Storing thin wood/plywood?

[lost_in_endicott]

How do you store your thin wood? I've been storing it flat with something heavy on top, but it's starting to take up a lot of space I need for other things.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

My suggestion would be to encase the wood with some strips of solid wood that is straight. You need to put on both side and stagered. Then wrap with string or wire. You can make variations of this idea too. Make a box and have a lid that can compress the contents and stand on edge.

[CharleyL]

I use the stretch wrap like they use to wrap pallets for shipping. You can buy 4-8" wide rolls of it from many woodworking and other sources and one roll lasts a long time. I made my own application handle, but they also sell the plastic handle. Plywood is much more stable when several sheets are wrapped or held together and kept in temperature/humidity stable areas. I frequently store bundles of 4 or more 2' square sheets bundled together and standing on edge on a shelf in my shop. I have never had a problem with them warping when stored this way. I also wrap bundles of pre-cut wood boards together in kits to keep all the pieces together when some of these kits will be assembled later on.  I also bundle cutting and routing templates together in groups for storage if I don't plan on using them for a while. With a small shop it's important to stay as organized as possible, and doing this helps a great deal.

 

Charley

Edited January 8, 2017 by CharleyL

[Dan]

How do you store your thin wood? I've been storing it flat with something heavy on top, but it's starting to take up a lot of space I need for other things.

What size are the sheets? Are you storing them in a basement or garage? How much do you plan to store? 

 

My suggestion is...get to work making more projects!   

[hawkeye10]

I use the stretch wrap like they use to wrap pallets for shipping. You can buy 4-8" wide rolls of it from many woodworking and other sources and one roll lasts a long time. I made my own application handle, but they also sell the plastic handle. Plywood is much more stable when several sheets are wrapped or held together and kept in temperature/humidity stable areas. I frequently store bundles of 4 or more 2' square sheets bundled together and standing on edge on a shelf in my shop. I have never had a problem with them warping when stored this way. I also wrap bundles of pre-cut wood boards together in kits to keep all the pieces together when some of these kits will be assembled later on.  I also bundle cutting and routing templates together in groups for storage if I don't plan on using them for a while. With a small shop it's important to stay as organized as possible, and doing this helps a great deal.

 

Charley

I agree Charley, this is what I use.

 

http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?q=strech+wrap

[Lucky2]

Bill, it depends on the size of the sheets of wood. If I break a sheet down to the size I normally use for scrolling projects, then I lay them flat on a shelf. If it large pieces, I generally have them leaning up against the wall. If I lean them up against the wall, I try to do so without the sheet leaning a lot. I don't keep a lot of large pieces on hand, normally, as long as I have a piece that I can get a 24"x36" piece out of, then I'm happy. I do keep a fair amount of 1/8"bb plywood on hand, the pieces are 12"x24".

 

Len

[amazingkevin]

How do you store your thin wood? I've been storing it flat with something heavy on top, but it's starting to take up a lot of space I need for other things.

here's the trick that will save you .Pulley to raise and lower the box holding your thin wood to the ceiling.

[sullyscroller]

I use the stretch wrap like they use to wrap pallets for shipping. You can buy 4-8" wide rolls of it from many woodworking and other sources and one roll lasts a long time. I made my own application handle, but they also sell the plastic handle. Plywood is much more stable when several sheets are wrapped or held together and kept in temperature/humidity stable areas. I frequently store bundles of 4 or more 2' square sheets bundled together and standing on edge on a shelf in my shop. I have never had a problem with them warping when stored this way. I also wrap bundles of pre-cut wood boards together in kits to keep all the pieces together when some of these kits will be assembled later on.  I also bundle cutting and routing templates together in groups for storage if I don't plan on using them for a while. With a small shop it's important to stay as organized as possible, and doing this helps a great deal.

 

Charley

they sell the rolls at Walmart in office supplies and harbor freight for less than $ 10.It's my newest friend in the shop to bundle finished products for storage till my shows get started. the rolls are 6" by 1000'. lasts a long time.

 

sully

[lost_in_endicott]

I use the stretch wrap like they use to wrap pallets for shipping. You can buy 4-8" wide rolls of it from many woodworking and other sources and one roll lasts a long time. I made my own application handle, but they also sell the plastic handle. Plywood is much more stable when several sheets are wrapped or held together and kept in temperature/humidity stable areas. I frequently store bundles of 4 or more 2' square sheets bundled together and standing on edge on a shelf in my shop. I have never had a problem with them warping when stored this way. I also wrap bundles of pre-cut wood boards together in kits to keep all the pieces together when some of these kits will be assembled later on.  I also bundle cutting and routing templates together in groups for storage if I don't plan on using them for a while. With a small shop it's important to stay as organized as possible, and doing this helps a great deal.

 

Charley

This sounds like it will work for me. 

 

What size are the sheets? Are you storing them in a basement or garage? How much do you plan to store? 

 

My suggestion is...get to work making more projects!   

Mostly around 12"x 24", and kept in the basement. I do have a 1/2 sheet of 1/4" BB plywood, but I'm going to be cutting it down for easier storage. Too much temperature variation to store in the garage. Gotta find time to do more!!

 

Bill, it depends on the size of the sheets of wood. If I break a sheet down to the size I normally use for scrolling projects, then I lay them flat on a shelf. If it large pieces, I generally have them leaning up against the wall. If I lean them up against the wall, I try to do so without the sheet leaning a lot. I don't keep a lot of large pieces on hand, normally, as long as I have a piece that I can get a 24"x36" piece out of, then I'm happy. I do keep a fair amount of 1/8"bb plywood on hand, the pieces are 12"x24".

 

Len

12" x 24." The problem I have is too many hobbies, and not enough room for all of them. Where I'm storing my plywood now is on a workbench that I want to start doing leather work on. I have a small basement, and storing my plywood the way I am currently is getting to be a hassle. 

 

here's the trick that will save you .Pulley to raise and lower the box holding your thin wood to the ceiling.

I'm 6'2," and have low ceilings in the basement. No room for that, unless I want to knock myself out !

[lost_in_endicott]

My suggestion would be to encase the wood with some strips of solid wood that is straight. You need to put on both side and stagered. Then wrap with string or wire. You can make variations of this idea too. Make a box and have a lid that can compress the contents and stand on edge.

I like this idea, too.

 

I thought I multiQuoted this one too, but must have hit the wrong button.

[CharleyL]

Higher moisture when storing them in a basement will make them warp. You want a dry space. How about in the attic or garage. Even the unheated garage should be better than the basement.

 

My last shop was in the basement of my former home. It was never wet down there and it was air conditioned and heated, but it always had a higher moisture content in the air in the shop than in the house above it. That, combined with shop noise and saw dust getting up into the house made me build a separate workshop when I moved here, but I built it too small. It's warm, dry and air conditioned, but way too small. If I live long enough for a third shop it will be at least a 3 car garage or more in size.

 

Charley 

[lost_in_endicott]

I don't know. I like the basement because the temperature is pretty consistent, even in the winter when the furnace is running. It seems like it stays pretty dry. The furnace takes care of the humidity during the winter, and I run a dehumidifier during the summer. I don't see warpage in my thin wood unless I have it in the wrong part of the basement(it's divided into two rooms). As long as it's near the dehumidifier, it's ok. I have no temperature or humidity control in the garage. Humidity is generally pretty low here in the winter, but can get quite high in the summer(although it probably isn't as high as it gets in North Carolina).