nav-left cat-right
cat-right

Garage storing – shelves...

Posted by admin in Garage Remodeling on January 31, 2010 | No Comments

A garage is the perfect home for all sorts of items and activities from storing sporting equipment to tools and machines; and it’s 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  ¾” 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 2×4s every 50 inches and resting them on the  floor and attaching them to the rafters or ceiling joists at the top. In  addition, the 2×4s 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 2×4s 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 1×2s 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.

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)

Remodeling ideas for your garage...

Posted by admin in Garage Remodeling on January 4, 2010 | 1 Comment

What is the easiest way to add more space to your house? Of course the answer is to remodel your garage. A very cost-effective way to gain more space for your house is to remodel your garage. You can greatly expand your home’s living space especially if you no longer use your garage to park your car using your driveway instead. Remodeling your garage can help you become more organized and stop storing everything in your garage. This is why you have a basement.

Your garage offers a perfect environment to house your workshop, studio or home office. Many people also find that their garage can also be used for a gym or for another living room designed for special activities. However, remodeling your garage does not necessarily mean that you have to sacrifice your storage space or your parking area. Garages today have become multifunctional, allowing cars, general storage, a workshop and even a home office all in the same place.

Because many garages are attached to the home they can benefit from the same comfort as a home: phone wires, heating and cooling and plumbing. All you need is a little imagination, a fixed budget and a plan.

If you think that by remodeling you might be losing too much storage space, you can always build a small storage space behind your garage to house sporting equipment, tools and other items.

Moreover, when remodeling your garage you should consider an addition above the garage. Adding a room for work space and even for living, for one of your kids(they usually love this) above the existing garage can give you additional space and also increase the value of your home without major changes to the floor plan.

If you feel the need to remodel your garage but you don’t know exactly what you want or need, you should consider the following ideas.

You can transform your garage into a laundry room if you have your laundry room in the basement. By building a laundry in your garage you will eliminate the need to go up and down the stairs.

A music studio can be a great choice for your garage remodeling plans if you or your kids have some tendencies in this direction. The garage is the place where many “garage bands” got their start. To avoid your neighbors’ complaints consider soundproofing your garage walls.

Another idea for your garage can be to transform it into a gym. If you have your equipment and you don not have enough place to use it indoors you can always move it into the garage and have plenty of place for your daily exercises and training. Also here you will not be bothered by anyone.

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)

Sealing a garage floor...

Posted by admin in Garage Remodeling on January 2, 2010 | No Comments

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 ½ 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.

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)

Garage spring cleanup...

Posted by admin in Garage Remodeling on December 22, 2009 | No Comments

Imagine a beautiful spring day. You want to go biking, go fishing or even enjoy a picnic with your family. When you
enter your garage to gather your gear and head to having fun you have a tremendous surprise: your stuff is all over
the place, on the floor, messed up in corners, misplaced in various drawers. Organizing your garage is as easy as
figuring out where to start. The first thing is to purchase some cabinets, some shelves and hammer a series of nails into
the walls.

The storing and sorting goes as follows. Categorize each object and place it in a place specially designed for it. For
example sporting gear should be placed in a cabinet or on some shelves, tools should be placed in drawers or hung on
to some peg boards. Be ruthless about throwing away and don’t think twice before you throw away anything that you haven’t used recently or anything that’s broken. If you haven’t repaired it yet, chances are you won’t repair it. Seasonal gear should also be sorted, boots and out-of-season coats should be organized in small closets.

After you finish organizing, sorting and throwing away unwanted items you will be surprised to see your garage  floor and corners again. Maybe your car will fit in the garage again.

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)

Improved storage – your garage...

Posted by admin in Garage Remodeling on November 5, 2009 | No Comments

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.

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)

Page 2 of 3«123»