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That plastic shelf I inherited from my neighbor collapsed yesterday
I had this old plastic shelving unit on my balcony for like 3 years. It was one of those cheap black resin ones from Home Depot or wherever, maybe 4 feet tall. My neighbor two doors down was moving out and asked if I wanted it. I said sure, free stuff right? I loaded it up with like 15 pots of herbs and succulents. Yesterday I was watering my basil and I hear this loud crack. Then another crack. Next thing I know the whole middle shelf buckled and everything went sliding into the corner. Broke two terra cotta pots and dumped dirt all over. I guess the sun just made the plastic brittle over time. I ended up pulling the whole thing apart and tossing it. Now I'm looking at metal shelving from Lowe's or maybe building something simple out of 2x4s on casters. Has anyone tried the wire rack shelving for outdoor use? Does it rust out fast?
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lucas_carr243mo ago
yeah man I went through basically the same thing with one of those black plastic units. The sun just eats them alive after a couple years, no matter what. For the wire rack thing, your friend is right. I had one on my patio for a season and the zinc coating started flaking off by spring. Rust spots showed up where the wires cross. If you're gonna go metal, look for the stainless steel or aluminum ones. They cost more but they actually last. The 2x4 route is probably the smartest honestly. You can treat the wood with some outdoor sealant and it'll hold up way better than anything off the shelf. Just make sure you use galvanized screws so they don't rust out on you either.
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