Cabinets in the garage - thoughts/suggestions

[Raven's Roost]

I am considering installing small cabinets (24w x12h x12d ish) in the garage.
I did not see a post related to this topic.
The cabinets would be used to store garage related items: Ratchet straps, Helmet, fluids, etc.
The cabinets would be mounted to the walls of the coach where the wall meets the ceiling. I was thinking several appropriate length drywall screws should do.
The mounting places are: on the dr side butted up to the back of the loft (opening facing the pass side) or against the loft pushed to the dr side with the opening facing aft. These locations are up high and out of the way and do not consume floor space.

The concern is if there a structural member where the ceiling meets the wall(s) which could support the cabinet and contents. A quick search gives a rough weight of 30 lbs for the cabinet. Is there something in the walls (like a house stud) that could be used to also support the weight of the cabinet? Fasteners top and bottom would provide a better clamping force.

Ideas? Thoughts? What have you done? I thought I saw someone had all their internet stuff in a garage cabinet.

Thanks,
Steve

[Country Campers]

Raven's Roost

You may want to contact GD Customer Service, have your VIN, they should give you a wall diagram of the studs and such to make this project easier, they will ask that you not post these diagrams. Make sure and read the drawing correctly as the dimensions are kind of tricky to decipher, they are all taken from one end, the rear I believe, and the view is from the inside out.

Brian

[TheNescios]

I'll caution against the average drywall screw - they're not that great of a screw for mounting cabinets, especially ones subjected to bouncing and such. The head has a beveled area underneath of it to help it sink into the drywall for finishing - this same bevel will tend to want to pull through the cabinet over time.
Not much more $ to grab a good quality cabinet style screw of the appropriate length that in my mind will provide much better holding power - they have a flat area behind the head and some of them have an expanded flat area for more holding power. If you pull any of the screws used by the factory assembling your RV you'll probably see this type of screw was used for holding things together or securing to the unit.

[ncitro]

Keep in mind if you attach to the wall studs they'll be aluminum. That should play into your screw choice.

[Cate&Rob]

Exterior wall studs are thin wall aluminum. Very difficult to secure to for a cabinet. When the factory plans to screw something to a wall stud, they insert a piece of wood first . . . during manufacturing of the wall. For lighter loads they use thin sheet metal (steel) bonded to the back of the interior paneling to secure the screws . . . but, this is relying on the glue between the panelling and the wall studs to carry the load. Interior walls often have wooden studs . . . much easier to fasten to. Ceiling trusses are also wood.

Rob

[howson]

I am considering installing small cabinets (24w x12h x12d ish) in the garage.
I did not see a post related to this topic.
The cabinets would be used to store garage related items: Ratchet straps, Helmet, fluids, etc.
The cabinets would be mounted to the walls of the coach where the wall meets the ceiling. I was thinking several appropriate length drywall screws should do.
The mounting places are: on the dr side butted up to the back of the loft (opening facing the pass side) or against the loft pushed to the dr side with the opening facing aft. These locations are up high and out of the way and do not consume floor space.

The concern is if there a structural member where the ceiling meets the wall(s) which could support the cabinet and contents. A quick search gives a rough weight of 30 lbs for the cabinet. Is there something in the walls (like a house stud) that could be used to also support the weight of the cabinet? Fasteners top and bottom would provide a better clamping force.

Ideas? Thoughts? What have you done? I thought I saw someone had all their internet stuff in a garage cabinet.

Thanks,
Steve

Steve,
Assuming the data I can access is accurate, there are three wire channels in that wall. Working from the rear forward, the first is in the middle of the small window. It's a bunk light wire channel. The second channel is just forward of the first one and is along the forward edge of the small window. It's a receptacle wire channel. The third channel is also a receptacle wire channel and is on the aft side of the most forward window.

There doesn't appear to much in the way of EGS ("Electro-galvanized steel") in the areas of interest. You can confirm with a magnet. See https://gdrvowners.com/forum/exterio...-it-in-your-rv for more information on EGS.

I echo the caution expressed in Chris' post. Where a cabinet is intended GD installs backers in the wall to support the expected load. GD does not add any that aren't necessary. Where's there no backer the wall is just laminate, luan, and styrofoam.

Placing cabinets that are supported by the floor is how I'd approach the issue with the walls used to hold the cabinet in place (not support the weight).

Give GD Customer Service a call and request the SIDEWALL ODS LAM drawing for your 381M. Have your VIN handy as they will request it. Also please remember that if GD does provide you a copy to not post it on any social media. (Why we don't post things here--we're not allowed.)

Howard

[Raven's Roost]

Thanks, everyone.
Great points. Had not thought about the trumpet head nature of drywall screws, wiring, different construction materials, etc.
Maybe those plastic tubs from the big box or wally world are not sooooo bad after all, while I do more research.

Steve

[TheNescios]

One thing about this place, lots of "been there, done that" and some even have the t-shirt?
Seriously though, while I'm not all that excited about Grand Design due to my experiences with them which is partly due to having purchased right before Covid hit full force, partly due to poor dealers in my area, this forum does have a wealth of knowledge that has been helpful numerous times.
If it helps, I recently purchased a couple of the Milwaukee brand of the modular tool boxes for my basement tool storage - pretty happy with how they're working and Ace Hardware has been the best price point that I've found. Dewalt and others have similar products - took me a bit of time to narrow my choice down, each have their pros & cons.

All this said, if built in cabinets are what you really want, once you have some more information from GD you an always look at using a good construction adhesive to glue a 5/16" plywood on the wall and then a bit more between the plywood and cabinet with a good cabinet screw into the laminated wall/stud structure. There is always a way!

[JBill9694]

A good stud finder and electrical proximity sensor will be your best friends for the install. Also suggest for wall mount, 1x2 furring strips placed horizontally across the wall studs, since the studs will never be where you want to anchor the cabinets. That said and not knowing what you're planning on hauling, strongly recommend floor mount cabinets, the top of the cabinets can then be anchored to furring strips to prevent tipping.

[ThePowells]

When I replaced our microwave in ours, I wasn't really thrilled with the mounting for the lower rail. I put an aluminum plate on the wall with many screws and then mounted the rail to the aluminum plate, making sure that every stud was hit.

[OffToHavasu]

Depending how permanent you plan to make it, you can also look into Nutserts. They work really well.