8' GearWall® Panels (2-Pack)

My wife wanted me to 'clean up the garage', and after searching around for shelves, tool hangers, etc. I came across this stuff... and got real carried away. I decided I wanted to do three whole walls with these panels, so I attempted to order a large quantity (I edited my purchase to put down more than 3, but it limited me to three on checkout). I placed the order anyway, then figured I could continue placing orders for three additional sets. But no, Amazon keeps track of your orders, and will only let you order three... EVER. So I looked around online for places to order more, and actually found a better deal elsewhere and tried to cancel my Amazon order, but it was too late - they were already processing the order. So BEWARE, IF YOU NEED MORE THAN THREE OF THESE TWO-PACKS.Anyway, I received my panels from Amazon, and am still waiting for another 21 sets from another source. The paneling looks great (it's just extruded grayish PVC), and I can't wait to hang it when I receive the rest of my panels. It's interesting that the rear of the panels seems smoother than the front, which has some imperfections in the extrusion (like really tiny grooves). From more than a couple feet away it's not really apparent, so it's more of an observational note than a complaint.The product seems extremely sturdy, and the cross-sectional material thickness is over 1/4 inch! I have no qualms about hanging heavy items on this stuff. The accessory hangers I ordered are truly heavy-duty, well-made hangers. This is seriously good stuff (I guess it ought to be for the price). I figure it's a one-time expense for the home I will probably die in, so why not do it right?I guess the only negative comment I can make without having installed it yet is that I think the panels should come with enough color-matched screws to attach them according to specification on 16" centers. Maybe they aren't included because people have commented that they are poor quality and easily stripped. I plan on getting some square-head deck screws to attach my panels anyway, and if I get anal about it I'll paint the heads when I finish the installation :)Update on 1/9/14: I REALLY recommend buying some white HeadCote square drive deck screws to attach these panels. You can order bulk quantities at McFeely's. These are high quality screws, and a BREEZE to use for installation. If I recall correctly, I had to drive about 800 screws for my installation. If you get Phillips, your job will be much more frustrating and take longer. Don't say I didn't warn you...

These are Great panels, well made and easy to install. They're easy to cut to length and the edges finish smoothly with a file or light sanding. You can also finish the installation with the Gladiator edging strips or just by the near matching plastic wood from your lumber or DIY hardware store for finished trim along the edges. It's not cheaper than the Gladiator trim but it's more sturdy.Keep in mind: these things are heavy and if you plan on affixing a single eight-foot-long section of GearWall Panel to the wall you may need two people. I was able to install a piece of plastic wood trim level at the bottom first to act as a shelf and then rested a section of panel on top, allowing me to hold a near four foot section in place with one hand whilst driving in the screws with the other. For smaller lengths (under three feet) I was able to install it by myself using a line I scribed on the wall with my level. For longer pieces, I screwed up a couple of shims and used them to affix the first middle panel in a run of three, screwed it to the wall, removed the shims and then added the remaining panels below to cover the holes.I'm not a fan of Gladiator' optional color-matched screws for reasons you'll find on the item's page on Amazon - they're not well made and they don't hold up to drilling with a bit. But I found an alternative: the ITW Brands 23410 Backer-On Cement Board Screws work great with Gladiator GarageWorks GearWall Panels, much better than the screws made by Gladiator.To aid the screws, I started a hole with a nail head, and the screw drives right in. I found them easy to use and very sturdy, easy to self-tap into the hard board. The screws drive flush just enough with the appropriate power drill to be painted out - they're close to the same colour as the GearWall but not the same. I had my local hardware store paint match a small can of latex to my GearWall. I also appreciate that the company included the appropriate square drive bit in the package - I leave it in with the rest of the screws for future projects, one less bit to worry about losing!

Got two sets of these when the price dropped below $65. The price swing on these is pretty ridiculous (couple days after buying, it jumped to $116) but worth it at the lower cost. Installation took awhile but wasn't difficult. The packaging is the biggest problem with these things; the padding is non-existent. The only thing protecting the panels is a thin layer of cardboard. Pretty unacceptable given how heavy duty they are. One of the sets I received had a tear in the cardboard where it was probably dropped and one of the panels had a piece of it broken off. I immediately submitted for a return through amazon and a couple days later I got my replacement. The replacement was in terrible shape and looked like it was used (I ordered new). The box looked like it was previously opened (maybe for inspection?) and it was somewhat taped back together. The box itself looked pretty mangled up. No surprise, the panels were damaged. Both of them were cracked at the ends and were coming apart. Yet again I submitted for a return and amazon one day shipped another replacement. This one came and the box was totally open. Not sure what happened there but luckily the panels were ok. I really hope Gladiator and/or amazon do something about the packaging. I will definitely be buying more of them because they're great for organizing but I'll be crossing my fingers that they'll arrive in one piece. Amazon returns is top notch and at least made this whole ordeal more bearable.