Going Vertical With Wall Storage Slatwall Systems
You walk into your garage and your kids have every type of ball known to man stored in various corners and bins. Your toolbox is overflowing and extension cords, larger tools and other items really don’t have a permanent home. You try to be ‘green’ but exactly how much room does that recycling really have to take up. You would love to be more organized, but the bottom line is you just need some more room.
Wall storage systems are nothing new. We all remember peg board. The good news is there is a better solution. Vertical storage systems such as slatwall systems, made from PVC and grid wall systems made from metal, provide an easy to customize solution for almost any garage. They are also becoming more and more popular in retail applications.
You could spend a gazillion dollars on accessories and trim pieces, but a lot of those pieces are simply not necessary. Lets remember this is a garage. While J Channel and division molding is great for retail applications, it is typically overkill for the residential garage. Even if you are building the ‘ultimate man cave,’ often the funds are better spent on storage items.
Start small and work your way up. Many people try to guess at all the hooks and items they are going to need. While it is never an exact science, often your best bet is to order a starter kit. See which hooks you like and order more.
Use wall storage in conjunction with overhead storage to maximize your space and get as many items as possible off of the garage floor. You can also consider the purchase of a good garage storage cabinet system — or reuse those old kitchen cabinets
.
Additional Advice on Vertical Storage Systems
- Be practical. Not everything needs to be stored on the wall. Placing children’s items or items that are often used too high is a common mistake.
- Divide your garage into zones. Have an area for recycling and another area for tools. Give the kids their own wall space too.
- Remember, one case of Handiwall slatwall covers the same area as a 4×8 sheet of plywood. Don’t buy more than you can use. The typical homeowner will use 2-4 cases and some can get by with just one.
- Purchase separate storage items for heavy items like tires. Tire storage is specialized and they can be too heavy for some slatwall systems.
- Keep long hooks out of traffic areas — they can be painful
- Keep the areas around light switches clear.
We would love to see your wall storage layout. Send your before and after shots to sales@garageflooringllc.com
