Metal Storage Cabinets vs. Non Metal Cabinets
When one is in the market for durable storage items from cabinets to files the term gauge is always used as an indicator to quality and strength of an item. Metal cabinets are the strongest containment product on the market being superior to wood and other resin or fuel based products. If your clearly are in the market for a metal cabinet, how can you measure one cabinet against the other and what will be the deciding factor in that final purchase.
As we mentioned in the top of the article gauge or metal thickness is a very important measurement in judging one cabinet from another. A cabinet's thickness has a definite link to durability and strength and below is a thickness gauge in inches that shows that, 12 gauges equals .105", 14 gauges equals .075", 16 gauge equals .060" and 20 gauge equals .036".
Another factor is whether the cabinet comes assembled or not. Typical cabinets have an option, either assembled or unassembled. The advantages of unassembled are in the shipping of the cabinet which is always cheaper due to a lower class rate. Also if damages occur during freight only that given piece damaged needs to be shipped back instead of the whole unit. The negative on unassembled is that they are not completely welded together but bolted which will reduce the load capacity factor that a cabinet can handle.
Know what gauge the parts of the cabinet are made of such as the hinges, shelves, doors and overall body. Also the environment that the cabinet will be used in will determine how strong a cabinet is needed, with office cabinets needing less strength than industrial type cabinets. It's a general measure that you should always know what your load capacity limit is per shelf and unit before you purchase a cabinet. Office cabinets which handle files and paper only need typically 22 gauges while factories and industrial facilities may be looking at 12 to 16 gauges, dependent upon what their storing in their given situation. A typical office cabinet can hold anywhere from 150 to 200 lbs per shelf while an industrial cabinet can hold double that weight to 2,000 lbs per shelf.
If price is no object and you want a cabinet designed to certain specifications there are manufacturers that will go via sketches but you will wait 4 to 6 weeks for the cabinet. When customizing your cabinet you will dictate color, strength, size and options that are exclusive to your design
As we mentioned in the top of the article gauge or metal thickness is a very important measurement in judging one cabinet from another. A cabinet's thickness has a definite link to durability and strength and below is a thickness gauge in inches that shows that, 12 gauges equals .105", 14 gauges equals .075", 16 gauge equals .060" and 20 gauge equals .036".
Another factor is whether the cabinet comes assembled or not. Typical cabinets have an option, either assembled or unassembled. The advantages of unassembled are in the shipping of the cabinet which is always cheaper due to a lower class rate. Also if damages occur during freight only that given piece damaged needs to be shipped back instead of the whole unit. The negative on unassembled is that they are not completely welded together but bolted which will reduce the load capacity factor that a cabinet can handle.
Know what gauge the parts of the cabinet are made of such as the hinges, shelves, doors and overall body. Also the environment that the cabinet will be used in will determine how strong a cabinet is needed, with office cabinets needing less strength than industrial type cabinets. It's a general measure that you should always know what your load capacity limit is per shelf and unit before you purchase a cabinet. Office cabinets which handle files and paper only need typically 22 gauges while factories and industrial facilities may be looking at 12 to 16 gauges, dependent upon what their storing in their given situation. A typical office cabinet can hold anywhere from 150 to 200 lbs per shelf while an industrial cabinet can hold double that weight to 2,000 lbs per shelf.
If price is no object and you want a cabinet designed to certain specifications there are manufacturers that will go via sketches but you will wait 4 to 6 weeks for the cabinet. When customizing your cabinet you will dictate color, strength, size and options that are exclusive to your design