Stainless steel cabinets can benefit businesses, indoor or outdoor, in employee kitchens and bathrooms, or as storage on the warehouse floor.
Stainless steel cabinets are a durable, long-term choice suitable for various industries. They offer a cost-effective solution to obtain additional storage space in continually-changing environments. Before choosing your next storage solution, consider the benefits of purchasing a steel cabinet.
1. Moisture Resistance
Commercial kitchens frequently generate high heat and humidity levels, such as when using the oven or preparing hot food. Stainless steel kitchen cabinets have a higher resistance to corrosion and rust than other materials, such as natural wood.
On the warehouse floor, the opening and closing of doors can lead to an increased humidity level in the building. Stainless steel storage solutions provide long-lasting service by limiting moisture absorption.
Chromium in low carbon steel makes this a capable metal with high resistance to corrosion in humid environments and climates. This provides all-season durability in diversified spaces.
2. Resistant to Heat
Busy employees, machinery, and engines can all contribute to the heat in a warehouse. Because stainless steel contains nickel, it is heat-resistant, making it highly durable. This property is critical when storage shelves are near hot machinery or heated pots and pans that could damage less-robust materials.
Heat resistance makes these cabinets ideal for welding, auto body, and collision repair shops. They are also highly functional parts of an outdoor kitchen or any well-ventilated outdoor living space.
3. Easy to Disinfect
Although stainless steel doesn’t have inherent antimicrobial properties, it is a non-porous surface, meaning bacteria, fungi, viruses, germs, microbes, and other contaminants cannot penetrate it. Stainless steel cabinets possess an easy-to-clean surface, making disinfection and bacterial elimination easy and stress-free.
For example, warehousing workers can quickly and easily wipe a stainless steel cabinet with appropriate cleaning materials. Disinfecting wipes, isopropyl alcohol, or a damp, warm cloth moistened with antimicrobial soap are all suitable options for cleaning a stainless steel surface.
The ease of cleaning and disinfection makes stainless steel a preferred material for cabinets and storage systems in many industries. From food service (e.g., kitchens, cold storage rooms) to hospitals and medical facilities (e.g., patient rooms, autopsy spaces, etc.), steel is a popular option for businesses to maintain health and safety standards.
4. Resistant to Chemical Exposure
When storing hazardous materials in a stainless cabinet, the internal shelf space can come into contact with harsh chemicals and corrosive materials used for factory work, such as salts, solvents, and most types of acids.
Steel cabinets use materials, such as 304 stainless steel, which are highly resistant to exposure from these materials. Additionally, 304 stainless steel frames are resistant to various potentially harmful gasses and liquids, such as freon or gasoline, offering superior protection for goods and your employees.
5. Safe for the Environment
Although a stainless steel cabinet is typically designed to last decades, if your business needs to replace or dispose of one of its cabinets, it can be easily recycled instead of abandoned in a landfill.
According to the American Iron and Steel Institute, steel is a 100% recyclable material. Virtually all steel alloys can be recycled, meaning that cabinetry made of 304 stainless steel is equally as recyclable and eco-friendly as cabinets made of carbon steel. This makes it an excellent choice for companies trying to go green.
6. Pairs Well With Other Stainless Steel Furniture
If your indoor or outdoor space already features other furniture, storage systems, and equipment made of stainless steel, a stainless steel storage cabinet is an ideal fit. Matching your cabinets with other stainless steel equipment allows you to clean, disinfect, and care for all your work surfaces with the same cleaning materials.
For example, stainless steel kitchen cabinets pair perfectly with a steel work table, an 18-gauge stainless steel countertop, or a faucet and stainless steel sink.
7. Practical for Additional Storage Space
Steel cabinetry is a simple but effective way to gain additional storage space for any work environment. This lets you clear the clutter from a steel work table or open shelf space and gain extra prep space.
Configurable cabinets are ideal for making access to materials and equipment as easy and organized as possible. Many cabinet configurations can optimize the accessible space, limited only by the cabinet’s total shelf weight capacity and internal dimensions.
For example, you can find models with deep drawers, internal shelf space, 1 or 2 height-adjustable steel shelves, and other storage elements.
Each cabinet door can also be fitted with a recessed handle, making it safer in high-traffic aisles, reducing the risk of snagging on clothes and equipment and optimizing your floor space. Additionally, recessed handle designs are more robust, contributing to your cabinetry’s long service life.
8. Cost-Effective
Stainless steel is one of the most cost-effective choices for cabinetry per unit. Though the initial investment for each storage cabinet may be higher, the all-season durability and high degree of resistance to most workshop and warehouse dangers translate into significant cost savings.
Additionally, steel tends to be a less expensive material than aluminum, the most common alternative. This makes stainless steel cabinets are among the cheapest options if you need storage solutions primarily made of metal.
Equip Your Facility With High-Quality Steel Cabinetry
Stainless steel cabinetry can bring a wide range of benefits to your warehouse or facility, from durability and ease of maintenance to additional storage space. Steel is a durable material, resistant to many common harmful elements while being cost-effective and environmentally friendly, making it a popular choice in any indoor and outdoor space.
If you’re looking for stainless steel cabinets or other reliable storage solutions for your business, Shelving + Rack Systems can help. Contact us today to help you make the most out of your storage space.
