DIY: Kayak Ceiling Storage

Use rope cleats to tie down a rope on numerous applications.

The ceiling offers an ideal storage location for leisure items suspended from hooks, such as bikes, or from pulley systems, such as kayaks. Hooks twist directly into the ceiling joists. Installing a support structure for a kayak or similar item requires a little more effort.

1. Locate two studs with a stud finder in the ceiling; one directly over where you want the kayak supported and the other close to the nearest wall. Mark the locations with an "X."

2. Mount two pulleys with anchor plates to the each stud. Drill wood anchor screws through the mounting plates directly into the studs. Face all four pulleys in the same direction and space them farther apart than the opening on the kayak. The end result will be two pair of equally spaced pulleys in line with each other.

3. Locate a stud in the wall centered between the pulleys. Mount a rope cleat vertically to the wall approximately 4 feet above the ground.

4. Thread two lengths of nylon rope through each pair of pulleys so that one length of rope goes through the pulley nearest the wall and then through the pulley furthest out from the wall. The other length will string through the other two pulleys in the same manner.

5. Tie a rubber-coated hook to the ends of each length of rope. Hook the rubber hooks into the opening on the kayak or other device and pull the kayak to the ceiling by pulling on both ropes simultaneously. Tie the two ropes together onto the rope cleat using a sailor's hitch knot. Any type of knot will work as long as you are able to tie it and untie it as needed.

Tip

Tie knots into the ends of the ropes near the walls so that the ropes do not fly through the pulleys requiring rethreading. You can also tie a knot along the length of the rope so that the knot stops the rope before the hooks reach the floor. That way if the knot on the rope cleat comes undone, the kayak does not plummet all the way to the ground. The project outlines a basic DIY version of expensive pulley storage systems available for purchase at hardware stores and sporting goods stores.