Store wood vertically

[Philip Johnson]

I went to look at some wood for sale and the guy had it all stored standing on end vertically. I thought that it was kind of nice to be able to have access to any board in your stash instead of digging through the whole pile. Now that I think about it the woodworking stores have their wood on display that way. Would this work to store wood or would it be more likely to warp

[Rick Gooden]

I've been doing it for maybe 3 years with absolutely no problems. I can store 600+ bf easily in a spot 2' x 6' and access is outstanding. I highly recommend it.

[John Coloccia]

I store much of mine vertically too now. I have to think that if anything, vertical is kinder to the wood. Much less force trying to bend it than if it's suspended from a couple of points with 10 other boards sitting on top of it. That's my guess, anyhow, and so far none of my wood is doing anything out of the ordinary. I just don't have the room to do it any other way. That's how i store my plywood too. That's also how my local lumber yard stores their plywood.

[Tony Bilello]

I have been stacking lumber vertically for over 25 Years. It is the easiest way to store, rearrange, view and handle.
I dont know the exact angle that my rack is tilted backwards but here is how I determined it. I took a long board and tilted it against a wall. I keep adjusting the angle until It would easily fall against the rack and yet easily be pulled forward for removal. I made a set of angled frames from 3/4" MDF that I had laying around and the face boards were 1/2" MDF that were also laying around. I think that it is important to keep the larger boards in the rear so that when the boards are leaning against the rack, they are always flat against the MDF flat panels on the rack or the board behind it.
The easiest way for me to handle sheet goods by myself is to stand the 4 x 8 up on its short edge. Then I back up to it and when it is flat against my back, I stretch my arms behind me, tilt the panel slightly against my back. bend my knees slightly and lift the panel up a few inches off the ground and I can easily walk it around the shop. I then back up against my sheet goods rack and let the panel fall backwards. I am 62, slightly out of condition (I never actually was "in" condition) and I can easily move 3/4 Ply and MDF this way.


http://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=95312

[Ben Hatcher]

As long as the entire board is supported it will be fine stored vertically. I store my whole boards horizontally only because I don't have the ceiling height needed to store anything over 8' vertically. I was convinced that horizontal was the way to go until I remade my scrap bin to hold cutoffs vertiacally. WOW. If I ever get the room to do vertical storage I'm going to switch. It is SOOOO much easier to find things. I'm actually using up scraps faster than I'm making them.

[Philip Johnson]

Thanks for the replies...I am going to have to put this on the short list of things to do. I will have to sleep on it a few nights to figure out how I want to do it.

Phil

[Jim King]

Boards also dry very well verticaly without degrade.

[Philip Johnson]

Well I had a fit of ambition this afternoon , moved all my wood, built a rack and re stacked all the wood vertically. It really cleaned up that corner of the garage. I think it is going to be really nice I can easily get at all the wood and I know exactly what I have got. Seems to take up less room too.

Phil

[pat warner]

Lots of quick turnover, short boards? Then ok to store nearly any which way.
Heavy long stock (>8-10') can bow on prolonged storage.
Notwithstanding, stickered, horizontal stock will give the best in uniform EMC and maintain flatness.

[lou sansone]

small batches store vertically, but for larger quantities, horizontal is going to keep the boards the flattest