Overhead Garage Storage Clearance Guide

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Overhead racks and storage lifts use the space above your cars and garage door. Before you buy one, make sure it will clear everything that moves underneath.

What to measure

1. Ceiling height. From the floor to the ceiling where the rack will go.
2. Garage door travel. Open the door fully and measure the lowest point of the door and its track. A rack must stay clear of the door’s whole path.
3. Door opener. The opener rail and motor hang from the ceiling. Note where they are and how low they sit.
4. Vehicles. Measure the tallest vehicle that parks under the rack, including roof racks or a raised tailgate if it opens there.
5. Lights and sprinklers. Note anything on the ceiling the rack must avoid.

Read the ceiling drop

Adjustable racks list a ceiling drop range: how far the platform hangs below the ceiling at its shortest and longest setting. The bottom of the rack plus what you store on it must stay above your door, opener and vehicles. Our product pages show the drop range only where the manufacturer states it.

Check your ceiling structure

Overhead storage hangs from the ceiling, so its rating depends on the ceiling it is fixed to. Manufacturers state what they require, for example mounting into wood joists of a certain size and spacing. Read each product’s ceiling and joist requirements and load conditions before you buy, and follow the installation instructions exactly. If you are unsure what your ceiling can carry, ask a qualified professional.

Racks or lifts

A fixed rack is reached with a ladder. A storage lift lowers the platform to you and raises it back up. Compare overhead racks and storage lifts, or browse all overhead storage.

We have not installed or tested these products. Everything we list comes from the manufacturers’ documents.