When homeowners think about remodeling, the kitchen often gets the spotlight.

Yet one of the fastest-growing areas of home improvement today is the garage, a space increasingly viewed not as a storage afterthought but as an extension of the home itself.

At the center of that trend is Strux Garage Cabinets, a Caldwell, Idaho-based manufacturer that has built its business around custom-engineered garage storage systems designed specifically for the demanding environment of modern garages. What makes the company particularly noteworthy for the finishing industry is its reliance on a technology that relatively few North American manufacturers have mastered: powder coating on medium-density fiberboard (MDF).

The cabinets are manufactured using a process developed and refined by Paul Unger, founder of Unger Powder Coating, whose pioneering work in powder coating MDF is documented on FinishingAndCoating.com. In fact, the story of Strux Garage Cabinets is inseparable from the story of Unger Powder Coating, because the company itself grew out of a customer-supplier relationship that evolved into a strategic partnership.

According to Travis Ulrich, President of Strux Garage Cabinets, the company’s origins began with a search for a better garage cabinet product.

“We were looking for a garage cabinet supplier, and we just weren’t happy with what we found,” Ulrich says. “We didn’t think it matched our brand in terms of quality.”

Today, that search has become a national business built on powder-coated MDF cabinetry, advanced manufacturing automation, and AI-powered software tools that let custom garage designs flow directly from a customer’s screen to CNC production equipment.

Building Cabinets Specifically for the Garage

Strux Garage Cabinets, a Caldwell, Idaho-based manufacturer that has built its business around custom-engineered garage storage systems designed specifically for the demanding environment of modern garages.Unlike many cabinet manufacturers that produce products for kitchens, closets, offices, and garages alike, Strux focuses exclusively on garage environments.

That specialization matters because garages present unique challenges that traditional cabinetry often struggles to withstand.

The cabinets must tolerate temperature fluctuations, seasonal humidity changes, heavy storage loads, chemicals, tools, sports equipment, and everyday abuse that rarely occurs inside a kitchen.

“These things are designed for high-weight, heavy use, long-term use, humidity and temperature swings, all that stuff that you’ve got to think about in a garage,” Ulrich says.

The company’s primary market is residential homeowners seeking to transform cluttered garages into organized, functional spaces. Increasingly, homeowners view the garage as valuable square footage to optimize rather than ignore.

“We’re seeing that as a growing space,” Ulrich says. “People want to take advantage of their square footage and not have this wasted, ugly, forgotten space that’s just a pile of clutter.”

“Why don’t we partner up on this and start building these systems I’m using for my contracting business that worked really well to sell his product?”

The appeal is substantial. Unlike kitchen remodels that can require weeks of disruption, permits, and multiple trades, garage transformations can happen remarkably quickly.

“I think it’s really cool that we can remodel the garage space in four or five days,” Ulrich says. “Try to do that to your kitchen.”

Many Strux dealers also install decorative concrete coatings, giving customers a complete garage makeover in less than a week.

“Our dealers will come in and do your floor on Monday and come back and do your cabinets on Tuesday and Wednesday,” Ulrich says.

A Relationship Built on Powder Coating

The partnership between Strux and Unger Powder Coating did not begin in a boardroom. It began when Ulrich was a customer.

At the time, Ulrich operated a contracting business specializing in garage floor coatings     . He searched for a garage cabinetry solution      that met his company’s standards for quality, durability, and appearance to accompany their garage floor coatings    

Meanwhile, Paul Unger was pursuing a different mission.

In a 2021 interview with FinishingAndCoating.com, Unger explained that he launched Unger Powder Coating specifically to master the complex process of powder coating MDF and identify high-value applications for the technology. From an 8,000-square-foot facility in Caldwell, Idaho, Unger developed expertise in low-cure powder coating systems that coat MDF substrates while maintaining structural integrity. The process required extensive experimentation with moisture content, curing profiles, and powder chemistry to achieve consistent results. 

According to Ulrich, garage cabinets quickly emerged as one of the most promising applications. By the time the two connected, Unger had already spent years experimenting with cabinet design and manufacturing.

“He approached us and said, ‘I want to focus on manufacturing, quality control, innovating the design, the strength, all the stuff that he loves to do making these cabinets,’” Ulrich recalls.

“We can put all the geometry we want into these. What’s really unique about our product is that we can cut it and add all the geometry and support before we coat it.”

For Ulrich’s company, it was exactly what they had been seeking.

“We felt like we’d finally found something that fit our brand,” he says.

The relationship developed quickly, and they became Unger Powder Coating’s first garage cabinet dealer.

Over time, both organizations evolved. Unger continued refining manufacturing processes while Ulrich focused on improving design, sales, installation, and dealer support systems.

Eventually, the two recognized an opportunity to combine their strengths.

“Why don’t we partner up on this and start building these systems I’m using for my contracting business that worked really well to sell his product?” Ulrich says.

That collaboration ultimately became Strux Garage Cabinets.

Why Powder-Coated MDF Works

For many finishers, powder coating MDF remains one of the industry’s most technically demanding applications.

Unlike metal substrates, MDF presents challenges related to conductivity, moisture content, density variation, and heat sensitivity. Achieving consistent coating performance requires both specialized equipment and extensive process control.

Unger has often described the process as part science and part art. In his earlier interview with FinishingAndCoating.com, he noted that different MDF manufacturers and board thicknesses require different process settings and moisture management strategies. 

Ulrich sees those efforts translating directly into product advantages.

“MDF is just great for precision manufacturing,” he says.

The material lets Strux machine detailed geometries before coating, creating features that would be difficult or impossible with conventional laminated materials.

“We can put all the geometry we want into these,” Ulrich says. “What’s really unique about our product is that we can cut it and add all the geometry and support before we coat it.”

“We don’t have spray booths with a ton of chemicals. So it’s a much more environmentally friendly way to get a seamless coating.”

That sequence is critical. Traditional cabinet systems often require edge banding, laminated surfaces, and post-processing steps that can create visible seams or weak points. Powder-coated MDF eliminates many of those limitations.

“With many melamine products out there, the melamine is applied to large sheets of particle board or MDF, then milled,” Ulrich says. “You can’t get that seamless finish because the product is milled after it is finished, then banding is glued onto raw edges, leaving holes and other machined features uncoated, and seams visible.”

Instead, Strux machines the components first, and then powder coats the entire part. The result is a seamless, highly uniform finish.

Durability Designed for Real-World Use

The garage environment is notoriously demanding. Temperature swings, moisture exposure, dirt, impacts, chemicals, and daily wear can quickly degrade conventional cabinet finishes.

Powder coating addresses many of those challenges.

“Powder coating’s got several advantages,” Ulrich says. “It’s not paint in a conventional sense.”

Unlike liquid coatings, powder coatings melt, flow, and chemically crosslink during cure, producing a durable finish with excellent abrasion resistance and long-term performance.

“The powder melts, flows, chemically cross-links as it cures, and creates a really durable finish,” Ulrich explains.

Another advantage is complete coverage.

“It’s also totally seamless,” he says. “We can hang it and spray the whole thing at once.”

That seamlessness creates a cleaner aesthetic while reducing potential pathways for moisture intrusion.

The coating also supports sustainability goals.

“We took out all these opportunities for error.” 

“We don’t have spray booths with a ton of chemicals,” Ulrich says. “So it’s a much more environmentally friendly way to get a seamless coating.”

The absence of VOC-heavy liquid coating systems also creates a safer, more pleasant manufacturing environment.

“Our shop is a much more pleasant place to be than a paint spray shop,” he says.

For garage owners, however, the benefits are practical.

Earlier, Unger highlighted powder coating’s resistance to water damage, scratching, fingerprints, and everyday abuse. He also noted that powder-coated surfaces can withstand cleaning and washing that might damage conventional finishes.

Those performance characteristics make powder-coated MDF particularly well suited for garage applications.

The Software Behind the Cabinets

While powder coating may be the most visible differentiator, Strux has invested equally heavily in software.

The company has developed an AI-assisted platform that connects design, quoting, manufacturing, ordering, and installation into a single workflow.

According to Ulrich, AI dramatically accelerated software development.

“AI just made it possible for us to build software fast and keep iterating,” he says.

Today, the platform contains approximately 60 products and functions as a drag-and-drop design system.

“We took something complicated, and now we’ve made it a drag-and-drop feature,” Ulrich says.

Dealers can create garage layouts, resize cabinets, generate renderings, produce proposals, and create manufacturing files without transferring data between multiple software systems.

As designs are completed, the software automatically generates everything needed downstream.

“It’s also creating all those downstream things we need, including the file that’s going to go into our CNC machine software,” Ulrich says.

The benefits extend far beyond convenience.

“We took out all these opportunities for error,” he says.

“We think this powder-coated MDF is just such an ideal application,” he says. “The garage is an ideal application for it.”

Because information flows through a single platform, design specifications remain consistent from customer presentation through manufacturing and installation.

“Our system is going to mill the cabinets, and it’s going to output all your hardware counts and everything else,” Ulrich says.

The result is a highly integrated production process that complements the precision required for powder-coated MDF manufacturing.

Custom Means Truly Custom

Unlike traditional cabinet manufacturers that rely on standard widths and filler panels, Strux produces every cabinet to order.

“Every single thing is custom-made,” Ulrich says.

Cabinet dimensions can be adjusted down to one-eighth of an inch.

That flexibility allows dealers to maximize available space while creating installations that appear architecturally integrated.

“If you’ve got 100 inches between two walls, we’re not compromising,” Ulrich says. “We can just do four 25-inch cabinets, or any combination we want, to fit that space exactly.”

Because the software connects directly to manufacturing equipment, custom sizing doesn’t add the complexity traditionally associated with made-to-order products.

Instead, customization becomes part of the standard workflow.

Growing Through a Dealer Network

Strux currently operates through a nationwide dealer network rather than direct consumer sales. The company supports dealers with design tools, sales processes, training, and manufacturing resources while allowing contractors to focus on customer relationships and installation.

“We only work with authorized dealers,” Ulrich says.

The network continues to expand and already includes dealers across multiple states, and they are selling nationally right now, he says.

Growth, however, remains selective.

“We’re trying to work with contractors that meet our values,” Ulrich says. “A quality product, a quality experience, a dedication to their craft, and doing things the right way.”

That philosophy reflects the same quality-first mindset that originally brought Ulrich and Unger together.

As Strux continues to grow, the company is broadening its product offerings while remaining focused on the garage market.

The company recently launched a second cabinet line aimed at customers seeking a lower price point while retaining many of the core performance advantages of the flagship products.

At the same time, Strux is integrating complementary storage solutions into its software platform.

“We’re getting to know that space,” Ulrich says. “I think we’ll be integrating everything that makes sense in the garage.”

For now, however, powder-coated MDF remains the foundation.

Ulrich believes the combination of custom manufacturing, advanced software, and powder coating technology creates a unique value proposition.

“We think this powder-coated MDF is just such an ideal application,” he says. “The garage is an ideal application for it.”

Having witnessed the process firsthand, he also appreciates the craftsmanship required.

“We’re checking the lines, setting the lines, and after the first test cabinets come through for the day, there are further adjustments,” Ulrich says. “There’s a lot of refinement that goes on throughout each batch of cabinets to get them right.”

That dedication, he says, is what ultimately separates the product.

“It’s really quite an impressive thing that Paul has figured out,” Ulrich says. “It just makes this awesome garage cabinet product.”

Visit www.struxgarage.com