Scientific laws — like the law of gravity — are indisputable, and there is one that homeowners run up against all the time that says: "Regardless of the size of your house, there will never be enough storage space." No kidding. If you have not yet run up against the no-space conundrum, give it just a little time. If you have, here are some suggestions for organizing your garage space.

Making Something From Nothing

If you have a garage, you may be suffering from an internal conflict. Do you use the garage to house your car, or do you use it to store all of that stuff you really can't bear to part with? You know, bulky stuff like camping gear, fishing equipment and golf clubs; sentimental stuff like wedding bouquets, stuffed animals, grandma's china and the baby bed; useless stuff that you suspect you may need in the future like cardboard boxes, back issues of magazines and yards of polyester left over from the seventies.

It is a quandary. The sun really is hard on the car's paint and interior. It would be great to be able to use the garage to both protect the car and store stuff. Well, to an extent, you can. You just have to make something from nothing.

Since the car will occupy most of the floor space in the garage, storage space is relegated to the walls. If you take a hint from those crowded college dorm days, you may even be able to use that priceless space above the car.

Deck the Walls

If your garage does not have interior walls, you have many square feet of potential storage space between the wall studs. The studs themselves are ready-made surfaces to which a variety of shelves and hangers can be mounted. If you do have interior walls, you can still take advantage of the vertical wall area as a space for storage. You can construct your own shelving or hanging storage systems or take advantage of the many good systems on the market.

Simple Shelves

The simplest shelves are boards nailed between the studs. These shelves, which are easy to construct, would be 16" or 24" long, depending on your garage construction. Such shelves are ideal for storing small items.

Ready-made metal shelf hangers are available, and can be mounted to the studs of both finished or unfinished walls. They provide support for a wide variety of shelves, including wood, particleboard, plastic and metal shelving.

Custom Hangers

You can also build simple hangers out of scrap wood to mount between the studs. These hangers are perfect for hanging long items like fishing poles, gardening tools and pipe clamps. The best thing about them is that you custom make them specifically for whatever it is you want to mount to the wall.

Adjustable Wall Hangers

Using hangers is a great idea regardless of what kind of walls your garage has. A variety of ready-made hangers are available, or you can make your own. Long boards with holes drilled every two inches or so make a great adjustable hanger. Mount the board on the wall with screws through the studs. If your garage has block or brick walls, use masonry screws or anchors. Make a collection of pegs of various lengths from dowels which are the same diameter as the holes in the board. What you end up with is a fully adjustable peg hanger system which can accommodate a variety of items.

The Perforated Hardboard Solution

Perforated hardboard is a tried and true method of wall storage which offers great flexibility and allows full use of available space. For best results, attach a 1" by 1/2" thick frame around the edges of the back of the perforated hardboard panel. For large panels, you will also need to have a couple of reinforcement strips the same thickness as the frame running vertically along the back.

You can attach the frame and strips to the back of the panel with hot glue. Then, when you mount the framed panel to the wall studs, drive your screws through both the panel and the frame for a good, solid installation. Never mount perforated hardboard directly to the wall-you will not have adequate space behind the panel to insert your peghooks. Several types of peghooks and hardware are available to suit your needs.

Overhead Metal Hangers

Metal hangers which hang from ceiling joists work well for providing overhead storage of bulky items like plywood panels and lengths of lumber. Ensure that the hangers are securely attached and take precautions to prevent objects from falling and causing injury.

Vinyl-coated metal hooks are available in a variety of shapes and sizes. These can be attached to ceiling joists and used to hang miscellaneous items such as ladders and bicycles.

A Plan for a Loft to Reclaim Your Family Garage

Although garages are built to protect the family car, too often they become storage rooms for all of those possessions we can't bear to part with. Boxes and the family car can coexist in the same garage. This storage loft, which can be built by a two-person team in two days, will help you conquer clutter. It is also a perfect project for a rainy weekend.
Our loft is 80" off the floor to allow you to walk comfortably and park a minivan underneath.

Customize It

Spanning half the width of a two-car garage, this loft design demonstrates both freestanding post construction and the attachment of posts to walls. Since not all homes are created alike, you will probably have to customize the design for your garage. This loft measures 10'3" by 7'2" by 80". The dimensions were determined by the height and width of the garage and the location of studs in the garage wall. The loft height can be adjusted by lengthening or shortening the post (see expanded drawing).

You may want to build your loft across an entire one-car or two-car garage. Since building codes vary, you should check your local building codes to determine the allowable span between support posts on a project of this nature. To build the loft across the width of a one-car garage, replace the freestanding post with a second wall post similar to the left front post. To span an entire two-car garage, you will need a center post and two side posts. When adapting plans, remember that the actual dimensions of lumber are smaller than the nominal dimensions (see chart below). For instance, a 2" x 4" actually measures 1 1/2" x 3 1/2". The shrinkage is due to milling of the rough-sawn 2" x 4" log.
Adapt the plans, shopping list and cut list to your situation. If you live near one of our stores, a Lowe's representative will be able to help you. Then, check with local building inspectors to ensure that the loft and any changes you have made to the plans conform with local building codes. Order the materials a week in advance for delivery the day before construction.

Tools You Will Need

• Circular saw
• Cordless drill/screwdriver
• Clamps with at least 10" jaws
• Claw hammer
• Chisel
• Level (preferable 3' or longer)
• Ratchet driver
• Framing Square

Safety Considerations

Some people build ladders into their storage lofts. However, those ladder angles are often precarious, due to lack of space. Lowe's recommends that you access the loft via a sturdy stepladder. Depending on the size and layout of your garage, it may be possible to construct your loft with a standard stairway and railing for easier and safer access. Again, check building codes to determine the requirements for stairway and railing construction in your area.

The key to a successful storage loft is a rock-solid frame, firmly anchored to the floor and walls. Take extra care to ensure that all posts are plumb and all joists, ledgers and rim joist boards are level. This will ensure that the weight of the loft and its contents is transferred to the ground and the house frame.

Remember: when working on a stepladder, make sure that all four feet of the ladder are firmly on the floor. Be sure to have three body-contact points with the ladder. Do not stand on top of a stepladder. Read your owner's manual before operating any power tools and always wear safety goggles.

Fasteners

Although many pros use nails in storage loft construction, we recommend screws, which have greater holding power. The only exception is the joist hanger nail, which is specially designed to anchor joists.

The Frame

1. Measure the rear wall of your two-car garage and mark the halfway point. Measure the width of the inside front of the garage and mark the halfway point. Pull a chalk line taut between the two halfway points and snap it, making a line down the center of the garage floor. Mark the left side wall at 6'11" from the rear wall (this can be adjusted to the depth you choose for your loft). One person should hold a framing square against the left wall, at the mark, while the second person extends the chalk line along the blade of the square toward the line you snapped down the center of the garage. Mark the intersection of the two lines. Check the intersection for square and adjust your lines to ensure that the intersection is a 90° angle. That intersection will be the location of the center of your freestanding post.
2. Drill a 6" deep 1/2" hole in the floor at the intersection of the two lines. Insert an expansion bolt in the hole and use it to secure the post anchor to the floor.
3. Using lag screws, secure an 81" long 2"x 4" (left rear post) to the left rear corner. Before securing the posts, use your level to ensure they are plumb. Place the end of the level on the top of the left rear post, and use it to help you mark the studs at points level to the top of the post.
4. Drive 16d nails one inch into the studs to form a shelf to hold the left ledger. Set the left ledger on 16d nails and check level. Fasten the ledger to the studs with lag screws. Repeat this step for the rear ledger.
5. Measure from the floor to the front of the left ledger. Cut the 2" x 4" left front post to fit snugly under the ledger. Notch the post as shown in the drawing. Repeat for the right rear post. Secure the posts to the studs with lag screws. If needed, add blocking between the studs to help secure the posts.
6. Set the 6" x 6" post into the post anchor. Do not nail the post into the anchor yet.
7. One member of the construction team should hold the center post plumb, while the other clamps one end of a straight 12' long 2" x 4" into the notch in the left front post and the other end in a level position onto the center post. Mark the freestanding post at the underside of the 2" x 4", release the clamp and lift the post out of the post anchor.
8. Cut off the post 8 1/2" above the mark. For example, if the mark is at 79", cut the post 87 1/2" long.
9. Using a circular saw, make a series of 1 1/8" deep cuts on the front and right faces of the post just above the line. Using a chisel, notch the post on the two faces.
10. Using three lag screws and 2 1/2" deck screws, secure the inside front rim joist (2" x 8") to the outside front rim joist (2" x 10"). Repeat for the right side rim joist.
11. Set the freestanding post in the post anchor and nail into place. Attach the front and right rim joist boards to the posts. Reinforce the inside rim joists with right-angle brackets and joist hanger nails.
12. Using joist hanger nails, attach the left front and rear joist hangers to the rear ledger board and front rim joist. The centers of the first hangers should be 14 1/4" inches from the left ledger board. Fasten the remaining joist hangers, spacing the centers 16" apart. Set the joists in the hangers and secure with joist hanger nails.

Decking

1. Cut the three 5/8" plywood sheets to a length of 83" each. Adapt for the width of your loft.
2. Starting at the left side, fasten plywood decking to the rim joist and joists. Use 1 1/2" deck screws, spaced 6" apart. Leave a 1/16" gap between the plywood sheets for expansion. After the first two panels are secured, mark and cut the width of the third panel and fasten it in place.

Railings

Check your local building codes to determine the required height and construction criteria for railings in your area. Alter the post, baluster and railing dimensions and construction as necessary.

1. Cut seven 36" pieces of 2" x 4" for rail posts. Using 6" long 1/4" carriage bolts, washers and nuts, secure the rail posts (see drawing) to the frame. Use 3" lag screws and washers to secure the corner rail posts.
2. Cut six 23 1/2" inner rail posts from the 2" x 4" stock. Use 2 1/2" deck screws to secure to rail posts, decking and rim joists.
3. Cut twenty 34" balusters from the 2" x 2" lumber. Cut one end of the balusters at a 45° angle.
4. Cut two 80" pieces of 2" x 4" for the front rail cap. Cut two 84" pieces of 2" x 4" for the side rail cap. Using 2 1/2" deck screws, assemble the rail caps and attach the balusters to the rail caps.
5. Fasten the rail assemblies to the rail posts with 2 1/2" deck screws.
6. Secure the balusters to the outer rim joists with 2 1/2" deck screws.