Garage/Shop Cabinet Question

[John Cavanaugh]

Im starting to do some planning for a semi large overhaul of my garage & shop. One of the things that is definitely on my list is built in cabinets.

Ironically though, while I look at many of the home improvement magazines/books etc, I find that virtually none have floor to ceiling cabinets. Some go all the way to the ceiling but it seems none go all the way to the floor.

Some claim this is to make the garage easier to clean?? Im pretty skeptical?

Is there another design reason for this??

Only thing I can think of is.

a) Rain/Snow (or I guess general concrete moisture transfer) can do mad things to mdf or melamine...
b) Many garages have the 6 inch or so conrete rail/border around the bottom, which makes nice fitting cabinets tricky


I live in San Diego where we get hardly any rain, and never snow. Since Ill be building the cabinets myself Im not worried about the fit.

Am I missing anything here??

--
John Cavanaugh

[Warren White]

Good morning John,
I live in Livermore, north of you, so our weather conditions are similar. Some years ago, I had a very good friend who was a master carpenter come to my home to build garage cabinets. He put them on one of the long outside walls, and they are floor to ceiling. No problems having them go right to the floor; I can sweep right up to them, so cleaning the garage/shop isn't a problem for me. He notched out the side walls to match the sill.

They have been in full use for nearly 40 years. I am glad to have them, and each day I use them I am reminded of a very dear and very talented friend who drove 1500 miles out of love to help out a very untalented youngster.

Go for it, and you have my best wishes.
Warren

[George Matthews]

Is there another design reason for this??
Am I missing anything here??

I suspect the primary reason, and is true in my case, is to have room to roll your machines to the side under the cabinets for the occasional car/truck maintenance.

[Mike Weaver]

Is there another design reason for this??
...
Am I missing anything here??

John,
Anything over 8' high couldn't be done with 'normal' sheet goods for one piece sides.

Cheers,
-Mike

[Jim Becker]

And...garage floors are normally sloped. That makes floor to ceiling cabinets more complicated as you have to index from the ceiling. By raising them up, you can make them all the same!

[Phil Phelps]

As Jim indicated, you'll need to raise one end to make it level. But the reason I don't go completly to the floor is moisture. Plus I like to wash the garage floor out every once and a while. I'd at least slip nylon or stainless steel feet on 'em.

[Don Baer]

John,
Anything over 8' high couldn't be done with 'normal' sheet goods for one piece sides.

Cheers,
-Mike

When I built mine that is exactly the reason mine don't go all the way to the floor. Mine are sitting on a 2 x 6 base and shimmed level.

[Paul Canaris]

In my case it is for several reasons.
1. Machinery functional clearance; sliding table travel, jointer and planer infeed and outfeed.
2. I can put roll around carts under upper cabinets, these carts house tools and supplies, as well as useful surfaces for smaller tools such as a grinder on top.
3. Separate upper and lower cabinets are a bit easier to build than floor to ceiling.