A quality shelving unit needs to be durable to stand up to the rigours of the garage environment. Stay organised with these shelves to help you get your work done faster and find what you want when you need it.
Looking for Garage Storage Solutions or Warehouse Storage Systems? You are at the right place! We collect the widest range of garage shelving, with different size and load rating available. They are the most popular units for garage shed and warehouse storage.
You don’t need to look any further to find your perfect storage solution, GarageSmart Garage Storage Solutions is the company you can depend on to provide flexible, easy to install storage system solutions.
Types of Garage Shelving
The material mainly distinguishes the best garage shelving it’s made from, and whether it’s freestanding or mounted to the wall or ceiling. Prices will vary depending on the material, shelf size, quality, and brand.
Wooden Shelving
Wooden shelves are beautiful and sustainable, adding style to your work and storage spaces. Hardwood shelving like oak and maple is strong and durable. Softwoods such as pine, as well as pressed wood like plywood and chipboard, can handle light-duty storage but can warp, buckle, and break under heavy loads. Freestanding wooden shelving units can be moved fairly easily wherever you need storage. At the same time, wall-mounted shelves are fixed into structural studs via metal brackets, and firmly attached to your walls. If you decide to build your shelving unit from a kit, look for one that comes with all the hardware parts you need, as well as clear instructions; note that lumber may not be included.
Metal and Wire Shelving
Metal (typically steel) shelves can hold heavy loads and come in a variety of sizes. Another advantage to metal shelving is it’s very easy to clean—a non-porous material, metal won’t absorb chemicals or paint in case of a spill. Metal shelves may come painted black or powder-coated with a protective finish to resist rust and damage.
While solid metal shelves are useful for heavy-duty equipment, wire shelves offer the strength of metal without the weight. They’re typically made of steel or chrome mesh: a surface of connected metal strands that form a sturdy grid, web, or net. These shelves are designed for paint cans, tools, bins, and boxes; make sure any smaller items (loose nails and screws, for example) are inside larger containers before storing on wire shelves so they won’t fall through the mesh gaps.
Solid metal shelves are often found in freestanding units, as they can be quite heavy to fix directly to the wall. Wire shelves can be freestanding or mounted to walls and ceilings.
Adjustable Rail Shelves
Depending on what you intend to store, you may want the freedom to change the height of your shelves to gain more or less space between tiers. Adjustable rail shelves offer this flexibility, thanks to vertical metal tracks you install into the wall. These tracks are slotted at equal intervals, with metal brackets designed to be fitted into each slot. To change the position of your shelf, simply remove it, move the brackets up or down, and refit your shelf at this new height. Commonly made of steel wire, adjustable shelves can easily hold heavy objects, as long as the brackets are also welded metal.
Best Garage Shelving
Edsal TRK-602478W5 Heavy Duty Steel
As a company, Edsal has been around for over fifty providing a wide range of storage products for every type of market. Whether you need storage for the home, office, or work site, Edsal has something in their lineup that will satisfy your needs. Of course, sometimes you have an overwhelming amount of things that you simply need off the floor and organised on shelves. That is where this product comes into play, as it is the largest shelving unit on our list.
This product features five shelves with each shelf offering five feet by two feet worth of surface area for whatever items you may need to store. Keep in mind, there were a couple of other products we reviewed that could match the length of this Edsal’s shelves, but few could compete with the depth. This makes this shelving unit ideal for even the largest items you have.
Of course, when storing large, bulky items, it is important to ensure that your shelving can handle the weight of those items as well. Unlike smaller shelves which are likely to hold numerous smaller items, the uncommon depth of this shelf means you are likely to be tempted to store heavy, dense items on it. Thankfully, this Edsal shelving offers 1,000 pounds of evenly distributed weight capacity – per shelf. So long as you are not storing gold or lead blocks, you should not have any worries about the weight of the large items this shelving unit is designed to store either.
Keeping that in mind, it is important to note that this shelving unit does not feature a centre brace running along or across the individual shelving grates. This means that if you place too heavy of an object in the centre of the grate, the wire mesh may bow or bend. This is in part since the steel used for this Edsal is not the thickest gauge with only 16 gauge along with the wire mesh and 14 gauge along with the steel supports.
Still, this shelving unit offers some other benefits. For one, this is the only shelving unit we reviewed, which featured a small lip at the edge of the wire grates. This lip will prevent any objects from rolling or slipping off of the shelf on their own. The shelves themselves are held in place by a dual rivet locking system which can be adjusted every 1.5” This provides the freedom to decide the height of each shelf as best suits your needs.
On top of that, this shelving unit can be arranged as either a vertical or horizontal shelving unit. This is because the Edsal is two separate shelving units that are held in place by a connector. The only potential issue with this is that the requires the use of a rubber mallet to snap everything in place. If you are not careful, you could damage the support beams. The process also tends to dislodge previously secured beams as your progress.
Fleximounts Floating Wall Shelves
These classic black wire shelves from Fleximounts are a study in simplicity. The company prides itself on manufacturing storage products that are easy for one person to install on his or her own. Clear and detailed instructions are included, along with all the hardware you’ll need, and even a bubble level to help you ensure accuracy. Each kit comes with two wire shelves and the high-quality screws and brackets you’ll need for mounting. Choose from five different shelf sizes (1-foot-by-3-foot; 1-foot-by-4-foot; 1-foot-by-6-foot; 2-foot-by-4-foot; and 2-foot-by-6-foot), and arrange the shelves however you like—side by side or stacked. Thanks to their heavy-duty steel construction, each shelf can bear up to 400 pounds.
Can I find garage storage cabinets to match my style? Absolutely! Even the cabinets in the garage should reflect your unique tastes and style. GarageSmart offers stylish storage in a variety of materials and finishes.
Fleximounts Overhead Garage Storage Rack
Designed for stashing seasonal gear and equipment you don’t use often, these ceiling storage dropdown units are 96 inches long, 48 inches wide, and 22 to 40 inches high (adjustable, depending on your needs). Thanks to their sturdy, lasting, rolled-steel construction, you’ll feel secure when walking underneath—believe it or not, this rack can bear up to 600 pounds. Unlike other ceiling units made of plywood or wire, the welded metal of the Fleximounts delivers the utmost in safety and durability.
FLEXIMOUNTS 2-Pack 24×72-inch Wall Shelf
Like many other brands on our list, FLEXIMOUNTS specialises in storage and shelving products. Unlike the other companies we saw, though, FLEXIMOUNTS only offers products that are installed and positioned off of the floor. Easily the most common type of shelving unit that fits this bill is the wall-mounted shelving unit. In this regard, FLEXIMOUNTS has provided excellent quality in this market – a market that often finds the products lacking in heavy-duty robustness.
This product will ultimately be judged against the dissimilar competition, but it should also be understood for what it is. This is important because compared to a traditional shelving unit, the FLEXIMOUNTS wall mount does not offer a great deal of storage space or weight capacity. That being said, each of these shelves does offer six feet of length by two feet of depth. This actually makes these the longest shelves we reviewed – even if there are only two.
Also, while the 200-pound weight capacity is not great compared to standard shelving units, it is extremely impressive for a wall-mounted shelving unit. Part of this is likely since the FLEXIMOUNTS wall mount uses significantly higher gauged fastening hardware to mount their product than most other wall mount shelving units.
Fleximounts 3-Tier Storage Wall Shelves
Fleximounts’ adjustable rail shelving system features adjustable metal rails to precisely meet your individual storage needs and height requirements. Meanwhile, thanks to their steel construction, each shelf can bear up to 100 pounds, giving the tiered unit a 300-pound capacity distributed evenly between the three shelves. Attach the system to wood wall studs or solid concrete, but be aware that large gaps in the wire mesh mean that these shelves are best suited to accommodate large items and/ or smaller objects stored in boxes. (Alternatively, the shelves can be covered with thick plastic lining or particleboard.) Templates provided by the manufacturer make it easy to mount the holes necessary for installation, and the included bubble level makes positioning a cinch.
Homdox 5-Shelf Shelving Unit
Homdox is one of the few brands on our list that does not specialise specifically in storage products. While other brands might offer a range of storage options that go beyond shelving, Homdox offers a full suite of products for the homeowner market, including furniture, outdoor supplies, and kitchen appliances. That said, their market focus does mean that the brand will not provide the same heavy-duty shelving units that some others offer.
This shelving unit provides the least amount of storage out of any product we reviewed. In terms of surface area, the shelves are less than three feet long and just over one foot in depth. There is five shelves total, which is better than some, but they cannot handle the same weight as other products either. Each shelf with this unit has a maximum weight capacity of only sixty-six pounds. Ultimately, this shelf is designed more for light storage of smaller items.
One area where this shelving unit easily bests all the others we saw was in terms of positioning. This product is by far the lightest we reviewed at nineteen pounds. This is also one of the few shelves we saw with wheels attached. Combined, you can easily construct this shelving unit in one place and transport it to another without having to disassemble it – though the unit should not be moved when heavily laden.
Be sure to find a garage shelving solutions and work with GarageSmart Garage Storage Solutions when packing and storing your belongings. From a simple, one-room project to a cross-country move, a professional organizer like GarageSmart can help to make your life easier.
Seville Classics 5-Tier Steel Wire Shelving
With eight different sizes to choose from, Seville’s moveable wire shelves are versatile and good looking. Made of commercial-grade, chrome-plated steel wire, this unit is also certified for food equipment storage in dry environments. Shelves range from 24 to 60 inches wide, and 18 to 24 inches deep. Each can hold up to 800 pounds, even as the 4-inch castor wheels allow for smooth and easy positioning. Some assembly is required.
2x4basics ShelfLinks Custom Storage System
Enjoy the beauty, functionality, and all-natural feel of wooden shelves custom-tailored to your needs with this DIY kit from 2x4basics. Durable brackets and screws are included, so all you’ll need is lumber cut to your desired length and width. Step-by-step instructions are provided, and the only tools required are a power screwdriver and saw. The brand claims that finished units hold up to 1,000 pounds each, although bear in mind that your results will depend on the type of wood you choose to use, as well as on your carpentry skills.
When do I need a Garage Shelving?
If you have a hard time to get things organised, or need more space for storage, then maybe it’s time for you to grab a long span shelving. With a proper storage shelving system setup, you can maximise your space, get things very well organised, and make it much easier to access your items.
And not just for domestic, we have lots of customers using our long span shelving for commercial purposes. We have mechanical garage owners used them as Tyre Racking, we also have customers combine them with storage bins to use in a clinic, and we have shop owners combine them with our shop shelving to build their new shop.
Important features to consider
Shelf material
If you need water or mildew resistance because you’re wet parking vehicles right next to your storage, wire shelving is your best bet. In less demanding conditions, chipboard shelves are stiff and fairly attractive and can be painted to protect it.
True weight capacity
A shelf’s maximum load rating (often in hundreds of pounds) assumes evenly spread weight and is determined by the strength of the frame. If you weigh down the middle of an unsupported chipboard shelf with even half that much weight, it will bow or even break. Of the boltless clip-together shelving units we tested, only the Gladiator comes with a centre support bracket, though you can sometimes buy aftermarket supports. Wire rack shelving is more rigid because the shelves have truss-reinforced welded side support.
Shelf dimensions
Check carefully for how much space you have in your garage, and remember that you’ll need room to stand in front of the shelves. The most common shelf depth is 18 inches, which holds most of the best storage containers in smaller and medium sizes. If you want to load up a 21-inch lawn mower for the winter, you’ll need to pick a deeper 24-inch version of these shelves.
Tool-free assembly
Screwing or bolting together shelves is tedious work. Tool-free shelves, like the models we tested, will save you some time and frustration. The first shelf is always tricky if you’re assembling by yourself, though.
Installation
With freestanding shelving units, simply assemble (if needed), position into place, and start organising—no installation required. Wall- and ceiling-mounted shelves require careful positioning into studs, the beams that serve as structural supports in a frame building. Wall studs are spaced at 16- or 24-inch intervals (measured from the centre of the wall) and run from floor to ceiling. To locate a stud, you can use an electronic stud finder or a manual method. Once you locate the studs, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for installing the shelves. For wall-mounted units, consider spacing shelves at least a foot apart, to give yourself as much flexibility and storage capacity as possible. Ceiling units should be adjustable so that you can vary the height depending on your needs.
Installing adjustable rail shelving also requires locating studs, then firmly attaching the metal track to the studs with screws. Some rail tracks are compatible with concrete walls as well as drywall. Be sure to read instructions prior to purchase, as some tracks can only be installed into wooden studs, not steel studs. Once the tracks are well-positioned and attached, secure your brackets into the slots, and place your shelves on top.
Wheels or anchors
Some shelving comes with holes in the bottom of the shelf uprights so you can anchor it to a floor; boltless shelves aren’t solid enough that you can move them around. Wire racks, on the other hand, are fairly stiff and rigid, so you can order them with casters that let you move your parts shelf around the garage as you work.
Depending on the space you have, and the items you need to store, not all garage shelving will suit your needs best. That being said, the best bet, assuming you have the available room, is to look for the largest shelving unit with the highest weight capacity.