HyLoft 540 45-by-45-Inch Overhead Storage System
by Hyloft
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List Price: Our Price: $67.99 You Save: $22.00 (24%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Category: Tools See more product details |
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Tools and Hardware Reviews of HyLoft 540 45-by-45-Inch Overhead Storage System
Customer Review: Great even for truss roofs
Summary: 5 Stars
My garage is a separate outbuilding and has its own self-supporting truss roof--that is, there is no lally pole holding it up. The HyLoft works well enough in this situation. Its weight limit is low enough that you won't damage your truss system if you don't do anything stupid. I have two of them holding items that are just heavy enough for one person to lift above the head which is just about right.
I recommend getting the hook accessories which are great for hanging things like spare fluorescent bulbs, brooms, skis, and other long things.
The package that arrives is very heavy but breaks down into manageable pieces that one person can easily install with the help of stepladder and a drill.
Note: You must pre-drill the holes for the lag bolts, otherwise you will split the wood and you don't want to have that happen. In my garage the treated wood is still dry enough that this would cause splitting if I tried to drive the lag bolts "dry" into it.
The finish is very durable. Likewise the lag bolts are treated to avoid corrosion. I always get compliments from visitors when they see it. It's great for storing my heavy artificial christmas tree and other seasonal items without spiders infesting them.
Customer Review: A good product, BUT . . . . .
Summary: 4 Stars
There are a lot of good reviews already up on this product, so I will be brief:
(1) Don't underestimate the physical difficulty of installation! The hardest part of the installation is getting the ceiling brackets attached. Do not underestimate how difficult it is, physically, to work while you are up on a ladder and trying to work straight up, attaching something to the ceiling.
(2) You are going to have to climb up a ladder carrying the stuff you want to put up in these things. This means that heavy and bulky items are going to be hard and/or impossible put in this thing, and storage will be limited to lighter items.
(3) Ladders are dangerous things; ask any physician! If you fall off the ladder because you got off balance (made more likely when you are carrying something rather than just going up the ladder itself) you can be seriously injured. Unlike other similar storage systems that go up and down on a pulley, this system is fixed in place and to get up to it you will need to use a ladder. So, your use of this storage system will be limited by what you can carry up, accepting whatever the risk there is that you might fall off the ladder in the process.
I'm not saying not to buy the the product, which I think is a good one, just to be aware that installation is not that easy and that using these things exposes you to some inconvenience and to some RISK.
Customer Review: Good, but the ad photos are a bit misleading
Summary: 4 Stars
This product seems to work well once installed, and installation should be easy for most (my situation was a bit harder due to the height of my garage ceiling and my desire to have it hang a little lower from the ceiling). I haven't fully tested the weight capacity, but I'm sure it will hold up.
However, the pictures suggest that you can install them in an "L" pattern in a corner. That seems all but impossible, because the ceiling joists only run one way, and a row of them along a wall would need to be installed along a wall that is perpindicular to the joists. This makes sense once you do one, but it is not obvious when you are considering the purchase. I suppose you could create that configuration by jerry-rigging it somehow, perhaps by screwing 2x4s to your ceiling that are perpindicular to the joists, but that would be a bit much to deal with.
Customer Review: Useful but limited by attachment
Summary: 3 Stars
This is a useful rack, sturdy and easy to assemble with enough space to store quite a bit of content. However, the weight that can be stored is very limited by the attachment to the ceiling. If you can screw this rack into ceiling studs or a solid concrete surface, you can pack some heavy weight on it. If your garage (or wherever you mount it) has a dry wall ceiling, however, you will not be able to use this rack for anything but empty boxes, foam or other light-weight stuff. Keep that in mind when you select this for a specific purpose. Also consider the height of the rack itself, particularly in a low-ceiling garage, where it can easily get in the way.Customer Review: Maximum height for storage is 27 inches, not 28 or 34 - measure your storage bins FIRST!
Summary: 4 Stars
Amazon says max length is 34 inches, while Hyloft's site says 28 inches. In terms of actual capacity, both are wrong. The maximum TOTAL length is 28", but that includes the shelf. The maximum storage height measure from top of shelf is 27". To stack two storage bins we purchased at Target and Home Depot, it requires 28", so we lost 50% of capacity unless we buy smaller bins. Only alternative is (a) purchase a separate an 12" extender kit for $16.95 from Hyloft, but that is overpriced for four metal pieces and screws, or (b) install unit using one rather than two bolts, which gives you 28" clearance, but makes the unit not as strong and might result in failure. Has anyone found a easy way to extend with other components from hardware store?