Happy Independence Day: Tips on Building a Fireworks Rack

Launching fireworks is a time-honored tradition on the fourth of July. However, if you’re launching your own show, the racks you use for your fireworks will significantly impact the whole experience. It is important to ensure that the days fun ends with a bang and not a trip to the hospital so be sure to build your firework stands solidly.

Most people prefer pressure-treated lumber for firework stands. The size of the lumber you need will depend on the size of the stand you intend to build. SCRAIL® fasteners and FASCO (a member of the BECK Group) tools will make your rack construction work easy and efficient.

Mortar Stand

Mortars are tubes with plugged ends used to fire comets, fireworks shells, and mines. They need to be held upright in a sturdy position. For smaller mortars, a simple stand is a great way to keep them in the desired position – which is ideally an angle that ensures the fireworks won’t land on you or your audiences’ heads! These can be made of metal, wood, or combination of both.  They resemble a pallet laid on its side, using a simple box shaped frame of 1x4’s and 2x4’s and small wooden slats between each mortar. The mortars can stand vertically or in a fan shape depending on the effect you are looking for. It is recommended to add feet to the bottom, or affix screw-eyes to the side that can be dropped over a few hunks of rebar to keep it standing while the mortars are launching. Do not allow your fasteners to drive into the mortars for your safety. If your mortars will be vertical, not fanned, it is best practice to install them perpendicular to your audience on the chance they do fall over. This ensures they shoot to the sides, not at the people.

Roman Candle Rack

A roman candle rack gives you the unique opportunity of firing multiple candles together, creating unique and stunning show elements that your audience will love. Building a roman candle rack is quite simple, and resembles the mortar rack, although you can use fasteners as the spacers between each candle. There is no one particular way of designing a roman candle rack; you can always make some configuration adjustments until you come up with one that will suit your taste. We recommend adding feet or the screw-eyes to this stand as well for safety.

Safety First!

Launching fireworks is fun but also dangerous. It's for this reason that fireworks are illegal in many areas. If firework launching is not handled correctly, it can cause serious burns and eye injuries. Before you start engaging in this high adrenaline activity, ensure you have some basic safety tools like a fire extinguisher, first aid kit, and access to water. Do not forget to confirm its legality from your local police station. Otherwise, for maximum safety, you can leave it to professionals.

A Few Tips for a Successful Launch

While launching fireworks, do not allow young children to ignite fuses or explosives. Never hold a lit firework with your bare hands. Also, ensure that fireworks have fully burned out once you are done celebrating. Remember, in any project you undertake, safety is paramount. Whether it’s building a mortar stand or a new deck, poor quality materials and construction will comprise your safety and the safety of others. Use quality and reliable fasteners, such as SCRAIL®, to build sturdy firework stands safely and quickly. Have a wonderful Independence Day!