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You are here: Home / Archives for Garage Storage Systems / Garage Storage Solutions

Overhead Storage

March 5, 2013 by Rick Scully

A recurring theme in helping my clients with garage organization is getting stuff off the floor. Having hooks to hang tools and racks to store equipment keeps the garage neat and maximizes your space. But there’s often an overlooked way to get even more storage space from your garage. Overhead, there’s a whole new area for storage.

Overhead racks are an ideal place to store items that you use infrequently. It’s a great place for storing garden furniture in the winter, as well as camping gear, out-of-season sports equipment and seasonal decorations. Tires can also be stored on overhead racks, but it’s best for tires without rims. Tires with rims are heavy and you likely don’t want to lift that much weight over your own head.

 

Where can I place overhead storage?

ready-made steel overhead storage above garage doorSelecting the ideal area for ceiling storage depends on the height of your ceilingand whether you have an entrance to your home from the garage. Over the garage doors, for example, is an ideal spot if your ceiling is 10 feet or higher. The tops of the rear and side walls make excellent storage areas as well, provided that you leave enough clearance for parking and walking below.

 

Types of overhead storage solutions

Ready-made

tire storage solutions - mounted overhead tire storage

There are ready-made durable racks made of steel with a scratch-resistant finish. The ceiling unit is 48 x 96 inches and is secured to the ceiling joists. The rack can extend from 16 to 34 inches from the ceiling and holds up to 750 lbs.

For ready-made overhead storage on the side walls, there are 24 x 48 inch cantilevered racks that can be attached to the wall studs with sturdy metal brackets. These shelves can hold lighter items of under 200 lbs.

 

Custom-made

custom overhead storage, rear wall secured with airplane cablesGarage Tailors Garage can create custom-made overhead storage that opens up a whole new world of possibilities. Canadian garages are rarely a standard size or shape and this limits what is available in ready-made storage solutions. Having overhead storage custom-designed to fit your garage ensures you are making good use of every inch of available space.

Ready-made overhead racks come in limited sizes and are often wide and open on all sides, making it difficult to see and reach items stored in the middle. We can design and make overhead platforms out of wood to any shape, size or depth you need.

1 car garage, central Toronto - attic mezzanine overhead storage for 1.5 storey garage

Garage Tailors Garage attaches custom-made overhead storage to the ceiling using aircraft cable. These sturdy cables can support more than 1000 lbs. And we’ll finish your platforms to complement the design of your garage. The possibilities are endless. We can even install pot lights underneath to create a lighted workspace or create something as elaborate as the mezzanine we recently built for a client, complete with a space-saving retractable ladder.

Often clients will choose a combination of ready-made and custom-made storage to make their garage space work for them. If you’re ready to get organized, consider overhead storage.

 

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Spring Purging

February 5, 2013 by Rick Scully

Spring Purge

For many people, hanging onto the memories & sentiments of kids sporting equipment, science projects and bedroom furniture or pieces of wood from recently completed renovations is comforting.  You just never know when you might need a piece of wood for a home project or an extra roll of insulation.

Purge before Adding Storage2 car garage willowdale showcase - garage door, clutter, painted garage floor, slatwall organizer, shelving, drywall finished walls, drywall finished ceilings2 car garage willowdale showcase - garage cabinets, overhead platform storage, tire storage, seasonal storage, flatscreen tv, work station, polyaspartic garage flooring

Why bother getting rid of perfectly good things when you can always store things in the garage? But wouldn’t you like to be able to park both your cars inside during the winter, or not have to worry about your kids taking out their bikes and scratching the car doors? Maybe it’s time to purge.

Start with a manageable task.  Just charging ahead and trying to tidy everything up sets you up for disappointment.  Take a good long look at all the stuff living in your garage and divide it up into what you need and what you no longer use. Old bikes, skiis and other household items may be useful and valuable to other people so give them away. Give away online via freecycle, donate items to a charity, prepare for a garage sale or just leave things at the curb. It’s almost guaranteed someone will scoop them up.

The next step is to review what you need to store in the garage and organize it into groups by category.  Decide how often items are accessed as well as their use & placement within the garage.  For example, holiday decorations can be placed into a sealed plastic storage bin instead of a cardboard box in the corner of the garage.  For seasonal items, the best place for them is off the floor and above in overhead storage where you will only be accessing them occasionally or once a year. If you don’t create a well thought plan for storage locations of items, you’re likely to resort to old habits and pile them up in the corner.

Creating designated storage areas in the garage is the key to good organization.  Unlike your kitchen, which already has specific places such as a pantry for food or drawers for cutlery, a garage usually starts as a bare room with walls & doors. Create specific zones for items so they can be found when you need to use them, or stored safely away when you don’t. Imagine the ease of knowing where to look and  finding your weed remover when you need it, or no longer tripping over your son’s skates on the garage floor. Clearing the clutter and a bit of organizing can do wonders for your state of mind. Start by deciding how you want to use your space, then transforming it to suit those needs.

Gardening equipment such as rakes, hoes and spades can be stored in one zone and can be hung from hooks.  Shovels and ice breakers can also be hung on the wall.  Sports equipment, such as hockey sticks and pucks can be placed on hooks or in baskets. And while you’re re-arranging your space, garbage and recycling bins placed near the entrance to the house makes for convenient access.

A happy consequence of purging the garage and getting it organized for spring is a sense of freedom or heavy weight finally being lifted.  I’ve helped many people transform cluttered garages, where there wasn’t room to park the family car, into garages with the space to store family belongings, to become a workshop and to park the full number of vehicles intended.  When the garage is no longer a dumping ground for things without a home, it becomes a functional living space and frees up room for tools, sports equipment, seasonal decorations and garbage and recycling bins.  I can show you garage storage solutions and fabulous products to transform your garage into the envy of your neighbours. 

My clients say they feel happier and uplifted when they are finally free of the shackles of a cluttered and dangerous garage.  Organizing allows them to concentrate on things that really matter and to stop stressing about the mess hidden behind the garage door.  If you’re interested in discovering your garage’s potential, start by purging.

 

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Winter Toy Storage

January 22, 2013 by Rick Scully

In the great Canadian tradition of celebrating winter, sports equipment that lets you face the elements for pure fun is crucial.  From toboggans and skis to snowshoes, snowboards and skates, there’s a range of winter toys that can enhance your family life when you’re surrounded by snow and ice.

garage entrance to home - effectively leverage space for sports storageThe types and amounts of equipment families have stowed away generally depends on their children’s ages.  When kids are little, toboggans, sleds, crazy carpets and flying saucers are in abundance.  As they get a little older, skis become the most common.

Creating a proper storage solution for your skis, boots and poles is a simple way to protect your investment.  The better you take care of them, the longer they’ll last.  You could store your skis in the house but if they’re not properly dried out, you might end up with wet carpets or slippery floors.  If they are hung on hooks inside the garage, drips won’t matter. Wherever you decide to put them, the best reason to have a designated space is so you won’t have to look around to find everything when the snow beckons.

Hockey gear is another type of sports equipment that can be found in abundance in many households. Ideally, if you insist on bringing your hockey equipment into the house, the ripened under armour, long johns, socks and jerseys would immediately find their way into the washing machine while the pads, pants and gloves would dry out on a laundry rack.  But since late-night ice times are very common, most of the time after the game is over, the sweaty gear gets taken inside the house and dumped in the basement.  Admit it, you’ve done it at least once.

There is a middle ground.  As long as you take your under gear inside, skates, sticks, helmets and pads can be dried out in the garage so the musk doesn’t infiltrate the house and potentially aggravate your housemates. True, your gear will be cooler when you put it into the bag, but by the time you arrive at the rink, it’s more than likely warmed up.  And if you’re playing on a year-round league, for three seasons it’s not even a factor.

One family I worked with didn’t want their young boys bringing their hockey gear into the house.  The optimal solution was to build a locker in the garage for them to hang their skates, pants, gloves and pads using a combination of baskets, shelves and hooks mounted to an end wall.  All the washable stuff went inside with the kids for proper clean up.

Winter is an amazing time of the year.  An organized garage where you can protect your car from the elements, while also accessing everything you need to play in the snow, makes it that much better.

Depending on your budget, needs and taste, I can recommend the perfect cabinets and garage storage systems to accommodate all the athletes in your house.  Our suppliers Hercke, Onex and CTECH offer higher quality and more adaptable products than the typical garage cabinets found in big box stores.  Or if you’d like to discuss a custom storage system for your family’s specific activities which can be a better fit as well as cost effective, I can assist you with a solution to make it easy for everyone to use your garage in a way that fits the lifestyle.

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Simple and Secure Tire Storage

November 20, 2012 by Rick Scully

 

If you’re like most people, you might be pretending that despite the raked leaves, frosty mornings and occasional dusting of snow, winter is still far away.  Or maybe you’re thinking that given last year’s virtually nonexistent winter and lack of snow, we’re in for the same this year.  Either way, it’s hard to imagine getting excited about the task of hauling out the snow tires and heading to the garage for a changeover.  But if your tires are stored properly and easy to access, this seemingly fraught task is simple.

 tire storage solutions - mounted overhead tire storage

At Garage Tailors Garage, our garage renovations are designed to maximize storage and organize your belongings efficiently.  Tires require a designated space for safe storage.  Many of our clients opt for wall tire racks, which can accommodate tires with or without rims.  These racks are mounted securely to the wall and ensure that the tires don’t touch the floor putting unnecessary pressure on the rubber.  This configuration is especially practical for people with physical limitations who are unable to lift heavier objects or for people who simply would rather not.  Depending on what other items you want to store and the size of your garage, cabinets are another close-to-the-floor option that also keeps tires out-of-sight for a sleeker look.  These cabinets must be at least 48 inches deep and 30 inches high to fit most tires.

 

For tires without rims, we often suggest overhead storage solutions that also include room for storing heavy-duty floor mats and other out-of-season belongings.  One of our more common installations involves suspending steel racks from the ceiling.  This system is both strong and secure while also being easily accessed by a stepladder when you need take care of the seasonal tire changeover.  It’s also a good option for people with one or two sets of tires. Platforms can support more weight so I often suggest them for clients with multiple vehicles, sets of tires and other automotive accessories.

 

Of course for people with very large garages and a penchant for high-tech storage solutions, we recommend hydraulic lifts.  These sit flat against the wall and lift the tires but since you can’t store items underneath, you’ll need space to accommodate the snow blower, bicycles, garden equipment and any other things that live in the garage.

 

Proper tire storage is easy and doesn’t require a lot of space or expense, just a bit of planning so you can transition effortlessly from season to season.  Make your life easier with a Garage Tailors Garage transformation.  That way you’ll always know where to find everything when you need it, and in winter you’ll even be able to park your cars in the garage where they belong and save time clearing snow off windshields in the morning. 

 

To ensure minimal disruption, our renovations can be completed in as few as two days.  I’d be happy to come over to discuss options and give you an estimate.

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Onex Cabinets

November 6, 2012 by Rick Scully

 

Any home renovation, no matter how big or small, requires a myriad of decisions. A great way to ease your mind is to hire a professional with specialized expertise. At Garage Tailors Garage, we’re experts in garage renovations that provide efficient organization, innovative storage and also look terrific. One of the main components of a successful garage transformation is the cabinetry so to that end, we only use products and suppliers with a great track record.

 Onex garage cabinets - configured, sized to fit, matches house & wall colours

Last month, I talked about the family-owned Hercke cabinets and garage organization systems and next month, I’ll be discussing Ctech, a very sleek, high-tech system popular with high-performance car aficionados. The focus this time is Onex™, a sturdy, mid-range system constructed from steel that’s completely customizable and the ideal garage storage system for design conscious homeowners.

 

One of the most appealing features of Onex High Performance Steel cabinets is the expansive range of colours. The company offers 21 different colours that are easily coordinated with your car, mudroom or to complement the wall paint and floor. The Onex catalogue boasts 50 different cabinet options that can be configured in a wide range of ways to maximize the space and storage capacity in any garage. This includes base and wall cabinets, tall floor cabinets, tables and suspended cabinets.

 

COnex Mottonstructed from cold-rolled steel, the components have a barrier coating against moisture and corrosion, an ideal feature given the swings in the Canadian climate and our extremely cold winters and humid summers. Additionally, the customized colour coatings are produced on a thermosetting powder-coating system, a high temperature process, which irreversible cures polymers ensuring a high-quality finish with excellent scratch and chemical resistance. This finish is an important feature given the sometimes rough and tumble uses of your garage and means that the cabinets will look great for a very long time.

 

Another notable feature of Onex components is their consistency. The company is registered under the Switzerland-based ISO standard (International Organization for Standardization). ISO is a quality management system that measures the ongoing performance of products.

 

Onex garage cabinets, custom colours & sizesWhen we take on a garage transformation, we like to work from the outside in and blend the look so that it’s an extension of the house. Some clients like a serene, unified look and choose paint colours that blend and disappear. Other clients want something that really stands out and are more drawn to bold, vibrant colours. With the wide selection of colour options and configurations offered for Onex High Performance Steel Cabinets, it’s easy to create the customized garage storage system that suits your specific needs, tastes and style. Fully adaptable and flexible for any surface, the steel cabinets also have optional locks so you can safely secure dangerous chemicals or valuable tools and equipment.

 

Onex can produce a customized storage cabinet solution in about six weeks and Garage Tailors Garage renovations can be completed in as few as two days to ensure minimal disruption. I’d be happy to come over and give you an estimate.

 

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Avoid Seasonal Anxiety Disorder with a Garage Changeover

October 2, 2012 by Rick Scully

 

Spring cleaning has become a tried and true ritual, the ideal time to gather up unwanted things for a garage sale or trash haul. Fall is also a great time of year to consider a sort and purge to transition into winter and ensure your garage is ready to do what it was built for – protect your car from the elements. But for many people, the idea of saying goodbye to summer and getting ready for winter is so off-putting they avoid it. At Garage Tailors Garage we call this common condition, Seasonal Anxiety Disorder. And the best way to alleviate symptoms is to have an organized garage.

 seasonal garage storage changeover - shovel, snowblower, decorations

For people with existing garage storage solution systems, the time that it takes to do the seasonal changeover is usually less than an hour. The changeover typically involves transferring the items you won’t need for a few months to the back of your garage and the ones you will be using to the front for quick access. Shovels replace rakes, the snow blower gets more prominent placement than the lawnmower and you can stash the pink, bug-eliminating windshield fluid in a cupboard and break out the blue antifreeze. Any sand or ice melting products that keep your stairs, pathways and front sidewalk slip-free get moved to a basket, which is suspended just off the floor near the front of the garage to grab when necessary. Snow tires are removed from overhead platforms or secure floor racks to be replaced with your all-weather tires until the spring. Typically people power-wash the garage in the spring to remove any salt stains from the floor, but a good soap, water and brush cleaning in the fall wouldn’t hurt.

 

If you’ve accumulated stuff that you no longer need, get rid of it. Give it away to a charity, have a garage sale or throw it out. Don’t put yourself in the position that led you to organize your garage in the first place. Purging should be an ongoing activity. It’s impossible to keep everything and keeping things you’ll never use again is a waste of space. For example, when kids get older, strollers get replaced by tricycles, which are replaced by scooters and bikes. Unless you’re planning on having more children, don’t keep the stroller. That’s what Craigslist and Kijiji, or the curb with a “free” sign, are for.

 

However, if the very idea of going into your garage to dig out winter items makes you feel queasy, you might be suffering unnecessarily from a bout of Seasonal Anxiety Disorder. Chaotic garages can be scary, but the problem is easily remedied.  If you’ve never organized your garage, or the last time you did was during the past millennium, the best way to tackle it is to start in reverse. First, you decide what you need to keep, what to donate and what to throw away and then organize your garage to make space for your cars. The process takes planning, time and money, but ultimately will save you valuable time and aggravation each time you realize snow is on the way.

 

You can pretend the good weather will last forever and then cuss and fuss every time you find yourself scraping snow and ice from your windshield in minus 30 degrees. Or you can transform your garage with custom-designed storage solutions that address your personal needs and get into a warm, snow-free vehicle every winter morning.

 

At Garage Tailors Garage, we’re hoping to eradicate Seasonal Anxiety Disorder so everyone can feel good about getting the garage winter-ready.  If you’re interested in knowing what could be done with your garage, we offer free in-home consultations.

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Selling your house? Let your garage help set the stage.

September 25, 2012 by Rick Scully

 

When you’re thinking about putting your house up for sale, you can’t just hang out a For Sale sign, let people stroll through an open house and expect a great offer or incite a bidding war.  Even though the current real estate market is overheated, the trend toward timed offers and increasingly savvy buyers combined with the popularity of interior design and home makeover shows have created new challenges to attract buyers willing to go the distance.

 

garage interior design - home stagingHouses are now staged, often by professional companies that remove your personal effects and replace them with stylish home furnishings and décor.  Home staging, or fluffing as it’s sometimes known in the industry, might also include upgrading flooring, lighting and painting to give your home a fresh, new look.  Since curb appeal is important, it’s not uncommon for agents to suggest some minor landscaping or at the very least putting out a large planter with flowers.

 

Generally speaking, when showing houses, real estate agents don’t spend much time in the garage mainly because they’re usually a mess.  That’s unfortunate since a garage is another asset that adds value to your home.   A clean, tidy garage with well-organized storage provides another feature for agents to point out to their clients.  Not only does it highlight useful storage solutions, it’s also a place to show a home’s personality, utility and suitability for potential buyers.

 

While “garage staging” isn’t an industry standard yet, I have been called in to install slatwall and flooring by a contractor who was finishing a house on the Bridle Path.  In addition to setting up a system for organizing the garage, I supplied bikes, golf clubs, tennis racquets and gardening tools to make it look authentic so that prospective buyers could envision how the space might work for their needs.

 

When you’re considering minor upgrades to make your home market-ready, don’t forget about the garage. It can be so much more than the place to stow packed boxes and Rubbermaid bins before your move and really showcase the flexibility and livability of the house.

 

One of the more popular upgrades we do is creating customized overhead storage shelves. Suspended from the ceiling the shelves create a half storey and increase the storage space footprint for items like snow tires and seasonal decorations that are only accessed once or twice a year.  We can also paint and install slatwall, which can be outfitted with cam lock hooks to hang everything from shovels, rakes and power tools to skis and bikes.  Flooring is another easy option.  Unlike concrete, which soaks up oil and shows other stains, our low-VOC polyaspartic floors don’t absorb liquids and can be washed with soap and water.  Plus, depending on the complexity, the renovation can usually be done in two days.

 

Buyers are critics.  While they’re looking for reasons to buy your house, they’re also considering reasons not to buy it. One way to ensure good reviews is to put everything in its place.  A garage upgrade is a cost effective, efficient way to increase the value of your property before you sell it. 

 

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Seasonal Garage Storage

September 11, 2012 by Rick Scully

 

Every family is unique, which means their storage needs differ. That’s why garages should be adaptable and suited to your lifestyle. If your family enjoys the holidays, you probably have an array of seasonal items and decorations stuffed into boxes that are stacked precariously in the corner of the basement or garage. Since they’re only accessed once a year, it might not be the most effective or, more importantly, safe use of your storage space.

 

sukkah for the sukkot celebration - storing it is not so easyWhether your holiday celebrations include elaborate Halloween decorations, large Christmas nativity scenes and inflatable snowballs or sukkahs, Garage Tailors Garage specializes in creating innovative storage solutions like overhead storage and platforms that are customized for your requirements.

 

For example, safely storing a sukkah can be a challenge. For those of you unfamiliar with a sukkah, it’s a temporary, four-walled structure with a thatched roof that is used for eating meals (and sometimes sleeping) during the Jewish holiday known as Sukkot. During September and October, there is a series of celebrations including Sukkot, the Feast of the Tabernacles, or Booth, mentioned in the Old Testament. The seven-day holiday is like an extended Thanksgiving with families gathering to eat in a sukkah in the backyard or on the back porch (the sukkah is meant to represent the fragile dwellings used by the Israelites during their time living in the desert).

 

The size of a sukkah varies depending on the number of people in the family, and they can be constructed from large pieces of wood, aluminum or fiberglass sheeting that measure about 8 x 10 and include other bracing pieces to ensure structural integrity. Sometimes they’re made from metal frames and canvas or cloth reminiscent of a prospector’s tent. Since it’s an item that is used every year, it’s made to have a level of integrity and re-usability.  They can be self built or even bought pre-made from specialized companies.

 

Even though a sukkah is built to be outdoors, it shouldn’t remain outside all year, especially given our climate. The pieces are usually too cumbersome for convenient basement storage and tucking them away in some unused area of the backyard or under the patio isn’t the best way to care for your investment.

 

When clients request a storage space for the sukkah, or any other seasonal items, Garage Tailors Garage assesses your garage size and storage requirements before designing the most reliable and viable solution. This can include installing an overhead garage storage system that can be easily accessed by a ladder, a custom platform or a wall shelving enclosure to ensure the various pieces of the structure can be safely restrained. Additionally, because meals are eaten inside the sukkah, the family will often have a folding table and bridge chairs that require a storage solution. These items need to be more readily accessed for other occasions so an ideal organization solution is an area with a Camlok™ system to hang the chairs from.

 

If you’re looking for a sensible way to store your sukkah, or any other holiday items, I’d be happy to come over and give you an estimate. A simple garage storage project can be completed in as little as two days, so there’s minimal disruption.

 

In the meantime, to our Jewish clients and friends celebrating the year 5773 on the Hebrew calendar, the team at Garage Tailors Garage wish you a “shana tova” (Happy New Year).

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Maximize the Effectiveness of Your Garage Sale

August 21, 2012 by Rick Scully

garage sale - de-clutter, organize and prepare to tranform your garageWhen people embark on a garage transformation, the question they’re faced with is “How do I make room for the cars and get rid of the mess?”  In a previous blog post, seasonal garage anxiety disorder, I discussed an easy way to sort through the clutter.  A lot of what you’re storing may not be of use to you, but it may be useful to someone else.

 

A garage sale can be an effective way to sell some of the stuff that’s in your garage and generate some money to put towards your transformation, but it has to be done right!  Here are some tips on holding an successful garage sale:

 

Before the sale:

  • Advertise.  Keep the posters simple with your address, dates and times.  Many realtors will have signs they’ll loan out that you can prop up around the neighbourhood to direct traffic, but you can also put posters up on lamp posts.  Don’t discount an ad in the paper – many people still check the local newspaper for garage sale listings.
  • Price your items in advance and keep the prices realistic.  Often people think their stuff is more valuable than it is.  The people that go to garage sales are mostly bargain hunters.  For things that are clean and in good shape, try pricing it at about a fifth of retail value.  If it’s new or almost new, the piece could command a third.  Repair something if it needs it.  Wash it if it’s dirty.
  • If you’re unsure about an older appliance or baby product, check with Health Canada’s Product Recalls
  • Be prepared for early birds who will arrive before the scheduled opening time!

 

During the sale

  • Be friendly.  Nobody likes a silent shopkeeper.
  • Have lots of change ready (10 fives, one roll each of quarters, loonies and toonies should do).
  • Don’t use a cashbox, it’s too easy to forget.  A money belt or fanny pack is better.
  • Designate one person as the cashier, that way there’s no confusion over what’s been sold and for how much.
  • Selling electronics?  Make it easy for people to test these items by having an extension cord or putting in fresh batteries.

 

Exit Strategy

  • In the early afternoon, start reducing prices.
  • Have a plan for the items that go unsold.  You can drop them off at a charity at the end of the day (some will do a pick up).

 

You’ve now freed up space in your garage, gotten rid of the clutter that’s been holding you back and the garage is now ready to do the job it was designed to do.

 

Filed Under: Garage Storage Solutions, Garage Storage Systems, Organizing Tips Tagged With: bargain hunters, charity donation, de-clutter garage, exit strategy, fanny pack, fresh batteries, garage sale, garage sale listings, garage transformation, lamp posts, money belt, neighbourhood, older appliance, realtors, reducing prices, retail value, successful garage sale

How To Choose Garage Cabinets For Your Storage Needs

July 24, 2012 by Rick Scully

When it comes to recommending cabinets for people, we recommend three different suppliers:  Hercke, Onex and Ctech.  All three will do the job and choosing one depends on a number of factors that are personal and garage specific.  Take into consideration the space available, budget and aesthetic preferences.

Onex Steel Garage Cabinets, a great garage storage solutionWe don’t offer wood cabinets because in this climate, the materials need to be water resistant.  I’ve labelled the brands ‘good’, ‘better’ and ‘best’ because all three companies build solid products that will offer similar storage solutions. 

The difference is in the details:

 

Construction
Hercke and Onex are both made of steel, but Onex offers a lower gauge, which is stronger. Ctech uses aluminum and offers a strength between the other two, but again, all three are very durable and made for heavy residential use. Car enthusiasts would likely see the Ctech in racing trailers.

 

Cabinet Type
The space you have available is the key to which kind of cabinets will fit you best.  Hercke cabinets are modular and the lower units come in 30 inch widths.  If your garage accommodates this modular width, Hercke can be a good option.  I’d also recommend it if you have a lot of space, because you don’t need to maximize every square inch of your garage.  The upper units are also 30 inches wide, but they offer depths of 12 and 24 inches.  Unfortunately, if they don’t fit into the space available, there’s not a lot of opportunity to customize the cabinets.

Both Onex and Ctech provide completely custom cabinets with neither company carrying any inventory.  These cabinets can be ordered to fit your garage precisely which is important when you need to optimize the use of space available.

 

Colours
Hercke cabinets come with black cases (sides, top, bottom and shelves) and offer either stainless steel or brushed silver doors.

Onex offers 21 basic colours and Ctech offers 9 basic colours.  Both companies can create a custom colour for you, for an additional cost.  Depending on your priorities and budget, it can make a significant difference.  One of our clients had a Ferrari and wanted his cabinets to be Ferrari red as well.  The results were phenomenal. 

 

Flexibility
Hercke cabinets aren’t very flexible in terms of finishes, measurements or hardware.  Both Onex and Ctech offer full customization and are built to order, which means that we can customize the cabinets to fit your unique needs, whether it’s lockers for specialized equipment, a work station or anything else you may want.

 

Cost and Design
Hercke cabinets are the lowest price because they are modular and can be manufactured in bulk.  Onex cabinets cost 25% more than Hercke, and Ctech cost 25% more than Onex .  Some people prefer the Ctech cabinet style over the Onex cabinet style and vice versa.

Both Hercke and Onex are a basic square shape, but Ctech offers a little more flair with the rounded edges.  Ctech also come with  MotionLatch™ doors, which operate in a similar fashion to self-closing cabinets.  It’s not a necessity, but it’s a good feature to have in order to prevent your own and other unwanted small critters from accidentally entering the cabinets as well as for safety.

 

Options
All three companies make cabinets with adjustable legs or castors.  You can also choose different kinds of handles for the Hercke cabinets but that’s where the options end.

The Onex steel cabinets offer custom the hardware options, finish and colour to complement the other aspects of your garage.  Finally, the Ctech cabinet options are even more upscale with radius edging on the closets, along the bottom, and MotionLatch™ doors.

There are situations where I would recommend Onex over Hercke when placing  garage cabinets along a side wall.  Onex provides cabinet legs at any length because we have to ensure the cabinets are level.  Hercke may be a good option where there are other ways to level the unit because the legs adjust only a small amount.  However, these other solutions may not be as aesthetically pleasing a solution.

 

Lockable
All Hercke cabinets lock while Onex and Ctech offer locks as options.  Depending on what you are storing, you may not want or need locks on all your cabinets.  Locks can provide security against vandalism and can protect dangerous items from children.

 

Paint
All three brands of cabinets have a powder-coated finish which makes them scratch resistant and easier to clean.

Filed Under: Garage Storage Solutions, Garage Storage Systems Tagged With: aluminum cabinets, basic colours, cabinet style, cabinets lock, ctech cabinets, ctech offers, customize cabinets, garage bayview, garage north, garage oakville, garage toronto, garage transformations, garage view, hercke cabinets, hercke good, hercke onex, north york, oakville garage, Onex cabinets, onex offers, onex steel, organizers garage, overhead storage, solutions garage, steel cabinets, toronto garage, wall organizers, work station, york garage

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