Downsides to storing lumber in garden shed?

[atgcpaul]

Anyone storing their lumber in a shed away from their shop?

When my two car garage isn't being used as a shop, it will have to allow parking for 1 car. So I don't really envision space for lumber if my old two car garage used solely as a shop was any indicator.

I am going to build up to a 150sqft garden shed for the riding mower and garden tools.

I'm not sure that a shed wall unless built extremely beefy can support lumber on shelf brackets, but I could lay the lumber on stickers on the shed floor.

Yes, it will be a PITA to move stuff out of the way to get to the lumber especially if it's all stacked, but at least IMO better than keeping the lumber completely outside under a sheet of metal roofing.

I'd appreciate your thoughts.

Paul

[fredhargis]

I did for quite a few years, then at subsequent house used the pole barn we had which was seperate from the shop. The onlt downside I see to the garden shed was access to the wood when I needed some. It was a little crowded (16x20 gambrel roof shed) but I put brackets on the stud wall and it had no problem supporting the wood. The pole barn was a lot easier with all the space I had, the only downside was it was maybe 150' away from the shop.

[mound]

I don't see why not as long as it's easily accessible and dry. If you're building the shed yourself, go ahead and make the wall strong enough to support the lumber racks.

[stav]

I did until Hurricane Irma decided I wasn't going to anymore.  The shed was a standard aluminum skinned 2x4 stud wall 10'x16' shed.  I added sister studs that I could drill holes for conduit pipe to stack my lumber on.  It worked great for about 15 years.

[alexh1]

I made a rack on my garage ceiling but it's not ideal. I made 3 'H' shaped 2x4's with one long side of the H bolted to the ceiling. This was before I had a welder, if doing it again I'd probably make it out of steel angle iron. I only use it for long pieces of lumber and trim.

[jteneyck]

I store several thousand bf of lumber in my wood shed, built specifically for that purpose.  It's all KD lumber so I stack it w/o stickers.  It comes out of my kiln at about 7% and will rise up to 9% or so in the shed.  A week in my shop and it's back down to 7 - 8% and ready to use.  Go for it.  It's much better to store it in a building than any outdoor/roof only option.  

John

[AHill]

Depending on the dimensions, max length of lumber might be restricted. Otherwise, with the lumber essentially being outside, you'll need a week or so acclimation if you bring it into your shop for a project.

[mr_skittle]

As some folks have said, you should be able to mount racks on the walls but if you decide not to, there are still alternatives to stacking everything on the floor. You could easily build a free-standing rack. I'm working on the same idea right now for a storage unit. There's no tying into the walls so free-standing is the only choice.

[rwe2156]

The big downside is beetle infestation. I think that depends on where you're located. Where I am they attack the lumber almost immediately! Spraying the lumber with a termite treatment product works well.

The other downside is exposure to fluctuating humidity. Probably not a huge issue, but IMO you should bind the stack with strapping.

[KLaz]

I store all my lumber in my "garden shed"  I built a barn with a gambrel roof that is 14 x 20.  Later I added a 8 x 20 addition to the side that is just for storing sheet goods and lumber.

I built this lumber rack.  It is 12' long and out of 2x4's and OSB.  This was back when 2x's and OSB were cheap 


I only bring lumber in the shop when I'm ready for it.  No way I could store all this in my shop.

I also built another bin that holds 12" to 48" offcuts vertically so I can easily grab those when needed.  

Really like this setup

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