DIY: Plumbing Rack

Cut four, 6 foot pieces of 2-by-4-inch lumber with a circular or miter saw. Two 6 foot pieces are used for each end of the rack.

Overlap two pieces at one end and adjust to find the angle and width that works best for your space. Clamp the pieces together with a C-clamp to hold the position and mark the center point of the overlap.

Drill a 3/8-inch pilot hole through the top board and about halfway through the bottom piece. Insert a 1/2-inch diameter, 3-inch lag bolt into the pilot hole, then tighten with a ratchet. Remove the C-clamp.

Cut the bottom of each board so the feet of the frame rest flat on the floor. These two boards stand in an inverted V-shape, so the bottom must be cut at an angle to allow it to stand properly.

Measure the span of the frame's feet from the outside of one board to the outside of the other board. Cut a two-by-four approximately 2 inches longer than this measurement, then nail this to the V-shape's feet, creating a level platform for the structure.

Measure and mark the V-shape frame 12 inches from the base, then make an additional mark every 18 inches until you reach the top of the V-shape. Adjust these measurements to achieve the number of shelves and spacing desired for your needs.

Cut a piece of two-by-four to fit the span between the two boards of the V-shape, plus at least an extra 12 inches on each side of the V-shape for holding pipe. This requires a separate piece of two-by-four for each shelf mark.

Nail the pieces in place on each mark to complete one side of the plumbing rack. The pieces may be attached to either side of the frame, but must mirror the other end of the frame.

Repeat these steps to create an identical structure for the opposite end of the plumbing pipe rack.

Stand up each of the V-shaped frames and spread them to the desired distance. Plumbing pipe is typically sold in 20-foot lengths, so a distance of 10 to 15 feet is sufficient, but a shorter distance may be best for those who have pipe cut into shorter lengths.

Measure for the cross braces from the middle of one side of the structure to the bottom of the other side. Cut a two-by-four to this length and nail in place diagonally to the front of each side. Repeat on the back side of the structure, but run the diagonal board in the opposite direction of the first piece. At this point, you have two inverted V-shapes connected by cross braces with wooden arms sticking out to hold the pipe.

Measure the distance from the outside of one arm to the outside of the opposite arm, then cut a two-by-four to this measurement. This requires two separate pieces for each shelf of the plumbing rack.

Place a two-by-four piece on top of each arm with the 4-inch side facing out. Glue the board to the arms with wood glue and hold with a C-clamp until the glue dries.

Nail the board to the arms when the glue is completely dry; insert the nails at an angle to toenail the boards together. When you put pipe on the racks, this two-by-four piece keeps the round pipe from rolling off the ends of the rack.