Best wood storage rack to purchase?

[Tom Rick]

Hello all,

I need to cover a wall in my shop with some sort of storage system for boards.

I have a 20' run of wall that is over a long bench. I have 5' of height over the bench for the racks.

The wall is 2x4 frame with 1/2" finished rock.

What I am thinking is some form of vertical standard screwed to the stud that takes brackets. I would like the brackets to be adjustable for vertical spacing.
Depth of brackets at least 12".

Is there a decent system I can buy for this application?


Thanks all

[Harold Burrell]

This is what I use. (Some assembly required.)

[Russell Smallwood]

Hey Tom,

I bought the system from Lee Valley a long time ago.


Lumber Storage System.

It has been great. Very sturdy. I really like that you can have various depths which allows me to store the wider stuff at the top so that it's not in the way as much. I've had it loaded with 5/4 and 8/4 white and red oak for a while now (need to find a project for that stuff) and it hasn't complained.

I bolted it into the studs with lags and it is rock solid. I worry more about the strain on the wall than the rack.

[Bill Blackburn]

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?p...mber%20storage

Reasonable when on sale for the quality...Woodcraft's also nice.
The LV looks to be more spendy but nice too.

Nothing wrong with stringing some 2x4 cutouts across the studs either...cheap. Not as purty but cheap

[Russell Smallwood]

The LV looks to be more spendy but nice too.

yes, not cheap but I think the sturdiest.

[Erik France]

I went a cheaper route and used the shelf systems from HD and lowes, Rubbermaid has their name on some of the parts. I got a pretty good deal on them at the time. Support bars at 24"oc screwed into studs. They have been working fairly well. No complaints on the loading.

I probably wouldn't use that system if I did it again though. The height of the brackets is the biggest drawback to me. I've got some serious space issues, every inch counts. I could have fit another shelf into the same space if the brackets weren't as tall.

Adjusting the placement of a bracket can be troublesome, especially the longer brackets. To get the bracket out of my support it has to rotated up at a fairly steep angle. More often than not I have to remove everything off of the upper shelf or two to move a lower one. It was very aggravating at first when I was getting everything set up. After time I haven't needed to adjust them all that often, nor would I really want to.

[Bob Riefer]

I'm at this same point in now too and was planning on making 2x4 brackets lagged into studs - I was just going to make triangles basically and lag them in place. The benefit being that the inside of the triangle would be a good place to store pipe, but negative being the amount of space taken up.

Does anyone have a 2x4 bracket design that they like for lumber storage purposes?

[Mike Hollingsworth]

check craigslist: about $300:

[Mike Konobeck]

I have three of the Triton lumber racks. They are very nice and easy to put up. Don't appear to be available much anymore. My local Rockler has a few left but seems they are going to a cheaper solution like most of the things they have been carrying lately.

I had one pull out of the wall but that was my fault. I was on the edge of a stud and the rack was very full. I fixed it and have loaded it back up with no problems.

[David Weaver]

yes, not cheap but I think the sturdiest.

I use that one, too.

At one point, hartville tool had a 10% over cost sale where they sold their goods for 10% over cost. They were carrying that rack at the time, maybe they still do. 10% over cost on imported goods makes things awfully cheap.

I think the 18" arms were about 6 bucks a pair and I don't remember what the strips were for the wall, but the whole thing was about 60 or 70 bucks for 4 long wall straps and 6 pairs of arms.

If they ever do that again, I'll buy another set. That set is very tough and has more clearance than 2x4s.

[Chris Nolin]

I have and love the LV racks, too. I read somewhere that they were originally designed for use in under-street cable junction rooms or something. I like that they're so easily adjustable for height, and the different length arms make it easy to arrange for width. They seem bombproof, too.

[David Weaver]

I have and love the LV racks, too. I read somewhere that they were originally designed for use in under-street cable junction rooms or something. I like that they're so easily adjustable for height, and the different length arms make it easy to arrange for width. They seem bombproof, too.

The arms certainly don't yield to an angle grinder that easily (I made a mistake locating mine and had to cut 3 inches off the arms of the strap closest to the corner of my garage). They are tough.

[Greg Portland]

Hey Tom,

I bought the system from Lee Valley a long time ago.


Lumber Storage System.

It has been great. Very sturdy. I really like that you can have various depths which allows me to store the wider stuff at the top so that it's not in the way as much. I've had it loaded with 5/4 and 8/4 white and red oak for a while now (need to find a project for that stuff) and it hasn't complained.

I bolted it into the studs with lags and it is rock solid. I worry more about the strain on the wall than the rack.

I have the Shopfox system which looks identical except that the LV has a tab to slide the verticals together. I have been very pleased with the Shopfox system.

[johnny means]

I like the shop fox system that grizzly sells. Plenty strong, adjustable, and fairly affordable.

[Bill Blackburn]

LV always does top tier stuff. Never yet been disappointed in a single purchase done there - nice stuff and great folks.

Having said that I can't help but wonder how much more weight one can expect to put on a row - 300# rating on the Rockler seems way more than I would consider ever doing anyway. maybe I'm the only one who thinks this way but sheesh - you will stress and maybe snap the 2x at some point. This is pushing it all I care too. Looked at mine again after I posted earlier and I don't think I have more than 100# on each tier. 300# will never be something I will do either and that ya can take to the bank

So how much of yer $$$ did we manage to spend?