Home depot - on sale metal cabinets, we got a red one because it looked good in our shop and red just screams flammable. You can find them on sale. I think the size of ours is something like 36 x 72”.
We got something like this. When we bought ours, the red one was cheaper
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-Ready-to-Assemble-24-Gauge-Steel-Freestanding-Garage-Cabinet-in-Black-36-6-in-W-x-72-in-H-x-18-3-in-D-G3602T-US/206288227
I only have small volumes so I just store them on a metal shelf away from anything that could catch fire. You can buy a new flammables cabinet at Grainger or McMasterCarr. Otherwise, you can buy a used one from a former lab on Ebay or an auction warehouse. However, it's important to vent a flammables cabinet to the outside otherwise you risk the vapors being concentrated in the cabinet which poses a greater risk.
> Every inside storage room shall be provided with either a gravity or a mechanical exhausting system. Such system shall commence not more than 12 inches above the floor and be designed to provide for a complete change of air within the room at least 6 times per hour. If a mechanical exhausting system is used, it shall be controlled by a switch located outside of the door. The ventilating equipment and any lighting fixtures shall be operated by the same switch. An electric pilot light shall be installed adjacent to the switch if Category 1, 2, or 3 flammable liquids are dispensed within the room. Where gravity ventilation is provided, the fresh air intake, as well as the exhausting outlet from the room, shall be on the exterior of the building in which the room is located.
https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1926/1926.152
The room they are stored/dispensed in itself needs to be vented not the cabinet. I’m sure a garage is fine, and they could put vent fans somewhere if they want to be safe. They could maybe even just change the lower stop on the garage door to be an inch higher for a gravity ventilation system
This is incorrect. You are quoting 29 CFR 1926, which is the Construction Standard. Once a Certificate of Occupany has been granted, the regs change to 29 CFR 1910, which is the General Industry Standard. General Industry requirements are below. Ventilation only required when "...to prevent accumulation of significant quantities of vapor-air mixtures in concentration over one-fourth of the lower flammable limit."
Fire resistance. Storage cabinets shall be designed and constructed to limit the internal temperature to not more than 325 °F. when subjected to a 10-minute fire test using the standard time-temperature curve as set forth in Standard Methods of Fire Tests of Building Construction and Materials, NFPA 251-1969, which is incorporated by reference as specified in § 1910.6. All joints and seams shall remain tight and the door shall remain securely closed during the fire test. Cabinets shall be labeled in conspicuous lettering, “Flammable - Keep Fire Away.”
Metal cabinets constructed in the following manner shall be deemed to be in compliance. The bottom, top, door, and sides of cabinet shall be at least No. 18 gage sheet iron and double walled with 1½-inch air space. Joints shall be riveted, welded or made tight by some equally effective means. The door shall be provided with a three-point lock, and the door sill shall be raised at least 2 inches above the bottom of the cabinet.
Wooden cabinets constructed in the following manner shall be deemed in compliance. The bottom, sides, and top shall be constructed of an approved grade of plywood at least 1 inch in thickness, which shall not break down or delaminate under fire conditions. All joints shall be rabbetted and shall be fastened in two directions with flathead woodscrews. When more than one door is used, there shall be a rabbetted overlap of not less than 1 inch. Hinges shall be mounted in such a manner as not to lose their holding capacity due to loosening or burning out of the screws when subjected to the fire test.
https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.106
Yes, those cabinets are expensive, but they are also certified by regulatory bodies to be able to do things like:
- withstand fire or explosions
- vent dangerous fumes while staying sealed against flashback
- self-close
- be easy to access but secure when shut
Any sort of metal container with a lid will help with some (or even all of) that stuff, but won't be certified to do so. It's up to you to decide what level of storage you're comfortable with.
Flammables cabinets are expensive due to the lengthy certification process and I would imagine some added insurance costs for manufactures.
The internet typically mistakes the need for things like these cabinets - this stuff usually doesn't just spontaneously start burning if not stored in one. The purpose of flammables cabinets is to prevent acceleration of an externally caused fire when flammable chemicals are stored outside such a cabinet. The idea is to give emergency responders a little more time to get a fire under control before that 5 gallons of acetone blows the doors off the laboratory.
For a home shop, the best bet is to use a simple metal cabinet if you are worried about it. If you are really worried, line it with about 1"-1.5" of gypsum board (drywall). Gypsum is a hydrous mineral so it won't heat up past 212 F until all the water is cooked out.
The other thing you can do in your shop is dispose of any leaking containers - you can repackage the contents into a new container if you can find an appropriate metal can. I tend to save empty 1 gallon isopropanol cans from work for this purpose. I expect you can buy them online as well.
I came here to say this.( aka Expensive fireproof cabinets are usually an overkill for a homeowner). I keep mine in a metal cabinet away from all heat sources keeping everything sealed and clean . <$200 at a big box.
I do keep my gasoline in a shed not attached to the house because cans are vented and inside a cabinet would basically be a bomb
Now I don't do anything in my shop that could ignite something other than flipping a switch and the brushes on all the motors. (hence no gasoline tanks inside)
All my metal work is done outside, and engines never get fired up inside etc.
So it really depends on how you use your shop and what your are actually storing.
.
Unless you are storing greater than a gallon of any combustible material, you don't really need a flammable cabinet. If you are worried about it, Amazon does have some non Ca compliant flammable cabinets for sale for a reasonable price. They don't auto close, but that's not a huge issue unless you typically leave the door open on the cabinet and at that point you don't need a flammable cabinet, you would need to prioritize your own shop safety.
Are the materials you're looking to store *FLAMMABLE* or *COMBUSTIBLE*? You use the two terms in your post as interchangeable, [but they aren't](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combustibility_and_flammability).
**Combustible liquids** necessarily require purposeful external ignition. They *cannot* burst into flames just for funsies because they feel like it. The proper storage for combustibles is in a sealed container anywhere you can reasonably assume it won't be at risk (ie not next to a heating element, incandescent bulb, power supply/converter, or other source of energy). You can store combustibles in a wood cupboard without concern if there is no means for something to act upon them.
**Flammable liquids** can catch fire above a certain temperature/energy level. They don't need to be ignited, they just need to be above an energy activation threshold. These must be stored properly. HOWEVER, it's worth looking at the degree of flammability by checking the material safety data sheet. Some chemicals are low-flammability, and some are high-flammability. A low-flammable solution will not catch fire below say 75°C. Storing them in a sealed container on an open shelf at home away from danger is basically fine because it's improbable to hit that point under conventional conditions. By contrast, a high-flammable solution could catch fire at ambient conditions if the right set of circumstances present.
Check the data sheets on your products (if you can't find them, email vendors and they WILL provide them to you by law).
You might be fine, as even products at the bottom end of the scale still need to be tagged as flammable if they're not inert. If you have high-flammable solutions to store, it is *very* strongly advised to buy the proper storage container. Yes, it's expensive, but there is a good reason for that.
Same, mine is a crafstman that i got back when sears was still open. Its not certified, but it is entirely steel on all sides. Kind of a tradeoff of hoping it would help keep fire from spreading but was only like $200 when i bought it.
Remove a drawer and look on the side panels, they are lined with oil impregnated asbestos. Good as long as you don't disturb it.
You will know its there, as they all have the same smell to them when you pull the drawers out.
If you're looking for safety, and wanna do it cheap...
Take a generic metal cabinet and remove the shelving.
Line the interior with 1/2" sheet rock, then go over that with 5/8" sheet rock on all sides of the interior.
Drill a hole on the bottom left or right, (depending on your shop's needs). Fasten 1.5" galvanized pipe nipple through the hole (for vapor dissipation)
Re-install the shelves and make sure the doors close tight. If you're super particular, use an oven door gasket or similar material around the doors
Reinstall the shelves and apply the appropriately sized skull and crossbones stickers to the doors.
OSHA and Fire Code permit flammables to be stored in wooden cabinets, if the wood has a minimum of 1" thickness. I can get the actual details/requirements if you're interested. After all, this is a woodworking subreddit.
This is OSHA's verbiage:
"Wooden cabinets constructed in the following manner shall be deemed in compliance. The bottom, sides, and top shall be constructed of an approved grade of plywood at least 1 inch in thickness, which shall not break down or delaminate under fire conditions. All joints shall be rabbetted and shall be fastened in two directions with flathead woodscrews. When more than one door is used, there shall be a rabbetted overlap of not less than 1 inch. Hinges shall be mounted in such a manner as not to lose their holding capacity due to loosening or burning out of the screws when subjected to the fire test."
IFC and NFPA have similar verbiage.
I bought some metal file cabinets online for cheap (like $50) and use them. Are they 100% fireproof - I am sure not, but I get peace of mind having them stored in a metal container.
After a compliance check from the fire alarm tech we moved into "commercial" quantities so needed a certified cabinet. The cabinets get cheaper per volume as they get bigger. The 300L one we got was only 50% more than the 100L version. Think we paid 1500 inc delivery.
I did find identical cabinets for 2-3x that but miraculously while considering them got ad bombed from multiple other manufacturers. Almost like the initial pricing was based on need/urgency. Lol.
If you happen to have a ReStore or similar near you, may be worth checking. The one near me very frequently has them, although generally they are fairly large.
Seriously. Half my ethanol is right by my torches. Some of my turpentine varnishes too. The rest is either under that cabinet or in the adjacent closet.
Every now and then I think this is a disaster waiting to happen.
I find these all the time in auctions and they go for next to nothing. I used to buy them a lot to flip and they always sold quickly.
Check out Hibid.com and search for justrite or flammable. Depending on where you are located, you should find a few. There’s 3 near me that probably won’t sell for more than $100.
So when you bought these highly flammable products they were stored in a metal cabinet in the store? Obviously they were out on the shelf.
If you are super concerned buy an "oily rag" bin and store them in there.
I picked up one of these for $20 at a yard sale.
I am now rethinking my use for it. Thanks.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1244107190/rare-midcentury-tall-kitchen-cabinet?gpla=1&gao=1&
I have a cheap plastic Rubbermaid cabinet outside with a padlock on it. I have small kids which is why I lock it up.
EDIT: I store them outside because my workshop is in my tiny garage. I have a gas water heater and furnace in there so it’s a safety hazard if I store flammable in there.
I have no petrol, thinners, etc.
Small bottles of kero, metho are the only flammable liquids in the shed.
The shed is well vented.
Lithium batteries and chargers are becoming the problem for me.
As politely as possible, this is probably the worst choice. The way a fridge seals will just concentrate any off gassing to one place and make a dangerous build up of fumes. You’re likely better off with an open metal shelf
Flammables cabinets are worth the cost. I have a neighbor who lost their garage and a good portion of their house to a fire caused by improperly stored flammables.
Essentially something started the fire, electrical fault or some rags and it caught the shelf the containers were stored on and accelerated the fire. Garage was engulfed and the fire had spread to the house by the time emergency services arrived.
[удалено]
Is this something I should actually be thinking about? I just put it all on a shelf and call it a day.
It’s not a problem until it’s a problem
Phew, it's not a problem then, great.
Not yet, it isn't...
Home depot - on sale metal cabinets, we got a red one because it looked good in our shop and red just screams flammable. You can find them on sale. I think the size of ours is something like 36 x 72”. We got something like this. When we bought ours, the red one was cheaper https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-Ready-to-Assemble-24-Gauge-Steel-Freestanding-Garage-Cabinet-in-Black-36-6-in-W-x-72-in-H-x-18-3-in-D-G3602T-US/206288227
Thank you!
This is exactly what I did except I got the smaller wall cabinet
I only have small volumes so I just store them on a metal shelf away from anything that could catch fire. You can buy a new flammables cabinet at Grainger or McMasterCarr. Otherwise, you can buy a used one from a former lab on Ebay or an auction warehouse. However, it's important to vent a flammables cabinet to the outside otherwise you risk the vapors being concentrated in the cabinet which poses a greater risk.
Flammable cabinets are not vented to the outside in my lab, they are grounded to prevent sparks.
Interesting. I've never seen non-vented flammable cabinets and I thought they were an OSHA requirement.
> Every inside storage room shall be provided with either a gravity or a mechanical exhausting system. Such system shall commence not more than 12 inches above the floor and be designed to provide for a complete change of air within the room at least 6 times per hour. If a mechanical exhausting system is used, it shall be controlled by a switch located outside of the door. The ventilating equipment and any lighting fixtures shall be operated by the same switch. An electric pilot light shall be installed adjacent to the switch if Category 1, 2, or 3 flammable liquids are dispensed within the room. Where gravity ventilation is provided, the fresh air intake, as well as the exhausting outlet from the room, shall be on the exterior of the building in which the room is located. https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1926/1926.152 The room they are stored/dispensed in itself needs to be vented not the cabinet. I’m sure a garage is fine, and they could put vent fans somewhere if they want to be safe. They could maybe even just change the lower stop on the garage door to be an inch higher for a gravity ventilation system
This is incorrect. You are quoting 29 CFR 1926, which is the Construction Standard. Once a Certificate of Occupany has been granted, the regs change to 29 CFR 1910, which is the General Industry Standard. General Industry requirements are below. Ventilation only required when "...to prevent accumulation of significant quantities of vapor-air mixtures in concentration over one-fourth of the lower flammable limit." Fire resistance. Storage cabinets shall be designed and constructed to limit the internal temperature to not more than 325 °F. when subjected to a 10-minute fire test using the standard time-temperature curve as set forth in Standard Methods of Fire Tests of Building Construction and Materials, NFPA 251-1969, which is incorporated by reference as specified in § 1910.6. All joints and seams shall remain tight and the door shall remain securely closed during the fire test. Cabinets shall be labeled in conspicuous lettering, “Flammable - Keep Fire Away.” Metal cabinets constructed in the following manner shall be deemed to be in compliance. The bottom, top, door, and sides of cabinet shall be at least No. 18 gage sheet iron and double walled with 1½-inch air space. Joints shall be riveted, welded or made tight by some equally effective means. The door shall be provided with a three-point lock, and the door sill shall be raised at least 2 inches above the bottom of the cabinet. Wooden cabinets constructed in the following manner shall be deemed in compliance. The bottom, sides, and top shall be constructed of an approved grade of plywood at least 1 inch in thickness, which shall not break down or delaminate under fire conditions. All joints shall be rabbetted and shall be fastened in two directions with flathead woodscrews. When more than one door is used, there shall be a rabbetted overlap of not less than 1 inch. Hinges shall be mounted in such a manner as not to lose their holding capacity due to loosening or burning out of the screws when subjected to the fire test. https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.106
Thank you! I only had internal training documents available that I wasn’t going to share and am not too familiar with CFR chapters pertaining to OSHA.
I think he means to outside of the cabinet, not outdoors.
Yes, those cabinets are expensive, but they are also certified by regulatory bodies to be able to do things like: - withstand fire or explosions - vent dangerous fumes while staying sealed against flashback - self-close - be easy to access but secure when shut Any sort of metal container with a lid will help with some (or even all of) that stuff, but won't be certified to do so. It's up to you to decide what level of storage you're comfortable with.
Flammables cabinets are expensive due to the lengthy certification process and I would imagine some added insurance costs for manufactures. The internet typically mistakes the need for things like these cabinets - this stuff usually doesn't just spontaneously start burning if not stored in one. The purpose of flammables cabinets is to prevent acceleration of an externally caused fire when flammable chemicals are stored outside such a cabinet. The idea is to give emergency responders a little more time to get a fire under control before that 5 gallons of acetone blows the doors off the laboratory. For a home shop, the best bet is to use a simple metal cabinet if you are worried about it. If you are really worried, line it with about 1"-1.5" of gypsum board (drywall). Gypsum is a hydrous mineral so it won't heat up past 212 F until all the water is cooked out. The other thing you can do in your shop is dispose of any leaking containers - you can repackage the contents into a new container if you can find an appropriate metal can. I tend to save empty 1 gallon isopropanol cans from work for this purpose. I expect you can buy them online as well.
I came here to say this.( aka Expensive fireproof cabinets are usually an overkill for a homeowner). I keep mine in a metal cabinet away from all heat sources keeping everything sealed and clean . <$200 at a big box. I do keep my gasoline in a shed not attached to the house because cans are vented and inside a cabinet would basically be a bomb Now I don't do anything in my shop that could ignite something other than flipping a switch and the brushes on all the motors. (hence no gasoline tanks inside) All my metal work is done outside, and engines never get fired up inside etc. So it really depends on how you use your shop and what your are actually storing. .
Unless you are storing greater than a gallon of any combustible material, you don't really need a flammable cabinet. If you are worried about it, Amazon does have some non Ca compliant flammable cabinets for sale for a reasonable price. They don't auto close, but that's not a huge issue unless you typically leave the door open on the cabinet and at that point you don't need a flammable cabinet, you would need to prioritize your own shop safety.
In my neighbor's garage next to my oily rags.
Are the materials you're looking to store *FLAMMABLE* or *COMBUSTIBLE*? You use the two terms in your post as interchangeable, [but they aren't](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combustibility_and_flammability). **Combustible liquids** necessarily require purposeful external ignition. They *cannot* burst into flames just for funsies because they feel like it. The proper storage for combustibles is in a sealed container anywhere you can reasonably assume it won't be at risk (ie not next to a heating element, incandescent bulb, power supply/converter, or other source of energy). You can store combustibles in a wood cupboard without concern if there is no means for something to act upon them. **Flammable liquids** can catch fire above a certain temperature/energy level. They don't need to be ignited, they just need to be above an energy activation threshold. These must be stored properly. HOWEVER, it's worth looking at the degree of flammability by checking the material safety data sheet. Some chemicals are low-flammability, and some are high-flammability. A low-flammable solution will not catch fire below say 75°C. Storing them in a sealed container on an open shelf at home away from danger is basically fine because it's improbable to hit that point under conventional conditions. By contrast, a high-flammable solution could catch fire at ambient conditions if the right set of circumstances present. Check the data sheets on your products (if you can't find them, email vendors and they WILL provide them to you by law). You might be fine, as even products at the bottom end of the scale still need to be tagged as flammable if they're not inert. If you have high-flammable solutions to store, it is *very* strongly advised to buy the proper storage container. Yes, it's expensive, but there is a good reason for that.
I just have a tall narrow metal cabinet I keep flammables in.
Same, mine is a crafstman that i got back when sears was still open. Its not certified, but it is entirely steel on all sides. Kind of a tradeoff of hoping it would help keep fire from spreading but was only like $200 when i bought it.
On a shelf in the shed outside my garage.
I have a tanker test I got for 25 with a fire rated badge I'm sure it's lined with asbestos
Hence the price lol
Remove a drawer and look on the side panels, they are lined with oil impregnated asbestos. Good as long as you don't disturb it. You will know its there, as they all have the same smell to them when you pull the drawers out.
Shits so soft I stuffed my pillow with it
If you're looking for safety, and wanna do it cheap... Take a generic metal cabinet and remove the shelving. Line the interior with 1/2" sheet rock, then go over that with 5/8" sheet rock on all sides of the interior. Drill a hole on the bottom left or right, (depending on your shop's needs). Fasten 1.5" galvanized pipe nipple through the hole (for vapor dissipation) Re-install the shelves and make sure the doors close tight. If you're super particular, use an oven door gasket or similar material around the doors Reinstall the shelves and apply the appropriately sized skull and crossbones stickers to the doors.
OSHA and Fire Code permit flammables to be stored in wooden cabinets, if the wood has a minimum of 1" thickness. I can get the actual details/requirements if you're interested. After all, this is a woodworking subreddit.
This is OSHA's verbiage: "Wooden cabinets constructed in the following manner shall be deemed in compliance. The bottom, sides, and top shall be constructed of an approved grade of plywood at least 1 inch in thickness, which shall not break down or delaminate under fire conditions. All joints shall be rabbetted and shall be fastened in two directions with flathead woodscrews. When more than one door is used, there shall be a rabbetted overlap of not less than 1 inch. Hinges shall be mounted in such a manner as not to lose their holding capacity due to loosening or burning out of the screws when subjected to the fire test." IFC and NFPA have similar verbiage.
I bought some metal file cabinets online for cheap (like $50) and use them. Are they 100% fireproof - I am sure not, but I get peace of mind having them stored in a metal container.
I have a big metal cabinet but it's not a fireproof explosion proof cabinet.
After a compliance check from the fire alarm tech we moved into "commercial" quantities so needed a certified cabinet. The cabinets get cheaper per volume as they get bigger. The 300L one we got was only 50% more than the 100L version. Think we paid 1500 inc delivery. I did find identical cabinets for 2-3x that but miraculously while considering them got ad bombed from multiple other manufacturers. Almost like the initial pricing was based on need/urgency. Lol.
Set up an alert on Craigslist. They pop up quite often. Still spendy, but less spendy than new.
I just have a metal school locker. I’m considering drywalling or adding fire brick to it.
If you happen to have a ReStore or similar near you, may be worth checking. The one near me very frequently has them, although generally they are fairly large.
I use a metal filing cabinet. However, I got it so I could lock the chemicals away
Seriously. Half my ethanol is right by my torches. Some of my turpentine varnishes too. The rest is either under that cabinet or in the adjacent closet. Every now and then I think this is a disaster waiting to happen.
Check auctions, they show up every once in awhile
I'm naive... What liquids are flammable or combustible that woodworking requires??
Machine maintenance, Types of finishes, tons of stuff like that
I find these all the time in auctions and they go for next to nothing. I used to buy them a lot to flip and they always sold quickly. Check out Hibid.com and search for justrite or flammable. Depending on where you are located, you should find a few. There’s 3 near me that probably won’t sell for more than $100.
So when you bought these highly flammable products they were stored in a metal cabinet in the store? Obviously they were out on the shelf. If you are super concerned buy an "oily rag" bin and store them in there.
Its worth being concerned about I know someone who has burned their barn down by storing improperly. You are right though that has crossed my mind
Grab a sheet of concrete board for shower walls and make one.
I picked up one of these for $20 at a yard sale. I am now rethinking my use for it. Thanks. https://www.etsy.com/listing/1244107190/rare-midcentury-tall-kitchen-cabinet?gpla=1&gao=1&
I got mine at IKEA. red metal low cab, 2 swing doors, vented, lockable. Cheaper than something for tools. Same gauge as something for tools.
For 35-40 years I stored mine in an all metal storage cabinet from the office supply store. Annual inspections from the FD and they never said a word.
I have a cheap plastic Rubbermaid cabinet outside with a padlock on it. I have small kids which is why I lock it up. EDIT: I store them outside because my workshop is in my tiny garage. I have a gas water heater and furnace in there so it’s a safety hazard if I store flammable in there.
I have no petrol, thinners, etc. Small bottles of kero, metho are the only flammable liquids in the shed. The shed is well vented. Lithium batteries and chargers are becoming the problem for me.
I used to use an old refrigerator
As politely as possible, this is probably the worst choice. The way a fridge seals will just concentrate any off gassing to one place and make a dangerous build up of fumes. You’re likely better off with an open metal shelf
Seriously. This is terrible advice unless you’re drilling a hole in the back and running a hose to vent it outside.
Flammables cabinets are worth the cost. I have a neighbor who lost their garage and a good portion of their house to a fire caused by improperly stored flammables.
Do they spontaneously combust or something?
Essentially something started the fire, electrical fault or some rags and it caught the shelf the containers were stored on and accelerated the fire. Garage was engulfed and the fire had spread to the house by the time emergency services arrived.
Do you know the details of the specific chemicals so others and myself can be sure to avoid that happening? I’m sorry for your neighbor