Choosing the right metal storage shelving for your garage might not be the biggest decision you ever make, but there are still plenty of choices to get you scratching your head. One of the bigger options to choose between is whether to go with wood, plastic, or metal shelving. They all have their advantages, but here we are going to talk about metal shelving, and why it could be right for your garage.
Metal Garage Shelves
[products limit=”100″ columns=”3″ category=”4645″ orderby=”popularity” order=”DESC”]Why Choose Metal Garage Shelves
Metal (that is, the kind of metal used in metal shelving) is a stronger material than wood, plastic, and the other materials typically used for garage shelving. The natural assumption would be more strength means that it can hold more weight, and this is certainly true, but there is more to it than that. The extra strength also means that the same carrying capacity can be achieved with far less material.
That means your metal shelving can be cheaper, lighter, and smaller than a wooden or plastic counterpart.
Different Types of Metal Garage Shelves
There are several styles of metal garage shelving, each with its own strengths and suitability for different situations. Read for a brief description of each of the main different styles.
Metal Garage Wall-Mounted Shelves
Wall-mounted shelves of any material have the advantage of being well out of the way, and metal wall-mounted shelves are no exception. These are an excellent option when space is at a premium.
It is worth noting that the extra strength of the metal is somewhat mitigated by the attachment to the wall-it doesn’t matter if the shelf is strong enough to hold something if the fastening holding it to the wall is not.
Metal Garage Free-Standing Shelves
Free-standing metal shelves take up more space than their wall-mounted counterparts, but they do not have to rely on a wall or fixings to bear the weight, since they stand on the floor. As you might expect, this makes them more suitable for heavier loads. They are also easier to move around since you can just empty the shelves and pick the whole thing up.
Heavy-Duty Metal Garage Shelves
Heavy-duty metal garage shelves are essentially the same as free-standing metal shelves, but stronger. They will be made from far more substantial metal, and capable of holding considerably more weight than their smaller, lighter siblings. As a result of those similarities, they bear the same advantages, though moving heavy-duty shelving around-even empty-is not nearly as easy.
Metal Wire Garage Shelves
Typically free-standing, metal wire garage shelves replace the sheet metal or wood board surface of the shelves themselves for a metal wire-based mesh. This design can achieve lighter shelving without too much of a reduction in strength, but their main advantage is for situations where you want somewhere to put wet items, as the mesh will allow water to fall through the shelving, rather than pool on top of it.
Steel Garage Shelves
Steel can come in two main flavors, with regular steel being the most commonly used material for metal shelving. Stainless steel is more expensive but has the advantage of being highly resistant to corrosion. You can get steel and stainless steel shelves in any of the styles mentioned above.
