Ceiling storage is a great way to eliminate clutter from your garage while boosting your home’s overall storage capacity. With some basic tools and materials, you can install ceiling storage in your garage in a single afternoon.
Here’s what you’ll need for this project:
- Hammer
- Miter Saw
- Table Saw
- Cordless Drill/Driver
- Impact Driver
- Circular Saw
- 3/8″ Socket with Ratchet Set or Hex Bolt Bit
- Stud Finder
- Pencil
- Level
- Drill Bit Set
- Step Ladder
- One 2″ x 4″ x 8′
- One 4′ x 8′ Sheet 3/4″ Plywood
- 1/4″ x 3 1/2″ Hex Lag Screws
- 2″ Wood Screws
- 3″ Wood Screws
- Wood Glue
- 1/2″ x 19 1/2″ x 13″ Plastic Totes
- Washers If Needed
When taking on this DIY task, be sure to equip yourself with the proper safety gear. Throughout the video, we’ll alert you regarding when you should and should not use the safety gear.
STEP ONE
Measure and cut. Start by measuring the width of your tote rims. Multiply the measurement by two, adding three-fourths of an inch to determine the width of your bottom flange. Once you’ve finished your calculations, make the following cuts with a table saw. When you’re done with your cuts, you’ll have enough wood to make two sets of carriages.
STEP TWO
Build carriages. Apply glue to the long end of your two-inch piece. Place the three-inch piece on top. Pre-drill and fasten with screws about every 12 inches. Repeat this process with a five-inch piece as well. To complete your assembly, build two carriages for each pair of bins you’d like to hang. Pre-drill at the ends a few inches in and in the middle.
Step three, mark joists. Locate the ceiling joist with a stud finder and mark each location. Use a finish nail to confirm the lines fall on joist centers. Mark your line with a level the entire way across.
STEP FOUR
Screw in place. Mark each carriage 12 inches from the end, aligning it with the corresponding joist location. Drill at least three three-sixteenths-inch pilot holes into the top flanges. Temporarily attach the carriage to each joist with three-inch screws.
STEP FIVE
Mark carriage locations. Measure your tote dimensions. Transfer them to the ceiling, and mark the location of the top edge of your next carriage. Install it temporarily as you did in the last step. Check the fit of the totes, ensuring the rims have ample support from the lower flanges, and make any necessary adjustments.
STEP SIX
Secure to joists. Drive pairs of three-and-a-half-inch hex lag screws with washers if needed into each joist, removing the temporary screws as you go. Use a minimum of four hex lag screws per carriage. Continue this process for the amount of ceiling you need. Your build and installation is complete.
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