Ideas for supporting wood racks.

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Dmitry

Minister of Fire
Oct 4, 2014
1,199
CT
I have five 4 by 8 metal racks that I got on sale. I want to put it in a backyard on the ground. The ground is quite soft there and shifts and one rack is already fallen after I put it on a large floor tile. Any ideas on how to support it?
PS I got five bags of leftover cement. Wondering if I can use some cinder blocks and cement to fix the legs and prevent them from falling.
 
I have five 4 by 8 metal racks that I got on sale. I want to put it in a backyard on the ground. The ground is quite soft there and shifts and one rack is already fallen after I put it on a large floor tile. Any ideas on how to support it?
PS I got five bags of leftover cement. Wondering if I can use some cinder blocks and cement to fix the legs and prevent them from falling.
Do you have pictures of the racks? That might help get some ideas going.
 
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First crushed stone then 1x1 paver under each foot. Every year you'll have to adjust.
 
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I think I would cut short lengths of treated 2x10, and set the legs on those. One short length per side of each rack. Maybe bore holes about 1/2" deep sized so the legs sit in the holes, to keep the feet from moving around on the 2x10 pads.
 
I think I would cut short lengths of treated 2x10, and set the legs on those. One short length per side of each rack. Maybe bore holes about 1/2" deep sized so the legs sit in the holes, to keep the feet from moving around on the 2x10 pads.
Hmm. Now I just read the part about the large floor tile in your original post, so maybe the 2x10 wouldn't be much different.
 
Set each leg in a small shovel-sized hole and fill it with quikrete
 
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Hmm. Now I just read the part about the large floor tile in your original post, so maybe the 2x10 wouldn't be much different.
Like the idea. The large floor tile is just cracked being porcelain. I have a lot of pressure-treated scraps from the removed deck. I might use it somehow being a base for the rack. ( And gonna brag about to my wife that nagging me to get rid of my pressure-treated "Junk")
 
First crushed stone then 1x1 paver under each foot. Every year you'll have to adjust.
^^^^ This!! I have the exact same racks and I use a concrete step stone under each foot. I had to dig out some dirt to make sure the whole rack is level. I am on my second season using them. So far so good.
 
Those legs still sink if not supported as mentioned already. I built the equivalent style rack with landscape timbers and cinder blocks. I ended up making 90 degree wedge shaped supports which I screwed into plywood pressed against the stack as it kept falling. As green wood dries it shifts and the stack begins to lean. I either had to periodically straighten the stack with plywood and a sledge hammer or brace it.