How to choose a steel almirah: a buying guide for homes, offices and shops

How to choose a steel almirah: start with the type

There is no single best steel almirah for every home: it depends on what you will keep in it and where it will stand. Clothes for one or two people, a family's things, jewellery and papers, or office files each need a different kind of steel cupboard. Here is how the six common types compare.

These types overlap: a 2-door or 3-door almirah can also have a locker inside or a mirror on a door. If you are stuck between two, decide by the wall width you have and how many people will use the almirah.

CRCA steel and sheet thickness

CRCA stands for Cold Rolled Close Annealed. The steel sheet is rolled thin without heating, which gives it a smooth, even surface. It is then heated in a closed furnace and cooled slowly, so it can be bent into doors and shelves without cracking. All our almirahs are made from CRCA steel.

Sheet thickness is given in gauge. The one rule to remember: a lower gauge number means a thicker sheet, and a higher number means a thinner one. A thicker sheet makes a stiffer body and doors that dent less easily, and it also costs more.

• Which parts: ask whether the body, doors and shelves all use the same gauge of sheet.
• Folds and frame: the sheet is not the only thing that makes an almirah stiff; folded edges and a proper frame around the doors matter too.

Size, measurements and door-opening space

Take three measurements where the almirah will stand: the width of the wall, the height up to the ceiling or any beam, and the depth, meaning how far out from the wall you have room. If there is a switchboard, a window or a pipe on the wall, note that down too.

Doors also need clear floor in front, and how much depends on how wide each door is. See how much space 2-door and 3-door almirahs need.

Our step-by-step almirah measurement guide shows where to put the tape. If you are in Agra, you can skip this: we come to measure for free.

Shelves, locker and drawers inside

In daily use, the inside matters more than the outside. Think first about what you will keep, then plan the shelves around it.

• Shelves: more shelves with less height suit folded clothes. Fewer, taller shelves suit quilts, bags and boxes.
• Locker: a small compartment inside with its own lock, for jewellery, cash and documents. Decide which shelf it sits on so it is easy to reach.
• Drawers: handy for socks, handkerchiefs and small things. We have made 3-door almirahs with two drawers under the middle door.
• For an office: measure your tallest file or register and ask for shelf spacing that fits it, so files stand upright.

Mirror or no mirror, colour and finish

A mirror on the door is useful in a bedroom where you get ready, and it saves putting a separate mirror on the wall. In an office, a shop or a store room it usually isn't needed. A mirror can break, so think twice if small children play near the almirah or it stands in a busy passage.

We make almirahs in maroon, black, green, brown, grey and cream, and in a wood-look finish too. You can also have two colours together, like the black or the green doors with a cream frame in the photo below. Pick a colour that suits the room and the wall behind it; for a row of office almirahs, one plain colour keeps them looking alike.

Whatever the colour, open every door, turn every key and check the finish before you accept the almirah: the paint should be even, with no bare steel at the edges and corners. Bare steel can rust in a damp spot, so in the rains keep the almirah a little away from a wall that gets damp.

Made to size or readymade?

A readymade almirah can be seen in the shop and bought straight away, but it comes in fixed market sizes. If your wall, niche or corner doesn't match those sizes, you are left with a gap at the side or an almirah that doesn't fit at all. A made-to-size almirah fits the space and has the shelves, locker and colour you choose, but it takes some time to build.

Everything we make is made to your size, in our own factory in Agra. See our steel almirahs in Agra for the types we make, with photos. For a full side-by-side comparison, read custom vs readymade almirah: which works better. You can also see how ordering works.

Delivery: what to ask before you order

Delivery is easy to forget until the almirah is ready. Whoever makes it, ask these questions before you order:

• Is delivery included in the rate, or charged separately?
• How many days will it take, and when will you know the exact date?

Our answers: delivery is free anywhere in Agra city, from Kamla Nagar and Dayalbagh to Tajganj and Shastripuram. It takes 7 days to 1 month depending on the order, and we tell you the exact time after measuring. Outside Agra, call us and ask; we tell you the delivery cost then.

Budget: which of your choices raise or lower the rate

Size and sheet move the rate most; a locker, drawers and a mirror add to it. Each is explained in our steel almirah price guide. The easiest way to get a rate for your almirah is to WhatsApp us a photo of the space with rough measurements, or ask for the free measurement visit.

What should an Agra buyer check before ordering? A 10-question checklist

Go through these 10 questions before you order. If you have an answer to each one, you are ready to place the order.