Simple Portable Lumber Rack
$0.00
Printable plans for a 68″ tall rolling lumber rack: two 2×4 ladders on a caster cart with a small offcut tray on top. Built from seven 2×4 studs and four 3″ casters with butt joints and pocket screws. Includes the cut list, dimensions, 4 illustrated steps and a tools and materials list.
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Description
Portable lumber rack plans: a rolling 2×4 rack for your shop scraps
This is the rack I built the day I hit my limit with the scrap pile in the garage. It’s two 2×4 ladders standing on a rolling cart, leaned together at the top with a small tray over the peak, so every board has a slot and the whole thing rolls out of the way when the shop gets crowded. Seven 2×4 studs, four casters and a box of screws. Every joint is a butt joint, and there’s only one angle in the whole build.
What you get
- Printable PDF plan, instant download
- Overall dimensions
- Cut list for all seven studs, with the waste marked
- 4 illustrated steps, from the ladders to standing it up
- Tools and materials shopping list
Specs
- Overall height: 68″
- Base: 40-1/2″ x 21″ rolling cart on four 3″ swivel casters
- Joinery: butt joints with pocket screws and wood screws
- Angle cuts: one, a 15 degree cut on the bottom of each 65″ ladder rail
Lumber you’ll need
- 7 boards, 2x4x96″ premium studs (ladder rails and rungs, cart frame and top tray)
Hardware
- 4 casters, 3″ swivel
- 2-1/2″ wood screws
- 2-1/2″ pocket screws
- 1-1/4″ washer head screws (to mount the casters)
Tools you’ll need
- Miter saw or circular saw
- Pocket hole jig (two of the four steps drill pocket holes)
- Drill/driver
- Speed square
- Tape measure and pencil
- Safety glasses and hearing protection
Common questions
Do I really need a pocket hole jig? Yes. Steps 1 and 2 both drill pocket holes, and Step 1 drills a set you won’t use until the ladders go on the cart. Once the ladders are standing there’s no way to get a jig in there, so drill them when the plan says to.
Should I use locking casters? The plan calls for four 3″ swivel casters, and that’s what I’d buy. If your shop floor has any slope, swap two of them for locking casters so the rack stays put once you park it.
Can the top tray hold small offcuts? As drawn it’s an open box, which is fine for pieces long enough to bridge it. Drop a piece of scrap plywood in the bottom and it holds the small stuff too.
Want to see it first? The original build is on the blog: DIY portable lumber rack. It pairs with my portable workbench with storage, the rolling bench that goes with the rolling rack.
Quick answers
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