Garage shelving is the surest way of taming untidiness in the garage. It helps eliminate clutter and restore order. It also offers an alternative storage place for some of the items that are unnecessarily consuming space inside the house yet you do not use them that often. However for garage shelves to serve our needs proficiently, there are certain factors that we need to consider when buying garage shelving solutions. These factors include;
- Flexibility
Shelves that are mounted to the wall offer very limited flexibility whereas free-standing ones offer profound flexibility. If you are the kind of person who will in many occasions want to move your shelves from one point to another, then a free-standing type of self would very ideal garage shelving solution for you. There are certain free-standing shelves that come with lockable wheels making them very flexible. There are however, quite a number of risks associated with a free-standing kind of shelves. Such shelves are susceptible to tipping over. If it tips over and there are children in the garage or a car packed beside it, then injuries and damages are inevitable.
If your ceiling is high and flexibility is not a priority, you might want consider ceiling shelves. They offer ideal storage for items that are rarely needed. Installations of ceiling shelves however require the services of a professional.
- Capacity
The capacity of the shelves vary with material, flexibility and size. Steel is the strongest materials hence steel shelves have bigger capacity compared to wood and plastic counterparts. Wall-mounted shelves also offer more storage solution capacity compared to free-standing ones of the same size. Ventilated wire shelves exhibit lower capacity compared to its none-ventilated counterparts of smaller size.
- Space
It is important that you take actual measurement of the existing space before you go seeking for garage shelving solutions. Measure the shelves you want to buy will fit into the existing space. This was you will absolve you of many hassles associated with making adjustments to your new garage shelf for it to fit to the existing space.
- Material
Different materials offer different degrees of strengths and durability. Heavy duty steel is known to offer the best strength hence can support a lot of weight. It is however prone to corrosion and therefore one should consider shelves that are coated to prevent corrosion. Other materials available include wood and plastic. They are weaker but cheaper than steel and can support less weight.
- Cost
The cost of garage shelves is pegged on the capacity, material and flexibility. Of course the bigger the shelve the more costly it is irrespective of the material it is made of. You should keenly look into these factors in order to strike a balance. For instance, a wooden freestanding shelve could of a certain capacity could be costing lesser than a plastic one that has a lower capacity. Therefore, compare these factors cautiously to ensure you get a proper balance for a fair price.