In the home, the type of shelving you choose often depends on how good it will look where it is placed. Contrarily, a garage shelf is generally picked for its durability and price rather than its aesthetic appeal. A garage is best suited to a wood, plastic or metal shelf; all will do the job, but each has its pros and cons.

Plastic Shelves
Quick, easy, and cheap, plastic shelves are popping up in garages and other workspaces all across the country. They are very cost effective and are basically maintenance free. Plastic makes a good choice for garage shelf material in particular because it is so easy to clean.

Unfortunately, many plastic shelves are rather low quality. A serious workspace will need shelves that can support the weight of some very heavy equipment for long periods of time. Though plastic shelves have come a long way in the past two decades, the market is still flooded with inferior products. Higher end plastic materials, though strong and durable, can get as costly (if not more) as other materials that might be more desirable.

Classic Wood Shelves
Wood makes a great garage shelf. It is extremely easy to work with, and can be installed almost anywhere, and in any way you want. A wooden garage shelf can be cut to fit your specific needs. They are durable, and good-looking, too. A DIY can have a great time (and a relatively easy first project) filling their garage with shelves made on site.

Garages generally have very poor insulation, and because they have such a large opening, the weather can often come right in. Anything made of wood will have issues with moisture in an environment such as this. A wooden garage shelf will be subject to warping, bowing, and cracking even if it is well cared for. This doesn't necessarily mean that it won't still be able to function for an extended period of time, but it is a problem that should be considered before installation.

The Metal Shelf: Be All and End All?
Though a metal shelf might not literally be the alpha and omega of garage shelf compatibility, it certainly comes close. A metal shelf will be able to support a lot of weight for an extended period of time. It might be difficult to alter to specific needs, but there are so many on the market that most people will be able to find one to suit whatever function is necessary. They are generally easy to mount or set up, and are not particularly expensive.

It is true that metal can rust, but most metal that is intended for outdoor use will be rust resistant in some way. Even if it does begin to rust, it will take a long time for function to be affected.

Metal is not as visually appealing as wood, and not as inexpensive as plastic, but its durability and strength are very desirable in any work area. Metal can be painted to be a bit more pleasant to look at, but to the right eyes, metal looks just fine the way it is.