Rubbermaid shelving kits - really poor

[razz]

When I moved into my new home in 2014, I bought a number of Rubbermaid kits and were able to use them in the laundry are, my walk-in closet and my sewing room and able to switch them around between kits. It was cheaper than buying the pieces individually plus I have used the shelving adjustment with great ease. The shelves fit well, they clicked into place easily and had clips that locked the shelves into position. Lovely product in my experience.

Not now! almost 2 years later!!! I am finally arranging my pantry after considering all the items that I need to put on the shelves and what other things can be stored there as well.

The current version of the Rubbermaid kits are awful. The hang rail is fixed with no flexibility to adjust for width, the uprights are thicker, the shelves are poorly finished and needing little buttons to cover the exposed metal, the plastic locking is gone and now it is an ordeal to get the shelves to stay in place. I am considering simply taking the whole thing back to Home Depot but the alternatives are so very limited.

I had heard or read that Rubbermaid had been bought out and the result is a really poor product. GRRRRR.

Posting so that all those who are moving will be forewarned.

[ToomuchStuff]

Sorry, but WHICH kits are you talking? The last ones I dealt with were those chrome ones, like commercial shelves. I know there was other brands, like Closetmaid and such that get confused with. (looking at a possible project)

[razz]

Closet maid has similar looking material but I found that I have to have each piece cut for me and they didn't have the 16" deep shelving which I wanted. I didn't want a standing chrome shelving unit as cans and bottles will fall out the sides. Not a lot out there unless one goes with individual shelving
The present kit I just finished installing is called a 'pantry' kit with tight mesh shelving rather than the usual wide spacing.

http://www.rubbermaid.com/en-US/shop-products/closet---shelving/fasttrack-adjustable-closet/fasttrack®-pantry-kit

[sweetana3]

I just installed a Rubbermaid HomeFree (I think that was the name) closet system which I could have done myself with a power drill (husband helped put up the rail). I suspect they did change some things but from a someone who wanted to do it herself, they were wonderful. I now have 4 closets with these systems and a whole lot more organized space. You are right about there not being much selection for wire shelving options so ease of installation is what sold me. Got mine on a sale at Lowes.

[razz]

Sweeten, did you system have the plastic clips to hold the shelves in place? If so, that is the old system that I was so delighted with and why they were on sale at Lowes. The new ones don't have clips. wires are blunt with cheap plastic caps and you have to pressure the shelf wires all at the same time to get them to stay in place. Really horrible. Very aggravating!!!!



I just installed a Rubbermaid HomeFree (I think that was the name) closet system which I could have done myself with a power drill (husband helped put up the rail). I suspect they did change some things but from a someone who wanted to do it herself, they were wonderful. I now have 4 closets with these systems and a whole lot more organized space. You are right about there not being much selection for wire shelving options so ease of installation is what sold me. Got mine on a sale at Lowes.

[sweetana3]

The shelf bracket holders have a plastic slidey thing that you push back into place to hold the shelves. It is very sturdy and I was very impressed with the parts and the fact that everything was in the kit. I only bought and installed it about 60 days ago.

[razz]

I loved those plastic things as they work so well and the shelves are easy to rearrange with them as I have done. That system is apparently discontinued. I wonder if Rubbermaid name was bought out by a company and then the new company came up with new sizing, new shelving and an aggravating connection system using the old name. Really sad and disappointing.


The shelf bracket holders have a plastic slidey thing that you push back into place to hold the shelves. It is very sturdy and I was very impressed with the parts and the fact that everything was in the kit. I only bought and installed it about 60 days ago.

[ToomuchStuff]

Thanks for the link. I must say I am the opposite of some here. Closetmaid still makes a style of those plastic clips (closetmaid 1770 drywall wall clips), but they don't clip down like the old ones did.
Using a bunch of clips, you had to worry about level. In a commercial setting (where I have used them a bit), the shelves take more abuse, and as the clips age, the get brittle. The diagonal supports also got knocked off a bit.
With the new system, it holds a lot more weight (I installed one for someone, as did pull-ups on it). With the shelf brackets, you could use a regular wood (or some kind of coated) shelf as well as that style shelving (commercial or residential). In a commercial setting, you may be required to use shelf liner.

[razz]

I did research Closet maid but none of the staff at Lowes or Home Depot could tell me much about the installation. They said check the website. I did that and found it very self-promoting but very little information that would encourage me to buy their products. Very poor marketing website, IMHO anyway. You have to decide on the lengths that you want and then staff would cut the pieces. The wires would have sharp edges etc.
Thanks for the link, which I checked out, TMS. Those plastic clips are wall mounting clips and would be a weak spot for any significant weight bearing. It seems Rubbermaid has copied the Closetmaid end caps idea.

The old Rubbermaid plastic clips were part of the brackets and simply stabilized the shelves.



Thanks for the link. I must say I am the opposite of some here. Closetmaid still makes a style of those plastic clips (closetmaid 1770 drywall wall clips), but they don't clip down like the old ones did.
Using a bunch of clips, you had to worry about level. In a commercial setting (where I have used them a bit), the shelves take more abuse, and as the clips age, the get brittle. The diagonal supports also got knocked off a bit.
With the new system, it holds a lot more weight (I installed one for someone, as did pull-ups on it). With the shelf brackets, you could use a regular wood (or some kind of coated) shelf as well as that style shelving (commercial or residential). In a commercial setting, you may be required to use shelf liner.