber rack for the sheet goods, I think it works better then when you were first in the same shop space.

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Monroe July 4, 2011 10:32 pm

Regarding “Racking my Brain” One word “Awesome” I’m very impressed. Just joined this forum, and have been pleasantly pleased that my expectations were more than satisfied. In watching the podcast, I had a couple suggestions that have already been addressed by others, but if I can offer just a small tweak may I suggest, when cutting out the support outer pieces that attach to the vertical 2×4’s. I noticed that you cut each one separately. I would have cut two parallel cuts, then made the angle cut between the two ends. Then you would cut off the flat part represented by the area that goes on the 2×4 if you wanted to, otherwise you could just leave that part and have a larger area to nail into. scrap you throw away is a little less, but the biggy is you only have to make one diagonal cut for each support instead of two. I’m a penny pincher and like to save every inch of wood possible, but like I said, making one diagonal cut instead of two, saves you half of time required to cut two, If I didn’t make myself clear, let me know and I can send you a sketch if you would like.

I have already seen many of your videos and am I ever so glad that I made the effort to join. I see that my shop is all wrong and I’m going to be making some changes, thanks to you.

Again, Awesome site. I’m about at the age to retire and If I had found this site earlier, I might would have already been there.
Thanks,
Monroe

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Mike Pugh July 12, 2011 10:10 am

Great video, I’ll be building one of these soon in my garage… but that’ll mean I’m officially hooked on wood working and I’ll have to permanently eject one of my cars from the garage. I think the Honda needs to get more fresh air anyway.

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Joe Scharbrough September 7, 2011 7:02 pm

Now that you have been using the plywood storage for awhile can you tell us how it is working for you. I often find that after a few months working with a jig or something like your pivoting rack that the project will show me an area that needs improved. I am curious as to how well it pivots when fully loaded and carrying a lot of weight.

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- thewoodwhisperer September 8, 2011 8:29 am
  
  To be honest Joe, I haven’t used it much. I spent the entire summer working on my Adirondack chair and I am now finishing up some shop projects. Now that the shop projects are winding down, I’ll have to put some of the excess plywood away and that will be when I have to move the rack again. But so far the only issue is that I’m lazy and I tend to lean things up against the rack instead of putting things IN the rack, lol.
  
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Nick Fisher October 13, 2011 12:12 pm

I was going to build this, but ended up getting over 80 feet of 2×4 steel tubing 3/16in think for 10 cents a pound(only $70).(cheaper than the wood it would cost to build it). I figure if I build this out of steel, it will last forever, and will be the last I’ll ever have to build. My only thoughts are whether you like the hinge idea, or do you think it would work equally well with it being on 4 castor wheels instead? I like the idea of moving it to other areas of my shop when stacking wood(from the trailer etc.) What are your thoughts?

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- thewoodwhisperer October 13, 2011 3:58 pm
  
  Personally I like the hinge. I really have no need to move it around. Also, when pushing in a big sheet of ply, it’s nice to have one side completely secured.
  
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Sal October 14, 2011 4:27 am

Oh that’s super sexy.

I’m makin’ it.

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Rob Hoover October 27, 2011 3:45 pm

I just finished building the lumber rack portion of this video. I’m worried about how much weight this thing will hold. I used the same plans as Marc used with one small change — my shelves are only sixteen inches instead of his 21 (or whatever it was). Otherwise, i followed the plan, using the same screws and also added lag bolts. I started loading up the wood and was getting scared about how much I was putting up there. I never even put all I had. I don’t really have a sense of how much the wood weighs, but I’m guessing there’s at least 250 pounds up there (the top shelf is nearly all hard maple). Can anybody calm my fears?
Here’s a page with pictures of it http://watchmemake.com/kadoove.....umber-rack
Thanks

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- thewoodwhisperer October 27, 2011 4:04 pm
  
  Well, I’m not sure I can calm your fears but I can say I have at least that much weight on mine and all is well. No sagging or evidence of problems yet. Do you actually see any visible evidence that something is wrong?
  
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  - Rob Hoover October 31, 2011 10:06 am
    
    No evidence that something’s wrong. I just wonder about how much weight it can comfortably hold. So far, so good. I even added more up there.
    
    Reply
    - Gordon December 31, 2011 6:16 pm
      
      Those shelf brackets are good for at least a 100 pounds. And with 6 of them and 2 levels, You could put 1200 pounds up there. You would have a hard time fitting enough wood up there to stress the shelves.
- Sal October 27, 2011 4:22 pm
  
  I made mine out of 2×2’s, but only 12″ long and using 1/4″ plywood. I can hang off of any of the spokes (~180 lbs). You’re fine as you’ve spread the weight across many units, and if you used 3/4″ plywood like in the video, You’d pull the stud out before you lost the shelf.
  
  http://i29.photobucket.com/alb.....190942.jpg
  
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Jeff Swensen February 12, 2012 4:13 pm

Thanks for the design Mark! My attempt at building this rack came out great. Very efficient use of space.

http://i.imgur.com/SJFbm.jpg

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Sue Reynolds April 17, 2012 11:31 am

You have a code violation …

You are missing a knock out in your electrical box. You might want to fix that real soon be. Other then that..
I love your lumber storage rack!

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Kris May 29, 2012 5:49 am

I already built my lumber rack using a slightly different design, but more or less the same. Yours is better, however.

Also, I have to echo what someone above said; Is it abnormal to be this excited about a plywood cart? It’s an amazing design, and I can’t wait to build today.

I, too, make use of the shop grade plywood for many projects. I primarily build custom frames for upholstered furniture, so the rigidity of that plywood vs yellow pine is perfect for what I do without the added cost of oak ply, which is totally unnecessary. I do, however, occasionally buy blondewood plywood at Lowes for these projects. Its about the same price as my local hardwood dealers shop grade ply and it never warps on me even after sitting for a few weeks.

Again, thanks so much for the plans and the perfect design. Can’t wait to get that sucker into commission.

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Rick Roades July 14, 2012 4:50 pm

Marc, et al – Question – you mention you like to make the vertical supports one piece. The plan I followed a couple years ago had multiple pieces joined by plywood on the outside. The pieces were separated by 3 1/2″ (2×4) to create a mortise that you slide the lumber rack arm into. It was supposed to fit tight, but kept it level by the strength of the mortise. I’m getting ready to move mine, and I see that a couple arms’ mortise wasn’t quite tight enough to hold the arm perfectly. I’m looking to compare the strength of the two designs. Do you have any thoughts?

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- thewoodwhisperer July 14, 2012 5:29 pm
  
  I think I need to see a picture to fully understand your description. Do you have a link handy?
  
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  - Rick Roades July 14, 2012 8:50 pm
    
    Tried to reply once, doesn’t seem to have shown up… Don’t know how I messed up on something so simple! ;-)
    
    Try this…
    
    http://i1169.photobucket.com/a.....G_1202.jpg
    
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    - thewoodwhisperer July 14, 2012 9:16 pm
      
      I see now. Hard for me to say which would ultimately stronger. I can say when i disassembled my rack for the move, I was pleasantly surprised to see no visible evidence of sagging or damage. So I am pretty confident in the design shown here.
John Gonser July 21, 2012 8:50 am

Thanks for the excellent design. I will be constructing one of these (with slight modifications, of course) for my brand new shop.

Have you looked into the weight-carrying capability of the cantilevered arms? I made a similar rack years ago and had over 100 bd. ft. on each level. This one should do as well or better.

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- thewoodwhisperer July 21, 2012 9:44 am
  
  Well if by “looked into” you mean put lots of wood on them, I sure have. :) I just disassembled the unit for the shop move and there were no signs of wear or sagging at all. So I’m pretty confident in the design at this point.
  
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John Hixon August 10, 2012 5:11 am

I used your basic design, but with a slight modification in size. My plywood sides were cut 15 7/8 x 6 and the 2x4s were cut 15 7/8. That allowed me to get 48 pieces of plywood from one sheet and 24 pieces from 4 2x4x96. That’s 24 shelf brackets with practically no waste.
The 2×4 extends past the end of the plywood by 3 1/2 inches.

I would post a picture, but…

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- thewoodwhisperer August 10, 2012 6:46 am
  
  But you don’t have a link? :)
  
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John Hixon August 10, 2012 10:10 am

ok Marc, I uploaded somewhere else… Maybe you can see these.
the cleat http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp.....8;cat=1429
the wall http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp.....8;cat=1429
The reason:
Kiln dried red oak http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp.....8;cat=1429
Air dried red oak http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp.....8;cat=1429

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- thewoodwhisperer August 10, 2012 10:28 am
  
  Very cool Love the modifications and the reason for it! :) Enjoy that stash!
  
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John Hixon August 11, 2012 3:49 pm

All that lumber was salvaged from trees removed from this property to build our house.

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Brian Thompson August 13, 2012 8:26 am

Great looking project…
I’m currently building an exercise room in my garage… was wondering about using the partition wall for the rack project. (10′ high trussed ceiling)
http://s146.photobucket.com/al.....odworking/

Do you see any problems doing this?

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- thewoodwhisperer August 13, 2012 8:36 am
  
  Seems like it would be OK to me, but I’m no structural engineer.
  
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Rex August 13, 2012 11:46 am

Hmm, I have a question. I am currently replicating some form of this in my shop and I am making some modifications.

I am unclear why you ran the 2×4’s down behind the sheet goods rack? with mine I am mounting it to the wall so it will be able to move in almost flus with the wall. I have a smaller shop, floorspace is precious. So is there a reason you ran the 2×4’s all the way down instead of putting the bracer board above the sheet goods rack?

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- thewoodwhisperer August 13, 2012 12:35 pm
  
  In my case, the concrete footer juts out a few inches. Additionally, I needed something sturdy on which to attach my hinges. So it just made sense for me to continue the 2×4’s all the way down. If your situation doesn’t require that, you can certainly re-gain a few inches of space by stopping them just above the sheetgoods cart.
  
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  - Rex August 13, 2012 12:38 pm
    
    Ahh, thanks. I was wondering if I was missing something structurally that would make it a bad idea.
    
    Great vid btw, nice choices in editing to show the good details without having to make me watch you cut 100 hunks of ply :)
    
    Reply
Mike Corwin August 15, 2012 12:23 pm

Hey Marc – I just installed your version of the lumber rack on my wall with both Spax and several lag bolts into studs. I noticed after screwing in the veritcal supports that there is some side to side play of the vertical supports and was wondering if this is normal/ok. Thanks very much for any info – Mike

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- thewoodwhisperer August 15, 2012 4:56 pm
  
  Perhaps a little. But the lag bolts should take most of that away. I wouldn’t expect them to be absolutely rigid, but there should be securely locked into the wall.
  
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Dan Campbell August 28, 2012 7:26 pm

HI Mark,
I am just finishing a new workshop/ garage (43′ x 24 with the shop taking 24′ x 24′).
I have purchased the material for your lumber rack plan and will start building this weekend. I have gone over you plan design thoroughly and it seems to me that your rack design is stronger than most interior wall construction and if there is any weakness it would probably be in the wall studs. Your design is great and the only improvent I can concieve of is routing round overs on panels of the cart so as not to cause spintering the edges over time (also a little easier on you hands when trying to get to short stock. Thanks for the video and the plan,
Dan Campbell

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Sean Rubino August 30, 2012 8:58 am

I am going to finish/expand my rack this weekend and build the sheet goods/shorts cart. I had a much smaller version (2 verticals and 2 shelves) at my other house and now I will be adding another vertical member and 3 shelf supports. Is the 30″ high (plus the caster height) sheet goods cart necessary though? I imagine I could go with a 25″ high cart (plus the caster height) and save in material cost without losing any support other than how much the sheet goods lean. Was there a specific reason for the 30″ cart in terms of plywood warping?

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- thewoodwhisperer August 31, 2012 10:47 am
  
  Not really. Just sounded like a good number to me. :) I think you’ll be fine with your measurements.
  
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Robert September 13, 2012 6:40 am

Hi Marc,

I Love your Podcasts! I want to build such a rack myself. Could I also use OSB instead of plywood?

Greetings,
Robert

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- thewoodwhisperer September 13, 2012 6:45 am
  
  Probably. It isn’t my favorite material to work with though. And I can’t really comment on any strength issues it may present. I just don’t work with the stuff very often.
  
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Sean September 17, 2012 1:56 am

Now I’m confused…

When are you supposed to let your boards dry, before use – and when are you supposed to use them before they dry & warp?

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- thewoodwhisperer September 17, 2012 6:22 am
  
  Now I think I’m the one who’s confused. :) Your boards should probably be dry before you even get them, either air or kiln dried. Once in your shop, you can let them acclimate for a few weeks before using them, but that isn’t always necessary.
  
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John Gonser September 23, 2012 9:56 pm

Nice design. My modification is to separate the sheet goods rack and put it on 4 casters. This allows me to accomodate more hardwood in the wall rack, which has levels right down to the floor (actually 6″ above the floor). I get rough hardwood by the 100 ft. lots, so I need the storage. When it is finished I will send a photo of the rack with some wood on it.

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John Gonser September 23, 2012 10:07 pm

By the way, I am using counterbored 6″ lag screws to attach the 2 x 4 verticals to the wall studs. Also I have a bunch of 1/2″ ply from another project and I am making the support arms with that ply instead of getting some more 3/4″ ply. Given the design of the arms, I can’t imagine overstressing a couple 1/2″ pieces. That is a full inch of plywood on its edge which is 6″ wide. Should be able to support a passing locomotive. Also I used 2 1/2″ deck screws to put the arms together and 3″ x 1/4″ carriage bolts to hold the arms to the verticals.

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jeb1974 October 10, 2012 12:08 pm

Would you recommend a 5/16 or a 3/8 for the Lag Screws. I will be building this system with the cart in the next couple of weeks and need to order hardware ahead of time. HD too expensive. I have not watched the Video so if it is mentioned on there then my apologies.

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- thewoodwhisperer October 10, 2012 12:58 pm
  
  I think either size would work.
  
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John Mann October 29, 2012 9:17 am

I notice that everyone seems to like their stud stock laying flat on a number of tiers or levels on wall supports. Assuming the vertical space is available, is there a good reason not to make a set of “bins” open on one side and stand all the studs on end instead? Same goes for sheet stock. Standing sheet stock on end uses half the space (4 ft vs 8 ft). I would also add that I think getting a given sheet out of the rack is a lot easier if they are standing vertical, because the desired sheet can be tipped out instead of pulled out. This should take up WAY less space in the shop, and greatly reduce the pain caused by Murphy Law which dictates that we always need to get at the bottom piece……

I noted w interest Jeff Wenzel’s idea of using the space between wall studs. My thought would be to extend this concept with bars or plywood plates sticking out into the room from the wall studs to make deeper “bins”. Perhaps as much as 2 or even 3 ft deep. The bars or plates could have holes along their length to make the bin size adjustable by simply moving the bungie cord location.

Without the benefit of other expertise and advice, the only concerns I can anticipate relate to the studs and sheets taking a bend set over time, and the stability of vertical stacking. If all the stock is stood straight up as opposed to leaning in the bins, both concerns are reduced. I would also think that permanently attaching the rack to the walls instead of putting the rack on rollers would eliminate the stability concern.

Am I missing anything?

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- thewoodwhisperer October 29, 2012 9:47 am
  
  I actually have my sheetgoods rack vertical in the new shop. I think it may just come down to personal preference. But if you can get it set up vertically and you don’t mind working with the material that way, I can’t see anything wrong with it at all.
  
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  - John Mann October 29, 2012 8:46 pm
    
    Nobody seems to think that warping is an issue with wood standing on end, and I am pretty convinced that this is the most space efficient way to store a larger quantity of lumber. So I think I will make a full 4×8 rolling rack which should be big enough to be stable. I’ll probably make 2 slots 1 ft wide by 4 ft deep for plywood and paneling standing on end, and 2 slots 2 ft wide x 4 ft deep – one for 2x4s on end and one for wider planks and boards on end. Then I’ll make one 2×2 bin and two 1 x 2 bins for assorted other lumber and hardwood on one end and some smaller 4 ft wide horizontal shelves at the other end for stacking smaller pieces per AJ’s suggestion above. Since my rolling cart can be moved, perhaps I can integrate a panel cutting station on the rear. It might be wise to make the back wall and dividers about 6 ft high to support the standing lumber or perhaps add some adjustable jambs within a 4 ft high cart – in both cases to ensure that everything stands perfectly vertical and thereby stop the lumber from taking a bend and more importantly to keep the whole thing from falling over if the contained lumber leans too much.
    
    The alternative would be a 3 x 8 Fixed Rack against the wall with no panel cutting station.
    
    Frankly, I think that a 4 x 8 area of wood standing on end is a LOT of lumber. I have this image in my head of a 6 ft diameter section of a tree trunk that is 8 ft high standing in the corner of my shop. Obviously, the wheels and rack structure required to support that huge tree trunk will have to be VERY substantial. Since one can never have too much lumber, it will probably be wise to start looking now for the materials needed to make an outside lean-to for storing more stock.
    
    Thanks all!
    
    Reply
AJ October 29, 2012 10:51 am

The nice thing about horizontal is that you can stack smaller cutoffs.

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Michael E. January 19, 2013 6:40 pm

I’m thinking about useing this basic design but modifying it to attach to the angle of a cathadril ceiling. I’m in a small 17 x 11 shop and I’ve already devoted the walls to tool storage, but I think that ceiling might lend itself well to lumber storage. Any ideas on how the plans should be modified to handle the angle?

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Dan February 6, 2013 5:29 pm

I have been considering and designing a lot of different systems for my shop/garage and I think I am going to go with your design.

One question I have is; since your sheet bin does not allow for shelving to be in its height area why do you run the verticals all the way down (other than to attach the bin hinges to) ? Why did you not run your ledger board higher and just run the right vertical all the way for the hinge attachment?

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- thewoodwhisperer February 7, 2013 7:12 am
  
  Honestly, this was just a quick and dirty design. You have probably already given it more thought that I did. So I have no doubt you might be able to identify some simple structural or functional improvements.
  
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Richard February 13, 2013 10:50 am

I want to know what is the most weight, or board feet of, let’s say oak that you have put on a shelf. I have eight boards of oak that I inherited that are 13″ x 2″ x 13′. They are approx 80 lbs. each. I think that they would be too much for this design unless you have done the same or more I don’t want to try it.

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- Marc Spagnuolo February 13, 2013 2:05 pm
  
  Hey Richard. I honestly don’t know the answer to your question. I put quite a few boards on my rack and it held up quite well with no sagging. I’m sure the unit has a weight limit but I have no idea what that is. But when the weight is distributed over numerous arms, you’d be surprised at how much a design like this can handle. But for safety and liability reasons, I can’t give you any solid guarantees.
  
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Carl February 26, 2013 7:43 pm

I like the desinge and looks of your rack. Do you have a Materials List for this project? Also what is a Sketch Up file and why would you want one?

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JRivers March 11, 2013 1:02 pm

Excellent!
The thing with storage is that is hard to find space for it, this is a great option.
Also, thank you for putting a PDF version of the plan for us Sketchup challenged individuals.
My wife and I really appreciate your videos…thanks for sharing the knowledge.

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Tony V March 16, 2013 5:21 pm

Marc:
Now that you’re in your new shop, did you move this lumber rack to it or did you do something else? If you did something else, what did you do?

Thanks

Tony

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- Marc Spagnuolo March 16, 2013 6:52 pm
  
  I actually left the lumber rack in place for the new owner. In my current shop, I decided to go with some metal garage shelving. It’s the closetmade stuff rated as Heavy Duty, from Lowes. The parts can be pricey, but I already had a bunch of the stuff laying around from general garage storage and decided to recycle it for the lumber rack.
  
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Bailey woodworking June 30, 2013 10:59 am

Just thought I’d add my 2 cents to the guys asking about running the 2x4s only down to just above the sheet good rack… I would recommend running them floor to ceiling much much stronger!

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James Bowie August 4, 2013 5:53 pm

I just built this today. Thank you so much for all of your videos and instructions. My cart rolls out from the wall too but I just installed a braking caster as one of the wheels – no more rolling and is very secure.

Thank you for taking the time to post these videos and projects. You have taught me a lot.

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- James Bowie August 4, 2013 5:55 pm
  
  As a side not I have only concrete block walls in my garage so I just used tapcon’s and I am pretty sure I could hang my truck off this thing.
  
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Lance Gary September 4, 2013 9:52 pm

Hey Marc — I’m not sure if anyone else has run into this, but there’s a dimension error on the PDF version of the plans (the IdeaRoom and Sketchup plans don’t appear to have a problem). On Page 4 of the PDF plans, you have an offset of 26-3/4″ from the right edge of the Plywood Rack – Middle piece to the edge of the 5-1/4″ divider. That should read 26″. Unfortunately for me, I elected to use the PDF plans when I started to build this last weekend. This really through me for a loop as this is my first major woodworking project (I’ve spent the past several months watching your videos and building my tool collection based on many of your recommendations). What really blew my mind was at first glance, all the dimensions seem to add up. After staring at the picture long enough, I realized that the 3/4″ width of the 6″ divider wasn’t taken into account on the drawing.

I’ve already glued & fastened the dividers in place. I’m hoping that I can weaken the Titebond glue enough with a heat gun to remove the dividers and place where they belong. If that doesn’t work, I’d appreciate any ideas that might help me get back on track. Thanks!

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- Marc Spagnuolo September 5, 2013 6:15 am
  
  It actually looks right to me. I don’t see why the measurement needs to be 26″ instead of 26 3/4″. From what I see, the PDF and the SketchUp plans match up. Can you clarify on why you think the 26 3/4″ is an error?
  
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  - Lance Gary September 5, 2013 1:20 pm
    
    Well, there’s a reason I’m a beginner, because after studying the model again I realized you’re right. I got confused because I thought the 26-3/4″ measurement was from the edge of part G (Middle). After spinning the model around I realized that dimension was from the offset edges of J & K (Middle & Bottom rails). Thanks for the quick reply Marc. I’m glad at least one of us can read plans properly. :-)
    
    Reply
James Bushey October 2, 2013 2:48 pm

Marc,
I’m about to build this lumber rack in my shop, but in my shop, it is a post and beam with the posts at 7’6″ apart with horizontal strapping. Then, the interior is 3/4″ plywood. Do you think the 3/4″ plywood walls is strong enough to hold this? Or should I add some additional strapping like a 2″x”4″ flat against the wall then center the project 2″x 4″ in that? Just wondering what your thoughts are, or if anyone else wants to give a comment on this.
Thanks.

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Mike aka Dynamwebz November 28, 2013 7:17 am

Great rack!
I’m currently converting my detached 1 car garage (10’x20′) into a woodworking shop. Time to move out of the basement!
I’ve been looking for a lumber storage system as my garage is too small for the amount of joist hangers required to store my large supply of lumber. Many were ridiculously over or under done. Yours is just right. And the sheet goods box is great add-on!
Thanks for the great plan and video!
Mike

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Mike December 31, 2013 1:11 pm

Just found this design and will be using it in my shop area. Enjoyed reading all the comments and suggestions.

I will add a 3/4″ x 2″ wide plywood horizontal strip to the support studs before securing the arms. This horizontal strip can be leveled and secured to the support studs before the arms are attached which will ensure that the arms are level and have additional support. I realize that I will be losing a bit of storage space but the 3/4″ x 2″ strip will take up very little of the storage space.

Would like to hear from others about the moveable cart with regards to how the attached hinged end and the casters are holding up???? Any suggestions on size of the hinges and casters???

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Francis King January 21, 2014 6:04 pm

Very good use of space and materials. I’m at the stage of drywall and paint so rack is next.
Good work!

Francis

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Sean January 24, 2014 11:34 am

Has anyone tried this on a block wall?

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ShaneJ April 7, 2014 9:19 pm

I just built this rack. Mine goes up to 12′ with 6 levels and is 12′ wide. The top shelf is reserved for the very light material like trim and such. The only change I would make to this is to use 6″ Spax lag screws for all connections to the walls. You would avoid the counter sinking and make more solid connections throughout. I don’t think it is going anywhere though. I’ve loaded this thing pretty heavily. I feel confident that the rack will hold. I just hope the wall does not fall down.

I did not make the plywood and small pieces cart. I never keep plywood on hand. I buy it and cut it.

I have pics if there is a place for those.

Thanks for the design, and inspiration. I’ve needed to do some Spring cleaning for about three years now, and finally did it this year.

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Jonathan April 15, 2014 10:00 pm

Couple quick questions:
1. What kind of screws were used for the cart construction? I’m assuming they are more than drywall screws? And can they be bought in bulk?
2. Has anyone made the plywood cart free-standing & if so, how did you make sure it wouldn’t topple since 13.5″ isn’t very wide.

Thanks for the plans & the insights!

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- Marc Spagnuolo April 16, 2014 8:46 am
  
  I use basic square drive wood screws from McFeely’s. McFeely’s has bulk pricing.
  
  Reply
  - Jonathan April 16, 2014 8:04 pm
    
    Ah, I knew there must have been something better than drywall or deck screws!
    So something like this?
    http://www.mcfeelys.com/Product.aspx?id=716070
    
    Reply
Willie May 27, 2014 8:59 am

I like the lumber rack. I think that same design would work well for vertical lumber storage as well. Just attaching a toe kick board to the floor would allow for easy vertical storage.
In that case, one could simply put the sheet good cart on four casters, and roll it against a wall.
Nice design, and thanks for the video.

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Ron June 20, 2014 10:55 am

Did you consider vertical racks? much easier to pull boards & sort. (im in a wheelchair so these attributes attracted me to it.)

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- Marc Spagnuolo June 20, 2014 10:57 am
  
  No. But I know lots of folks who have (and clearly prefer) vertical racks. Sounds like that might be the best option for you as well Ron.
  
  Reply
Dave January 11, 2015 9:04 am

Hi Marc:
I always enjoy your videos. I have a steel metal building, so no ‘studs.’ Have you ever built a lumber cart that has all four casters and can be moved around the shop? I’m also in AZ, what lumber yard did you use for your sheet goods.
Thanks,
Dave

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- Marc Spagnuolo January 12, 2015 8:45 am
  
  Never built anything like that Dave, sorry. And I get most of my sheetgoods from Spellman Hardwoods in Phoenix.
  
  Reply
Bill Pertusi February 17, 2015 9:11 am

Hi Marc….love your web site and have gotten great tips from it. Just put down a plywood floor in my shop….which is in a town house basement. Can’t get full sheets of material down but do all my cutting and shaping in the shop and then assembly and finishing in the garage. Loved your “stud” line…guess it’s my Italian heritage…my Dad was a cabinet maker in Italy. Am doing the lumber rack from your site and also the lumber roll around cart….can “eyeball” the cart but was wondering if there are specific dimensions available for the one you put together. Thanks much for your great input and happy woodworking! Bill Pertusi Basking Ridge NJ

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Tim Byrd May 5, 2015 7:35 am

Marc,

I have just recently found your videos on youtube, and this is the first time on your website. All I can say is WOW!! I really appreciate all of the work you put into this. I am just beginning my woodworking hobby so to speak. I grew up helping my dad and grandpa do wood working, so I do have a background, but haven’t done much on my own. Just a few smaller projects around the house. I am really inspired by your videos, and plan on using your plans to build some of these projects to beef up my garage into a full on woodworking shop. My first few projects are going to be the lumber rack, table saw outfeed table (which I’m going to turn into a multi use mobile table for assembly), and I will install the French Cleat system. These are all great projects. Thank you for the inspiration. I look forward to learning more from you.

Tim

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Matt Kelley May 31, 2015 2:17 pm

Marc,

I have been watching your videos and reading your blog for some time. I enjoyed this project because it was a hybrid idea from others and your own ideas/needs. Which, inspired me to make my own version. It was more intense and i had to adjust fire several times to make it work in my garage workshop. Thank you for this video and plans.

Thanks

Matt Kelley
San Antonio, TX

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Gary Watters October 8, 2015 6:07 am

I really like your plan. I would like to build it in a steel storage container (Conex Box.) how would you attach it to the inside walls or could it be free standing? Thanks, Gary.

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Drew November 11, 2015 6:30 pm

Is there a reason for angled cuts in the plywood sides of the shelves, other than storage height?

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- Marc Spagnuolo November 12, 2015 7:31 am
  
  Nope. Just increased clearance.
  
  Reply
Ken McCourt April 24, 2016 5:40 pm

I’m about to start on your lumber rack. I’m sure you have had lots of feed back on your design. Is their anything you would change or do different or add to your design. Thank you for your time and as we say in the fire service stay safe.

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- Marc Spagnuolo April 25, 2016 6:44 am
  
  Nope. It’s a pretty straightforward design and any changes you make would just be due to personal preference and material availability.
  
  Reply
Michael July 21, 2016 10:36 am

This is a great video. I’m a new woodworker and I’m finding out that lumber becomes a HUGE issue when storage is involved.

Im Interested in using lag bolts, but I’ve never actually used them. Is there a proper way to install lag bolts? Can you explain the drilling method and perhaps the size of bolts needed/washers needed.

Sorry for such a noob question, but I wanted to hit the ground running on this project with as few hiccups as possible. Thanks in advance!

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Randy September 17, 2016 8:58 pm

Marc, great site! I found you from the book, “The Automatic Customer.”

I want to make your swivel plywood rack, but I’m concerned on the back sheet and what gives it support of leaning 4’x8′ heavy sheets of plywood.

Seems there are only screws running along the bottom and the swivel edge.

Am I missing part of the plan? Wondering if several sheets leaning on the back will be able to support the weight?

Thanks, Randy

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- Marc Spagnuolo September 18, 2016 5:03 am
  
  Hey Randy. Glad you found us! What you see is what you get on this one. There’s really only so much you can do if you’re goal is to have a full 4×8 clearance for a sheet of ply. So screws along the bottom and back are about the best you can do. One alternative option if you’re concerned about the long-term viability is to make that back piece taller. Make the entire thing a little taller, in fact. Then you can run some cross-pieces over the top connecting the front compartment to the full-sheet compartment, giving it a LOT more stability. But in order to make the whole thing taller, you’ll either have to add on to the plywood back, edge to edge, or maybe break the back panel up into a couple pieces where the grain runs vertically, giving you the option to go taller than that 4′ mark.
  
  Reply
Bill Brooks November 25, 2016 1:53 pm

Marc – my small basement shop had lumber everywhere. The wood storage rack is a perfect solution.
Thank you very much. Bill.

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Jason Fish November 9, 2020 4:36 pm

Great storage solution for my home shop. I built it during the Covid shutdown in the spring. Now my wife has room to park her car in the garage. Your lumber rack saved my marriage! I enjoy your videos and teaching style. Thanks for all the content.

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Strickland D (Strick) May 3, 2023 5:29 pm

I’ve viewed and picked at this video for days. It’s precise, specific and open. Love it. I’m demolishing a century old tobacco barn and have some great pine of varying dimensions. Question: Is there a specific reason to limiting the supports to 18” in length? Is there rationale against, for example, making them 30”-36”? Structurally, is the choice of 2×4 for the verticals a mass statement? Yes. My mounting wall is made of 2×4 studs covered by 1/2” Sheetrock. Could one use 2×6’s as the ‘meat between the ply ‘bread’ to spread the weight to balance downward vs diagonal pressures? Might one supplement support by using an outward vertical matching every other inside vertical? I’d appreciate comments and education. I want to maximize storage to a 12’ height and maximize depth of storage without doing something really bonkers. I have to protect the wife’s beloved car!!

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