Is your scrap wood pile a mess? Get organized with one of these lumber storage ideas! You'll find wall-mounted, mobile and built-in options to fit any space!
After you have a few woodworking projects under your belt, you'll start to develop quite the collection of scrap wood. I keep all but the smallest of pieces, because you'll never know when they'll come in handy! You can find lots of scrap wood projects in this article if you need some inspiration.
But eventually, the pile gets out of control...
Not only does this mess make it impossible to see the pieces at the bottom of the pile, but it's a safety hazard too! You don't want to trip over a chunk of wood and fall into any of the sharp tools around the workshop!
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What's the best way to store lumber?
If you have the space, storing lumber horizontally is the best way to keep it straight and flat. But you don't want to keep it on the ground, where moisture can cause the wood to develop mold or rot. Wall mounted lumber racks are a great way to store lumber out of the way until your next project.
If you're storing lumber long term, consider placing "stickers" between the stacked boards. These are small, evenly spaced scrap boards that allow for air flow around the wood and provide support all along the length.
Sheet goods, like plywood, are a little trickier to store in a garage or workshop. A full sheet usually measures 4'x8', and some are really heavy and unwieldy. A lumber cart with a slot for plywood will keep sheet goods vertical to take up less space and off the ground so they stay protected. Put it on wheels to make it easier to maneuver!
Ready to get that scrap wood pile under control? Here are 15 amazing lumber storage ideas to keep all those extra pieces at your fingertips!
Wall Mounted Lumber Rack Ideas
The best way to store long pieces of lumber is horizontally, with lots of support along the entire length. This prevents warping and keeps the wood straight and flat until your next project. Here are some great wall mounted lumber rack ideas for your garage or workshop!
A store-bought lumber rack is perfect for keeping wood off the floor and out of the way. But how do you keep track of what you have? This smart system uses inexpensive whiteboard panels mounted behind the rack, so you can write the species or size of the lumber right on the wall!
Try these large shelf brackets for a more flexible arrangement on your wall! You can space them further apart to accommodate thicker or longer boards.
This simple lumber rack uses 2x4s and conduit for an inexpensive and flexible solution to your lumber storage problem! I especially like how the supports are closer together so you can put shorter boards on the rack as well.
This is a great way to use up those oddly-shaped plywood scraps! The cantilever design is super strong, so you can store all that heavy lumber without worrying about the weight.
If space is at a premium, this vertical lumber rack will help! The dowels keep boards upright, so they don't sag and warp. It fits perfectly in that awkward corner of the garage next to the door!
Scrap Wood Storage Ideas
After you have a few woodworking projects under your belt, you'll start to accumulate quite a collection of scrap wood. I never throw away anything bigger than six inches, because even those small pieces can be useful! Here are some smart ways to keep your scrap wood pile under control.
This compact rolling scrap wood cart features two bins for shorter and longer boards, plus an area on the back for larger sheets of plywood. Put it on wheels so you can easily get to all the pieces!
This ladder style lumber rack keeps all your scrap wood horizontal so it stays straight. Multiple tiers make it easy to judge if a scrap piece is long enough for your project.
This huge lumber rack can fit entire sheets of plywood on the back, and all the scrap wood you can imagine on the front!
This cart features bins of varying sizes, so the smaller pieces don't get buried behind a bigger sheet.
This scrap wood storage rack is built out of scrap wood! It's a great way to whittle down the pile to a manageable amount that will fit in a small space.
If you have high ceilings, this vertical wood storage solution is for you! It features separate bins for different sizes of plywood and other lumber, so you can keep everything organized and out of the way.
I love how this scrap wood cart is divided up into vertical bins and horizontal shelves, so you can fit everything in its own space!
If you struggle with getting your huge scrap wood collection off the floor, this is what you need! There's plenty of room for both plywood and lumber, and it's all on wheels for easy access.
If the sight of jumbled wood scraps drives you crazy, this lumber cart might help ease your anxiety! The piles are all hidden away inside the various compartments, so all you see is a clean plywood side.
This storage cart helps control two of the biggest sources of clutter in the workshop: lumber and paint! Store all your scrap wood above and stack all those half-empty cans below to keep everything in one compact space.
Which of these scrap wood storage ideas is your favorite? Let me know in the comments below!
Check out these other workshop storage ideas!
Steven Marwah
Saturday 25th of July 2020
Your scrap wood storage ideas are brilliant.