How To DIY A Large Ladder Storage Rack For The Garage

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When you're an avid DIYer, you may need to invest in certain tools that are only needed once in a blue moon for very specific projects. The rest of the time, they're left lying around occupying valuable space. That conundrum is made worse when the tool in question is the bulky extension ladder that's currently sitting against a chunk of your wall or floor that could surely be put to much better use. The solution could be hanging above your head, literally. To keep your large ladder out of sight and out of the way, take it to the ceiling by resting it on two parallel structures mounted to joists. One side of the ladder will rest on a rolling pipe that will allow you to move it back and forth freely, so you can then attach the other side to two adjoining hooks. 

This is another simple garage ladder mount for better storage and organization that will free up wall and floor space. There are many different versions of it, but for this specific iteration, you're going to need two short pieces of 2-by-4 lumber, a wider wooden board, two angle irons (such as MOUNTAIN_ARK Steel L Right Angle Brackets), a threaded rod, a PVC pipe, and two heavy-duty hanging hooks, like GURADESIGN Heavy-Duty Bike Hooks. Ironically, or rather, appropriately, you'll need a ladder to reach the ceiling. 

Start by finding the ceiling joists. A simple tip to find a stud without a stud finder is to use a strong magnet. Slide it along the ceiling's surface. When you feel a pull, you've found one of the screws holding up the joist. Mark each spot. Do this a few more times until you've identified a straight line. Joists are usually 1 ½ inches wide and placed 16 or 24 inches apart. It's important that whatever holes you drill are in the center of the joist for better support. 

The first part of the ladder holder consists of two 2-by-4 wood pieces about 16 inches long. You'll attach each to parallel joists through two angle brackets and connect them with a threaded rod covered by a PVC pipe. You can also mount the structure perpendicularly to the joists, which means that each part will be screwed onto the same joist instead of two parallel ones.

Screw a bracket onto the top part of each wood section. Drill a through hole on the bottom side of each piece of wood wide enough to hold a threaded rod (the rod should be longer than the final distance between the two). Cover the rod with a slightly shorter PVC pipe, and secure it with a washer on each side. Use a nut and another washer on the inner side of the wood pieces. Repeat on the outer side to fasten them. Simply screw the angle brackets to pre-drilled pilot holes on the ceiling, and that's the first part done.

The second, simpler half of this structure involves a wider wood board screwed onto the same joists further down the ceiling. The wood needs to be long enough to span and screw into parallel joists. Before installing it onto the ceiling, you'll screw your heavy-duty hooks onto the board. Be careful not to place the hooks at a distance larger than the width of your ladder. 

A majority of the criticism against this clever design to add overhead garage storage space is the fact that you need a second ladder to place the larger ladder on the two supports, which somewhat defeats its purpose. You may be able to get the top part of the ladder on the roller from a standing position, but it might be harder to hook the bottom on without help. You could use a long-handled tool, like a rake, to lift it up towards the hook or rig a pulley system to draw it to the ceiling. 

The latter is a more complex assembly but can be achieved by replacing the two hooks with a simple eye hook that can then hold a heavy-duty pulley system, like a double block and tackle. For extra stability, you'll need to wrap the bottom end of your ladder in a separate piece of rope that will be tightly tied and hooked onto the pulley. To lift the ladder up, simply pull on the opposite end of the rope. To keep it there, you'll have to secure the taut rope onto a structure, possibly mounted on the wall.