Garage Cabinets and What To Know Before Purchasing

Cabinets are necessary in a garage. They are less expensive, more durable, and easier to install and reconfigure. It also keeps stored items visible. Cabinets with doors provide a more finished appearance, and the ability to store potentially dangerous items, such as chemicals or sharp garden tools, behind closed and locked doors is a safety feature that parents of young children appreciate.

If you’ve never looked into garage cabinets before, you might be surprised at the variety of options. They range from surprisingly low-cost MDF-and-laminate cabinets to elegant stainless steel custom cabinetry designed and installed by specialized companies. You can even repurpose kitchen or bathroom cabinets for use in the garage.

Consider these important factors to help you make the best buying choice for your cabinet system.

How important are construction materials, durability, and looks to you?

The materials used in the construction of your cabinet system will be the most important factor in determining how long it will last. Construction materials and craftsmanship will also have an impact on how well your cabinet system works. How smoothly, for example, do the cabinet doors and drawers open and close?

Don’t skimp on the quality of the materials used to construct your cabinets. Steel is your best option, but be cautious of where it comes from. Foreign-made steel is frequently heavily recycled, rusts faster, and isn’t as durable as the higher quality North American-manufactured steel used in all of Garage Living’s garage cabinets.

The harsh demands of a garage environment should also be considered when designing garage cabinets. This includes temperature and moisture changes.

Make sure your cabinets can withstand a garage’s harsh environment.

Garage cabinets are frequently subjected to heavy, wet, and harsh items, which can wear down your investment over time. As a result, when considering garage storage units, heavy duty cabinet material is a must. Choosing a less expensive, thin pressboard material will force the homeowner to reinvest in the garage on a regular basis. Your cabinets should have 34″ sides and 1″ shelves, bottoms, and tops.
Check the cabinet backing if you want your cabinets to last.

Using no backing board or a thin, lightweight backing is a common way for businesses to save money and keep costs low. However, as any skilled craftsman will attest, the backing supports the majority of the weight in a cabinet. We use 14″ inch dado-grooved backing that is dado-grooved into the sides, as well as nailer supports that reduce weight capacity by more than 50%.

Do buy cabinets which keep your kids and grandkids safe

When you buy garage storage cabinets, the first thing that comes to mind is, well, storage. While storage is important, if you have small children (or grandchildren), safety should be at the top of your priority list.

And you’re well aware of the nightmare (and phone call) you never want to receive. When you get that call, it’s because your child or grandchild drank a poisonous liquid that was (unlocked) inside your garage cabinets.

Consider the screws used.

Our cabinets are held together by the strongest “Confirmat” screws available. As a result, our cabinets are more stable than those that use Cam Locks or other inferior fasteners. Confirmat screws are specifically designed for use with processed wood materials. Cam Locks are commonly used to secure low-quality, do-it-yourself box-store furniture or closet cabinets.

Know how harmful your cabinets are to the environment.
In order to protect the health of a homeowner and their loved ones, insist on a cabinet manufacturer that requires Zero to Low VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) cabinets for all lines. We make certain that our products are both environmentally friendly and compliant.

Do understand the ‘math’ of a garage storage plan
OK, if you’ve ever purchased a large SUV or truck only to discover (after you’ve excitedly driven it off the lot) that it won’t fit in your Metal garages, you know that not taking garage measurements (and doing your math’) can really mess you up.
And the math’ of garage storage cabinets isn’t something you should dismiss. And this is why.

Before purchasing a cabinet, determine whether it will fit the items you want to store (width, depth, and height). Cabinets must be sized to ‘work around’ windows, outlets, and soffits. Then consider whether you have enough space to open the cabinet doors when your SUV or truck is parked inside with the garage doors closed. Nobody wants to pull their rigs out just to get to their storage – especially in a freezing cold Columbus, Ohio (or anywhere else that gets snow) winter.

Know that your cabinet will not rip or fall off the wall.
Having a formidable cabinet is only half the battle. The other half is attaching the cabinet to the wall and keeping it there so it doesn’t rip off and damage cars or, worse, you or a family member. As a result, we use all-steel construction hardware and 4″ connection screws with a sheer weight capacity of over 250lbs per screw.

Do insist on easy to adjust shelves

When it’s difficult to move shelves up and down (as some bolted-together metal garage shelving systems certainly are), these shelves will stay EXACTLY where they are for the rest of their lives.

Simple adjustability in garage cabinet shelving is essential for efficiently storing and removing wasted space. And if your shelves are as immovable as your adolescent daughter’s frightening taste in boyfriends, you know you’ll be wasting space.

 

Milky Homes

Bedroom, Kitchen, Bathroom & Garden Decor

Friday, Feb 23, 2024