DIY Modular Garage Cabinets

Clear your garage of clutter. Purge your garage of unnecessary articles by giving them away to friends or donating to charities. Properly dispose of flammable liquids and other toxic substances.

Assess the items you want to store in your modular cabinets. Consider the weight, quantity and size of items to store. Also, determine your garage's environment. For example, an unfinished garage used to accommodate a car dripping with rain and snow will need a cabinet system that is water-resistant.

Measure the floor and wall space in your garage. Stretch a metal tape measure along the floors and walls where you want to build your modular cabinet system to determine available floor and wall space. Leave ample room between a garaged car and cabinet doors.

Choose the cabinet material that best suits your garage's environment. Plastic cabinets are budget-friendly, won't rot or corrode and clean easily. Wood cabinets tend to be heavy and can be damaged by moisture. Metal cabinets are attractive and strong but are expensive and can corrode when exposed to moisture and chemicals.

Select the type of modular cabinet to accommodate your storage and space needs. Floor cabinets are typically taller than wall units and can be positioned next to each other to create spacious storage areas. Wall cabinets can be mounted on walls above floor cabinets, providing storage for smaller items without taking up floor space. Portable cabinets can be moved with ease. Attach drawer units atop larger cabinets for storing smaller items. Locked cabinets provide security for valuable tools or other items and safety against curious children.

Design your modular cabinet system, comparing garage measurements with cabinet size and storage needs. Sketch your design to scale on graph paper. Designate one graph paper square to equal one foot. Use a ruler to help draw straight lines.

Install your modular cabinets. Locate a wall stud in the area you'd like to hang your cabinet, using a stud sensor. Make a pencil mark on the wall where the cabinet will hang. Position a cabinet hanger plate inside the cabinet. Enlist a helper to lift the cabinet to its designated position and use a level to ensure it is straight on the wall. Use a power drill to drill screws through the plate, cabinet back and into the wall stud, securely attaching the cabinet to the wall. Cabinet manufacturers will often offer hardware, such as a cabinet hanger plate that is designed for use with their specific type of cabinet. Also, installation instructions may vary with each manufacturer.