Roof boxes come in handy when traveling, and you need extra space in your car. However, not all trips need that extra luggage space, and you may need to leave your roof box behind.
Due to these roof boxes’ precious and expensive nature, proper storage becomes a crucial step in keeping them safe. You can lay it against the wall or horizontally in your garage. But why take the risk and use up your garage space?
A roof box wall mount will save you the trouble of kicking it around the garage or even the risk of heavy parts falling on it. Most importantly, you do not use your garage floor space, which you can use to store other things.
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How Do You Choose A Roof Box Wall Mount?
The wall mounts you choose for your roof box could change your entire room’s look. However, most, if not all, wall mounts hold one roof box. The set comes in a pair of L-shaped metal parts that you can quickly fit into your wall.
But like expected, no two wall mounts are alike. They differ in characteristics, which you should consider when buying one. These include:
1. Size adjustments
Roof boxes come in different sizes. The one you use on a sedan will be smaller than a roof box you use on a van. So, when storing them, you may need differently-sized wall mount brackets.
When buying a pair of wall brackets for storing your roof box, check if the size is adjustable. This means checking if the width and height of the rack can increase to larger boxes.
A roof box wall mount capable of adjusting in size is better because it means you can use one to store more than one size roof box.
2. Box protection features
Metal scratches. So, when you buy a regular roof box wall mount, you can expect to find some scratches on the areas of contact with your roof box.
However, some wall mounts come with foam covers at specific points that prevent your roof box from scratching against it.
3. Ease of storage
At some point, you banged your head against an open door, window, or even handing structures. If your wall mounts are within your reach, you do not want another reason to bang your head around your garage.
Some wall mounts fold into the wall to avoid the risk of bumping your head against the bracket and save you space when not storing your roof box. Therefore, you can line them flush to the wall when your roof box is on the car and set them up when you need to store it.
4. Quality
You will need a high-quality wall mount when you take the stakes higher by hanging a not-very-light roof box on your wall. A good brand should do the trick, rather than only considering the price as the quality measure.
High-quality wall mounts do not bend to the weight or the roof box or even cause cracks on your wall.
Just to be sure of your decision, you should check the UL approval of the product from the company’s website. The Underwriters Laboratory, UL, is a third party company that inspects and certifies the safety of equipment.
A UL approval shows you that the wall mounts can hold 4-times their rated weight. The approval comes after a series of different strength tests on the product, which gives you some peace of mind.
5. Pricing
The list is incomplete without the aspect of cost. When buying a wall mount, it is essential to consider those different manufacturers will sell at differing prices. It may mean different qualities, but price should not be the sole consideration when determining the quality of the wall mount.
When buying a wall mount for your roof box, you can find a reliable, sturdy, and efficient wall mount at reasonable prices.
It all depends on where and how well you search for your products.
Types of wall mounts
As already established, wall mounts can easily change the flow of your room. It can open up paths by taking some objects off the floor.
There are different sizes and types of wall mounts in the market. If you are looking for a roof box wall mount, you can choose from the different types available in the market today.
These include:
Lip shelf brackets
These are wall brackets that come with a curled lip at the end. Usually, they offer incredible support to heavy-weight materials, which becomes a no-brainer because roof boxes are relatively light.
The curled tip prevents the roof box from slipping off the bracket. You can also use it to hold shelves in your kitchen.
Heavy-duty reinforced brackets
Right-Angle support brackets
You will find a lot of brackets in this form when you are looking for a wall mount for your roof box. These brackets come with mounting holes at the bottom but bend at 90 degrees to offer better support.
In addition, they come with a higher carrying capacity and, depending on their thickness, could have additional strength.
Usually, you screw the holes at the bottom of the wall to help with weight distribution.
How to install your roof box wall mount
Your roof box adds drag to your vehicle, resulting in a lower miles-per-gallon rating. Trips to the gas station increase and spend more money. To avoid the hassle, you can leave the roof-box at home when you do not need extra storage space for your luggage.
Using a wall mount to store your roof box is simple. Below are a few steps to installing a support bracket for your roof box.
Clear some space at home
When you decide to hang your roof box, you must first clear your space. Remove any junk lying around your garage.
However, you need to avoid high traffic areas like the space close to the doors for overhead storage space. This way, the risk of damaging your roof box when it falls decrease.
Also, avoid areas where a fall could be catastrophic. For instance, do not place the storage brackets right above the bikes or scooters.
Select a level
Choose a suitable height to install your wall mount. Remember, you will be the one hooking up your roof box to the wall and taking it out when you need to. So, if possible, make your life easier.
Find a height you can easily access with the help of a ladder or a stool. Most importantly, ensure you will not be hanging by the wall mounts when you try to fix or remove the wall bracket from its new storage space.
Mark and drill
The next step is to mark the brackets’ spots to anchor to the wall. Drywall holds wall brackets well, even without studs.
Before you can drill, make sure the marks are level, which you can check using a spirit level.
Once you confirm that everything is okay, you can get your drill and start making holes.
Fix the wall mount
Fixing the wall mount on the wall is the final step. You will need a screwdriver to drive the fasteners onto the wall. Make sure you achieve a recommended anchoring depth to avoid accidents in the future.
If you need to use wall plugs to secure the screws, do not hesitate to get some from your local hardware store.
Advantages and Disadvantages of a roof box wall mount
Pros
- You preserve your roof box
- The wall mounts are easily customizable to fit your needs
- You a touch of style to your garage
- Saving on floor space
- Depending on the level you install them, wall mounts can be very flexible
Cons
- Small in size– Since you need to bolt the wall mounts onto the wall, they have a limitation on the size and weight they can carry, which may be inconvenient if you need to store heavy stuff
- Limited in use – A pair of brackets will only hold one roof box. So, more roof boxes demand more wall mounts, which could end up crowding your garage space
- You must install them at specific places ( on the wall)
Final Words
Proper storage of your roof box is crucial in preserving its lifespan. You remove the boxes from the direct contact line with anyone passing by. Also, you save on garage floor space, which can accommodate more things.
When choosing a wall mount, you should consider a few things. The build, price, and quality rank among the top qualities. However, you should be careful with the manufacturer you choose.
Remember, the roof box will be hanging on the wall. So, a poor-quality wall mount may severely damage your roof box when it falls.
