Concrete Block Walls and Wood Storage

[Clint Schlosser]

I want to build a wood rack in a basement shop but I am wondering what is the best method to build a rack that won't pull the wall out.

I am going to be placing a significant load of Oak and other woods onto the wall rack. I was planning on using 2x4's anchored to the wall with masonry screws. I was then going to use 1"x16" pipes placed into angled holes in those 2x4's. In total I would guess about 40 boards about 10' long at about 5/4 will be going onto this fixture so its going to be pretty heavy duty.

I suppose my question is what angle should the holes be drilled to minimize the load pulling out?

[Mike Wilkins]

I would be hesitant to attach a wood rack to a concrete block wall; the weight can add up fast with disastrous results. I have seen this method in one of the FWW Shops issues. The author laid a treated bottom plate on the concrete floor, then attached 2 X 4 posts to this with screws. At the top there was a top plate attached to the ceiling joists, with the top of the posts attached to this. Screws to attach them would give some peace of mind. For the wood support racks, drill some 3/4" holes at a slight upward angle, use some black iron pipe from the big box store, and there you have it.
Check out your local Barnes and Noble section with the woodworking books, and you will find several books on shops and shop setup.

[Andy Fox]

Build your rack as if it were a basement stud wall, except the lumber rack supports are the studs. Put the top and bottom plate in first, then toenail or toescrew the "studs" into place. Keep the studs at least 1/2" from the wall to prevent moisture and out of plumb issues and the possible need for pressure treated wood. Assuming the floor is concrete, the bottom plate should be pressure treated wood. Attach it to the floor with 3/8" Tapcon anchor bolts. This is what I did with my basement lumber rack. Also, add blocking between the studs near the middle.

If your ceiling is too high to build it as a wall, then go ahead and anchor to the wall for stability, but make the floor do the load bearing.

[Clint Schlosser]

I never thought about using the joists above. It is an open ceiling so that would work well and really help secure the load. I will hopefully post pictures of the results in about 2 weeks once I finalize the Buy list tonight and then build it.

[Yonak Hawkins]

I'm not convinced it would have to be attached to the floor. Especially if it is attached to the joists above, it's not going anywhere, with all that weight on it.

I feel it's advantageous to design your rack with minimal interference to pulling your boards from the front. In other words, having to pull from the ends because there are supports along the outer side is really cumbersome and makes it so an end has to be accessible.

The solution may be to make many shelves to spread out the weight. If you can work it, while employing vertical supports on the ends in front (and one in the middle only if you really have to) and 2X4 edging pieces attached to the ends of the shelf supports and under the front edge of the shelves being supported by the end supports, the middle shelves could be designed with angle brackets under the shelf supports. If you can pull the rack 6" or 8" more from the wall, extend the shelf supports to the rear and tie the back ends of all the shelf supports together and to the joists with vertical members.

If the shelves are not especially wide and if you have enough of them to spread out the weight, this method may work. An additional advantage, and one which I employ, with many shelves, different species can be stored on each shelf making it easy choose, plus not as many boards are on each shelf making it easier to get to certain boards without having to unstack as much.