VAULT

09/14/2026

We don't use aluminum.

Here's why.

Steel is 2.5 times denser than aluminum. That matters when a shelf needs to hold serious weight without bending. Or when a drawer weighted down with hand and power tools opens without sagging.

Aluminum is soft. It scratches easy. It dents easy. It warps under weight and use.

Over time, aluminum tarnishes and becomes brittle. Steel doesn't.

An average VAULT cabinet has 100 to 200 pounds of steel in it. That weight is the point. It ensures your storage is built for real work. Built American rugged.

Aluminum's one advantage is being lightweight. That's why it's in aircraft and trailers.

But when quality and durability are the priority, you use the best raw materials, which is why we use 304-grade brushed stainless steel and galvanized steel for every interior. Almost no other cabinet manufacturer will touch these materials because they cost more and demand precision.

Your cabinet will outlast the home.

That's the difference between a lightweight cabinet and one built like a tank.

09/14/2026

Metal siding can be a beautiful material to finish a garage interior. Really durable. Solves moisture problems that drywall can't.

But there's something some people should consider when specifying them in a project.

This kind of treatment could pose a challenge if the area where you need to secure something is not load bearing. Wall backing, behind the cladding, may be needed, so planning this in advance helps minimize the extra work to remove panels later on when the space is being furnished.

You also are going to see a reveal. For some clients, that aesthetic doesn't matter.

The question isn't whether metal cladding is good. It is. The question is thinking three steps ahead: did you think through what you're mounting against it before you specified it?






DetailsMatter
DesignIntelligence
DesignThinking

09/01/2026

Most garages place windows before anyone thinks through cabinetry, countertops, or wall use. That can quietly take an entire wall out of play.

Better approach: design the room first, then place the windows raised above countertop height. This will preserve natural light while keeping the lower wall usable for base cabinets and storage.

That one early decision changes everything.

Plan the garage like part of the home, not leftover space.

08/20/2026

Most people design their garage storage around what looks good. Then they get frustrated because nothing fits.

Tall items - bikes, kayaks, ladders, garden equipment - need different planning than everyday tools.

If your storage interior wasn't designed around what you actually own, you end up with dead space, expensive retrofitting, and a garage that doesn't work.

Read how to think about storage differently so the garage actually serves the way you live:

How to store golf clubs, skis, and gardening equipment in a garage cabinet without wasting space. A segmented interior eliminates dead space and maximizes storage.

08/11/2026

Most people plan a garage by buying equipment and seeing where it fits. Then they run extension cords across the floor, store a vacuum in the middle of the space, leave a battery tender on a shelf, and realize too late that power, air, water, and charging should have been planned before the walls were finished.

That's not an equipment problem. It's a planning problem.

A well-equipped garage doesn't start with products. It starts with utility systems: where power lives, how air gets there, where water access makes sense, how vehicles get maintained, and what happens to the clutter.

These decisions are interconnected. A poorly placed air compressor becomes a noise problem. Extension cords draped across the floor become a safety issue. A charger on a shelf makes a finished room look unfinished.

Most frustrating garages happen because these utilities are added as afterthoughts.

After 20 years working with homeowners and collectors on garage design, I wrote down the five utility essentials that should be planned early:

Five Overlooked Utility Essentials Every Well-Equipped Garage Should Have

https://www.vaultgarage.com/news/garage-must-haves-essentials/

It's written for homeowners who want their garage to actually work, and for collectors who want those systems built in and hidden so the space feels designed, not equipped.

Plan the utilities early. Hide what should disappear. Keep what you use within reach.

Five utility essentials every homeowner should plan for early, from garage vacuum systems and air compressors to power, water, and battery management.

08/04/2026

TOP FIVE MUST-HAVE ESSENTIAL UTILITIES FOR THE GARAGE

#5: Battery Tender (Preferably Hidden Out of Sight)

A battery maintainer protects collector cars, weekend vehicles, motorcycles, and anything else that may sit unused for long periods. But the charger, cords, and leads should not become permanent visual clutter.

The difference between a finished garage and a cluttered one is often hidden inside the cabinetry.

When battery maintenance is planned during the design phase, the vehicle stays protected and the garage stays composed.

Learn more: https://www.vaultgarage.com/news/garage-must-haves-essentials/

10/22/2025

Garage cabinets do not belong in a luxury kitchen. That almost never happens—unless they’re uniquely beautiful and well-built to the highest standards attainable.

After Hurricane Harvey, a Houston family set out to rebuild right and emailed me:

‘We want VAULT in our kitchen. We've looked around and can't find ANYTHING we are more excited about making sure makes it into the house than these. For that reason, we thought we'd reach out to you early in the process so we can make sure everything else is able to be worked around this as we plan to build the house around them.’

When you build a house around the cabinets, you know they’re special.

Their note genuinely warmed my heart, made me proud, and raised the bar to deliver their dream without compromise.

Custom Hunter Green with all-galvanized interiors and full-length handles are a striking contrast.

Four-foot drawers that swallow pots, pans, sheet trays, and big appliances.

Meanwhile at the factory, another VAULT build is headed to a dedicated gun room—steel cabinetry configured to secure fi****ms and ammunition. Different use case, same standard.

When a “garage” cabinet makes the cut for a luxury kitchen, it isn’t just a product—it’s a brand that means something to people who want quality and beauty without compromise. Luxury kitchens. Outdoor kitchens. Secure storage. Anywhere performance and beauty must coexist.

Only VAULT.

10/22/2025

Garage cabinets do not belong in a luxury kitchen. That almost never happens—unless they’re uniquely beautiful and well-built to the highest standards attainable.

After Hurricane Harvey, a Houston family set out to rebuild right and emailed me:

‘We want VAULT in our kitchen. We've looked around and can't find ANYTHING we are more excited about making sure makes it into the house than these. For that reason, we thought we'd reach out to you early in the process so we can make sure everything else is able to be worked around this as we plan to build the house around them.’

When you build a house around the cabinets, you know they’re special.

Their note genuinely warmed my heart, made me proud, and raised the bar to deliver their dream without compromise.

Custom Hunter Green with all-galvanized interiors and full-length handles are a striking contrast.

Four-foot drawers that swallow pots, pans, sheet trays, and big appliances.

Meanwhile at the factory, another VAULT build is headed to a dedicated gun room—steel cabinetry configured to secure fi****ms and ammunition. Different use case, same standard.

When a “garage” cabinet makes the cut for a luxury kitchen, it isn’t just a product—it’s a brand that means something to people who want quality and beauty without compromise. Luxury kitchens. Outdoor kitchens. Secure storage. Anywhere performance and beauty must coexist.

Only VAULT.

10/20/2025

“These cabinets are high quality, state-of-the-art design… Everyone who comes into my shop is just speechless when they see them.”
— Randy Blackledge in Heath, Ohio

Made in the USA. Built to last a lifetime.

Not just cabinets — a statement of craftsmanship that completes the space.

Thank you, Randy, for trusting us to bring your workshop vision to life.

10/17/2025

A decade later, FORGED is wearing well.

Today a customer from San Diego messaged us about our old “FORGED Cabinets” T-shirt. He’s worn it every Saturday at beach volleyball for over ten years. His words: “It’s damn near see-through now… not giving it up though. I’ll have my wife sew it up.”

That’s the kind of loyalty that humbles us. Our FORGED Cabinets are built to be rock solid. So is the community that loves our brand and supports us.

Thank you for believing in what we build and why we build it—durability over disposability, craftsmanship over compromise. If you’ve still got a day-one FORGED tee, VAULT Yeti or a long-running install, share a photo in the comments. We’d love to see it.

— Chad, Founder, VAULT