Highlights
Metal Cupboards: Choosing the Right Office Storage Cupboard
The right metal cupboards make everyday office storage more secure, organized and easy to access. Choose the door style, height, shelves and lock to suit your room and the items you store, not just the available floor space.
| Cupboard type | Published Loxmet sizes | Best fit |
|---|---|---|
| Solid swing-door | 920 × 400 × 1200 mm or 920 × 400 × 1950 mm | Enclosed storage for files, stationery and supplies |
| Clear-view swing-door | 920 × 400 × 1200 mm or 920 × 400 × 1950 mm | Contents that staff need to identify quickly |
| Sliding-door | 1200 × 400 × 1200 mm or 1200 × 400 × 1950 mm | Rooms where forward door clearance is limited |
| Clear-view sliding-door | 1200 × 400 × 1200 mm or 1200 × 400 × 1950 mm | Narrow spaces where visibility and sliding access are useful |
Metal Cupboards: Match the Configuration to the Room
Start with a simple check: measure the cupboard location, front clearance and access route into the room. Then list what will go inside, including the largest item and how often staff need to reach it.
A swing-door cupboard gives broad access to the interior, but the doors need space to open. Keep that door swing clear of desks and regular walkways. Sliding doors do not project forward, making them useful beside workstations or in narrow aisles. Only part of the cupboard is open at a time, so consider how staff will arrange frequently used items.
Browse the office cupboard range and compare the half-height solid-door cupboard with the full-height solid-door cupboard.
Solid or Clear-View Doors?
Solid doors keep contents out of view and give an office a neat, consistent appearance. They suit general stationery, binders, boxed supplies and equipment that does not need to be visible between uses.
Clear-view doors help users identify contents without opening the cupboard. They are practical for shared supplies or reference materials where quick visual checks support efficient access. Visibility is not the same as privacy: choose solid doors for items that should remain out of sight.
Loxmet offers clear-view half-height and clear-view full-height versions. For restricted front clearance, compare the clear-view sliding-door half-height and full-height clear-view sliding-door model.
Half-Height or Full-Height?
Loxmet’s half-height models are 1200 mm high, with two shelves. They suit compact storage zones and keep frequently used contents within convenient reach. They can also work well where a taller unit would dominate the room or interfere with the layout.
Full-height models are 1950 mm high, with four shelves. They use vertical space for a larger range of files, stationery or office supplies. Before choosing, check ceiling clearance, delivery access and how users will safely reach the upper shelf. For heavy items, ask the supplier about shelf load capacity and keep the heaviest contents at a practical lower level.
Set Shelves Around the Contents
Height-adjustable shelves make a cupboard easier to configure for binders, boxes, paper stock or mixed office equipment. Measure taller items before ordering, then plan shelf gaps around the way staff use them. Leave a practical amount of space for removing and replacing items; a tightly packed shelf slows access.
For mixed contents, label shelf areas and avoid stacking items so high that they become difficult to retrieve. If the cupboard will hold heavier equipment or dense supplies, request product-specific shelf and total-load information before purchase. Do not assume that all steel storage cabinets share the same load capacity.
Cupboard or Filing Cabinet?
A metal cupboard is shelved storage behind doors. It is the better fit for mixed office supplies, binders, boxed items and equipment that need flexible shelf space.
A filing cabinet uses drawers designed for documents and organized file access. The two products serve different storage tasks: choose a cupboard for shelves and doors; choose a drawer unit when you need dedicated filing drawers. For help comparing options, see our guides to metal filing cabinet construction, filing cabinet sizing and lateral versus vertical filing cabinets.
Security, Locks and Practical Limits
A lockable cupboard is a practical way to restrict casual access to shared supplies or stored documents. Lock type varies by model. Selected Loxmet swing-door models use an espagnolette lock; the half-height solid-door model specifies a two-point lock. Sliding-door models use a key lock. Match the lock to your access routine, and decide who will control keys and spare keys.
A lockable office cabinet offers physical access control, but a standard steel cupboard is not a safe and is not fireproof. Do not use it as a substitute for a certified safe or certified fire-resistant records storage when either is required. Also consider where the cupboard will sit and how it will be moved or installed. HSE guidance covers office health and safety and manual handling at work. For UK offices and shops, government fire-safety guidance explains the need to consider storage arrangements within the premises’ fire risk assessment.
Construction, Finish and Ordering
Loxmet’s metal office storage cabinets use DKP sheet metal, 0.6 mm thick before paint, with electrostatic powder coating and a monoblock welded body. Shelves are height-adjustable. Standard colors include RAL 7035 light grey and RAL 7016 anthracite; contact the team to ask about other RAL options.
Loxmet manufactures in Istanbul, Turkey, and offers more than 100 standard products alongside custom metal fabrication. Catalogue products in catalogue colors are generally delivered within 10 working days. Custom colors and made-to-order products typically need approximately 10 additional working days. Single-piece orders are accepted, and a 10-year warranty covers production faults.
Need a different size, finish or configuration? Request a custom design or contact the sales team to discuss your space and requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an office cupboard used for?
An office cupboard stores items on shelves behind doors. Common contents include files, stationery, boxed supplies and office equipment.
Are sliding doors better for a small office?
They can be a good choice when there is limited space in front of the cupboard because the doors slide instead of swinging outward. Check that the wider cupboard dimensions suit the planned location.
Should I choose solid or clear-view doors?
Choose solid doors when you want contents out of view. Clear-view doors suit shared supplies that staff need to identify quickly. Clear panels do not provide visual privacy.
How many shelves should I choose?
Select a shelf count that fits the height and quantity of your contents. Loxmet’s listed half-height models have two shelves; full-height models have four. Their shelves are height-adjustable.
Can Loxmet customize a cupboard?
Yes. Loxmet can discuss made-to-order dimensions, colors, locks and other design requirements. Request a specification review before ordering.
How quickly are catalogue cupboards delivered?
Catalogue products in catalogue colors are generally delivered within 10 working days. Custom colors and made-to-order products typically require approximately 10 additional working days.
Does a metal cupboard replace a safe or fire-resistant cabinet?
No. A standard metal cupboard is neither a safe nor automatically fire-resistant. Specify certified protection separately if your contents or workplace requirements call for it.
Choose your cupboard by measuring the room, listing the contents and matching door access, height and shelving to daily use. Compare Loxmet’s office storage options or contact our team for a practical recommendation and quote.