# Are floating workshop cabinets a good idea?



## yootis (Jan 18, 2020)

I'm planning on building plywood workshop cabinets along the long wall of my garage. Sort of like lower kitchen cabinets with a work space on top. I'll integrate my miter saw, dust collection, and other stuff.

My big question is this-is it a bad idea to make them "floating", i.e. attach them only to the wall, not touching the floor. My thinking is that leaving them floating will allow me to store long lumber and other items under them. The floor itself isn't flat anyway, so this will also make leveling easier.

Thoughts? Will this not be strong enough? Is there some other reason it's a bad idea?

Thanks,
Matt


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## JackDuren (Oct 10, 2015)

It would be good for cleaning the floor. Other than that I don't see the gain…


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## BurlyBob (Mar 13, 2012)

I used a french cleat on my hanging cabinets for all the reasons your asking about. They work great and I couldn't be happier with how they turned out. One thing I did was use plexi glass in the doors. Boy, am i ever glad i did. It sure saves time looking for things. I've got them posted in my projects.


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## Lazyman (Aug 8, 2014)

How deep will they be? If they are the depth of standard bottom cabinets (mine are about 25" deep, including the countertop), that will require some really good attachments to the studs to support the weight of the cabinet, contents and what you have on the top. It might limit the use of the counter top as a workbench as well. For storage lumber underneath, I think that I would just design the base so that I could slide lumber underneath it somehow.


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## xeddog (Mar 2, 2010)

It won't be just the cabinets and the contents. All the equipment you put on the top will add significant weight. I used a french cleat on the upper cabinets in my garage shop, but I don't think I would do that with lower cabinets.

Wayne


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## Mosquito (Feb 15, 2012)

I would personally skip the floating lowers in almost any circumstance, especially in a shop. If you want to store stuff underneath it, then maybe build them with a bottom shelf all the way through or something. Almost everything in my shop is on wheels, so I have a little space undernearth with that, and I can move them wherever/whenever I want. One of my concerns was moisture from the ground as well, which the wheels eliminate too


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

Each to their own. I wouldn't want to get down on all fours to get to lumber (even if I could ". It's hard enough to dig through lumber racks as it is. As far a cleaning under them it seems it'd be pretty tough to do if you store stuff under them. If the cabinets sit on the floor like normal you'd never have to clean under them. So I don't think is a good idea …....at least for me.


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## dwl (Mar 20, 2011)

Completely agree with AlaskaGuy.
It has been my experience that any space like that will collect dust and other debris.
I would just have dirty lumber to deal with in that situation.

Like has been mentioned, I have French cleats across the wall for uppers, and considered the same for lowers, but ended up with lower cabinets on casters.

Like you, my floor is not level and has waves and such as well.

Good luck with whatever you decide.


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## SMP (Aug 29, 2018)

I've done some floating cabinets in garages. Only AFTER a set of particle board (purchased at BORG) cabinets got completely destroyed when the washing machine pipe burst and flooded the garage. I've had neighbors that had the same thing happen when the water heater inevitably explodes at some point. It also makes mopping easier. Also for storing heavy rarely used items like floor jacks etc.


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## CaptainKlutz (Apr 23, 2014)

+1 floating wall cabinets is 'normal'.

+1 Base cabinets on casters. 
- Suggest 4" caster. Anything smaller means they won't roll well outside the perfect garage floor.
- Allows easier 'spring' cleaning. 
- Especially useful if water heater/washing machine is located in same space and you get a leak.
- Can move the cabinets around as your needs change.
- Can move the loaded cabinets into storage with your tools when you get a divorce.

YMMV


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## MadMark (Jun 3, 2014)

Normally you design a carcass to support a compression load. A tension structure has to be different. You need wood interlocking to hold a tension load. An edge glue line under hanging tension is going to fail sooner or later.

Myself I like the idea of a French cleat and being able to shift the cabs around at will.

I put a 2×4 frame under the cabs as a toe kick. This frame can span multiple cabinets and yet still be shimmed and leveled as a unit. This allows the cabs to be shifted around easily while supporting a heavy compression load. Since I don't tie the frame down the whole thing can be easily moved without damaging the wall. 








These base cabs are on a 2×4 subbase and movable


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## therealSteveN (Oct 29, 2016)

> The floor itself isn t flat anyway
> 
> - yootis


For me this point would make a wall hung cabinet a quicker, faster, way to get it done. If having them off the ground, and the few issues people brought up about having this, aren't a deal breaker, go for it.

Your shop, your rules…....

You might start a rage…..


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## MrRon (Jul 9, 2009)

As long as they are well attached to the studs, that will work. Don't use french cleats. Attach a long 2×4 to the wall studs below where the cabinet is to be. That will provide more support for the cabinet.


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## LeeRoyMan (Feb 23, 2019)

> Don t use french cleats.
> - MrRon


Why?


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## tblank (Apr 8, 2010)

My two cents: When I build cabinets for kitchens or workshops, I always make a base to make it easy to level. Then set the cases on them. This allows for the variable size of the toe kick and opens the options for drawers for seldom used items. In kitchens it is a great place for a heat register. In a workshop, a six inch kick is the perfect place (for me) for a dust recovery vent. It makes sweeping up soo much easier. Sweep to the grill and turn on the vacuum system. Works great. I've even done that inside in kitchens with whole house integral vac. systems.


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## JackDuren (Oct 10, 2015)

Screwing a cabinet to the wall or a cleat offers the same holes. You do damage the wall…. If you want to change configurations simple dont screw them to the wall..


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## JackDuren (Oct 10, 2015)

This cabinet sat in the same place for 15 years without being screwed or glued to a wall. It never moved. I just now moved it to put another sander closer to my work table. Why would I need to move a configuation? As many shop setups as there are on the internet one picture will gain one's attention and be the bases for there setup.

I don't see the gain for floating cabinets In a woodworking shop. Maybe in home furnishings but not in the shop….

Same thing with do I install tge toe board now or install loose? . Just opinions unless your an installer and know the differnce. ..


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## jkm312 (Jan 13, 2020)

Several years ago I built 12' of base cabinets for my wife to have a craft center of her own in the basement. We live in an older house, really old. The basement floor was state of the art back in the early 30's in that when it leaked, it leaked perfectly and all the water ran to the basement floor drain. We have since added tiles and a sump pump which allowed the craft corner. It also changed the entire personality of the house, wet basements are just miserable. I hung the base cabinets on french cleats on the wall. In addition I added some 4×3 blocks on the front corners of each base cabinet. Into those blocks I added a t-nut to allow for a carriage bolt to take the weight of the fronts of the base cabinets and to allow me to level the tops of the cabinets to the slope of the floor.


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## therealSteveN (Oct 29, 2016)

> Don t use french cleats.
> - MrRon
> 
> Why?
> ...


Exactly, why not?


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## JackDuren (Oct 10, 2015)

> Don t use french cleats.
> - MrRon
> 
> Why?
> ...


He may be saying put a 2×4 under the back with the cabinet screwed to the wall. Still keeping the cabinet 3.5 inches off the floor and cleanable.underneath….


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## JackDuren (Oct 10, 2015)

> Normally you design a carcass to support a compression load. A tension structure has to be different. You need wood interlocking to hold a tension load. An edge glue line under hanging tension is going to fail sooner or later.
> 
> Myself I like the idea of a French cleat and being able to shift the cabs around at will.
> 
> ...


What exactly would you move?


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## MadMark (Jun 3, 2014)

In my shop each tool has a stand that is a different height so all the tool tops are level. How many times have you seen a bench with a 'sunken' chop saw?

If these were individual cabs for each tool they could be easily reordered as the shop needs change.

Individual cabinets / stands allows you to keep all of that tool's accessories and consumables together in one place.


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## JackDuren (Oct 10, 2015)

> In my shop each tool has a stand that is a different height so all the tool tops are level. How many times have you seen a bench with a sunken chop saw?
> 
> If these were individual cabs for each tool they could be easily reordered as the shop needs change.
> 
> ...


What's do you think I would move?


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## JackDuren (Oct 10, 2015)

My tools pretty much stay on one place. I've only recently started building thing to compress things more close to me as I build. The running around the shop like a 20 year old are over. Less walking, more I feel like being in the shop. The more I get done…


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## CWWoodworking (Nov 28, 2017)

I kinda like the idea for a chopsaw station for longer lumber in a small shop.

I would use a couple crate mover so you can role the lumber in and out.

As for as strength, just use 3/4 backs and make sure you use enough and the right screws. Provided you do, there is zero to worry about.


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

> I would personally skip the floating lowers in almost any circumstance, especially in a shop. If you want to store stuff underneath it, then maybe build them with a bottom shelf all the way through or something. Almost everything in my shop is on wheels, so I have a little space undernearth with that, and I can move them wherever/whenever I want. One of my concerns was moisture from the ground as well, which the wheels eliminate too
> 
> - Mosquito


+1


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## jacksdvds (Jun 13, 2015)

Hard to select lumber tucked under the cabnets and IF on concrete it will suck up moisture! With just the wall support the cabnet will not support much as a work bench.


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## clin (Sep 3, 2015)

There's physically no reason you can't just mount the cabinets to the wall. They would have to be built differently. Mostly so that the back or whatever is secured to the wall has a positive attachment to the cabinet. You don't want to rely on glue and screws, but something like the back set into a dado (not a rabbet).

However, if all this is just to gain a little storage under the cabinets, just use some legs. It's quite common to set base cabinets on legs rather than a base. This is also particularly helpful with an uneven floor. The legs are height adjustable. Sure, the front legs would interfere with sliding a long board in sideways, but you could likely slide it in the end.

My shop cabinets are built this way. While I don't store wood under them, I have tucked away spare floor tiles and that sort of thing. Also, the toe kick just snaps on to the legs. So, there is a toe kick, but it pops off to get at anything under the cabinets. And the toe kick keeps things cleaner than they otherwise would be.

But I agree with the others that storing wood on a concrete floor or really in anyway that air can't circulate around it is perhaps asking for trouble. But still could be used to store pipe or other supplies that aren't as sensitive to how they are stored.


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