My shop is in a 14' x 26' barn style outbuilding with a 5 1/2' high attic
area. I have a small area at one end of the shop that I store the wood for
any "work in process" but use the attic area for all other wood storage.
Like you I have a pull-down stairway and an outside door access to the
second floor. Although it would be more convenient to have everything on one
level I've found that my arrangement works fairly well for boards up to 10'
length. If they are longer than that it's impossible for me to get them down
through the stairwell. Sheet goods larger than 3' x 6' won't go through it
either. These require me to go up and open the outside door, pass the piece
out through and lower it to the ground, then close and latch the door, and
then come down and go outside to retrieve the needed wood. Since my projects
don't usually tend to be very large and I only do hobby and home maintenance
this works OK for me, but I wouldn't consider it acceptable if I was in
business. The wood itself holds up fine when stored up there and the solar
heating of the roof (well ventilated)keeps the moisture content low. I need
help to get 4' x 8' sheet stock up through the outside door but I can manage
everything else OK. I don't have a hoist. Maybe you could figure a way to do
it yourself with that. I would much rather have first floor storage, but
this is workable for me.

Maybe, with that hoist and those big double doors up there you could put the
piano up in the attic. You would need help to get it up there (and again in
5 years to get it back down) but that would solve all of your problems.
--
Charley

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"Mike in Mystic" wrote in message
...
Hi everyone,

SWMBO and I are at loggerheads regarding my wood storage/shop space. To
date, she has had this old POS piano that she says she's going to restore
sitting in one corner of the garage/shop. I need/want the space to set up
more workstation/storage space. She offered that if I take down my wood
storage rack that is along the back wall of the other garage bay, and move
the piano there, then things would be fine. Ugh.

The only other option I have is the attic storage above the garage, which
is
actually quite spacious. There is a hoist on one end and a swing-out set
of
double doors. Inside is a pull-down staircase.

My question is - does anyone have experience dealing with lumber storage
upstairs in a loft/attic like this? Is a hoist the best/easiest/safest
way
to get rough lumber in reasonably long (approx. 8'-12') lengths into such
a
space? It just seems like a royal PITA to me, but I have to live with the
space I have for now. There really isn't any space on my property to
build
an outdoor shed or other storage facility.

Thanks for your suggestions,

Mike