Can Kitchen Cabinets Be Used in a Garage?
If your garage is in need of some additional storage, you might have wondered if you can save yourself some money and time by using some of the old kitchen cabinets you have collecting dust in storage.
The short answer to that question is yes, but it isn’t ideal unless certain conditions are met. Without careful consideration, you may find those free kitchen cabinets cost you in the long run by being inconvenient and requiring replacement anyway.
To further explain, let’s explore key factors related to garage cabinetry:
With some helpful pointers, you can make the best decision for your style preferences and budget.
Interested in custom garage cabinets?
Contact Cabinet Coatings of America! Call us at (480) 641-9611 or contact us online below, and we’ll book you a free in-home consultation. We’ll send a cabinet pro to discuss all your best cabinetry options.
Fluctuating Temperatures and Humidity
Most garages are not climate controlled, so there can be wide fluctuations in temperature and humidity levels throughout the year. Since kitchen cabinets are designed for indoor use, this can cause integrity issues over time. Especially if you plan to use cheap stock cabinets made of particle board.
The Issue With Stock Kitchen Particle Board
Many kitchen cabinets are made with particle board, which can mean bad news when exposed to high humidity levels. Particle board absorbs moisture easily, which can cause the panels to swell and contract with mass fluctuation, eventually damaging the hold of the binding agent. The result is a wood substitute that disintegrates when exposed to moisture over time. This causes issues with the glue and nails that hold the cabinetry together since they lose hold of the degraded pieces.
The absorption of moisture also makes the particle board more sensitive to changing temperatures. Freezing temperatures will expand the moisture, separating the particles from each other, while hot temperatures will cause rapid drying, warping the individual particles from their original shape.
Accessibility Needs for Typical Storage Items
Aside from material integrity, kitchen cabinets are designed to store kitchen items, which may not cover your needs if you intend to use them to hold your power tools and bulky items.
The standard kitchen cabinet depths are 24″ for lower cabinetry and 12-15″ for upper cabinets. This doesn’t create much space for the larger items you may want to tuck away, such as your shop vacuum or air compressor. A five-gallon bucket of paint can be a hazard if left out in the open but is too heavy to place on an upper shelf. Having a cabinet large enough to hide it away from the open would be ideal, but particle board can be damaged if required to hold too much weight.
Scenarios in Which Kitchen Cabinets Could Work in the Garage
None of this is to say that a kitchen cabinet will never work in the garage. If you intend to store general household goods, such as extra trash bags or paper towels, or your washer and dryer are located in your garage, and you want cabinetry to hold laundry essentials, standard kitchen cabinets may be just fine.
You’ll still need to deal with the moisture issue, but there are coating options that can help improve durability and protect the particle board surface from exposure. There’s no reason why your garage should look unfinished, so choosing to refinish or reface your old kitchen cabinets will give you a fresh, updated look.
The Benefits of Custom Garage Cabinetry
The ideal option for your garage is custom garage cabinetry to ensure you have a place built to hold everything you intend to store. This provides you with a number of benefits that old kitchen cabinets may not offer, including:
- Better organization. If you choose a custom installation, you have a design that was made to handle all your storage needs. This means none of your items get left out on the garage floor due to a lack of space or poor sizing. Whether you’re putting away your tools, home improvement materials, or the extra sports balls you have lying around, everything will have its place.
- Maximum space usage. Custom cabinets are designed for the space they’re built to fill. This means better use of your wall and floor space, with less impediment when you need to move around your garage. This also means you’ll be able to use your garage for its intended purpose: storing your vehicle.
- Appropriate construction materials. Cabinetry made for your garage will be built using materials that are better suited to handle the temperature and humidity fluctuations they will experience. This means they’ll last longer and maintain the structural integrity needed to handle the weight of items being stored over time.
If you have old kitchen cabinets you want to replace and have been considering them for your garage because you don’t like the idea of throwing them out, Cabinet Coatings of America can offer the perfect solution. Outdated kitchen cabinets can drag down your decor but there are options available that don’t require replacement. Lower your investment with a cabinet refacing or cabinet refinishing service to give your kitchen the update it needs. With the money you save, you can look into custom options for your garage, giving you the best of both worlds. Both services include our durable coating, guaranteed against cracking, peeling, or fading for at least five years and our refacing option will provide you with new cabinet doors to give your style an update.
Looking to update your garage cabinets? Contact Cabinet Coatings!
As a family-owned and operated business since 1996, Cabinet Coatings of America is the place to go when you need expert advice and quality craftsmanship. We offer honest and upfront prices to prevent budget-breaking surprises and are committed to providing you with outstanding service.
Contact us today to schedule your free virtual or in-home estimate and we’ll provide you with a free, no-obligation quote for the cabinet work you need to give you the update your home needs at a fraction of the cost for complete replacement.
Call us at (480) 641-9611 or schedule a free virtual or in-person estimate online today.