Drywall and Plywood Cartop Carrier / Roof Rack

Out of the choices of Cheep, Quick and Good, you usually only get to pick two. This project satisfies all three goals of most of my projects. I needed to lug home some 1/2" sheets of fragile yet flexible 4' by 8' drywall with only my Honda Civic. I built a roof rack that will allow me to haul 4 by 8 foot sheets of plywood and drywall. It is easily torn down to re-use the lumber or adapt it to a different car. The lumber for this project cost $10.

Step 1 Materials

For this project you will need:
Supplies
(2) 2x4 4 feet in length (I cut an 8 footer in half)
(4) 2x4 6 inches in length
(4) 2x2 8 feet in length (if you are carrying more rigid materials you can use 3)
2 1/2" Deck screws
Foam Padding, or carpeting - closed cell foam sleeping bag pads work great
Shims - but any thin scrap wood will do
Rope, strapping

Tools
Saw
Screwdriver
Staple Gun (tacks and hammer will do)

Comments

[tropidavo]

Hey, this could be just the thing I need to carry my pedal powered paddle wheel pvc raft to the water, when I finish it. But I will have to figure out how to get it up on and down from my old 95 Tercel. It should not weigh more than 60 to 80 pounds. Material for a new ible perhaps?

[corymogk]

Cool - this made me feel secure with my variation. I also needed a sheet of plywood for the subfloor so I used 2 2x2's with the plywood on top and then the drywall on the plywood :)

[cody316]

Pure Genius!

[cody316]

I had a similar idea today cause i have to move a boxspring for a friend with her van, this is a realy good instructable, PURE GENIUS!

[T3Hprogrammer]

I sorta laughed when i saw this, because a week ago, my dad needed to bring home some drywall. he drove out and bought drywall, some 2x4s and screws, and built one of these at home depot. he carried the drywall home and took it apart to reuse the wood.

[abadfart]

my dad did construction so he had one permanently attached with bolts

[sleepydog]

How did your dad keep the bolt holes in his roof watertight?

[abadfart]

rubber washers

[Trent The Thief]

LOL. A true DIYer. I've done that, too. I also made a 12' long frame from 2x wood to hold corrugated plastic roofing and put it on top of the car. You have to think outside the box.

[rtwitchy]

OMG I love you!!! Exact same situation...I need to haul 4x8 plywood home in my tiny 2 door civic. I looked at car roof racks but they're over $100 and they are so specified you are limited on selection which makes it impossible to even find something from craigs list that is compatible with my car. I was hoping to get some ideas that I could put together on here, but this is the exact problem and solution!!! THANKS YOU!!!!

[abadfart]

thank you when i was a kid my dad had one of these and i have been wanting one

[GorillazMiko]

awesome instructable, maybe my dad will like this