Category: garage remodeling

Gadgets for your garage

If you spend a lot of your time at home in your garage or if
you want a clean and organized garage you need a few
gadgets. Garage gadgets come in many forms and for different
purposes.

For example a stop light for parking may come in handy for
someone who has a problem with depth perception or for
someone who comes home late from work and is very tired. If you
have such problems, you need this tool. It is easy to install
and use and it helps you to park the car in the same spot
every time when the motion sensors are triggered.

If you need space on the walls next to the door, you can
mount a garage door opener on the ceiling above the door
to eliminate chains.

Bike storage is ideal in a garage for hanging your bike on a
wall so you have easy access to it with the advantage of having
more clear space in the garage.

If you have a lot more items in your garage than you really have
Room for or the walls are full of shelves and cabinets, you
definitely need additional storage devices like an overhead
storage system mounted directly on the ceiling.

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A garage addition

Does our older child need a little more liberty? Your work from home or
maybe you just feel that you need another room for a special project
that you want to start? Then the solution is to construct a
new addition to your garage.

By making an addition to your garage you can add to the living space in
your house, no matter what type of garage you own: detached or
attached to the house. The space above the garage can be converted into
a private living space for your older child, guests or a live-in parent.
You can convert your garage into your home office. You could very well
find here the peace and quiet needed for your work. Also, the new addition
can be converted into a music studio if you put some simple sound
proofing measures into place.

In order to start planning for your garage addition, first prepare
a budget and then hire a professional because this is a complex
project. Also, you may need to hire an architect to help you with
the construction plans.

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Tornadoes, hurricanes, storms and garage doors

Often being the largest opening on most homes, the
garage door is usually the most vulnerable to failure under
high wind pressure such as hurricanes, tornadoes and storms
in general. The pressure of the wind can destroy the garage
doors during a storm that allows water and wind to enter
the house. This can cause significant damage to furniture,
electronic equipment, the contents in general as well as the
houses structure. The garage door is often overlooked
when strengthening the structure against high winds.

Massive building failures and strong winds have convinced
storm-prone communities that residents must be prepared
to employ active or passive reinforcement systems for their
garage doors. An active system is that specific type of
reinforcement that must be installed before a high-wind
event while passive systems are built into the product and
dont need any activation from the owner. For the home
owner in hurricane-prone areas there are only two real
options: either a new garage door with a built in passive
reinforcement system or a garage door reinforcement kit.

The option of totally replacing the garage door is usually
an expensive procedure so a garage door reinforcement kit
would be a good choice if your budget for remodeling your
garage is low. Although is rather expensive, a new garage
door offers a more secure and safe option in front of a high
wind.

If youd rather choose the cheapest option, that is to
reinforce your garage door you can protect your home in
one of the following ways: first of all install pressure or
impact resistant devices, such as shutters, panels, accordion
fold shutters on the garage doors or install pressure/impact
resistant garage doors that do not require shutters. If your
existing door is impact resistant but it is not wind pressure
rated, install an approved garage door bracing system to
increase the wind pressure resistance. A pressure/impact
resistant rating ensures that the device meets the wind pressure
and debris impact requirements of the Southern Building
Code Congress International standards or the July 1988
wind pressure and debris impact requirements of the
American Society of Civil Engineers adopted in September
1994.

When adding a garage door bracing first ensure that there is
enough and relevant documentation that the product has
been tested at a certified testing laboratory. The product
should be designed to withstand both positive and negative
wind pressure. You should contact a local garage door
supplier of approved garage door bracing systems to assist
you in the selection of the necessary system for your needs.

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Sealing a garage floor

The floor of your garage is exposed to intense corrosion
and deterioration due to road salt, oils and other auto fluids.
Sealing your garage floor reduces dust and makes
cleaning and sweeping easier. A clear acrylic concrete
sealer protects the concrete from damage and stains. Also
the same sealers can be used on concrete walks and
driveways or as a primer under acrylic or polyurethane
floor paints. You should take care when and where you
apply a sealer because they cannot be applied over paint or
other coatings.

In order to do the sealing yourself you need several
materials and tools: protective clothing, neoprene rubber
gloves, goggles, a stiff brush and a bucket, a paintbrush, a
cartridge-style respirator with organic-vapor and small-
particle filters, paint roller with extension handle and tray,
medium nap roller cover, a concrete degreaser and of
course some concrete sealer. Usually gallon of sealer is
used for approximately 100 square feet.

Before sealing you have to clean the floor because it has to
be free of dirt, grease and oil. To do this you should use a
stiff scrub brush to apply the cleaner and concrete
degreaser according to the instructions. Allow the solution
to lay on the floor for 15 to 20 minutes more for stubborn
stains after scrubbing. After his you should rinse
thoroughly with clear water. You may need several
applications. Many concrete sealers contain hazardous
chemicals that may be harmful to skin and eyes and the
vapors are not safe to breathe but the vast majority are
acrylic. The best way to avoid damages to your skin, eyes
and lungs is to wear the protective equipment made of
neoprene rubber gloves, goggles and a respirator with both
organic-vapor and solid-particle filter cartridges. During
the process of sealing the floor you should continuously
ventilate the garage by opening all doors and windows and
also using a fan would be a great idea.

After cleaning and drying the concrete, the sealer has to be
applied. The sealer should be tested in an inconspicuous
area before applying. Some uneven density in the concrete
may result in light/dark appearance that may be
objectionable. By using the medium-nap paint roller with
extension handle is the easiest way to apply the sealer. Start
in a rear corner continuing to work your way out of the
garage. Before doing anything else you should allow the
sealer to dry as indicated on the sealer bottle, usually for a
few hours. For a driveway the procedure is essentially the
same but it would be quicker to use a garden sprayer to
apply the sealer to a large driveway. You should act with
caution not to over spray on other material due to the high
risk of staining.

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Garage materialism is growing

Ever since the first suburbs were built, the garage
became a measure of the financial prosperity of a
family. At first there was one, then two, but now four
garages are becoming the newest form of decadence in
home building. A real estate agent would say that
people have a log of gear and items these days so there
is a huge demand for a place to store them. These
garages, in some instances, may be larger than many apartments,
housing more cars than ever. The third and maybe
fourth family car is a necessity for families where kids
stay home longer and the restrictions on street parking
are one of the factors that point towards building larger
garages.

Moreover, every man has his love for the toys
such as boats, jet skis, motorcycles, bikes, power tools
and workbenches and these toys need storage. A
look into a three or four car garage may reveal tools,
bikes, sporting gear, a workshop and a 25-foot boat.
This visual degradation of the suburban landscape is an
aspect of materialism that wont stop turning any time
soon.

Not everybody likes this trend. Some home builders
spend the extra time and money on architectural plans
that can split these huge expanses of square footage into
opposite sides of the house. A problem that appears
here is the problem of the houses design after this
transformation. The most aesthetical are the back-
loading garages but they require the use of the backyard
space for turning radiuses. Side-loading garages need
wider home sites but can make the front of the house
look enormous. With the current rising costs for
land, in many areas this is not feasible in the long run.
This is a sign of a mega-materialism, that is: if one is
good five is better so more and more people understand
only one thing: that a garage is not good unless it is as
big as a basketball court.

When will it stop?
Are we going to have the house attached to a garage ten
times bigger than the house? Maybe it would be better
for everyone to think twice before making such a commitment
when buying a house attached to the garage. Maybe it
would be better if people would care about the simpler
and more basic things in life than owning a four car
garage.

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Improved storage your garage

One of the most important storage areas of a home is the
garage. Because the space it offers is limited it should be used
efficiently. So the garage is a prime candidate for storage
improvements. Of course you have many options for
improving the storage in your garage.

One of the options is to buy a modular storage kit. This can
have parts and components that you can mix and match
together and can solve many storage problems. Another option
would be to build your own storage solution. If you have too
many items that you keep in your garage maybe a modular
storage kit cannot provide you the needed solution. The
improvements made to your storage may help you reduce
clutter, store seasonal items in a more conveniently way and
improve organization.

Cabinets, shelves, wall-mounted racks and plastic containers
are the most popular types of garage storage and organization
solutions. Cabinets work well for protecting their contents from
moisture and dust. Shelves save space more efficiently but the
most affordable solution are the wall-mounted racks. Clear
plastics containers help you to store several items and allow
you to see the contents.

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Organized garage

The garage is that one place where we all seem to love to be
disorganized, however the sooner you get organized, the sooner
you can make better use of that space. Organizing your garage
can be a tiresome task for many homeowners. When you think
about organizing your garage you should keep in mind that this
activity means to find a designated place for everything while
keeping your goods available for everyday use. The following
five steps compromise a simple system for garage organization.

Sort your garage items.
First of all sort and categorize all the items in your garage, for
this you should empty your garage and start sorting everything
into categories. Separate the tools from sporting equipment,
electric tools, etc. You will realize how much stuff you have
and only then you will be able to determine the best ways to
organize and store everything. Misplaced items in your garage
should be returned to their proper place. Also you should sort
the things that should be in the garage from the things that
should actually be in the basement, attic or better, sold at a
garage sale. Remember to recycle everything that you decide to
throw away.

Separate seasonal items and equipment.
A special rack should be installed to hang lawn maintenance
tools and to keep them accessible yet out of the way. If it is
near winter place snow related tools like snow blowers, ice
scrapers, snow shovels and also skis, snowboards and sleds
grouped together. Also the items for warm seasons should be
stored in a special cabinet. Near the beginning of every season
you should plan this activity and rotate the cold and warm
items places in the cabinet. For the other sporting equipment,
shelves and drawers should be designed.

Additional shelving and cabinets.
While organizing you should consider adding additional
garage storage space to help you maintain the organization.
Shelves and cabinets should be mounted on the walls. The
basic principle is to store the items that you use on a regular
basis in a way that makes them accessible every time you need
them.

Create efficient working area.
Installing a bench or a table would be a good choice if you use
your garage as a workshop. A sturdy tool chest and a pegboard
are great in storing your tools and keeping them easily
accessible.

Relocate trash and recycling bins nearby the garage.
To easily dispose unwanted items from your garage a good
idea is to relocate the trash and recycling bins near to your
garage entrance. This way you wont be tempted to keep
certain items because the trash bins are too far away.

Now would be the time to hire a handyman to have cabinets,
closets and shelves built right into your garage. Invest in some
good storage units as described before and start organizing,
sorting and storing.

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Garage storing shelves

A garage is the perfect home for all sorts of items and activities
from storing sporting equipment to tools and machines; and
its original purpose for car parking to activities like a home-office,
a gym or a workshop. If your garage is only used for storage rather than
other activities it really needs some shelves for organization.

Usually garage shelves can be found in two main forms: site-built
and prefabricated. Site-built shelves are usually less expensive and
allow you to adapt the sizes to the space available. You can find
everything that you need at the local home center, lumber yard,
discount store or hardware store.

One of the basics of the garage shelves is made of a simple piece of
plywood or a length of 1x or 2x lumber on a set of heavy-duty
shelf brackets. This is mounted by attaching the brackets to the
studs directly using long screws then by attaching the shelf to the
brackets. To strengthen the shelf you can add a brace at each stud.

Another type of shelves are the floor-supported ones. One method
is to run vertical 2x4s every 50 inches and resting them on the
floor and attaching them to the rafters or ceiling joists at the top. In
addition, the 2x4s are run horizontally on edge between the
uprights then a particleboard is used to create the shelve. The most
commonly used dimensions are 19-25 inches for depth and the spacing
between 2x4s is usually on 25 inches but of course, these sizes can
be changed to accommodate the size of the items that you are
storing.

For storing small items you should take into consideration the
space between the studs. By attaching a series of 1×2 strips
horizontally to the inside edges of two adjacent studs
approximately 6 inches apart, cutting some 1×4 and 1×6 pieces of
lumber and fitting them between studs and slipping them on top of
the 1x2s you can create some small adjustable shelves. These are
great for jars, cans and bottles and also for other small and light
items. The small shelves are great for organizing and storing screws
and nails.

The best choice when building prefabricated garage shelves is
Steel shelving. Plastic shelving may be enough for storing light
Weight items but in time you may need something more
resistant for storing heavier items. One disadvantage of the steel
shelving is that they cannot be cut to size so they have standard
widths, depths and heights so you have to choose something that
fits within your available space.

Adjustability is another important consideration in prefabricated
shelving. Prefabricated shelves should be adjustable to at least two
different locations within the shelving framework and also the pins
for adjusting should be heavy duty and should have something in place
for preventing them from working loose or becoming accidentally
dislodged.

Another thing to be taken into consideration when opting for
prefabricated shelves, especially those designed for heavy loads,
is that they may require a wall attachment or other support
against tipping.

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Tips for your garage door

The new generation of garage doors is reasonably priced,
safe and easy to install and they are no longer a
convenience for only a select few. You should consider
changing your garage door if it is too old or if it has an
old motor or pulley system.

The garage doors can be selected by the type of the chain
System they use: screw-drive system, chain drive system or
computer controlled system. The screw drive system has
a mechanism that moves the length of a steel rod; it is a
lifting mechanism that is mounted in your garage ceiling.
The chain drive system is made of a chain that moves the
door along a pair of tracks; this is the most common and
affordable system but also has the disadvantage of being
extremely noisy. The computer drive mechanism doesnt
use any screws or chains; the systems body is mounted
above the door.

The speed and the type of power are other factors used in
selecting a new garage door. A faster door means a more
expensive one, but this feature reduces the waiting time
on your driveway. Even though it opens quickly, a door
usually closes pretty slow for safety. The power
of the motor is important in choosing a door because it
has to have enough power to raise the door; a large motor
is likely to last longer. Also the quietness of the motor
should be another decision factor.

Enhanced security features can be found in a newer
generation door that uses random codes. A new random
code is generated each time the remote control is used to
open the garage door. This security code prevents you
from opening another garage and vice versa. The remote
control may be found in several models with a different
number of buttons. A multiple button remote control is
the best choice for someone who has several garages. The
fixed controller is mounted on the wall either inside or
outside, near the garage door and it allows the garage
door to open without a remote controller. The keypad
allows to close the door for a specific period of time and
it provides enough time to exit the garage without
running.

Safety features are present on every garage door. These
features prevent the door from crushing objects or people by
reversing the direction if it hits something. This safety
feature is triggered by an electronic beam and it is
mandated by law. A computer-controlled mechanism can
detect or compensate for varying conditions, for example
if the door is coming in contact with an obstruction or is
closing too fast.

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Garage flat roof

Whether you have an old garage or if you construct a new one you
should take into consideration the quality and the type of roof that
you choose for your garage. You might encounter problems with a
home inspector if you dont have an adequate roof for your garage.
He may cite your garage. And of course you want to make sure you have
a stable and reliable roof that can face a massive rainfall.

A flat roof with sagged joists allows rainwater to pool at the center,
rather than draining toward the roof edges. This is a common
problem and it affects nearly all the so-called flat roofs. Having an
insufficient roof slope promotes standing pools of rainwater and
this increases the likelihood of leakage as the roof becomes older.

Roof drains should be installed at each low point of the roof. Since
the roof joists have sagged it seems that they were not designed to
support accumulated water. Therefore if you can add drains at the
lower points of the roof it could prolong the life of your roof.

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