Another Lumber Rack

[Willyou]

In response to a question from cwarner regarding his lumber rack, i posted a photo of the one I built a while back using 1 1/2" rigid electrical conduit:

   

If anyone decides to build one like this, here are some important features:

-Be sure the 2x3s (or 2x4) are as straight grain and as knot free as possible.
-Be sure the conduit fits tight and the holes are clean and square. For 1 1/2" conduit, a 1 1/2" Forstner bit provides a tight fit hole that will require you to drive the conduit into place giving a good friction fit. Round the edges of the conduit over slightly and it will go in more smoothly.
-Add some epoxy as you drive the conduit in if you want some insurance.
-Put a wood screw cross grain just above and below each hole to prevent splitting.
-Fasten each 2x3 to a wall stud using a lag screw and washer placed 2-3" above each conduit.
-Your conduit can be most any length, but I cut the 8' length of conduit into 6 16" lengths. Subtracting the saw kerf and 1 1/2" width of the 2x3s, you end up with a little less than 14 1/2" long support.

Before using this system, I did a load test and determined that one tube would support about 100 lb at the end of the tube with about 0.14"  downward deflection. That deflection would return to zero when the weight was removed. I did not test it to total failure. Based on weight per cubic foot of cherry and horizontal spacing of 32" between supports, I determined that I could load the rack completely front to back and 12" vertically expecting only 0.07" of deflection. To build in a safety factor, I actually spaced the supports 16" apart. In practice, I have experienced zero (or unmeasurable) deflection and the rack has been more or less continuously loaded for about 10 years.

[Phil S.]

Like Willyou, I used pipe for my lumber rack, black pipe from a local plumbing shop in this case.  I drilled slightly angled holes into pieces of 1.5 X 2.75 lumber edgewise.  Each board sits on the floor and is fastened to the overhead joists with 3 screws.  I don't remember what kind of screws they were, but I'd guess #8 X 2-1/2".  The sections of pipe are a loose fit and can be pulled out and moved around if I so desire, but in the years it has been there I don't think I have moved them.  I haven't had any trouble with the pipe rusting and staining the lumber even though it is humid locally.  The lumber has all been kiln dried though so maybe wetter wood might have a problem.  It'd be easy enough to add PVC sleeves if that was a concern.

   

[mtl]

Like Willyou, I used pipe for my lumber rack, black pipe from a local plumbing shop in this case.  I drilled slightly angled holes into pieces of 1.5 X 2.75 lumber edgewise.  Each board sits on the floor and is fastened to the overhead joists with 3 screws.  I don't remember what kind of screws they were, but I'd guess #8 X 2-1/2".  The sections of pipe are a loose fit and can be pulled out and moved around if I so desire, but in the years it has been there I don't think I have moved them.  I haven't had any trouble with the pipe rusting and staining the lumber even though it is humid locally.  The lumber has all been kiln dried though so maybe wetter wood might have a problem.  It'd be easy enough to add PVC sleeves if that was a concern.

Ditto

The storage I build is exactly like Phils, pipe at a small angle.  I have moved the pipe around a few times when I have recognized the shop but everything has worked fine.  Drilled holes have not gotten any larger.  My vertical braces are 24" on center, lagged into garage wall studs.

[Mike 55]

In response to a question from cwarner regarding his lumber rack, i posted a photo of the one I built a while back using 1 1/2" rigid electrical conduit:



If anyone decides to build one like this, here are some important features:

-Be sure the 2x3s (or 2x4) are as straight grain and as knot free as possible.
-Be sure the conduit fits tight and the holes are clean and square. For 1 1/2" conduit, a 1 1/2" Forstner bit provides a tight fit hole that will require you to drive the conduit into place giving a good friction fit. Round the edges of the conduit over slightly and it will go in more smoothly.
-Add some epoxy as you drive the conduit in if you want some insurance.
-Put a wood screw cross grain just above and below each hole to prevent splitting.
-Fasten each 2x3 to a wall stud using a lag screw and washer placed 2-3" above each conduit.
-Your conduit can be most any length, but I cut the 8' length of conduit into 6 16" lengths. Subtracting the saw kerf and 1 1/2" width of the 2x3s, you end up with a little less than 14 1/2" long support.

Before using this system, I did a load test and determined that one tube would support about 100 lb at the end of the tube with about 0.14"  downward deflection. That deflection would return to zero when the weight was removed. I did not test it to total failure. Based on weight per cubic foot of  cherry and horizontal spacing of 32" between supports, I determined that I could load the rack completely front to back and 12" vertically expecting only 0.07" of deflection. To build in a safety factor, I actually spaced the supports 16" apart. In practice, I have experienced zero (or unmeasurable) deflection and the rack has been more or less continuously loaded for about 10 years.

In my old shop I used black pipe and bought flanges that I screwed into my wood frame and then screwed the pipe into the flange. Worked great.

[Willyou]

Those are some interesting alternatives. When designing mine, I didn't even consider using plumbing pipe. In my mind, I thought that the larger diameter of the conduit would make it stiffer even though the wall thickness is less. I'm assuming, based on your experience, they are about the same. Thanks for sharing.

[falcon]

I was planning on putting up a lumber rack myself.  I was going to use the idea CWaarner was going to use.  A friend of mine, however, warned me that the load on the studs might pull them in.  I was going to use the studs in a garage wall.  The wall studs are on 16inch centers.  I've seen many lumber racks made like this, including one on the Wood Whisperer's website.  Does anyone have any feelings on this?  I really don't want to pull my wall down, but it would be really easy to fabricate this kind of lumber rack.

[Willyou]

I was planning on putting up a lumber rack myself.  I was going to use the idea CWaarner was going to use.  A friend of mine, however, warned me that the load on the studs might pull them in.  I was going to use the studs in a garage wall.  The wall studs are on 16inch centers.  I've seen many lumber racks made like this, including one on the Wood Whisperer's website.  Does anyone have any feelings on this?  I really don't want to pull my wall down, but it would be really easy to fabricate this kind of lumber rack.

It ain't gunna happen, but I'm not smart enough to prove it mathematically. Maybe someone else is. Look at my photo posted above. That rack has been loaded like that for 10 years or more. It is a typical 2x4 on 16" centers stud wall with sheet rock. The other photos above are similar, I think. If you aren't comfortable with it, then you can build it as Phil S..did using secondary studs.

[stav]

I made the same rack in an old shed with 16" spacing on the studs.  I used the conduit pipe with a slightly angled hole, so a hybrid of the above options.  My pipe stuck out from the drilled stud about a foot.  There was no moving of the shed wall (until Hurricane Irma blew out one of the other walls), nor was there any flex on the pipes.  I drilled the pipe stud to the wall stud about every foot.  Wish I still had that rack.

[falcon]

It ain't gunna happen, but I'm not smart enough to prove it mathematically. Maybe someone else is. Look at my photo posted above. That rack has been loaded like that for 10 years or more. It is a typical 2x4 on 16" centers stud wall with sheet rock. The other photos above are similar, I think. If you aren't comfortable with it, then you can build it as Phil S..did using secondary studs.

Thanks for the information.  I didn't think the walls would bow in, but my buddy was convinced they would.  I think I'll go ahead and do what CWarner did since I have a lot of scraps lying around.  No need to buy pipe if I don't have to shell out the bucks.

This is a great website.  Thanks to all the fellas.

[Stwood_]

I revamped some damaged pallet racking. 12' deep, 10' tall.