Many old homes, such as mine, have a relatively large portion of the basement that is not at full depth. This is often under a porch or addition, and may not even have a finished floor to it. The typical thing to do is to use it for storage, sometimes even walled off from an otherwise finished basement.

Here is my idea: create 8ft (or match to crawlspace depth) cabinet/drawer/shelf which hangs from a pipe, trolly configuration. This would be typical iron pipe used for gas, fixed to the ceiling joists. The width would also be custom to your needs. When closed, it is flush with the divider wall. when you pull it out, you are looking at a huge shelving unit full of paint cans, 200 shoeboxes, massive quantities of wine, or perhaps a dozen oversized plastic storage bins. Optionally enclose the area it resides in with drywall to keep the dust out.

My basement near this area is a wood shop. My plan is to give this 2 shallow sides (resembles 2 back-to-back bookshelves), on one side paint/tools/etc, and on the other lumber stock. If it works well enough then a second seperate storage drawers to handle the oversized plastic bins and more traditional clutter. Since in the open position it will be blocking bloth the windows and the ceiling lights, I may mount lights to the top of it with the cord hidden in the crawlspace, slack managed carefully to coil up in the space under the assembly as it closes.

Had this been near the laundry room or a finished bedroom This would be more like a roll-out closet.

Gun freaks might make this look more like a scene from the first matrix movie.
-- AutoMcDonough, Mar 03 2010

I can't quite visualize what you mean, but I think hanging a couple hundred cubic feet or storage from the gas mains pipes is probably not a good idea
[edit] oh okay, you don't mean active gas-pipes then.

A second TV room perhaps ?
-- FlyingToaster, Mar 04 2010


Not full depth area may be wide or go back far: wasted spider space Rolling shelf hides in this area and can be rolled out for access. Pipes are probably not actually gas pipes - probably better would be tracks with contained wheel. Shelves would need front doors to keep stuff from falling out when in the not-full depth area, and then you have to crawl in with the spiders to retrieve.

I can picture this. It could work. Post pictures please.
-- bungston, Mar 04 2010


As [bungston] points out, something readily available like overhead garage door track sections would work quite well and you could easily use the compatible rollers for transport. Shelves might not need to have door-fronts, but a raised lip edge might be a very good idea. In fact, utilizing upturned wire shelving might work quite nicely in providing ample rigidity, air flow, and a retaining lip, while remaining relatively lightweight.
-- jurist, Mar 04 2010


Yeah I think pictures would help, will update soon. To clarify: I meant using the same type of iron pipe that gas line uses as the wheel rail because it is strong and easy to obtain. Brackets will have to be welded on, wheels to roll on it, etc. Kind of like a ski lift except on a rail instead of cable.

This is not meant to ride on any pipe already in use in the house! Aside from the impossible odds of it being positioned correctly, the last thing you need is a gas leak from loading a live pipe.

A garage door opener track will probably not support the weight of this thing, but having it automatically roll out would be slick now that you mention it.

Agree that it would suck to have to crawl behind it to retreive something that fell.
-- AutoMcDonough, Mar 04 2010


I like it. I'm picturing the track running the full available length across the basement, so you can slide out any container to where it is convenient, then slide them all away when you are done. If the storage bins were easily detachable from the tracking mechanism, you could lift one down to a workbench, as well as easily change their order on the track.

/edit/ Oh, I see you are talking about a single piece storage unit. Well then, there's my next suggested modification - separate, removable and independently sliding bins/lockers.
-- BunsenHoneydew, Mar 21 2010


How about a large rotating under-floor storage unit? One would probably want to construct the unit with locking closed-top bins, so as to ensure that nothing would snag while the thing was being rotated, but one could store an awful lot of stuff in such a device
-- supercat, Mar 22 2010


I've found that rails and roller hardware made for hanging doors can handle 400lbs each. 2 or 3 rollers and a rail support screw in every stud ought to be plenty, even if it's totally loaded with 2x4's or full paint cans. This should be an better solution than having to weld up my own rail, aside from the cost.

in-floor I've considered as sort of a secret bookcase that would come up out of the living room floor. would take up basement space when hidden. There are a few other nooks in other rooms where a trap-door bin is possible.

sub-floor for basement storage could be bad news on account of high moisture. Does not sound appealing.

Bunsen, what I had envisioned was more like a rack/bookshelf setup that you would set the storage bins on. a skinny one that was like a movable pegboard wall could have those mounted detachable bins. If it was simply holding another pipe for hangers then you have a hideaway closet.
-- AutoMcDonough, Mar 22 2010



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