shelving for garage?

Hi all,

I have finally acquired a garage; now the problem is to organize all my stuff in it! I do have two roll cabinets for my tools but I would also like some shelves to hold all the other assorted stuff that ends up in a garage. I have seen two different products that look like viable options; first, the chrome plated (or better yet, stainless) steel wire shelves like are used in restaurants. The other option would be warehouse-style painted steel frames with MDF shelves. Any opinions either way? Other options to look at? Good places to buy from? Either style seems readily available on eBay but not sure where else to look.

As an aside, it seems as though some people do not understand the meaning of the phrase "heavy duty." A shelf with a load rating of 150 lbs. is "heavy duty?" Heck, that means I can't even climb on it! sheesh...

nate

Reply to
Nate Nagel
Loading thread data ...

IMO, think wood.

as in 2x4's and 1x10's

Then just cut an nail your way to happiness. BTDT.

Lg

Reply to
Lawrence Glickman

Those are nice as far as they go. I have several of the black ones here and there, and Santa may bring me the big chrome roll-around jobbie you're probably thinking of, for the laundry room. They seem to be rather limited in depth (which can be an advantage in some situations). Affix 'em to the wall because of potential instability if the center of gravity gets too high.

Some of those things look reasonably sturdy. As with most reasonably sturdy things, a pal to help with lifting and assembly is highly recommended.

Looks as though both Sam's and Costco have at least one of these types, as do the home improvement stores. Alas, they won't sell you one of

*their* racks!

Outside-the-(big)-box idea: Keep on the lookout for a dime store or whatever that's going out of business under "selling to the bare walls

-- fixtures and all" terms, and see if they'll sell onesies and twosies of the store shelving units. You might give up a little in reconfigurability (and you might need an extra buddy as well as a pickup truck) but they tend to be attractive, practical, and built to really take it.

--Joe

Reply to
Ad absurdum per aspera

Absolutely, positively the Metro type wire shelving of it's clones. MDF sags with time and gets destroyed by liquids like oil, grease, gas, etc. If you need solid shelves they sell plastic liners for the wire shelves. The wire shelves are also a lot stronger than the MDF.

Pete C.

Reply to
Pete C.

Are they really the full on heavy duty type though? All I've seen look similar but don't have the 600-700 lb/shelf load ratings of the stuff I really want.

Ayup. unfortunately I don't have a pickup, so ordering from a place that will ship/deliver would be a bonus. I actually found a place in Detroit that specialized in used restaurant equipment, and bought one set of the restaurant shelves - in stainless! - for about $80. Unfortunately, I now live in Virginia, and anyway the girlie still refers to said store as "that creepy warehouse you dragged me to." And the shelves are in my friend's garage holding up his collection of four speed transmissions, etc. I don't think there's anything like that here, sadly.

To another poster: I would prefer not to build-in shelves because a) I am not yet committed to a layout for the garage and would like the ability to experiment and b) I would also like the ability to knock them down and take them with me if/when I move, so I don't have to go through this shelving procurement exercise again.

nate nate

Reply to
Nate Nagel

The Metro type shelves are available in 24" depth, but you won't find them at retail outlets.

Pete C.

Reply to
Pete C.

I'm with Lawrence on this one. Plywood and 2x4's is what my garage ends up using for shelving. When I redo my current garage I'm going attached to the walls, starting 3' off the floor and going to the ceiling. A

1/2" piece of plywood properly supported housed two TH350 transmissions in my garage last winter. (bottom half of my workbench.)

I guess you could worry about looks. I worry about storage space. I dunno where all this crap came from, but I think (race car) I might (race car) have an idea. The wife's car. ;)

Ray

Reply to
ray

====================================================================

The reason I suggested wood, is because you can get it in various dimensions, like 4x4's to support up to almost any weight you can think of, and it's available, as in Home Depot and such. And it doesn't rust. And its weight to strength ratio can be quite high. Wood can take a lot of abuse before it gives out. Same cannot be said about steel.

And my other reason for the suggestion is that once you build-in the shelves, leave them behind if you go somewhere else. The cost of moving them would exceed buying/building new somewhere else.

Depends on your particular situation. I like wood because I can work it without a welding torch. Just some saws and screw guns and I have what I want. Price is the other consideration. Wood is less expensive than steel, and, IMO...stronger.

But, you have your reasons for wanting steel, so go for it. It might be quite expensive when all is said and done.

Lg

Reply to
Lawrence Glickman

Metro makes shelves of 'solid' sheet steel. I see them each day I walk down to the factory floor. Plus I know that at least the corner pieces are die cast in the USA, because I've seen them being cast.

formatting link
Except the ones I am familiar with have wheels instead of feet.

found them under carts:

formatting link

Reply to
Brent P

There is no shortage to the goodies you can get in the real Metro line. I have a set of 24" x 60" Metro that I use as an entertainment center. You can get a decent selection from the commercial clones like Eagle as well. MSC, Grainger and similar carry the various lines. The container store actually carried the interMetro line retail and can special order other components.

The cheapo clone stuff you find at HD or Lowe's is of course limited to just he basic configurations they carry, but based on one unit I use as a printer stand they are well made. Sam's and the like tend to carry some of the larger Metro clones including one unit that's a bin rack and comes with the plastic bins and both wheels and leveling feet for $99 which is wonderful in the shop. I've got one and may get a second since the first is just about full.

Pete C.

Reply to
Pete C.

MSC, Grainger, The Container Store, etc. Plenty of places deliver. The wire shelves ship knocked down so you can transport in most any vehicle fairly easily as well.

There are used / new restaurant supply places in most ever larger city, you just have to look for them. You can find some wonderful stuff at them. When I worked fairly close to one I'd go there for lunch now and then, I don't think I ever made it out of there for less than $100, but my kitchen is very well equipped.

I really recommend against the built in wood shelves. They generally look ugly are bulkier and often weaker than the wire shelves, aren't adjustable, aren't easy to clean, absorb oil and grease and collect dust.

Pete C.

Reply to
Pete C.

yeah, but it's cheaper to use leftovers for shelving. Every $1 I spend on shelving is one less $1 for my race car. :)

besides, if they absorb oil and grease it means I don't have to clean them. ;)

Reply to
Ray

So you load your pristine race car onto a dilapidated rust bucket trailer held together with duct tape and bailing wire with your beat up tools and spare parts piled on in surplus 5 gal pickle buckets from a local restaurant? ;)

Pete C.

Reply to
Pete C.

you should be on my race team. You whine like they do. :) Or you could be like my buddy... fancy new truck, fancy new trailer, hasn't painted the car in 3 years. However, he was the Formula V champ for Western Canada, so maybe he's onto something.

When I'm organized, I'm organized. When I'm not... I'm not. I do have to say, I've never understood the guys who get to the racetrack and spend 3+ hours fixing stuff, tuning the carb, etc... when we get to the track, we unload, have lunch, check the tire pressures, and top up the gas tank. Unless of course I rip the exhaust off on the trailer...

:)

Reply to
Ray

yeah, N8

if you build it, you know what you have, and how it was built... and it will be a lot stronger than anything you can buy and screw together

Reply to
Green Acres is the place to be

You have an exhaust to rip off? That's like useless weight...

Pete C.

Reply to
Pete C.

yeah, but we kept burning the plug wires until I put the manifolds back on.

Reply to
Ray

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.