Chests & Cabinets Buying Guide
Organize and protect your investment
A proper tool organizer can make any project enjoyable and easier to complete. Investing in a storage system is a great way to guard against tool theft and accidental damage. Canadian Tire makes it easy to find a hand box, tool chest, tool cabinet or combination system to suit your needs.
Sizing up your needs
When comparing tool chests and tool cabinets, it helps to know how many tools, parts and supplies you intend to store. Put everything into a cardboard box and weigh it on a bathroom scale. Knowing how much weight you’re dealing with will help determine the size of casters your cabinet should have. Measuring larger tools is a good idea, as is measuring cabinet drawers to make sure your tools will fit.
- Chest - This container features handles for portability and can be placed on top of a workbench or tool cabinet. Offers a variety of drawers and sizes, as well as storage under a lockable lid.
- Intermediate chest - Sized to fit on top of a tool cabinet and provide extra storage to a toolbox combination (chest and cabinet)
- Cabinet - This large storage unit offers a variety of drawers. Casters make it easy to roll around your shop or garage.
- Work centre - This is essentially a workbench with casters for mobility and multiple drawers for convenience.
- Hand box - Always recommended where portability is important. Available in durable metal or lightweight plastic. Some models feature removable trays.
Tool Chest and Cabinet Specifications
Easy glider
Drawer slides determine just how easily tool cabinet drawers glide open and shut. And the better the slide, the more tools you can keep in the drawer.
- Drawer slides (friction): For loads less than 30 lbs. Consists of a metal rail riding on a metal track. Available on Jobmate chests and cabinets.
- Drawer slides (ball bearing): For 30-50 lbs. of tools. A track of small ball bearings ensures that drawers open and close easily. Standard equipment on Mastercraft chests and cabinets.
- Drawer slides (heavy duty ball bearing): For loads up to 100 lbs. A track of ball bearings ensures smooth drawer movement under heavy loads. Featured on Mastercraft Maximum chests and cabinets.
Big wheels keep on rolling
Customize your chest or cabinet for maximum organization and efficiency by adding any of these storage accessories:
- Casters (3" x 1"): Up to 350 lbs. of tools. Available on Jobmate tool cabinets, casters of this size are suitable for occasionally moving a fully loaded cabinet around your workshop or garage.
- Casters (4" x 2"): Up to 800 lbs. of tools. Standard on most Mastercraft tool cabinets (58-1096 has 5" x 2" casters) these casters are big enough to roll over small pebbles and other obstructions. Designed for a semi-mobile work environment.
- Casters (5" x 2"): Up to 1200 lbs. of tools. Featured on Mastercraft Maximum tool cabinets, these casters enable cabinets to be pushed effortlessly over obstacles such as pneumatic hoses and drainage grates. Ideal for cabinets that must be moved around the workplace on a daily basis.
Fine tuning your set-up
Our range of storage accessories allows you to customize your chest or cabinet for maximum organization and efficiency.
- Side shelf: Attaches to any tool cabinet, adding extra work space.
- Drawer liners: Protect drawers and tools from scratches.
- Socket organizer: Stores all your sockets in one location.
- Wrench organizer: Ensures the wrench you need is in the first place you look – not the last.
- Drawer trays: Divide drawers into compartments to store small parts.
NOTE: These tool chests and cabinets are intended for storing tools and do not meet safety codes for the storage of flammable or combustible materials.
