Paint Storage

[Mario Turcot]

I start gathering some paints, varnish, oils and what not so I am looking at a safe storage solution. I found that cabinet from Home depot.

What you guys think for a small shop, is it good enough and what I need to do to make sure it's all safe. Do I need to put any fire retardant behind it or else?

 

[grobkuschelig]

I would try and get a „fire proof“ one right away. In my opinion, the piece of mind this gives is worth some extra cost. Especially if you think about the possibility of your work/tools being in flames. [emoji6]

But I might just be the cautious type...

 

[Sparktrician]

I would try and get a „fire proof“ one right away. In my opinion, the piece of mind this gives is worth some extra cost. Especially if you think about the possibility of your work/tools being in flames. [emoji6]

But I might just be the cautious type...

Concur.  Home Despot carries some. 

 

[rvieceli]

You will quickly find the price for new flammable storage cabinets hard to swallow. They’re pricey.

But you can generally find used ones in reasonable shape for 1/4 to 1/3 the price. Keep checking your local trader listings. Flammable storage cabinet usually brings up some.

Ron

 

[Charles959]

This article provides detailed plans for making your own plywood flammables cabinet that has the same properties as the ones that meet various codes, and the video explains the advantages of plywood cabinets over metal cabinets, as surprising as that may be:
http://finishing.tips/wooden-flammable-storage-cabinets/

I have one of the SciMatCo cabinets shown in the video.

 

[Mario Turcot]

This article provides detailed plans for making your own plywood flammables cabinet that has the same properties as the ones that meet various codes, and the video explains the advantages of plywood cabinets over metal cabinets, as surprising as that may be:
http://finishing.tips/wooden-flammable-storage-cabinets/

I have one of the SciMatCo cabinets shown in the video.

Very interesting article. Thanks for the link  [big grin]

The lowest cabinet I found so far was around $700CAD and was pretty small.

 

[Charles959]

You are welcome, and I am pleased that you found the information of interest.

I got my cabinet from a dealer that seemed to have lower prices than others, Flinn Scientific. Another possibility would be eBay, if someone near you has one for sale.

As long as you can cut 1 inch thick marine grade plywood and make rebates in that material, the cabinet does not appear to be hard to build.

 

[Charles959]

For the record, when I looked at the specifications for approved flamamables cabinets a few years ago, I noticed that some states in the USA required self-closing hinges and some did not.

Fromhttp://www.flinnsci.com/store/Scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=21520 :

SciMatCo has found the following states and territories to require self-closing doors for Flammables cabinets per the IFC (International Fire Code):  AK, AR, CA, CT, DC, GA, ID, IN, IA, KY, MN, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, UT, VA, WA, WY, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Prior to placing your order, please check if your local municipality follows the IFC (International Fire Code) and order any cabinet for Flammables storage with self-closing doors if required. 

 

[ElectricFeet]

I start gathering some paints, varnish, oils and what not so I am looking at a safe storage solution. I found that cabinet from Home depot.

What you guys think for a small shop, is it good enough and what I need to do to make sure it's all safe. Do I need to put any fire retardant behind it or else?

Or you can make your own:

 

[RKA]

That scimatco test in the video was interesting.  Before watching it I discounted it because they are pushing their plywood cabinets over everyone else's steel cabinets.  But the internal temperature rise in the steel vs. plywood cabinet is stark to say the least!  And I don't think it was mentioned above, but there are flame retardant paint additives for latex paints as well, so if you decide to make your own....

 

[Charles959]

RKA,

I had the same reaction when I first read about plywood flammables cabinets, but the data and the video are persuasive. The basic idea is that wood is such a good thermal insulator that even when the outside of the cabinet is on fire, the inside of the cabinet has only a small rise in temperature. A metal cabinet can warp in a fire, allowing hot gasses to enter.

The very last line of the article athttp://finishing.tips/wooden-flammable-storage-cabinets/ does mention the fire-retardant paint. This is something I am considering using in part of my basement:

"Use a latex paint on the cabinet (safety yellow is most common) and add 8 ounces of FR-1 fire retardant (available from Benjamin Moore) to each gallon of paint."

This page has specifications for FR-1 and FR-2 fire retardants:
http://images.pcmac.org/Uploads/Man...rtments/DocumentsCategories/Documents/MG 702 (FR-1,%20FR-2,%20MG%20790)%20Liquid%20Flame%20Retardant%20-%20Twin%20Maple%20Marketing.pdf

So far, I have not found a third-party decal that looks as good as the SciMatCo one.

 

[RKA]

Zoro has a collection of signs that contain the symbols which might work.  The adhesive backed vinyl is about $6 and a metal sign is about $12.  If you have a Grainger near you, just order from there for local pick up to avoid the shipping charges.

https://www.zoro.com/condor-safety-sign-flammable-slvnts-self-adhesv-34gm53/i/G9798905/