Stack To The Ceiling
By J.R. Bluett
If you’re running out of room to store your stuff, you might try reclaiming some of your unused space — just think about it, how much space is there above your garage door? MonsterRAX offers overhead racks in a variety of shapes and capacities, and even the smallest models can support 300 pounds!
If — using the spacial relation powers you developed playing Tetris — you can fit four of the 3′ by 8′ racks around your ceiling, then literally a ton of your junk could hang over your head like the sword of Damocles. Luckily, it’ll be hanging by something more substantial than hair.
These overhead racks start at $200 for the smallest ones.
MonsterRAX [Corporate Site]
July 14th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
I have a related question — how can I make use of the high ceilings in the closets in my house? My house has a high open-beam ceiling throughout, which is gorgeous in the main rooms. But in my closets, all that extra vertical space is totally going to waste. I have joked about installing some sort of pulley-based dumbwaiter system, but I really would like to use that extra space and I am not sure how to do so, especially in the (cramped) standard sized footprint of a small closet. Any ideas?
July 14th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
These are the most expensive alternative
July 14th, 2008 at 7:22 pm
Eric,
I had “somewhat” the same problem in a Townhouse I owned some time back. I installed a second clothes rack (rail) above the first and used a hook (like the ones used in clothing stores) to ‘rotate’ summer and winter clothes. Picture it like two closets stacked one above the other.
July 14th, 2008 at 11:35 pm
When this concept came out a few years ago, I thought I could beat the price charged. My first model used the hang down metal pictured above, but with 1/2″ clear plastic base(dumb and expensive). Trying harder for more economy, I used the same configuration as above, but used scraped cyclone fence gates as the base. They were free(scrap),or real cheap ( I can’t remember), lighter than the heavier gauge metal used above, and work beautifully. I do not have open joists showing so I just worked with 2 x 4 spuds lag bolted to the joists to make the ceiling connection. Some ladder work, but otherwise not difficult. I now have three up there over my head. Very handy storage.
July 15th, 2008 at 9:35 am
2×4 and plywood = Cheap Ass
But for Eric, using this space for some shelves and storing boxes is awsome I have the same problem. Also putting a high hanging bar up there to hang some clothes you don’t use daily is another idea.
July 21st, 2008 at 10:06 am
I get old solid or hollow core doors for free off freecycle (freecycle.org) and use them in my garage. It works even though I only have an 8ft ceiling. 2×4s support the ends. I have enough room for tires to fit (resting on their side with an inch or two of space above. I put them in the front of the garage above the hood of my truck so I don’t have to worry about headroom issue with the vehicle.