Metal Cabinets vs. Wood Cabinets: Which is better for Your Business?
Paperwork and documentation will always be one of the results of business; thus, filing cabinets and storage cabinets will always be required. Whether it is a home office or an entire office block home to your particular business, storage cabinets are necessary.
There are many storage cabinets, from tall to under-the-desk variety. Still, one factor that needs to be considered is the materials from which they are manufactured. Should you choose metal cabinets or wood cabinets? Which would be better for your business?
There are several important factors that need to be considered by everyone looking to purchase a new storage cabinet.
Durability
One of the first things that need to be considered is the weight of the items that will be stored inside these cabinets. Wood cabinets will be fine for storing simple paper documents, but with large and heavy folders, a wood cabinet can be vulnerable to damage because of the excess weight. Metal cabinets on the other hand are much stronger and may also have a much longer lifespan.
Maintenance
Wood storage cabinets tend to require a good deal more maintenance than is the case with their metal counterparts because they are more vulnerable to cracks and splits.
It is also usually a lot easier to repair metal cabinets in the unlikely event that repairs would even be required. In most cases where a metal cabinet needs to be repaired, the issue is likely to be a simple one such as rust-proofing rather than cracking or splitting in the actual structure as can often unfortunately be the case with wood cabinets.
Cost
Cost is one of the biggest areas in which wood and metal storage cabinets differ. Metal storage cabinets tend to be more expensive than wood cabinets and the latter should certainly be considered as a viable option if there is a tight budget. However, it is important to remember that metal cabinets have a much larger storage capacity than their wood counterparts.
Metal cabinets are capable of storing many more documents and files than would be possible in wood storage cabinets and in spite of their high price, the price/performance ratio of metal cabinets is extremely high, something that should be taken into serious consideration before making a final decision.
Appearance
Another factor to consider is the appearance of the workplace your new storage cabinet will become a part of. If most of the furniture in your office is wooden, it would make more sense to buy a wood storage cabinet, and the same is true in reverse.
However, people tend to purchase metal storage cabinets not because of their stylish appearance but their durability and functionality.
There are many differences between metal cabinets and wood cabinets, but which is better for your business depends on the function they will be used for. Analyse your situation and choose the storage cabinet that best suits your workplace.
