Spent $80 on magnetic strips, workbench wall holds nothing but regrets

Bought a set of those heavy duty magnetic tool bars last month thinking I'd finally clean up the mess of wrenches and sockets on my bench top. Mounted them right above the work surface in my garage in Toledo. First week was great, then I went to grab my 3/4 inch ratchet and it just slid the whole strip off the wall. The adhesive backing gave up under the weight. Checked the box after, rated for 20 pounds, but the two wrenches I had on it probably weighed 5 total. Tried the screw-in style strips instead, but the drywall anchors pulled right out because my studs are 24 on center. What do you guys use to keep heavy hand tools off the bench without killing your wall? I'm tired of buying another organizer that fails.

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1 Comment

irisg5710d ago

Huh, I see it differently. The problem isnt the magnet strip, its that you trusted adhesive in a garage. Garages get hot, cold, dusty, and humid. That stuff never holds up. I've had the same magnetic bar for six years, but I screwed it into a plywood backer board that I bolted to the studs. The 24-inch spacing is a pain, but a chunk of 3/4 inch plywood fixes that. Also, you might be hanging them too low. Put the bar higher and use the weight of the tool to your advantage, not against it. The strip was probably fine, just needs a better mount.