Garage Storage That Holds Up Through a Utah Winter

What does a Utah winter do to a garage?

Three things happen between November and March.

1. The floor gets wet and stays wet. Snow packed in the wheel wells melts and runs to the low spots of the slab.
2. That water is salty. Road salt and de-icer ride in with it. Salt water soaks into cardboard boxes, bare wood and anything fabric that touches the floor.
3. Everything freezes at night. An unheated garage follows the outside temperature, so liquids on a shelf can freeze and thaw many times in one season.

None of this is a problem for the car. It is a problem for whatever is stacked next to the car.

What should come off the floor first?

Start with what the water will ruin.

• Cardboard boxes. They wick water and fall apart from the bottom.
• Bags of ice melt, fertilizer and seed. Once they get damp they harden into a block.
• Sports bags, camping gear and anything fabric.
• Power tools and their cases.
• Bikes. Salt is hard on chains and spokes.

If it sits on the slab in October, assume it sits in a puddle in January.

Do garage cabinets really hold up to the cold?

Yes, if they are built for it. We build garage cabinets in our Orem shop from the same commercial-grade melamine we use for closets, with moisture-resistant edge banding. Garage systems take more abuse than a closet, so the shelves are reinforced for weight.

Closed doors matter more in winter than any other time of year. They keep road grit and dust off what is inside, and locking doors keep chemicals away from kids.

Where should wet gear go?

On the wall, in the open, where air can get to it.

Slatwall is the best tool for this. It is a panel with horizontal slots that take hooks, baskets and shelves. Skis hang from one hook, snow shovels from another, sleds from a third. When the season changes you move the hooks. No new holes.

A few rules that save gear:

• Hang skis and boards. Do not lean them in a corner where the tails sit in meltwater.
• Dry boots, gloves and helmets inside the house.
• Do not close wet gear in a cabinet. It needs air.
• Give the snow shovel and the ice melt a spot by the door you actually use.

What should go overhead?

Whatever you touch twice a year. Holiday bins, camping gear, luggage and the patio cushions that come down in May.

Overhead racks mount to the ceiling joists and sit above the garage door track or over the hood of the car. We size each rack and its weight rating to your ceiling height and joist spacing. Most garages can take 4 by 8 foot racks.

Use plastic bins with lids up there, not cardboard. Label the side that faces out.

What should not stay in the garage at all?

Freezing ruins some things no cabinet can protect.

• Latex paint, caulk, wood glue and most liquid cleaners
• Canned food and bottled drinks
• Electronics and batteries you care about

Move those inside before the first hard freeze. A storage room or a utility closet is the right home for them.

How do I plan a garage that works in every season?

Think in zones.

1. By the house door: the things you grab daily. Shovel, ice melt, reusable bags, the kids' sports gear.
2. Along the side walls: closed cabinets for tools, chemicals and anything that should stay clean.
3. On open wall space: slatwall for bikes, skis and yard tools.
4. Overhead: seasonal bins.
5. At the back: a workbench built to your height, if you want one.

Then make sure both cars still fit with the doors open. That is the whole point.

How do I get started?

We come to your garage anywhere on the Wasatch Front, from Ogden to Provo. We measure it and talk through what you need to store. Within a few days you get a 3D drawing and a written, itemized quote. Everything is built in our Orem shop and installed by our own crew, with a lifetime warranty on the install.

Request a free design visit or call (801) 225-6050.