How to Build a Simple DIY Scrap Wood Storage Cart

With this easy step-by-step guide, you can learn how to build a DIY scrap wood storage cart perfect for small spaces. This cart will organize your workshop and help you make the most of your scrap wood.

A wooden cart on wheels is filled with various sizes of wooden planks and scraps. The crate like cart is placed against a gray wall on a speckled floor.

I know I say this all the time, but my scrapwood pile is always on steroids. With every project I make, the pile grows exponentially. I feel like I am always trying to figure out the best way to store my scrap wood.

Years ago, I built a scrap wood organizer. To be honest, I used it more as a lumber organizer than just for scrap wood because it was pretty big. This worked okay for a while, but the truth was that it was too big and took up too much of a footprint in my workshop.

I ended up moving that into the shed in the backyard, turned it vertically, and now store paint in it 🙂

I also added a lumber rack in my workshop, which helped organize larger pieces. But all the smaller cut-offs ended up underneath my workbench. When I built my current workbench, my goal was to keep all the scrap wood limited to the two small shelves on the side.

The bottom shelf of a workbench with lots of scrap wood in a messy pile in a workshop

Who was I kidding? The scrap wood pile took over the shelf. I also had piles of scrap wood in various spots in the workshop—in a cardboard box, leaning against the cabinets, leaning against the back wall—it was out of control.

So, I decided it was time to do something about it and make a scrap wood organizer.

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DIY Scrap Wood Cart

The best part is that I was able to make this scrap wood cart out of scrap wood! It doesn’t get any better than that!

The overall footprint of the scrap wood cart is 24″ and 18″ which is great for a small workshop.

I also wanted to keep it small, mobile, and light so I can move it around as needed. I only need this to store pieces that are shorter than 24″ because anything longer goes on my lumber rack.

I had a piece of ¾” plywood that was 25″ by 20″ so instead of cutting down, I modified my design to fit that. You can also easily modify it for the dimensions you need – bigger or smaller. Although I don’t really think going smaller will be very functional.

As always, I have the full detailed video on how I built it along with showing you how I sorted all of my scrap wood. A detailed written tutorial follows below.

Material Needed

Tools Needed

See how to use a miter saw

DIY Scrap Wood Cart Plans

The scrap wood organizer cart is built mostly with 1×2 and 1×3 boards. I ended up using the scrap 1×4, 1×6 and 1×10 boards and ripping them down to build the cart. However, the plans show you exactly how to built using off-the-rack 1×2 and 1×3 lumber.

How to Build

The scrap wood organizer has two “tiers” :

  • The front can save all the smaller cut-offs
  • The back can store wider boards and taller pieces.

The best way to build it is to build the frames for each tier and then attach them starting at the back.

Step 1: Prepare the Lumber

  • Gather all the boards and make the cuts per the cut list.
  • You can sand down the boards if you like. I didn’t bother sanding them because the cart is going to store lumber anyway.
Woman cutting wood on a miter saw

As I mentioned, I used various scrapboards and ripped down a few of them to make enough 1×2 and 1×3 boards.

Step 2: Make Pocket Holes

I use a Kreg 720 as it is quick and efficient to make multiple pocket holes. You can use any pocket hole jig. See which Kreg Jig works for you.

Woman making pocket holes using the Kreg 720.

There are a lot of pocket holes in this project, but it is well worth making them to make assembly super quick and easy.

Pro Tip: Check intermittently if the collar is tight and in the right position as you make pocket holes. Sometimes, it can start to slip, causing the pocket holes to be too deep.

Step 3: Assemble the Frames

The easiest way to build this structure is to assemble each tier separately and then attach it to the base.

Woman adding pocket hole screws using a power drill to build the frames

Note the bottommost slat is attached with the pocket holes facing downwards. These will eventually attach the base and keep the frame stable.

Pro Tip: I highly recommend using clamps to hold the boards together. It is like having a second set of hands. In this case, face clamps make sure that the boards stay in the same plane and aligned as you add the screws.

Woman attaching dividers to the frame using pocket hole screws

Step 4: Attach the Frames to Build the Cart

To attach the frames to the cart, we start at the back and then go to the front.

  • Attach the back frame to the base plywood by adding pocket hole screws through the sides and the slat. A right-angle clamp can be helpful to hold the structure in place.
Attaching the frames to the base of the scrap wood cart using pocket hole  screws.
  • Attach the middle frame to the base and the dividers to the slats of the previous frame using wood glue and pocket hole screws. A right-angle drill attachment will be extremely helpful in getting into the tight spots.
Woman adding pocket hole screws in a tight spot using a right angle drill adapter

And that is the scrap wood organizer.

A crate style scrap wood storage cart on the workbench top

Step 5: Add the Casters

  • To make the entire cart mobile, add 2″ casters to the bottom of the plywood base.
Attaching the caster for the scrap wood cart using a drill

I used 1″ screws to attach the casters. ¾” screws would have been ideal, but I didn’t have them on hand, so I added a few extra washers to make up for the difference.

And that’s the scrap wood cart!

Front view of the diy  scrap wood storage cart  filled with various sizes of wooden planks and scraps. The crate like cart is placed against a gray wall on a speckled floor.

I sorted through all of my scrap wood and got rid of a few pieces because they were too short and I shouldn’t have saved them in the first place.

Pro Tip: Don’t save pieces smaller than 3″-4″ because they would be very dangerous to cut on any saw and you are never going to use them. Trust me.

Now, I have a nicely consolidated simple scrap wood storage cart. No more piles of random scrap wood all around the workshop. And my workbench shelf is actually empty, and I can store tools underneath! My goal is to keep it this way!

Remember, you can get the plans for this scrap wood storage cart by clicking the button below.

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Anika's goal is to inspire and empower beginners with woodworking, DIY, home improvement, and home decor ideas.
She wants everyone to unlock their creative potential and experience the feeling that comes with making something. Nothing feels better better than seeing something and saying "I can make that!"

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