It is estimated that approximately 80% of American homes have a garage or carport in their home. For many, this is an ongoing home improvement project that never ends. Every year, it’s a summer project. Make this summer the last time you have to do that with a well-thought-out transformation. When you turn your garage into a useful space, it creates room in your home that you won’t have to worry about and gives you the feeling of a productive balanced life. Follow these steps to convert your garage into a space you can use.
The Garage Floor
There are a number of ways that you can change the floor in your garage to make it more livable or presentable. Before you make any major changes to the floor, check with your local building codes to learn what the requirements are. A standard garage floor requirement for building codes is that you keep the garage floor four inches lower than the main floor of the home.
If your garage floor is concrete, cleaning it with a power washer will give you a good idea of what you are working with. It may be cracked or have holes in it. A patch and repair job may be all that you need to resolve that problem. That can be done by professionals, or you can purchase concrete crack filler at your hardware store.
After that has cured, epoxy paint will add a clean finish to your garage floor and make it look brand new again. If you plan on parking your car in the garage, any fluids from the car won’t stain the concrete again. With a new floor, you’ll want to use this space more, and may even want to park your car here more.
The Garage’s Windows and Doors
Changing the doors and windows of any space will give you a brand-new look. Replacing your garage door could take that new look one step further and give you a return on that investment in time of as much as 95%. If you don’t want to make that investment yet, implementing a garage door opener will make your garage more useful this summer.
Changing the windows or window dressings may also make it a more useful space. If the space is nicer to be in, or more secure, you may be more inclined to use the garage more. Standard curtains are a nice touch, but you may need to maintain them and clean them regularly. Aluminum blinds are an excellent choice as well. They are considered to be the longest-lasting window treatment and very low maintenance. You can purchase aluminum blinds of any size.
Storage Solutions
Implementing storage solutions is one of the most common ways to make a garage space more useful. The two most common methods of adding storage to your garage are using the walls and elevated shelving and adding rolling tool storage units. The goal here is to get as much off of the floor so that you can use the garage as a garage or carport.
Affordable ways to add storage in a garage include putting hooks on the walls and the ceiling to hang larger items like bicycles or garden tools. Hooks can also be hung for lighter items like rakes, shovels, and leaf blowers. Not only will you save floor space here, but you will also create a space for every item in the garage. You will always know exactly where it is when you need it.
Pave Your Driveway While You’re At It
This might not be a bad time to consider finishing your driveway as well. An asphalt driveway can last between 15 and 25 years. If you are cleaning out the garage and repairing and refinishing the floor and other aspects already, adding the driveway to the project could get two projects done at once.
When you are adding items to your to-do list this summer to create a more organized and balanced life, start with the garage first. You’ll get it out of the way, and then you’ll have your garage and driveway free and clear for the season. Get into the habit early of keeping it tidy, and you’ll never want this useful space to look like anything else again.