lumber storage rack on cinder block wall

[Adrian Mariano]

I have a section of wall that I could use for lumber storage, but the wall is cinder blocks (with really nice fake wood grain paneling on furring strips). From looking at past posts I've seen two types of systems discussed. One is a commercial shelving system where you screw supports to the wall and then insert arms into the supports. Lee Valley sells such a system. They told me it wouldn't work with cinder blocks. The other system I've seen talked about is 4x4 posts with some kind of pipe inserted into holes. But the problem of securing the system to the wall still looms. I thought maybe the solution would be to build a proper wall and use that, but then I realized that I don't know what keeps the wall from falling over.

So is there a simple way to build a lumber storage rack on a cinder block wall? Am I underestimating the holding strength of cinder blocks? (The seem pretty crumbly and weak, but maybe large toggle bolts?)

[Jerry Gilreath]

Ell brackets screwed to the 4x4's then attached to the cinder block with toggle bolts?

[BRuce]

fist thing. cinder block or cement block? 2 different type of masonry construction.

If it is a true cinder block wall you would have to anchor to the joists above the cinder block as they have no holding power.

If cement block then drill into the mortar joint or the block web and use expansion anchors to hold either the 4x4 or commercial shelving kit to the wall.

BRuce

Adrian Mariano wrote:

[Unisaw A100]

Eh? I have the John Sterling Fast Track (same as Lee Valley but bought locally) and have them all over and my shop walls are CMU (concrete masonry units).

keep around 100 bd. ft. on each 11" bracket with the standards spaced around 20" on center.

You could do that. Also with the Fast Track you can buy a hook that will fit over the top of the wall. It's not designed to hold the entire load but is beneficial.

The Fast Track is the easiest way to have storage in a hurry.

UA100

[Howard Ruttan]

Build a freestanding rack and anchor it to whatever framing lumber you have in the ceiling. That way the floor takes the weight and the ceiling anchors just keep it from falling over.

[John Grossbohlin]

I simply "bolted" my lumber rack's heavy duty shelf standards to the sill plate on top of the blocks with lag screws and let it hang. I also put some shorts screws into the furring strips simply to keep the standards plumb.

John

[John McCoy]

[e-mail] (Adrian Mariano) wrote in news:VCeRb.268$fZ6.78@lakeread06:

I framed up some brackets out of scrap 1x4, and fastened them to the wall with half a dozen tapcons each. Tapcons have surprisingly great strength (note, tho, that you need to use genuine tapcons; the copies sold by Home Depot (made by Crown Bolt?) have crudely formed threads and are all but useless).

John

[Adrian Mariano]

I didn't realize there were two kinds of block. How can I tell which I have? It's 50 year old construction. A masonry drill bit plunges into this stuff very easily. There do seem to be a few things nailed to the blocks around the basement and they haven't fallen off yet. But the weight load is low, not like what a lumber rack would have to take.

BRuce writes:

[Dennis Slabaugh, Hobbyist Wood]

The lumber rack that I have used in two shops is only attached to the wall to keep it from falling "away". The rack it self is supported by the uprights resting on the floor of the shop. Check out my cantilevered rack using 1 x 4 material with 2 x 4 brackets sandwiched between the 1 x 4 uprights that are lag bolted to my framed wall. In the cinderblock or concrete installation you would replace the 4 lag bolts with a dozen Tapcons.

See the pictures and description at :

me if you have any questions.

Regards,

[Jim K]

I laid up some 2x4s against the wall and anchored them to the floor joists above. The bottoms sit on short lengths of 2x4. I then made a couple of short shelf extensions that stick out from the wall about

16" or so. I braced and gussetted them to the vertical 2x4s. I have a couple of dozen 2x4s and assorted 1bys stacked on them. I also have a chain that hangs from the joists that can be hooked to the end of the shelf extension, but they haven't sagged yet. I have the lowest shelf high enough to lean a 4x8' sheet of stuff underneath.

If you're interested:

's usually about twice that amount stacked up.

[Lawrence Wasserman]

Could you run your upright support posts up to the ceiling & attach to joists?