Modular Storage and Archiving

The distinction between a filing cabinet, a modular cabinet and archive racking is determined by three questions: what is stored, is locking required, and will the volume grow.

Short answer

Storage is selected on the basis of three questions. What is stored: paper folders are heavy and limit shelf spans, personal items require locking, and materials and samples require depth. Is locking required: personal data and contracts make a lockable door mandatory. Will the volume grow: where growth is expected, a modular system is specified, since modules can be added to the same body later, which a closed cabinet does not allow.

5Module height steps (10-197 cm)
40 cmStandard office cabinet depth
90 cmMaximum span for a folder shelf
120 cmClearance in front of a cabinet

Storage type by use

Storage types
Requirement	Type	Size	In the catalogue
Visible wall, mixed use	Modular melamine cabinet	Height 83-197 cm	Timy · Silver
Paper archive, locking required	Steel filing cabinet	Two doors, adjustable shelves	Steel filing cabinet · large filing cabinet
Store room, high volume	Open metal shelving	31-93 cm deep, 200 cm high	Metal open shelving · steel archive racking
Under desk, daily access	Pedestal	40x45-55 cm	Sydney pedestal · Tin
Personal items, shared area	Locker	By number of compartments	Lockers · Layer

Dimensions are the products’ own production sizes; the full set of module options is listed on each product page.

Recommended products

Timy Filing cabinet

Primary recommendation for modular storage: five module heights between a 10 cm shelf and a 197 cm cabinet, 40 cm deep, 36-394 cm wide. Extended within the same system as volume grows.

Silver Cabinet · Pedestal · Console

Half-open, half-closed shelving system: ten cabinet sizes between 40x38x75 and 80x47x186 cm, two pedestals and a 160 cm console.

Tin Cabinet · Pedestal · Console

Drawer pedestal range up to 40x45x110 cm, providing access to documents and personal items without leaving the desk.

Steel Filing Cabinet Steel cabinet

Two-door lockable steel body, the standard unit for institutional archives.

Large Filing Cabinet Steel cabinet

Large steel cabinet with adjustable shelves; a change in folder height moves the shelf rather than the cabinet.

Metal Open Shelving, Narrow Depth Metal shelving

Open shelving with five steel shelves on slotted angle uprights, 93x31x200 cm; the most economical solution for store and archive rooms.

Lockers Storage unit

Personal storage at office and public entrances, for organisations moving to shared desking.

Storage Storage unit

Hinged or sliding door options; in a narrow corridor the sliding version does not obstruct the passage in front of the cabinet.

Layer Dolap Cabinet

Modular cabinet combining coat storage and mail boxes in one system, for entrance halls.

Three determining dimensions in placement

First, depth: a standard office cabinet is 40 cm deep, a dimension set by an A4 lever-arch file lying flat. A 38 cm cabinet accommodates the folder but leaves no finger clearance; 40 cm is preferred for a frequently used archive.

Second, shelf span: paper folders are heavy and spans exceeding 90 cm sag in the middle over time. On a long wall, two modules are the correct solution rather than one long shelf. Third, the clearance in front: 120 cm is required for the door to open and for a person to pass; a cabinet opened several times a day should not be positioned on a wall facing a 90 cm corridor.

Frequently asked questions

What are standard filing cabinet dimensions?

Office cabinets are 40 cm deep, a dimension set by A4 lever-arch files. Height steps are 83, 120, 160 and 197 cm, with 75 cm where a desk-height unit is required. Width starts at 36 cm per module and is extended by adding modules side by side.

What does modular cabinet mean?

A cabinet system built on one body size and connection method, allowing units to be added side by side or stacked at a later stage. The advantage is that the system can be extended while retaining existing units; the condition is that the first order is placed from a range that remains in production.

Should a steel or melamine cabinet be specified?

Steel is used in archive rooms and stores: higher load capacity, resistance to damp and impact, locking as standard. Melamine is used on visible walls: it matches the room palette and the desk range, and lockable doors remain available. The decision follows visibility rather than durability.

Quotation and project enquiries

Once dimensions and headcount are supplied, an itemised quotation is prepared. The showroom is on Üsküp Caddesi in Çankaya; the products can be examined on site via the contact page.