I am still so thrilled with my newly set-up basement workshop!
When I posted about it two weeks ago, I shared a small peek at my solution to storing scrap wood, and today I’m sharing that quick and easy DIY.
I don’t know why I didn’t just do it before. My scrap wood “collection” was constantly growing, but with no organization at all. It basically consisted of a few spots throughout the basement where I’d pile stuff, which made it hard to look through and see what I had. Sage has a nice closet where she keeps her scraps all neat, but I don’t have a space like that in my basement.
Pinterest revealed a whole lot of DIY solutions that looked pretty nice… and also looked like they used a lot of wood to make. Isn’t saving wood the point here?
I knew I could make something useful using less wood, and using what I had on hand. I came up with this plan, based on #1 above:
Essentially, the only large pieces I’d need would be on the sides, and the rest would just be slats for the wood to lean against. I also wouldn’t need a bottom for the piece since it would be stationary – more of a rack than a container.
I gathered scrap wood to build it out of: a 2’x4′ piece of a sheet of 3/4″ plywood left over from the birdseed container, and a few random boards/long strips of 3/4″ plywood left from various projects. One of the boards was even “salvaged” from the clean-out of the basement itself (it was a random shelf put up inconveniently under one of the windows).
Within reason, I knew that I could let these pieces dictate the size of the rack, so I could be as efficient as possible in using the least useful pieces of wood for this. The plywood sheet was the only one I was sad to “waste” on a project like this, but it’s what I had on hand!
To form the sides, I measured 12″ from opposing corners on each of the long sides of the plywood, and then connected them with a straight line.
For the slats, I measured each to the length of my smallest piece of wood (with two of them 1.5″ shorter since they would be on the inside of the piece).
I then cut everything out with my circular saw.
I had picked two of the sturdier pieces to be the internal supports, and I attached them using my kreg jig.
I placed them in the middle of the side pieces, with one small adjustment. I drew a line exactly down the center, but then lined up the bottom one in front of the line, and the top one behind the line, if that makes sense:
Since wood will be leaning in the rack, I figured this would be a little more efficient, and let me fit in a few more pieces.
I then attached the front and back slats with regular screws and nails.
It is quite sturdy!
Loaded in with wood, it feels organized, but also easy to see and access all of the pieces. I added a bin to the side for the tiny scraps, and the few large pieces I just lean against the wall behind it.
Importantly, it’s not so organized that I won’t put things back in the right spot. Other than going roughly in order of size from one of the areas to the next, there isn’t a right spot! It will be pretty easy to maintain. And easy is the point.
Overall, this only took about an hour to make, used very little material, and is so useful. Moving the wood in here was one of the last things I did in the basement workshop set-up, and that made it even more satisfying!
Lee says
Good thing, since Brad got you more wood from our house now! More in our basement if you want to come take a loo!
Naomi says
Awesome!!