Down to 3 options for new garage tool storage / workbench

[dockdoc]

I've been scouring the forums looking for ideas... This is for my new 2 car garage which has a somewhat oversized back corner behind the stairs, creating a 7x4 alcove at the end of the large back wall.

Here's what I'm thinking...

Option 1: New Age Bold. Specifically this one. Pretty straightforward, but I'm concerned about shipping damage (Seems common) and also they seem to be mediocre quality cabinets for $1800+. Decided I'm not going to drop $3k+ on the similar pro setup.

Close second would be a similar setup with the Seville Ultra HD line, doing their rolling 72" workbench, wall mounted cabinets and caster-mounted tall cabinets in a similar configuration.


Option 2: DIY. I have the tools and skillset to build a nice corner workbench setup, into which I'd incorporate some store-bought metal cabinets for the walls, and probably a couple tall cabinets on casters (both would be the Seville Ultra HD line). This would be your standard 2x4 and plywood, slap some paint on it, built in shelves and lots of desktop / pegboard storage. I had this setup in my previous space which was a fraction of the size and it worked well (just not as attractive).

I would also incorporate a HF US General 44" box into this setup, which is something I've had my eye on a while.

Something like this:


Option 3: Curious what folks think about this. Guy is selling this setup which is Ikea. It's pretty nice looking, fits my space really well, lots of storage. I saw it in person, it's incredibly sturdy stuff, but I assume because it's Ikea it must be MDF... right? If that's the case, big skip? He wants $2500 for this setup.

 

[bucolic]

I bought the New Age Cabinets and for my light-duty use, they are perfect. I went with the 9 piece due to space constraints and wanting it to fit on a certain wall. No shipping damage at all and they seemed to be packed extremely well. I had a pickup truck load of packing material to dispose of. I did order them direct from New Age also so perhaps that reduces the chance of damage as they are not shipped to a Home Depot warehouse and then Home Depot ships them again.

If you were a working garage and opening and closing these cabinets for 12 hours a day then the pro may be a better choice but for my home garage, I don't see these ever having an issue. Plus the pro was deeper which I didn't want as I wanted to preserve the floor space and again really didn't have a need for the deeper cabinets.

If you are interested here is a YouTube video I did showing them.

 

[The Frisco Kid]

I've been scouring the forums looking for ideas... This is for my new 2 car garage which has a somewhat oversized back corner behind the stairs, creating a 7x4 alcove at the end of the large back wall.

Here's what I'm thinking...

Option 1: New Age Bold. Specifically this one. Pretty straightforward, but I'm concerned about shipping damage (Seems common) and also they seem to be mediocre quality cabinets for $1800+. Decided I'm not going to drop $3k+ on the similar pro setup.

Close second would be a similar setup with the Seville Ultra HD line, doing their rolling 72" workbench, wall mounted cabinets and caster-mounted tall cabinets in a similar configuration.


Option 2: DIY. I have the tools and skillset to build a nice corner workbench setup, into which I'd incorporate some store-bought metal cabinets for the walls, and probably a couple tall cabinets on casters (both would be the Seville Ultra HD line). This would be your standard 2x4 and plywood, slap some paint on it, built in shelves and lots of desktop / pegboard storage. I had this setup in my previous space which was a fraction of the size and it worked well (just not as attractive).

I would also incorporate a HF US General 44" box into this setup, which is something I've had my eye on a while.

Something like this:


Option 3: Curious what folks think about this. Guy is selling this setup which is Ikea. It's pretty nice looking, fits my space really well, lots of storage. I saw it in person, it's incredibly sturdy stuff, but I assume because it's Ikea it must be MDF... right? If that's the case, big skip? He wants $2500 for this setup.

I don't know exactly what Ikea pricing looks like these days, but I don't see $2500 worth of Ikea cabinets there. I did an entire 25 liner feet of upper cabinets and the kitchen lowers for about 1200 several years ago. I'm sure the prices have gone up, and there is a lot of hardware on there, but still...

Have you priced out a similar setup straight from Ikea?

 

[dockdoc]

I bought the New Age Cabinets and for my light-duty use, they are perfect. I went with the 9 piece due to space constraints and wanting it to fit on a certain wall. No shipping damage at all and they seemed to be packed extremely well. I had a pickup truck load of packing material to dispose of. I did order them direct from New Age also so perhaps that reduces the chance of damage as they are not shipped to a Home Depot warehouse and then Home Depot ships them again.

If you were a working garage and opening and closing these cabinets for 12 hours a day then the pro may be a better choice but for my home garage, I don't see these ever having an issue. Plus the pro was deeper which I didn't want as I wanted to preserve the floor space and again really didn't have a need for the deeper cabinets.

If you are interested here is a YouTube video I did showing them.

Thanks! Maybe I should just go this route then. They’re good looking!

 

[dockdoc]

I don't know exactly what Ikea pricing looks like these days, but I don't see $2500 worth of Ikea cabinets there. I did an entire 25 liner feet of upper cabinets and the kitchen lowers for about 1200 several years ago. I'm sure the prices have gone up, and there is a lot of hardware on there, but still...

Have you priced out a similar setup straight from Ikea?

I haven’t - to be honest I was surprised he said they are IKEA, they look way nicer than that. I’ll try and copy the design and see what I get. He said they were $6500 new.

 

[dockdoc]

I bought the New Age Cabinets and for my light-duty use, they are perfect. I went with the 9 piece due to space constraints and wanting it to fit on a certain wall. No shipping damage at all and they seemed to be packed extremely well. I had a pickup truck load of packing material to dispose of. I did order them direct from New Age also so perhaps that reduces the chance of damage as they are not shipped to a Home Depot warehouse and then Home Depot ships them again.

If you were a working garage and opening and closing these cabinets for 12 hours a day then the pro may be a better choice but for my home garage, I don't see these ever having an issue. Plus the pro was deeper which I didn't want as I wanted to preserve the floor space and again really didn't have a need for the deeper cabinets.

If you are interested here is a YouTube video I did showing them.

I watched your video and it's super helpful... One thing that struck me though was the height of this setup... it looks super short! It might be the camera angle / lens but it actually looks like you're taller than the cabinets... are these that short? The site says they're 76.75" high, whereas the pros are 86" high. My garage has 9' ceilings, wouldn't these look tiny?

 

[bucolic]

I watched your video and it's super helpful... One thing that struck me though was the height of this setup... it looks super short! It might be the camera angle / lens but it actually looks like you're taller than the cabinets... are these that short? The site says they're 76.75" high, whereas the pros are 86" high. My garage has 9' ceilings, wouldn't these look tiny?

I am bout 6'2" tall. I just measured the cabinets and I got 75 1/4" high and my garage is 103" high so about 5" shy of being 9'. I don't think they would look out of place at all height-wise and the nice thing is I don't have to reach for anything in the cabinets. Everything is right there at eye level to just grab. Here is a photo not distorted from the Go-Pro wide angle.

 

[Daniel Dudley]

Ikea cabinets are fine if you don't bash them or drop them before installation. I usually end prime the panels under a sink and caulk the seams so that water has to flow out. I also usually put a ledger on the wall to set the back of the cabinets on. There is already a steel ledger at the top that the cabinets hook into. You can use the plastic feet in front, or build a solid base, which is overkill. The hinge and drawer hardware is fine, and the cabinet doors are good. It's a system, you can get replacement parts or go online for instructions, but it is pretty self evident. If you don't get it, read up.

Lots and lots of kitchens are built with MDF these days even the high end ones. They tend to be more square and easier to line up than plywood. Ikea is well engineered for holding fasteners and anchors. Again, they are very stanble in place, and it would be up to you to make sure they are not damaged in transit. I installed some very expensive Italian cabinets a few years ago, and pretty much all the European stuff is MDF these days. It isn't fine wood working, it is a well engineered product.

It is up to you what you do, and what your standards are. People look at the individual cabinet parts and see an MDF type of paneling on the exposed ends and freak out. Once they are assembled and mounted on the wall hangers, they are a pretty impressive product. I don't like working MDF. I don't mind assembling it. If you have installed enough kitchens, or have good common sense, you will know how to handle this stuff. You are going to move the cabinets without taking them apart. Don't let idiots manhandle them.

TLDR; As long as you don't drop it of the back of the truck or throw it around, the engineering is there to make a strong and stable cabinet once assembled and installed.

 

[dockdoc]

Ikea cabinets are fine if you don't bash them or drop them before installation. I usually end prime the panels under a sink and caulk the seams so that water has to flow out. I also usually put a ledger on the wall to set the back of the cabinets on. There is already a steel ledger at the top that the cabinets hook into. You can use the plastic feet in front, or build a solid base, which is overkill. The hinge and drawer hardware is fine, and the cabinet doors are good. It's a system, you can get replacement parts or go online for instructions, but it is pretty self evident. If you don't get it, read up.

Lots and lots of kitchens are built with MDF these days even the high end ones. They tend to be more square and easier to line up than plywood. Ikea is well engineered for holding fasteners and anchors. Again, they are very stanble in place, and it would be up to you to make sure they are not damaged in transit. I installed some very expensive Italian cabinets a few years ago, and pretty much all the European stuff is MDF these days. It isn't fine wood working, it is a well engineered product.

It is up to you what you do, and what your standards are. People look at the individual cabinet parts and see an MDF type of paneling on the exposed ends and freak out. Once they are assembled and mounted on the wall hangers, they are a pretty impressive product. I don't like working MDF. I don't mind assembling it. If you have installed enough kitchens, or have good common sense, you will know how to handle this stuff. You are going to move the cabinets without taking them apart. Don't let idiots manhandle them.

TLDR; As long as you don't drop it of the back of the truck or throw it around, the engineering is there to make a strong and stable cabinet once assembled and installed.

Thanks that’s a really interesting take! What would you suggest I offer for the set? I know he wasn’t negotiable a couple weeks ago but maybe now…

I don’t want to insult the guy but basic metal kits are $1800 or so. So thought of offering that.

 

[bucolic]

Thanks that’s a really interesting take! What would you suggest I offer for the set? I know he wasn’t negotiable a couple weeks ago but maybe now…

I don’t want to insult the guy but basic metal kits are $1800 or so. So thought of offering that.

I would just check to see how it is assembled. I do agree that MDF cabinets and furniture once assembled can be very capable. I have experienced issues moving it though and some of that Sauder furniture, for example, is fine where you assemble it but move it and it doesn't stand up well to that. It can be very heavy to try to move it in one piece and sometimes it doesn't assemble well a second time around after being disassembled. Maybe these are a better construction though.

For example, I stripped and refinished the original kitchen cabinets in my house from 1959. A brutal job I never want to tackle again. The cabinet doors are MDF framed with beech and birch veneer over the top. They were workable and sturdy and much different than MDF without a hardwood frame. So check those out and see what the construction is. They are pretty nice looking. I would still go metal for ease of assembly and installation. Once you approach 60 time spent is a consideration I just want things done so I can enjoy it!

 

[dockdoc]

I am bout 6'2" tall. I just measured the cabinets and I got 75 1/4" high and my garage is 103" high so about 5" shy of being 9'. I don't think they would look out of place at all height-wise and the nice thing is I don't have to reach for anything in the cabinets. Everything is right there at eye level to just grab. Here is a photo not distorted from the Go-Pro wide angle.

Agree, looks good. Thank you! Like the sink too.

 

[dockdoc]

I would just check to see how it is assembled. I do agree that MDF cabinets and furniture once assembled can be very capable. I have experienced issues moving it though and some of that Sauder furniture, for example, is fine where you assemble it but move it and it doesn't stand up well to that. It can be very heavy to try to move it in one piece and sometimes it doesn't assemble well a second time around after being disassembled. Maybe these are a better construction though.

For example, I stripped and refinished the original kitchen cabinets in my house from 1959. A brutal job I never want to tackle again. The cabinet doors are MDF framed with beech and birch veneer over the top. They were workable and sturdy and much different than MDF without a hardwood frame. So check those out and see what the construction is. They are pretty nice looking. I would still go metal for ease of assembly and installation. Once you approach 60 time spent is a consideration I just want things done so I can enjoy it!

I did see them, they were in a storage unit. The boxes themselves weren't disassembled, but many of the doors were taken off and set to the side. But looked in good condition. He did comment on how heavy they were and hard to move, but I could back up a truck right to the storage unit, then bring them right into the garage so not a lot of shuffling around / maneuvering.

My buddy is recommending against this because of the potential for moisture in a garage environment which will wreck these cabs...

 

[nadogail]

I see very attractive "Previously Owned" cabinets advertised for FREE on Craig's List, Good Stuff often is found at Habitat for Humanity Stores. The cabinets in the garage at my home were previously installed in the Kitchen of a house.

 

[dockdoc]

Agreed, I could probably find some decent used cabinets somewhere... will take that into consideration as well. Just can't decide whether moisture is a big factor. It's an insulated garage, but I'm in the south so humid summers and it's not air conditioned. Will MDF just start swelling and breaking after a hot summer?

 

[rburke65]

I was able to get kitchen cabinets off the curb for free! The were…are…Youngstown Kitchen abinets from the late 40s. All metal and being tossed as they were remodeling their kitchen. 60 to 70 years old. Power wash, paint….perfect.

 

[dockdoc]

Update... pulled the trigger on this setup yesterday. NewAge Pro 8 piece set, with a couple additional items to be able to fit into this corner of the garage. This is a Sketchup image that the NewAge design consultant made up based on my floorplan and photos... free service which was frankly pretty awesome, she created this in a matter of 10 minutes or so while I was on the phone, and made it easy to see the ideal configuration.

Stuff is on short supply as their sale goes on... not a whole lot left in stock. I had to mix in a red corner cabinet because black was sold out. Should be here in December, out of stock stuff was estimated to be April or later.

I'll probably modify this slightly by putting both tool cabinets next to each other on the left side of the bench. That will allow that bench to be resting on them, and the bench on the right will be mounted to the wall on 3 sides.

 

[yeldogt]

My nephew has the setup you posed above in red ... I was rather impressed.

 

[dockdoc]

My nephew has the setup you posed above in red ... I was rather impressed.

Excellent I hope he enjoys it!
Not a cheap option but we built this garage and in a very cool move by my wife her take was we can’t have a fancy new garage and some beater cabinets. Make it look nice.

 

[m6z]

Congrats.

 

[bucolic]

Great choice! You'll love them!

 

[dockdoc]

Great choice! You'll love them!

Thanks, pretty pumped

 

[Crabman]

bucolic

Cool floor!

 

[383]

I'm looking at a Pro set also, but they have been out of stock in my color. Looking forward to seeing your installation.

 

[bucolic]

bucolic

Cool floor!

Thanks! I love it.

 

[draco_1967]

Not a cheap option but we built this garage and in a very cool move by my wife her take was we can’t have a fancy new garage and some beater cabinets. Make it look nice.

Nice choice! My wife had the same idea when we built the garage. She thought it was dumb for me to build the cabinets for the nice, new garage (I have no cabinet making experience), and she said to just get the NewAge stuff. I went with the Bold line, and am pleased with it. I really like the white/platinum color as it keeps the space a bit brighter.
The Pro stuff is even better, but was out of the budget for the set I wanted.