Thoughts about toolbox on the floor

[biggin89]

I've tried searching to find out if people have put their toolbox directly on the garage floor. My plan is to get a 72" HF tool box and remove the casters and slide it under my work bench. The few pictures I've seen of boxes under benches are all raises up an inch or two. Is this just personal preference or is this to try and avoid rusting from sitting directly on concrete? Maybe I'm over thinking it but I don't have the height to raise it without modifying my very stout bench. If I have to then I will but it'll be a chore.

 

[CRF8]

The outer wheel rubber/plastic seperated and fell off my HF box. You may as well remove the wheels ahead of time, but I wouldn't rest metal on the concrete!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Spinaker01]

I would place it on a heavy rubber mat like the horse matting or conveyor belting that others have mentioned here.

 

[RegeSullivan]

It probably doesn't matter so much what it is setting on just be sure air can circulate under it.

 

[SJR033]

I was in the same boat with my CM box. I set mine on PT 1x4. The 1x4 fit in the channel where the casters were supposed to be and it only raised my box by 1/4".

 

[TK LP]

I block and shim them to keep them off the floor and level, keeps them dry in the event of a spill.

 

[rburke65]

Welcome 89 to the GJ, from Ohio! No, not a good idea directly on the concrete. Raise it to obtain some air circulation. Good luck!

 

[Colin Len]

The only problems I can see with them being on the floor is if there's a spill then there could be rust problems and that the part that would touch the ground may not really meant to carry a load. The boxes are coated and you'll probably have mold or other problems happening to other nearby components before you have rust on a new box. Here's a pic showing that the structural portion which the casters normally mount to would not touch the ground if you put the box on the ground. I'm not sure if this is a problem or not because I didn't bother looking into it as I knew I was going to shim mine up a bit.



I recently added an HF 44" to the workbench that was in my garage. I shimmed it up using some scrap 2x6's and shims to level it (the 2x6's are where the casters would normally be). My real reason for doing this was to get the bench top to sit on top of the box and to get the box up higher because the bottom drawer is now really low. It's barely off the floor but I figured with the option to be on the floor or a tiny bit above I'd opt for higher over lower.

Test fitting with it sitting on the floor:



Final position shimmed up with trim around the face so it looks a little more custom and built-in.

 

[biggin89]

Thanks guys! That's what I was thinking but just wanted to be sure. I know I'm going to lose a cabinet to get the toolbox to fit and now I'm thinking about redoing the whole bench even thought it's very sturdy. I might have a good lead on acquiring some good steel c channels and tubing. But we will see. Here is a picture of what I have currently It's 8'x30" and 41" tall.

 

[Cardboard Man]

I don't think the toolbox cares at all if it's directly on the floor, however, mounting one this way under a work bench will make it very uncomfortable to stand there without a toe kick. I would raise it up a bit for this reason alone.

 

[MushCreek]

In most climates, concrete slabs will sweat under certain weather conditions unless the slab is insulated. It happens when you get warm, humid weather after a cold spell. The concrete is just like a glass of ice water, and the humidity in the air condenses on it. I would allow an air gap unless you are in an arid climate.

 

[BUILTTOLAST]

In most climates, concrete slabs will sweat under certain weather conditions unless the slab is insulated. It happens when you get warm, humid weather after a cold spell. The concrete is just like a glass of ice water, and the humidity in the air condenses on it. I would allow an air gap unless you are in an arid climate.

This^^

I would keep the box up even just a 1/2"