homestead.fyi / SEEDRACK-4

4-Shelf Seed Rack

A 4 ft wide seed-starting rack with 4 plywood shelves and a place for a shop light over each.

Draft plan, generated from the model. Not yet build-tested.

4Shelves

48 x 20 x 67 inSize

8 of 10 x 20 inTrays

3 to 5 hrBuild time

$112.71Materials

Drawings All dimensions in inches

3D viewfinished

Front elevation

Right elevation

Plan viewfrom above

Cut list: lumber Long-point lengths; angles noted

Qty	Stock	Length	Part	Cut
4	2x4	67	Post
1	2x4	41	Shelf 1 rail front	on edge, between the posts
1	2x4	41	Shelf 1 rail back	on edge, between the posts
1	2x4	41	Shelf 2 rail front	on edge, between the posts
1	2x4	41	Shelf 2 rail back	on edge, between the posts
1	2x4	41	Shelf 3 rail front	on edge, between the posts
1	2x4	41	Shelf 3 rail back	on edge, between the posts
1	2x4	41	Shelf 4 rail front	on edge, between the posts
1	2x4	41	Shelf 4 rail back	on edge, between the posts
1	2x4	41	Top rail front	on edge
1	2x4	41	Top rail back	on edge
1	2x4	13	Shelf 1 end left	on edge, between the posts
1	2x4	13	Shelf 1 end right	on edge, between the posts
1	2x4	13	Shelf 2 end left	on edge, between the posts
1	2x4	13	Shelf 2 end right	on edge, between the posts
1	2x4	13	Shelf 3 end left	on edge, between the posts
1	2x4	13	Shelf 3 end right	on edge, between the posts
1	2x4	13	Shelf 4 end left	on edge, between the posts
1	2x4	13	Shelf 4 end right	on edge, between the posts

Cut list: sheet goods

Part	Stock	Size	Note
Shelf 1	3/4 ply	41 x 17	cut to fit
Shelf 2	3/4 ply	41 x 17	cut to fit
Shelf 3	3/4 ply	41 x 17	cut to fit
Shelf 4	3/4 ply	41 x 17	cut to fit

Lumber cutting diagram Lengths chosen for the lowest cost; 1/8 in kerf, 1/2 in end trim

2x4 x 12 ft

Post 1 67Post 2 67

2x4 x 8 ft

Shelf 1 rail front 41Shelf 1 rail back 41Shelf 1 end left 13

2x4 x 8 ft

Shelf 2 rail front 41Shelf 2 rail back 41Shelf 1 end right 13

2x4 x 8 ft

Shelf 3 rail front 41Shelf 3 rail back 41Shelf 2 end left 13

2x4 x 8 ft

Shelf 4 rail front 41Shelf 4 rail back 41Shelf 2 end right 13

2x4 x 8 ft

Top rail front 41Top rail back 41Shelf 3 end left 13

2x4 x 8 ft

Post 3 67Shelf 3 end right 13Shelf 4 end left 13

2x4 x 8 ft

Post 4 67Shelf 4 end right 13

Sheet cutting diagrams Dashed = openings to cut out

Sheet 1: 3/4 in plywood, 4 x 8 ft

Shopping list $112.71 checked / $0.00 estimated

Item	Store	Qty	Each	Line	Note
2x4x8 stud, SPF	Home Depot	7	$4.15	$29.05	see lumber cutting diagram
2x4x12 stud, SPF	Home Depot	1	$7.12	$7.12	see lumber cutting diagram
23/32 in (3/4 in) CDX plywood, 4x8 sheet	Lowe's	1	$46.57	$46.57	see sheet cutting diagrams
Exterior wood screws #9 x 2.5 in, 5 lb box	Home Depot	1	$29.97	$29.97
Total before tax				$112.71

Filled dot: price read from a store listing on Oct 20, 2026. Hollow dot: estimate. Prices come from the master price list, so they change when it changes.

Build steps

Cut four posts to 67 in and the rails from 2x4s. Cut 4 plywood shelves to 41 x 17 in.
Screw the front and back rails between the posts at each shelf height, on edge, then the end rails.
Screw each plywood shelf down onto its rails, and drill a 1/2 in drain hole at each corner.
Screw a top rail across the front and back at the top and hang a 4 ft shop light on chains under each rail and the top, 2 to 4 in above the seedlings.
Set a 10 x 20 in tray with a dome on each half of each shelf, with a mat or a tray under it.

Before you start

Each 4 ft shelf holds two 10 x 20 in trays: 8 trays in all, about 288 seedlings in 36-cell flats.
Hang a 4 ft LED shop light per shelf on chains so you can raise it as the plants grow. Put them on a timer for 14 to 16 hr a day.
The light fixtures are not in the shopping list; buy one per shelf, about $20 each.
Keep the rack away from a wall that gets cold, and wipe the shelves with a bleach solution between batches.
Draft drawings generated from the model. Build one before selling this plan.