GARAGES101 STEEL CABINETS |
garages101.com 7/2010 |
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| HOW TO EVALUATE STEEL CABINETS |
CHOOSE A CABINET SYSTEM THAT CAN BE WALL MOUNTED
Garage cabinets should typically be mounted 4"-6" above the floor. Whenever possible, always WALL MOUNT garage
cabinets. After installing hundreds of cabinets and systems, we prefer wall mounting for the following reasons:
Free-standing cabinets on adjustable legs is required when the mounting wall is constructed of steel studs - the screw
thread grip on a steel stud is insufficient to hold loads. Wall mounting is possible on concrete walls, however, holes must be
drilled and expansion bolts installed to safely hold loads. Walls constructed of hollow cinder blocks require the use of
adjustable cabinet legs.
CABINET LEGS - ADJUSTING LENGTH CAPACITY
For those individuals who choose to install a cabinet system on legs, the adjusting capacity of the cabinet legs is a critical
consideration in choosing a cabinet system.
To maintain a constant level on adjacent cabinets, cabinets installed along the back wall of the garage should have legs
with an adjustable capacity of 2 inches. Cabinets installed along the walls that slope toward the garage entrance may
require legs with an adjustable range of 3-4 inches. We have encountered slopes that have exceeded 6 inches, but this is
very unusual.
IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTE - ALL STORAGE CABINETS TALLER THAN 60 INCHES NEED TO BE SECURELY
FASTENED TO THE WALL!
CABINETS WITH ROLLERS
With the exception of a rolling tool cart, there are not any good reasons to purchase cabinets that are mounted on rollers.
However, there are many reasons why rollers can be bad idea.
CABINET BACKS
Choose a cabinet with a full back. This eliminates the possibility of small items falling from shelves and becoming lost
behind the cabinet. It also gives the cabinets a much nicer finished look. Wall Mounted cabinets must have a high strength
back or have mounting accessories that can hold the cabinet and load weight.
FASTENING ADJACENT CABINETS
Most individuals will purchase cabinet systems where cabinets are placed adjacent to other units. Cabinets should be
designed for easy fastening of adjacent cabinets to one another. Bolting adjacent cabinets together adds extra strength
and stability to a cabinet system, and makes it easier to keep the cabinet face frames flush and maintain a constant level
along the top and bottom of the cabinets.
LOCKING TALL STORAGE CABINETS
Locking cabinet doors and drawers are a nice feature for individuals who wish to secure hazardous materials or dangerous
tools from children. If used in a vacation home, it allows the owner to secure personal property so guests and tenants are
denied access. Individuals who live in earthquake prone regions have an easy method for securing the cabinet door so
contents will not fall off shelves.
HINGES
Only choose cabinets which use 6-way Euro-Syle adjustable hinges. Most installed cabinets are going to be slightly out
of level and square. Garage walls are not always plumb and the wall surfaces can be very uneven. Often the installer will
need to make slight compensations with each cabinet to maintain a constant level along the tops and bottoms of the
cabinets. Cabinets mounted to an uneven wall can never be perfectly shimmed and when attached to the wall will get
tweaked and be slightly out of square. With 6-way adjustable hinges, the installer can adjust the cabinet door panels so
proper door alignment can be maintained.
All Euro-style hinges should have the self-closing feature (if not self closing, doors need a latch or magnets).
Avoid inexpensive piano hinges, butt hinges, or " L-shaped" spring hinges. These cabinet hinges have either no
adjustment capability or only an up/down adjustment direction.
DRAWER SLIDES
Quality cabinets will have a full extension drawer slide. The full extension slide allows the back of the drawer to extend
beyond the cabinet face. This gives the user full and easy access to all items in the drawer. Less expensive drawer slides
leave the last 3-4 inches of the drawer inside the cabinet.
Heavy Duty cabinets will have a minimum drawer slide rating of 100 lbs per slide The higher the capacity rating, the
greater load a drawer can hold. More importantly, higher rated slides use better quality ball bearings and the user will
experience a smoother and easier pull under heavy loads. As a general rule, a drawer should be loaded at about 50% of
the slide rating. A drawer with two 100 lb rated slides would have a recommended loading of 100 lbs ( 2 * 100 * .5).
WORK TOPS
Work tops are typically constructed of the following materials:
1) Laminate over particle board - The only advantage of using a laminate on particle or MDF board for a work top is its low
cost. Laminates are relatively soft and will scratch easily when using hand tools or making small repairs.
2) High Density Composite boards - These work tops can handle repairs and heavy duty use. The cost is about twice that
of laminates. High Density boards will show scratches and wear, and available finishes are typically unattractive.
3) Hardwood - Hardwood tops are usually constructed of laminated maple. Maple tops are expensive, but have a
beautiful finish when new. Hardwood tops can be used for nearly all heavy duty tasks except welding. The main problem
with hardwood is that it will scratch and show wear. Maple only looks great if not used!
4) Stainless Steel - Best Choice; These work tops are constructed of sheets of stainless that are wrapped and welded
around a composite core. Stainless Steel wraps are less expensive than hardwood tops. The advantage of a
stainless steel top is that it can handle all of the heavy duty tasks, and still retain its attractive finish. Stainless Steel is
very hard, with a high resistance to scratching and is unaffected by water, grease, oil, or solvents. Stainless Steel can
be buffed and refinished to remove deep scratches.
Garage cabinets should typically be mounted 4"-6" above the floor. Whenever possible, always WALL MOUNT garage
cabinets. After installing hundreds of cabinets and systems, we prefer wall mounting for the following reasons:
- Cabinets have a more professional, finished look and eliminates leveling problems caused by sloping floor.
- Easier to keep cabinets level during install; particularly along the walls that slope towards the garage entrance
(more information on this subject under the How To Install Section). - Space underneath cabinets can be used to store long items such as lumber or a patio umbrella.
- Easier to retrieve items that roll underneath the cabinets.
- Easier to clean dirt and debris under the cabinets.
- Lower unit cost - no legs required
Free-standing cabinets on adjustable legs is required when the mounting wall is constructed of steel studs - the screw
thread grip on a steel stud is insufficient to hold loads. Wall mounting is possible on concrete walls, however, holes must be
drilled and expansion bolts installed to safely hold loads. Walls constructed of hollow cinder blocks require the use of
adjustable cabinet legs.
CABINET LEGS - ADJUSTING LENGTH CAPACITY
For those individuals who choose to install a cabinet system on legs, the adjusting capacity of the cabinet legs is a critical
consideration in choosing a cabinet system.
To maintain a constant level on adjacent cabinets, cabinets installed along the back wall of the garage should have legs
with an adjustable capacity of 2 inches. Cabinets installed along the walls that slope toward the garage entrance may
require legs with an adjustable range of 3-4 inches. We have encountered slopes that have exceeded 6 inches, but this is
very unusual.
IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTE - ALL STORAGE CABINETS TALLER THAN 60 INCHES NEED TO BE SECURELY
FASTENED TO THE WALL!
CABINETS WITH ROLLERS
With the exception of a rolling tool cart, there are not any good reasons to purchase cabinets that are mounted on rollers.
However, there are many reasons why rollers can be bad idea.
- Garage floors are sloped. Cabinets placed along the back garage wall will tilt towards the front of the cabinet.
Cabinets along the side walls will tilt sideways and adjacent cabinets in a system will not maintain a constant level
along the top and bottom of the cabinets. It looks lousy. - Garage floors are uneven. To maintain a stable cabinet it is likely that shims will be required under one or more
rollers to keep the cabinet from rocking. - Rollers even in the locked position still allow cabinet movement.
- Rollers make it more difficult if not impossible to position cabinets flush against the wall in garages with a
protruding stem wall. - In all but the largest garages, the best location for cabinets is fairly obvious. Few individuals will relocate their
cabinets once installed. - Safety - All storage cabinets taller than 60" require fastening to the wall. What purpose is served by having a
movable storage cabinet when that same storage cabinet needs to be secured to the wall?
CABINET BACKS
Choose a cabinet with a full back. This eliminates the possibility of small items falling from shelves and becoming lost
behind the cabinet. It also gives the cabinets a much nicer finished look. Wall Mounted cabinets must have a high strength
back or have mounting accessories that can hold the cabinet and load weight.
FASTENING ADJACENT CABINETS
Most individuals will purchase cabinet systems where cabinets are placed adjacent to other units. Cabinets should be
designed for easy fastening of adjacent cabinets to one another. Bolting adjacent cabinets together adds extra strength
and stability to a cabinet system, and makes it easier to keep the cabinet face frames flush and maintain a constant level
along the top and bottom of the cabinets.
LOCKING TALL STORAGE CABINETS
Locking cabinet doors and drawers are a nice feature for individuals who wish to secure hazardous materials or dangerous
tools from children. If used in a vacation home, it allows the owner to secure personal property so guests and tenants are
denied access. Individuals who live in earthquake prone regions have an easy method for securing the cabinet door so
contents will not fall off shelves.
HINGES
Only choose cabinets which use 6-way Euro-Syle adjustable hinges. Most installed cabinets are going to be slightly out
of level and square. Garage walls are not always plumb and the wall surfaces can be very uneven. Often the installer will
need to make slight compensations with each cabinet to maintain a constant level along the tops and bottoms of the
cabinets. Cabinets mounted to an uneven wall can never be perfectly shimmed and when attached to the wall will get
tweaked and be slightly out of square. With 6-way adjustable hinges, the installer can adjust the cabinet door panels so
proper door alignment can be maintained.
All Euro-style hinges should have the self-closing feature (if not self closing, doors need a latch or magnets).
Avoid inexpensive piano hinges, butt hinges, or " L-shaped" spring hinges. These cabinet hinges have either no
adjustment capability or only an up/down adjustment direction.
DRAWER SLIDES
Quality cabinets will have a full extension drawer slide. The full extension slide allows the back of the drawer to extend
beyond the cabinet face. This gives the user full and easy access to all items in the drawer. Less expensive drawer slides
leave the last 3-4 inches of the drawer inside the cabinet.
Heavy Duty cabinets will have a minimum drawer slide rating of 100 lbs per slide The higher the capacity rating, the
greater load a drawer can hold. More importantly, higher rated slides use better quality ball bearings and the user will
experience a smoother and easier pull under heavy loads. As a general rule, a drawer should be loaded at about 50% of
the slide rating. A drawer with two 100 lb rated slides would have a recommended loading of 100 lbs ( 2 * 100 * .5).
WORK TOPS
Work tops are typically constructed of the following materials:
1) Laminate over particle board - The only advantage of using a laminate on particle or MDF board for a work top is its low
cost. Laminates are relatively soft and will scratch easily when using hand tools or making small repairs.
2) High Density Composite boards - These work tops can handle repairs and heavy duty use. The cost is about twice that
of laminates. High Density boards will show scratches and wear, and available finishes are typically unattractive.
3) Hardwood - Hardwood tops are usually constructed of laminated maple. Maple tops are expensive, but have a
beautiful finish when new. Hardwood tops can be used for nearly all heavy duty tasks except welding. The main problem
with hardwood is that it will scratch and show wear. Maple only looks great if not used!
4) Stainless Steel - Best Choice; These work tops are constructed of sheets of stainless that are wrapped and welded
around a composite core. Stainless Steel wraps are less expensive than hardwood tops. The advantage of a
stainless steel top is that it can handle all of the heavy duty tasks, and still retain its attractive finish. Stainless Steel is
very hard, with a high resistance to scratching and is unaffected by water, grease, oil, or solvents. Stainless Steel can
be buffed and refinished to remove deep scratches.
In two words, it is all about the STEEL THICKNESS.
Higher-end cabinet lines use thicker steel, Low-end
cabinet lines use very thin steel.
thickness information in the product description or
thickness information in the product description or
on the specification page.
on the specification page.
Manufacturers and vendors who do not provide
metal thickness information are most likely selling a
thin wall light-duty cabinets. Make a trip to a Sears
store and you will see several brands of these light
weight cabinets on display.
Higher-end cabinet lines use thicker steel, Low-end
cabinet lines use very thin steel.
thickness information in the product description or
thickness information in the product description or
on the specification page.
on the specification page.
Manufacturers and vendors who do not provide
metal thickness information are most likely selling a
thin wall light-duty cabinets. Make a trip to a Sears
store and you will see several brands of these light
weight cabinets on display.