SketchUp? I Don't Need No Stinking SketchUp!

[DerbyDad03]

While you guys have been figuring out how to use SketchUp and bickering about which operating system is best, I've been making sawdust. ;-)

I built this old fashioned way: with a tape measure and a pencil. Well, OK a couple of tape measures and "Hey! Where the hell did that pencil go now?"

The loft along the back wall has been there for years. Everything else was designed and built today, on the fly. The only "computer" involved was my phone playing a whole lot of Allman Brothers, Stevie Ray Vaughan and similar artists on a Bluetooth speaker. ;-)

Pop Quiz:

There a single piece of wood that serves no actual purpose. It was added for purely aesthetic reasons.

(It's not the short 2x4 on the upper right. That will be used to hang seasonal yard equipment, e.g. brooms or snow shovels. I'll probably finish off all the ends of the shelves in that section. It'll look more solid/finished.)

OK, so where's unnecessary piece of "structure"?

[-MIKE-]

I'm wondering what the plumbing strap is for.

[dpb]

On 7/21/2018 10:00 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote: ...

Since the shelves are supported at the rear by the ledger you could do without the rear vertical leg but it would look peculiar, yes.

[DerbyDad03]

[DerbyDad03]

Where do I send the cigar?

[DerbyDad03]

While that was not included in the quiz, I'll honor the question. ;-)

It is nothing more than the suspenders, no pun intended. The belt is the double 2 x 4 that supports the front of the loft. At the time of the build (3+ decades ago) I didn't know enough to be sure that that would be enough to support to the 11' loft without sagging over time or when I climbed on top to get stuff from the back.

There is a slight bow in the strap and when I hang on the front of the loft it does straighten out somewhat, but I can't say for sure if it has ever actually been under tension.

It is probably unnecessary, but it's been there for so long that I've just gotten used to it. Maybe as part of the garage clean up, I'll take it down, but I won't throw it away. As soon as I do, I'll realize that I want to hang something from it. ;-)

[Leon]

Cool!

Top right rail. Now if you had used SU you might have added a corner leg where the side and back wall intersect. ;~)

[DerbyDad03]

Thanks. The previous storage "system" was a mis-matched set of whatever POS entertainment center, shelf unit and old cabinet that I just sort of ended up with over the years. It was time to clean the garage anyway, so I figured I would start from scratch.

Not if you are referring to the 9" 2x4 with the nail in it. That has a purpose: Hanging brooms, etc. as mentioned in the OP.

Why?

The ledgers support the back corner and the front rails support the front corner. The 8' back shelves span the T joint, tying it all together. The floating corners serve both form and function.

BTW...the ledgers are strips of plywood left over from this project as well as a few left over from the bookcase project. Waste not, want not. ;-)

[Leon]

Actually the right back rail against the wall at the top. The lower shelves had narrower rails on the wall.

To prevent sag. I put up some shelves in a closet very similar to your layout. The corners sagged after being loaded. I added a leg near the corner.

If your right outer rails bow from weight, this will also allow the left outer rails to sag close to the intersection. And this may never be an issue but the good news is that if they do, it is an easy fix.

In my store room I used a 2x4 to come down from what would be ceiling joints and attach to each shelf but did not go lower than the bottom shelf. Same effect as your strapping that is hanging down but went down to attach to each shelf. Keeps the bottom open for easier access.

[dpb]

...

I hadn't even noticed it being there; maybe framed that box and set it up there and that's a construction aid only? :)

...

I think that likely will be an issue with time unless the loading is pretty minimal weight. The similar construct in the basement change room here is 3' deep instead of what looks like about 2' here and it has oneby inside corners going up the faces; the shelves on it are inset around the verticals.

It has a base kickboard like cabinets at the bottom so the bottom shelf is 3" off the floor...

On the corner support here, I've not ever actually done it but a way to leave minimal obstruction would be similar to the plumbing strap but use aircraft cable or a small diameter rod instead of full-scale construction dimensions. With the rear top shelf here being wider than the lowers, there isn't a straight shot up the corner all the way to the ceiling; would have to go thru the top shelf to do that which likely is/would be inconvenient.

All in all, however, undoubtedly a much-needed improvement!

[DerbyDad03]

Oh...the ledger for the top shelf. That one is both structural and aesthetic, as are all the 2x4's for the top shelf. The loft has 2x4 framing so I carried that "bulkiness" around to the side just for the top shelf.

What do you store in your closets? Old truck rotors? ;-)

Just for fun, I did a test.

This is 90 pounds of Soap Box Derby weights:

This is the shelf height before the weight was applied:

This is the shelf height after:

I guess that's about 3/32" sag. Granted, it would probably get worse over time, but then again, I doubt I'll ever have 90 pounds concentrated on the front rail, smack in the middle of the shelf's run. ;-)

You are right, the possible of sag certainly exists, and I do like your idea of suspending the support from above. I'll keep that in mind.

[DerbyDad03]

16" on the side, 20" along the back. There won't be too much weight, it's basically household stuff, camping gear, a bunch of my power tools that won't fit in the shop, etc.

I wanted to do that, but I really wanted two shelves that the 18 gal bins could fit on (16.5" clearance) and two 12" for my tools and those plastic crates. With the loft already in place, I was forced the use 2x3's as rails and the floor as the bottom "shelf". I should have planned ahead when I bui lt the loft 3 decades ago. ;-)

The loft is 36" deep. I would attach a 2-by to the underside, like an extra joist, and hang the cable from that. I'm sure the loft could provide enough support to eliminate any sag.

Tru dat!

And an excuse to clean out the crap that collected over the years. I've got things going on Craigslist (free and for sale), stuff going in the trash, electronics to be recycled, etc. Not everything that went out into the driveway is coming back in, and what is will be a lot more organized, at least for a short while. ;-)