Repurposing old school lockers for garage storage

[d000hg]

I got 10 of these, I maybe mentioned before. I think they're a foot square.
I was planning to just put shelves in them and I probably will for some stuff, but then I thought about hanging tools inside the walls and was thinking about pegboard. I reckon it'd look pretty cool and I'd be able to find stuff.

But I need to find some I can cut fairly easily. Any suggestions? Nobody local seems to stock it so I'm reliant on online reviews and recommendations.

 

[Kerryw92]

Not sure about wooden peg board but I know you can get wooden slat boards. Approx £35 for 1.2m x 1.2m. Only peg board I have seen before is the stuff used in shops, it's 2-3mm think steel & fairly easy to fit down to size. Just make sure you leave about a cm gap behind it when fitting so the pegs slot in properly as it can't go flush to the back.

 

[d000hg]

Yeah I saw the steel stuff - though in so many different versions I'm not sure they are compatible with the same pegs, etc!

I was only worried at my ability to cut metal straight. I'm not even sure what the right tool is if I want it to look at least halfway decent... I think my only options I own are a jigsaw or a reciprocating (ok also a multi-tool) but neither are great for cutting straight compared to a handsaw in wood. Do I just use the jigsaw and be careful, try to set up a straight edge or something?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Any suggestions? Nobody local seems to stock it so I'm reliant on online reviews and recommendations.

I would be inclined to say those 12x12 lockers have too small a footprint to be really useful for storage - Could I suggest using them laid on their sides, door hinge uppermost with several stacked that way on top? Like a series of wide shelves.

 

[Kerryw92]

Yeah I saw the steel stuff - though in so many different versions I'm not sure they are compatible with the same pegs, etc!

I was only worried at my ability to cut metal straight. I'm not even sure what the right tool is if I want it to look at least halfway decent... I think my only options I own are a jigsaw or a reciprocating (ok also a multi-tool) but neither are great for cutting straight compared to a handsaw in wood. Do I just use the jigsaw and be careful, try to set up a straight edge or something?

Options I'd think would be EDEN, CAEM, HMY & Arneg. Of the lot EDEN are by far the easiest to cut as they tend to be thinner than the others.

I have previously used a jigsaw to cut these, just permanent marker a line and cover it with masking tape as this helps a great deal. Also the correct blade type will be needed & go through it slowly.

As said though with the size of these I'd hazard a guess at the peg board would only fit tools about two wide.

Pegs are universal along the whole range I mentioned, different types are the single peg & twin peg (euro hook) single peg is better to hang tools on but the twin peg is more heavy duty.

EBay you can usually get the lot on for cheap.

 

[d000hg]

Yeah, I'm going to have to try one first for practicality.

I'm almost thinking about using this as shelving without the shelves... Maybe for small power tools and larger hand tools. I want my storage to be enclosed so even if each locker is a single column of items, 10 of them is a whole wall.

We'll see. If anyone's interested I'll post photos as I figure it out?

 

[mattylad]

Why not Blog it, recycling sites are always after articles for stuff like this.
I know Freegle would republish it and let thousands know.

 

[Kerryw92]

Yeah, I'm going to have to try one first for practicality.

I'm almost thinking about using this as shelving without the shelves... Maybe for small power tools and larger hand tools. I want my storage to be enclosed so even if each locker is a single column of items, 10 of them is a whole wall.

We'll see. If anyone's interested I'll post photos as I figure it out?

Yeah would be interesting to see how it works out. As Harry said above stacking them on their side would be a good idea, just trim the legs off.

Or possibly 6 stacked sideways (3 in a stack, 2 stacks total) then 2 upright either side of these. Put some peg board in the center gap of them all? Would sort of look like a workstation/desk then.

 

[scbk]

IMO too small to be much use, better off flogging them and getting some 2nd hand heavy duty office furniture (steel cabinets, cupboards, drawers etc)

 

[Mottie]

Why bother with pegboard - just drill holes in the back of them to enable you to fit the pegs where you want them.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

IMO too small to be much use, better off flogging them and getting some 2nd hand heavy duty office furniture (steel cabinets, cupboards, drawers etc)

I use an old, 3-drawer, metal filing cabinet for storing several power tools, transformers etc. - it works well.

 

[d000hg]

Why bother with pegboard - just drill holes in the back of them to enable you to fit the pegs where you want them.

that's a lot of holes... Plus it's damaging the lockers further. The whole point of pegboard is convenience I guess

 

[Mottie]

Two holes per peg exactly where you want them, surely?

 

[d000hg]

Two holes per peg exactly where you want them, surely?

If I knew exactly where I wanted everything and that is never change my tools! From experience I expect to do a bunch of faffing to get it right.

 

[d000hg]

So I got one locker sorted, this one using louvred panels for bins. I was pleasantly surprised that the red bins (heavier duty) fit two side by side perfectly... The cheaper black ones are just a bit too wide.