Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 16

Thread: Storage options on wall

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2020
    Location
    Charlottesville Va
    Posts
    41

    Storage options on wall

    What are some ways to utilize upper wall space for storage? I would like to be able to tell you exactly what will be stored, but I’m nowhere near being optimized. These locations would be standard cabinet height as well as higher.

    Cabinets is one solution. Others? Either enclosed or not.

    Thanks

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    E TN, near Knoxville
    Posts
    12,298
    I put high shelves around my shop. Too high to reach from the floor I use little step stools or long-reach grabbers. Some don't like open shelves because they collect dust but I don't find that a significant problem, perhaps due to my dust collection system and the things I do in my shop. This is an example of a shelf in the woodturning "alcove", a small class in progress:

    WVR_IMG_5458.jpg

    The left wall has a high shelf above the lathe with spray cans of finishes and adhesives, retrieved by a grabber. The center wall has a long shelf up high for supplies with a cubby hole shelf over the double door. The high shelf at the right has various lathe accessories that I want to keep handy but don't access every day. I am slowly putting such shelves on almost every wall in the shop. I a couple of areas I store some lumber (wormy am. chestnut) at that height on brackets. I do have recycled kitchen cabinets in several areas such as in my little machine shop but they don't reach all the way to the ceiling so I store some things on top.

    I mostly use 1x12 pine shelving board from home depot fastened to the plywood walls with various brackets.

    JKJ

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Columbus, OH
    Posts
    3,063
    A mix of enclosed and open will likely be the right answer. Open shelves catch the odd shaped stuff.

    Consider "clam-shell" cabinets with strong hinges which provide a lot of hanging space for tools. In fact you can add doors within cabinets that add even more hanging space. You may also want to consider having drawer space in your cabinets to capture the small and delicate items. Lots of plans exist for these kinds of tool cabinets.
    Brian

    "Any intelligent fool can make things bigger or more complicated...it takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." - E.F. Schumacher

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
    Posts
    65,685
    Mix and match...which is even easier to change over time if you use a French Cleat system. It will support everything from simple tool/clamp holders all the way up to full, closed cabinets. And you can move things around as your needs change.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2020
    Location
    Charlottesville Va
    Posts
    41
    I’m not familiar with clamshell style cabinets. Could you point me in the right direction?

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    SoCal
    Posts
    22,492
    Blog Entries
    1
    I am generally a drawer and cabinet man. For high storage I prefer open shelves or fixtures. Loose items can be contained in carefully selected storage containers, well labeled for reading from the ground. My longer clamps also go in this area.

    Long Clamp Racks 002.jpg . Long Clamp Racks 001.jpg

    You can do similar things along rafter lines.

    Clamp Rack Hip Roof.jpg
    "A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".


    – Samuel Butler

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Columbus, OH
    Posts
    3,063
    Quote Originally Posted by Chris Sherwood View Post
    I’m not familiar with clamshell style cabinets. Could you point me in the right direction?
    http://www.tauntonworkshops.com/cour...g-tool-cabinet

    Maybe "clam-shell" is not what everyone calls them. But essentially the doors are deep enough to house tools.
    Brian

    "Any intelligent fool can make things bigger or more complicated...it takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." - E.F. Schumacher

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2020
    Location
    Charlottesville Va
    Posts
    41
    Great suggestions in this thread. My take home (for my situation) is a mix of drawers, cabinets, and open shelves.
    I got lucky today and bought 4 very large cabinets with maple doors for $80. Can’t wait to hang them tomorrow. Will also add slatwall to an area for lawn/misc tools. Then I’ll fill in as needed with open shelves.
    Thanks everyone

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jun 2020
    Location
    Charlottesville Va
    Posts
    41
    So, if you had an extra cabinet and nowhere to put it at standard height, would you still use it if it had to be high enough that you could only use it with a step ladder? I guess that’s no different than high shelves, but it seems a little strange.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    Crozet, VA
    Posts
    645
    Jigs, fixtures, and templates are good candidates for storing high on a wall (depending on their overall size). Just drill a hole somewhere in them and hang them from a screw, nail, hook, whatever.
    There is a very fine line between “hobby” and “mental illness.” - Dave Barry

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Apr 2020
    Location
    Tennessee
    Posts
    451
    Blog Entries
    1
    I have decided that open storage is the best way for me. It’s easier to find things and it keeps me from hoarding so much junk.
    I have a couple of walls that I put white peg board on the walls and installing French cleats over it.
    I’m in the process of doing this to all of my frames in walls. One day I’d like to do all my walls this way (Some of my walls are concrete walls).

    The French cleats are terrific since I can rearrange and add things quickly. The peg board is nice to be able to hang items from using the hooks. So it’s the benefits of other. Also, the white of the peg board helps makes the shop brighter as well.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    Michigan
    Posts
    2,758
    Spacing for drawers and shelves
    Many shallow ones near eye level, taller ones above and below.

    French cleats
    Run a couple of screws thru them in case of tremors

    Falling stuff
    Whatever goes up comes down and not always when you expect it. Glenn's clamps look scary.

    Chemicals
    In a cabinet, preferably a metal one, keep it low to avoid heat, with spill resistant shelves
    Not in the garage where they will freeze

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Tampa Bay, FL
    Posts
    3,895
    Due to a bunch of reasons, I have high cabinets all over the shop. I really hate having to get a small stepladder to reach things. Really wish they were lower.
    - After I ask a stranger if I can pet their dog and they say yes, I like to respond, "I'll keep that in mind" and walk off
    - It's above my pay grade. Mongo only pawn in game of life.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Tulsa, OK
    Posts
    190
    I prefer shelves and shelf brackets. I usually make the top shelf the deepest, 16" or so, in order to store larger items, I also leave enough height for a 5 gallon bucket of paint. I have found that usually the deep shelving units, 24" deep or so, cause more problems than they solve, as they take up a lot of space and eventually get things buried in the back where you can no longer see or access them, my opinion.
    My garage has 10' ceilings, so the top shelf is 18" from the ceiling, 16" deep and is 24' of linear storage, the next 2 shelves were 12" deep, 2 rows, 16' of linear storage. Also started using the clear container method, with a screw on top, to attached the containers to the underside of the bottom 2 shelves. The last item on that wall is a 10' long work bench/miter-saw bench, where the middle has a drop to it so the bench can be used as miter saw area and support longer pieces. Below the bench was more open shelving to store my tools in cases, or corded power tools, some pneumatic nailers, a vice...............I used 3/4" MDF, mostly 2x4's and some 2x6s for the shelving and bench. I actually used old 4x4's to make my bench top out of. The 4x4s were free and everything else was around $350 bucks, that was getting the heavy duty shelving brackets as well.
    As far as height issues I'd suggest planning out your shop and storage so that you are not constantly finding yourself searching for a ladder to reach something. As in not commonly used items stored up high, out of reach. The best way to maximize space will to made in taking advantage of that higher area that is never used or needed.
    We also recently moved into a new house, the storage in the attic is awesome. First time in my life that I could stand up in an attic, jump up and down if I wanted to and not hit anything. So I moved a lot of my shovels, rakes, post hole diggers..........stuff I hardly use on a yearly basis even into the attic. That eliminated a lot of storage issues for myself.
    Think about it, take measurements, get some graph paper and do some planning in order to maximize your area and potential.
    Don't fret over today's decisions not being good enough in 5 years from now. You will never be able to tell what all the future will hold and what might happen.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Aug 2017
    Location
    Arlington, TX
    Posts
    452
    I like clamp racks like the Lee Valley Clamp Rack (but home-made), for bar and parallel clamps. These hold the clamps vertically. For longer clamps, the racks can be hung up high, near the ceiling, yet you don't need a stool or ladder to store or remove clamps on them.

    A French cleat could hold multiple similar style racks on the wall, with adjustable spacing between them. The two vertical brackets for each rack, that support the clamp heads, could directly incorporate the mating hooks for the french cleat, with a separate spacer fastened between the two brackets to accommodate the depth of the clamps' bar.

    Like a lot of things, I have the idea, but I haven't gotten around to making them yet...

    -- Andy - Arlington TX

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •