Shop shelving questions

[blown motor]

18" or 24" deep? Cabinet or open shelving?

[Burdar]

Both.  The higher up the shelving is, the shallower it should be so you can reach stuff at the back.

[Dakota]

I have the 16" deep RubberMaid white wire stuff you can buy at Lowe's and Home Depot.  I would not use it in the garage again.   

With this style, you can get a lot of shelving space up quickly, but spray cans and bottles (like Windex) tip over easily unless you buy the extra plastic shelf liner.  I've had stuff get nudged off the ends of the shelves when the shelves were full and I moved something in the middle .  The good news and bad news is that you can see everything.

My "life after the Challenger is done" project list includes finishing the garage walls and replacing the open shelves with closed cabinets.

[72 Challenger]

Cabinets and nothing else. Garages get dusty and all of those small things on the shelf hold a ton of dust and crap. I have metal enclosed cabinets. Mine are only 14 inches deep.

[70 Challenger Lover]

If your space is large enough, I'd go deeper like 24". And heavy duty as well so you can sit brake drums and cylinder heads on them without worry. I like enclosed cabinets for stuff like car wash crap but for general dirty car part storage, I prefer open shelving so there are no side barriers getting in my way.

[jimynick]

Perhaps a wee question as to what you're storing may be germaine to the discussion? Blocks, transmissions, your old combine parts or something lighter? 

[1 Wild R/T]

Funny this gets posted today... I was recently the recipient of a large quantity of light industrial shelving, a contractor I know was tasked with the demo of an old bank... These shelves came out of a vault &  have been stacked with cash for years..  Unfortunately they were empty when I got them....

Some a 30" deep, most are 24" deep, there was one set that is 12" deep...

I got about 60' of 24" deep by assorted widths, some 48", some 42", some 36" & some 30"....   

I got 12' of 30" deep in 48" width

And as mentioned one 12" deep by 36" wide & all are 100" tall...

Nice stuff, almost like the buyer had an unlimited budget....

I spent today putting shelves in my second garage & storage building... Plus gave one of my neighbors all the 30" deep stuff...

Oh yeah, gave some to member Cuda Dad... This is the picture he sent me of his...

[7E-Bodies]

Very nice. I got 3 sets of very heavy 4'x8' pallet racks with 3-4 shelf units each given to me for free. Right place, right time. They've proven perfect for the 40x60 pole barn I've turned into my shop. I can really organize a torn down project car now.

[70 Challenger Lover]

That's the route I'd take if I had lots of shop space

[blown motor]

Perhaps a wee question as to what you're storing may be germaine to the discussion? Blocks, transmissions, your old combine parts or something lighter? 

Mostly products, supplies and lesser used tools. Spare parts are stored in the spare bedrooms. 

[RUNCHARGER]

The large, robust industrial shelves are the way to go if you can find any. I would sooner have a 4 foot deep industrial shelf on one side and nothing on the other if room is an issue. Never have I worried that a shelf was too heavy duty to support what was on it sitting beside a car.

[7E-Bodies]

A Craigslist search will typically find demo companies selling these en mass within a hundred miles or so, reasonably. As places close, businesses buy them up for resale. My 3 4x8 units have been a logistical life saver. 

[cordodge]

These hold a ton of stuff.

[blown motor]

That looks killer Bruce!

[anlauto]