Cabinet Layout Thoughts

[Fastbird]

My garage is.....interesting. Three car, standard two car and a third single bay sticking out to the left. It's long, and I have a bump out at the front end where my tool box currently resides as seen below.

My goal is to get storage space, functional space, and a good working surface where I can put a vise, my band saw or drill press when needed, etc.

I'm looking at prefinished full ply box cabinets in either a straight across configuration:

Or in an L shape configuration:

Either way the rear wall usable space will be about 60".

For the L shape, Menards has a 96x25 Butcher Block countertop that would fit perfectly cut down (the remnant would cover the other part of the L). It's only about $250 more. But I'm worried about the effect it's going to have on feel and space. The part facing left is where my old box used to sit and the big cabinet is where my box is now, and it felt tight. I'm worried about the cabinets extending that wall out more and making it feel smaller in there.

*Edit* Cabinets will be higher up than what's shown. My box is 47" high, and I plan to space up from that accordingly.

Any thoughts on either layout, or a different suggestion?

 

[zeke67]

L, more storage in an otherwise dead wall.

 

[kaymccampbell]

I vote for the L.
I might even center the toolbox, and put an L on each end, to get more mileage out of your space.

 

[drmarkr]

I would leave the upper cabs off the return on the "L".....for two reasons. First, that's where you want your vice. Second, you'll eventually have something tall that you're working on that the upper cabs will get in the way. My $0.02 anyways....

 

[drmarkr]

One more suggestion. Design in a shelf that extends out from the top of the upper cabs to, maybe, the 18-24" point. You can use that for storage, as well as get some strip LED's to mount on the bottom of it for good lighting on your countertop/work surface.

edit: I see you've already done something like this in your current setup!

 

[joey1320]

Straight on top.
L on the bottom.

 

[fourbyford]

My goal is to get storage space, functional space, and a good working surface where I can put a vise, my band saw or drill press when needed, etc.

Sounds like you need/want to use the lower cabinet as a workbench of sorts. IMO, the "L" shaped upper cabinets would significantly limit placing a bandsaw or drill press... and a vice located on the counter top would require a place for you to stand while using it... with accompanying headroom. As per your stated purpose, I'd go with just the back wall of cabinets... eliminate the "L".


*edit*... thinking about it, in any kitchen I've had, the corner cabinet has become almost a "lost" space... the degree of that depending on how the cabinet was designed. Seems like we always ended up putting things there that we didn't need to access often. Dunno... something like that may work for you in this instance... but, personally, I would just go with the back wall of cabinets.

...D

 

[dmcintosh]

What if you parked a heavy, wheeled table/bench where the L is on the right? This would allow you to keep the over head cabinets on that side, but offer a lot of flexibility if you need a fab/assembly/work space.

 

[Fastbird]

Good thoughts from all, thanks everyone.

I do plan to utilize the counter top as a work bench primarily.

Can't center the tool box, the left side wall is only 21.5" deep and I am OK with the box sitting in that corner, but cabinets sticking out from that would be odd to me. Not to mention only having about 30" of usable space on either side of the box wouldn't be very conducive for working use.

I plan to space the upper cabinets higher than the typical countertop to cabinet spacing. I'll have that over the tool box, so probably around 30" or more height spacing from the actual counter height. That's plenty of room to get my portable band saw or small drill press on and functioning between the counter and overhead cabinets (I'm 6'3" so I prefer higher cabinets anyway).

Here's another thought I had after some of the comments here:

Not turning the corner with the upper row of cabinets, and using the "dead" wall for the base cabinets only. This way I'll have almost 40" of space between the base cabinets and my toolbox so I can park my jacks and stands there.

In either configuration with cabinets on the L wall, the vice will be on the outermost end of the cabinet with no obstructions to either side. That one is the least of my worries.

The wheeled work table is a great though but the not so bright home builders put the main portion of my garage on an incline, to include about 80% of the main garage floor. Don't ask. Place was built in 98 and I'm continually shocked by some of the stuff I find.

 

[fourbyford]

If we're voting... I like option 3...

Let us know what you decide!

Nice renderings btw!



...D

 

[ddawg16]

Any interest in having a 'workstation' with monitors there?

It looks like you have a pretty high ceiling. 10'?
The ceiling in my inlaws garage is almost 10'. I installed some of those hanging racks from the ceiling and they can get just about all of the stuff up there. I like the stuff.

If it was me, I'd take that corner and make it the 'workstation'. A place where you can have a chair and room for your legs.

Being a hobby woodworker....I make my own cabinets. If you can buy what you need....go for it.

 

[Fastbird]

Any interest in having a 'workstation' with monitors there?

It looks like you have a pretty high ceiling. 10'?
The ceiling in my inlaws garage is almost 10'. I installed some of those hanging racks from the ceiling and they can get just about all of the stuff up there. I like the stuff.

If it was me, I'd take that corner and make it the 'workstation'. A place where you can have a chair and room for your legs.

Being a hobby woodworker....I make my own cabinets. If you can buy what you need....go for it.

They're closer to 14' high in that part of the garage. I do intend to do some drop storage from the ceiling. Have almost considered just building a short ceiling loft into it. The Christmas stuff all stays in the basement fortunately.

No plans for a work station, computer, or anything like that.

 

[John in OH]

I agree with option #3.

Another thing to consider is that drill presses and band saws usually take a lot of clearance around front and sides. Sooner or later you will have a long workpiece that will be blocked by the wall.

Solution might be to extend the butcher block top of the lower cabinets so that it projects out beyond the wall (wall with the door) so the drill press and/or bandsaw would have more clearance.

 

[custom_garage]

@Fastbird, I really like the blue drawer pulls on your tool cabinet. Are they original or did you color them and if so, how?

Apologies for the brief thread hijack.

TIA!