GORM Vertical Artwork Storage Bin

Bin_Completed

Materials needed:

  • Two GORM shelving units
  • Additional GORM materials: four additional GORM shelves, purchased separately (buy as two 2-packs, for a total of 4 extra shelves).
  • Two pieces of 2″ x 2″ x 63″ pine lumber (you may be able to find suitable scraps pieces in your local lumberyard or home improvement store). You will cut to 4 pieces, each measuring 26” long.
  • Box of 1-1/4″ x #6 wood screws
  • Four 2″ wood screws
  • 1/4” socket wrench with 1/4” drive 6 pt. socket to screw in 6 pt. GORM bolts
  • Hand or table saw
  • Drill and screwdriver (I used my cordless Dewalt)
  • Sawhorses or workbench for assembly (not required, but helpful)

Description: I needed a storage bin to hold my canvases and completed artwork but purchasing a ready-made bin was cost prohibitive. Vertical storage bins can cost hundreds of dollars! For the cost of 2 GORM shelving units, 4 additional GORM shelves, wood screws and some scrap lumber, I created this storage bin for canvas/artwork.

The completed bin will measure approximately 49-1/2″ wide by 35″ high by 31″ deep. The storage bin will not clear most standard doorways, so once you’ve completed step 2, you will need to assemble the bin in the room you will be using it in. It can of course be disassembled and reassembled if needed, but this bin is intended for permanent storage and not for temporary use (art shows, markets, etc.). 1. Cut two of the long boards from the first GORM unit to measure 48-1/4″ long. These will be your “base support boards”. Save the leftover pieces (measuring 20-1/4″) for later. 2. Line up the shelf pieces crosswise. Slide the long boards (48-1/4″) you just cut behind the shelf pieces and screw to the board to join and form the base (see photo 1):

Bin_Photo1

3. Cut the other two long boards from your first GORM unit in half. You will now have four boards each measuring 34-1/4″. Using the GORM bolts, connect these boards to the base to form the four legs of the bin. You will be inserting the bolts through the pre-drilled holes of the long connecting boards, and drill a pilot hole into the end of the “base support boards” to connect these upright boards to the base and “base support boards”. Refer to photo 2 (below) for positioning. Be sure to use the holes measuring approximately 6-1/2″ from the bottom, use the same measurement on all for corners so your bin is level:

Bin_Photo2

4. Using the GORM cross-braces, connect the legs together on each short end. Use the screws that come with the braces. Refer to photos 3 & 4 for placement:

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5. Now take the four shelf pieces from the second GORM unit, hold them vertically (upright) against the base at the bottom and attach using the wood screws. Be sure to fit the shelf pieces tightly against the bottom of the bin (see photo 5). You may need to adjust the GORM end bolts on the corner pieces to fit all four shelf pieces in place. They should fit snugly. Using the additional four GORM shelf pieces, repeat on the other side.

Bin_Photo5

6. Take the 2″ x 2″ lumber and cut four pieces each measuring 26″ long. Place one in each inside corner and screw in place using the wood screws (see photos 6 & 7):

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7. Take two of the long boards left from the second GORM unit, and cut each piece to measure 45-1/4″. Holding the cut piece against the top of the bin (long side, on the inside), use the wood screws to attach these to the sides of the bin (see photo 8):

Bin_Photo8

8. Now use your scrap pieces leftover from Step 1 to form a divider in the bottom floor of the bin. Mark the center of the inside floor, center the two boards and screw to the inside floor of the bin. These will help to hold canvases/artwork in place and act as a “backstop” to keep them separated when it is full (see photos 9 & 10):

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9. Now take the last two remaining boards from the second GORM unit, and cut them to measure 27″ long. You will have four pieces. Take these pieces and use them to connect the two shorter ends of the bin. Holding the cut boards in place on the inside at each end, use the wood screws to secure the boards at the top and bottom (see photos 11 & 12):

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10. For the last step, drill pilot holes at a 45 degree angle through the bottom of the 2” x 2” corner pieces, about 1” up from the bottom. Use  the 2″ wood screws to secure the corner pieces at the base of each piece (see photo 13):

Bin_Photo13

And here is the completed piece:

FinishedBin1FinishedBin2