The Next Big Thing: A Garage You Want to Live in

Posted December 31, 2007

Do you cringe when you have to go into your garage? Can you not even park in your garage because of all the junk spread all around the room? Well, its time for you to reconsider fixing it up and making it the place you hold your next party. Yes, the next big thing is in fact making your garage functional with flooring, cabinetry, lighting, heat and a/c, and even decorations. Unfortunately, the garage is the most ignored room in the house. Builders are only placing the minimum amount of lighting in the ceiling, some are not drywalled, and don’t get my started on having enough electric outlets.

For most people, the most important person in your garage transformation is a good electrician. Most building codes do not require that builders install electrical outlets every six feet like inside a residence. So you’re going to need an eletrician to run some outlets for your tools, toys, and lighting. If your garage is drywalled, don’t bother removing the existing drywall to run outlets. Instead, have your electrician run conduit on top of the wall and mount the outlets on top of the drywall. While not as clean looking, its functional and affordable. I prefer double outlets wherever I can have them because you never know when you’ll need lots of power and can’t find a power strip.

Lighting and Fans

Lighting is a big deal in a garage. While I absolutely hate flourescent lighting, it works great for garages but its important that you purchase the right kind. Purchase 4 bulb T8 Fixtures the additional wattage will be required to make up for the ceiling height. You can never have too much light so for a typical 2 car garage, I would have at least 4 6? lamps, not including under cabinet lighting and workbench.

Along with lighting, lets talk about cooling the place down. If you enjoy wrenching on your car or just an occasional buff, you know how awful it is to be in the garage in the summer. Therefore, to make life liveable, install at least 1 Damp Location Outdoor ceiling fan. That way, you can move the air in your garage with the doors open. Ceiling fans work a lot better than the other, portable kind, because they don’t have the same loud turbine effect, which blocks you from being able to hear the game. I prefer Casablanca fans however most companies have Damp Fans, just get one that matches your decor.

Flooring

Its critical that you address the floor in your garage if you do nothing else. These days, you have lots of options when it comes to protecting the floor in your garage and you’re only limited by budget. One option are snap flooring systems, like Race Deck. The system is simple to insall and feature tiles that you snap together to create any pattern you like. The advantage to this system is that it does provide an additional bit of suspension for those standing on the floor. The downside is the price. These systems are not cost effective for most.

A more affordable alternative is to paint the floor with epoxy. No, don’t bother rushing to the Ace Hardware to get a kit - the results will leave you disappointed. Instead either call someone who specializes in floor coatings in the phone book or hit the paint store for a 5 gallon pale of paint and the tools to put it down. If done right, it will resist hot tire pickup, look great, and will be easy to clean if your car decided to leave its fluids on the garage floor.

For those who can’t afford an entire floor tile system for their garage, you can buy just enough to place around your workbench so that you will not have to stand around on hard concrete while you work.

Storage

This is another big money area of your garage makeover. For most, garages never have enough storage so this step is critical. For seasonal items, consider hiring a contractor to build you a loft above the garage doors. In most garages, the space between the garage doors and the ceiling is plentiful and unused. Using the right materials, someone who knows what they’re doing can create a nice loft in this area. Just make sure you hire someone who’s competent since you don’t want the loft coming down on top of your vintage Mustang.

Many companies sell kits you can buy to create storage and workbenches in your garage. Gladiator garage works is one such product however I’ve found the cabinets to be small and, quite frankly pretty expensive. For the bargain hunter, check a Habitat for Humanity store or salvage for kitchen cabinets. Otherwise, buy some unfinished cabinets and make it work. For shelving, I prefer having some open shelving too and for that, anything tall and plastic or wire should work. Just check the load weight and remember, garage floors are slanted so use a level.

For countertop material, the choice is yours. Diamond Plate is always a favorite however laminate or simply staining and sealing a cabinet grade top may suffice.

Entertainment

Yes, you need entertainment in your garage. For most, its an old radio at minimum. For those looking for something more visual, hit the yard sales and craigslist for a tv. A few year old tube tv is the right call and with most cable and satellite companie, you can add it without hassle. If you’re planning to use the space as a rec room, I’d look for a larger tv - maybe a high definition rear projection. Garages are a great place for a pool table, table tennis, and other games that require lots of space.

Along with this, make sure you run at least a telephone or cat5e outlet in case you hook up a computer in your garage. Wireless works great if you can get the signal.

Keeping it warm

Heating a garage is a tough task. Most doors do not seal and the trim around the door is usually installed poorly. If you have a room over the garage that has wild temperature changes, heating it can help reduce your heading costs. While there are many optoins from ceramic disc, to kerosene, infra-red. I prefer GAS since you need a really hot source to heat a poorly insulated area. A Modine Hot Dawg makes a great gas furnace with a thermostat that will turn on when the room reached a low temp.

For A/C, LG makes a packaged a/c unit that’s perfect for small space or even a room over a garage.

Accessorize

Like any other room in your house, a garage needs some decorations. Metal signs and posters work great for this application. For reproductions, visit sites like Griots Garage (actually Griots has lots of great things for your garage). For a large enough area, you may hit ebay for a billboard, old signs, and other great auto related accesories. If you want to show off your garage and your car collection, you may consider installing a clear garage door instead of a wood or fiberglass.

Some other basic equipment

A good shop vac is essential to keeping your garage and your cars neat and clean. If you have an attached garage or an apartment over the garage, you may consider installing a central vac in the garage and plumb it to the rest of the house.

Finally, you have just spent a whole lot of money and time to turn your garage in the envy of the neighborhood. It will be soo nice that it may cause your neighbors or passers-by may want to acquire some of your things. Therefore, its a good idea to install another zone to your home’s security system. Window sensors, door sensors, and even a motion sensor may be required to keep your car collection safe.

Sincerely;
Jonathan Osman
The Charlotte House Hunter
Charlotte NC Homes, Charlotte Real Estate