I'm about to build a wood storage system to hold approx 1000 bd ft in my basement. I intend to bolt 2x6's to ceiling joists, toe nail to
2x6's on the floor and extend 2x4 arms from the vertical 2x6's about 3 ft. The joists are 16" on center so my choices are to have the arms every 16" or every 32". Wondering if I might get away with 32" span between arms or should I go with 16" spans?TomL
Three feet long seems awfully long for an unsupported 2x4 arm, especially at
32" between arms. I've seen several wood racks with 2x4 arms, but nowhere near three feet long. I built some racks from plans in a book that suggested 16" long arms.
The weight of 1000 bd ft of lumber is going to be a major concern. Many types of lumber will weigh about 6 lb per board foot. You will need to design a system that will safely support at least 6000 lb of weight. The ceiling joist without substantial additional support should not be expected to support this much additional load! In my opinion, you should consult a structural engineer to determine what is needed.
I would make sure the joist were boxed, wouldn't want them shifting/ twisting.
Thanks all who offered advice and criticism. I decided to scrap the wooden wood storage idea and have set up three 4' industrial strength steel shelving units. I'll use these to store about half of what I have and will set up three more in a few days to store the other half. Yeah, this will take up more space but I'll sleep better.
TomL
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