Turn Your Garage Ceiling Into Storage Space

Here is a short summary of different ceiling storage options. Consider the pros and cons and decide what is the preferred match for your garage organization project. Whatever the option you use, take into consideration weight limits of the hanging storage options and stay safe.

You could build a hanging rack out of lumber. This options calls for the proper tools for cutting two-by-fours, in addition to a small amount of handyman ability. If you’re comfortable cutting, measuring, and anchoring this option could be right for you. Numerous websites provide free designs for hanging shelving, so you don’t have to be a professional carpenter. However one negative thing is that your decking will probably be a piece of plywood. This is unfavorable to wire decking due to the fact you can’t see through the sheet material to identify what you’ve stored in the buried areas of your rack.

Consider installing a steel storage rack. Again, if you have the proper tools and access to angled steel, you may be able to build one yourself and save a little money. Check your prices, though. Don’t forget to factor in the cost of the decking, too. Steel overhead storage shelves are priced so reasonably you may get the same great price for a premade unit. There are several popular brands to choose from including SafeRacks, Strong Racks, Hyloft, and Topp Rax. Check out my other article submissions for specific reviews of these brands.

I have seen a picture shared on social networking sites (Pinterest) of 2×4′s attached to a garage ceiling which has red totes that slip to the T-shaped structure. As impressive as this particular setup looks, the specific totes with reinforced lips along the top are expensive. For a collection of totes, you could just as well pay for a shelf in addition to hire a person to mount it for you. In addition, the totes aren’t clear. I am a stickler for using clear containers for extended storage because it’s really easy to forget what you put in each container. Labeling may be sufficient when you tag a minimum of two sides of the tote and do not store anything inside the bin that does not fall under that label. Or perhaps keep it simple and use clear containers.

It’s also possible to change unused ceiling space into space for storing is by setting up a shelf along the perimeter of your garage. Once again, there is an alternative to build or buy. This provide enough space to keep one row of totes. This style of shelving does not entice you to bury your totes double deep, although I do not like the wasted space in the middle of the ceiling. One particularly creative product you can buy on the Internet is the Monkey Bar storage shelf. They offer numerous configurations made by using standard pieces in different combinations. Their rack can be bought as a shelf kit, golf rack, tool rack, etc. I particularly enjoy the sliding hooks as it allows me to shuffle how I initially created to be my best configuration of hooks, but then decided there is on a slightly better order of setting up the hooks. This type of mixing is difficult if I use a dozen stand alone hooks and nails.

The fanciest overhead storage product is a powered lift. Go top end with a Loft-it storage lift for large items like your lawn tractor, watercraft, or motorcycle. This thing is a monster with 1200 weight capacity. It’s pricey but cheaper than building another garage. Small units like the Racor lift provide a simple platform with 250 pound weight limit. Garage Gator sells a system of power-driven cables and hooks with similar capacities.

Get more insights and opinions about ceiling mounted storage racks and learn Joseph’s step-by-step approach for how to declutter your garage.

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Turn Your Garage Ceiling Into Storage Space



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Tips For Driving Lag Screws Without Breaking Them

Driving 3″ lag screws for mounting hanging garage storage racks is a point of frustration for many people. They often end up having them breaking. In this article I will offer techniques for how to prevent this problem.

The ideas here may be relevant to just about any use of longer lag screws, however my expertise comes from mounting ceiling brackets for overhead garage storage racks. These shelves depend on 2″ penetration into the stud. These shelves come with 3″ screws as they have to clear the sheet rock and thickness of the mounting bracket.

Always predrill a hole for the screw. This is the first and most important thing to do. I use a 3/16″ drill bit because I use 5/15″ lag bolts. Drill down to the full length of the drill bit. This isn’t a pilot hole just to get the screw started. This hole will reduce the pressure and resistance between the wood and the lag screw going into it. There is a chance you will hit a knot in the wood, as it is a natural product. This may force you to relocate you hole.

Using a socket wrench to turn the lag screws is laborious. Use an impact driver instead. The task can be accomplished with a cordless drill, but the impact driver is the easiest. It’s my experience that the cordless drill requires two hands and I have to be standing squarely behind the tool. While with the impact driver, I am comfortable reaching out and using only one hand. This is great because that is often the case while working on a ladder.

Another problem is that people crank down on the lag screws. Don’t over tighten the screws! If you crank on the head once the it’s flush with the drywall, you risk breaking off the head and getting the threads stuck in the wood. You may not want or be able to relocate your mounting bracket and create a new hole, so drive the screws only until the head contacts the surface. They don’t need to be wrenched on any more than that.

Applying soap or wax on the threads could make it simpler to turn the screw. You would be better off using candle wax if possible, because with time the soap can cause the threads to rust.

If you’re dealing with poor quality screws, think about making a visit to the hardware store for better quality screws. The material and grade of lag screws are marked on the head. No marks means the Grade 2 and has the lowest tensile strength. Three radial lines means grade 5, a medium carbon steel that’s quenched and tempered. This grade ought to install successfully and not have frequent breaks. The final and strongest rating is Grade 8 with six radial lines on the head.

Stainless steel lag screws don’t have these standard markings on them, but have roughly the same tensile strength as grade 5, however they may bend under less force – more regarding bending later. Stainless will probably have something printed on the top of the head, therefore you won’t mistake them for grade 2. Stainless is also non-magnetic.

My last bit of advice to avoid breaking lag screws is to not reuse screws. A lag screw becomes stressed by driving into the wood. This means it’s weakened and is more likely to break if reused compared to a new screw. Do not force a screw down by running it back and forth into the wood, either. A previously used screws may also have a small imperceptible amount of bend in it, which cause extra resistance when you try to drive it into the wood.

Read more articles by Joseph Kraehenbuehl about attaching a shelf to your garage ceiling and other ways to organize your garage.

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Tips For Driving Lag Screws Without Breaking Them



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