Exploded kimchi sounds messy but is it really a disaster? A plastic tub in the garage seems like overkill for some spilled cabbage. Have you ever had a real fermentation failure, like a batch that grew mold or smelled truly awful?
Actually had a batch bubble over once and it ruined a wooden shelf. That sticky brine gets into everything and the smell never really leaves. Definitely a bigger deal than just wiping up some cabbage.