Residential Garage Floor Design

Garage Floor Design for the Do It Yourselfer!

from Garage Design Plans 101

Cluttered residential garages are not uncommon. However, you can get away from all the stereotypical designs by investing a little time, effort and cash. You will be glad to realize that there is actually more space and beauty in your own garage than you thought possible. Pick the right layout that matches your needs as well as throw in some creativity to eliminate eyesores.

Rules of Organization
Since the garage is one of the biggest areas in the house, it will be wiser not to underestimate the amount of time and effort you’re going to spend fixing it. Provide at least an entire weekend or two to work on the project. To start organizing, do a visual inspection of the entire area and check how much space you’re using up. It will help a lot if you get the dimensions specifically the total area and height so that you will know which furniture and storage fixtures will fit later on. You may want to ask someone you know to help you estimate the space you have.

When organizing, consider the biggest item you’re supposed to store inside the garage. Do you have a car? How many vehicles do you have? Do you own any power tools that occupy space such as lawnmowers, chainsaws, etc? Start making a list of all items you intend to store inside from the biggest to the smallest. Next, start cleaning out the place. Take away all items you no longer need to be sold, given away or stored in other areas in the house such as the basement or attic. Finally, design your layout that will effectively accommodate all items in the list while freeing up as much space as possible.

Planning the Layout
You can hire a professional or plan the layout yourself with the help of a friend who knows a little about layouts. Start writing down all options to make the design as efficient and convenient as possible. The best approach to save as much space as you can would be to keep all things off the floor if possible. This means you have to invest in fixtures like wall-mounted shelves and baskets, hooks and pins, overhead storage lockers, lofts and tool racks. You may also want to put a couple of large cabinets to keep clutter out of sight.

Use racks and hooks to mount bicycles and power tools. Small items such as nails, screws, bolts and other accessories should be placed in labeled boxes, crates or baskets to be stored in shelves or cabinets for easy access. Larger items can be positioned on lofts and overhead storage shelves if they fit. The rest can remain on the floor but make sure that you still arrange them well out of anyone’s working space and path. Drawers are very useful in storing items which you need to protect against external elements.

As for aesthetic purposes, think of one or two colors to use for the whole room. You may decorate with a few wall-mounted items like a clock, picture frames or framed posters. Be more creative and find the style that best interests you like placing a die-cast miniature Ferrari on one of the shelves or pinning a NASCAR flag on one wall. Lights and garage doors should also carefully be chosen to keep everything safe and easy to locate. A single fluorescent lamp is usually adequate for most residential garage designs but you may also use lamps if you have a certain working corner.

Garage Flooring - Flooring Fundamentals

from FlooringFundamentals

New Trends in Garage Floors
When it comes to garage floors, style and design are typically the last words that come to mind. Although these spaces in your home are critical for storing cars and often serving other needs that you or your family may have, they are often one of the most unattractive spaces in your home. For this reason, consider these new trends in garage floor design to make this necessary part of your home turn out to be a fantastic addition that will foster creativity and enjoyment for the entire family. One way to create this atmosphere is to look to different element of garage floors.
Read more...

Garage Rubber Flooring Options
Years ago, only the inside of the house got new flooring but we now see a wide range of options for garage rubber flooring. In addition to creating a nicer space to look at, this type of garage flooring is more comfortable to walk on and it provides a protective cover so dropped objects, spills, or just parking the car does not damage the concrete underneath, which would be expensive to fix or replace.
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Garage Floor Mat Eliminates Stains
If you are tired of your garage floor looking stained and ugly, consider installing a garage floor mat today. These great mats are available in many outlets and allow you to simply roll them out and cut them to size in order to fit the dimensions of your garage. Furthermore, a garage mat allows you to simply wipe up spills and stains so that your garage floor can look as good as new. If your garage is an embarrassment and you are looking for a way to keep it looking great, consider purchasing an easy to install garage floor mat immediately.
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Epoxy Paint for the Garage Floor: Protection and Beauty
Although having a painted garage floor was unheard of years ago, today we see many people turning to various solutions of protection to include epoxy paint for the garage floor. Considering that the garage receives the brunt of dirt, chemicals, cleaners, oil, and other substances, it only makes sense that it should be protected. After all, the cost of redoing a garage floor is high. By using something such as epoxy paint for the garage floor, you can protect your floor while enhancing the overall appearance.
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Garage Flooring Paint Overview
Are you tired of having an unsightly garage floor, one with stains and discoloration – if so, then perhaps garage flooring paint would help with a transformation? While you could purchase any number of flooring materials for your garage, you need to remember that most of these are expensive. For instance, garage tile made from rubber or vinyl works well but you pay for it. Instead, garage flooring paint is a great solution that can make the floor look better without costing a fortune.
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National Garage Sale Day: Turning wasted space into wanted space

National Garage Sale Day: Turning wasted space into wanted space
Photo Courtesy of SwissTrax.com

Written by Patricia Gay
from Acorn Online

In front of a film crew, a master builder walks around a showcase garage extolling the virtues of stamped steel cabinets. He spies a hook affixed high on a wall, grabs it with both hands, lifts himself up, and swings back and forth to demonstrate the hook’s strength.

The scene is not unlike something from an episode of “Tool Time,” the fictional show-within-a-show from the old series Home Improvement. But this scene is not fictional.

The garage is real and located on Timber Mill Lane in Weston, at the home of Hy and Susan Pomerance. The master builder doing the swinging is Karl Champley, a home improvement expert and host of the shows Wasted Spaces and DIY to the Rescue on the DIY (Do It Yourself) cable network.

Mr. Champley and crew set up shop at the Pomerance garage around 4 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 1, and generated a series of live broadcasts that aired on TV and radio throughout the morning and early afternoon.

The subject of the broadcasts, each 10 to 15 minutes in length, was how to turn garage sale profits into garage improvements, in honor of National Garage Sale Day which is Saturday, Aug. 9.

With the Pomerance garage serving as a backdrop for the broadcasts, viewers and listeners from New York, Los Angeles, and across the country were offered tips from Mr. Champley on how to organize a successful garage sale and use the proceeds to fix up their garages.

Sleek garage
The Pomerances’ garage measures 20 feet by 20 feet and contains 400 square feet. “Really, it is just a standard two-car garage,” Mr. Pomerance said while watching Mr. Champley in action.

But the garage’s look and design is anything but standard. From floor to ceiling, the space has a sleek appearance, with silver floor tiles and matching silver lockers and cabinets. There is even a matching silver refrigerator, called a “Chillerator,” in the space.

To achieve this look, the Pomerances gave their existing garage, which was a plain and open space, a facelift and makeover. “This was the last room in the house that we renovated, and it was well worth it,” Mr. Pomerance said.

The Pomerance family moved to Weston two years ago from San Diego. A former sports psychologist, Mr. Pomerance is the global head of talent management at UBS investment bank. His wife, Susan, runs a jewelry and Judaica business called Yofi.

With two growing sons, Aaron, 13, and Ilan, 10, the Pomerances faced a dilemma. They loved their home, but needed more space.

Active in sports, the boys were accruing all kinds of equipment, including bikes, skis, baseball bats, and football gear. Their bedrooms couldn’t handle it all.

Not wanting to move, the Pomerances decided to create more usable space by renovating their garage.

“It’s like creating extra square footage to the house,” Mr. Pomerance said.

He got an idea of what he wanted to do by visiting a Sears store in Danbury. There he came across a system of modular cabinets and shelves designed specifically for garages, manufactured by Gladiator GarageWorks by Whirlpool.

Mr. Pomerance then contacted Potomac Garage Solutions to help design and install the system in his garage.

After the garage was emptied, the company laid new floor tiles and installed six locker-size cabinets, six wall boxes, shelves, baskets, hooks, and a heavy-duty Chillerator that can withstand extreme temperatures in an unheated garage.

After a fresh coat of red paint in areas not covered by the new system, the space took on a new existence.

Karl Champley is hooked. —Patricia Gay photo
Bikes, scooters, mops, and bats all hang neatly on the walls, while the new silver cabinets store Mr. Pomerance’s tools, cleaning supplies and painting equipment. The Chillerator holds a supply of cold beverages.

“Our garage has transformed into a fantastic space for the whole family,” Mr. Pomerance said.

The family recently had a pool party for Ilan’s birthday and used the garage as a locker room. “We had 30 boys use the space to change, and it worked out great,” Mr. Pomerance said.

Champley’s spots
The finished makeover was such a success that a representative from Gladiator asked the Pomerances if they could broadcast Mr. Champley’s spots from their garage. Happy with the results, the Pomerances agreed.

The garage makeover was right up Mr. Champley’s alley. As the host of Wasted Spaces, he helps homeowners transform unusable basements and garages into areas that provide practical storage and living space. In an episode airing this week on DIY, he helps a couple build a storage shed and cabinets in a small garage space.

A seasoned television personality, Mr. Champley had no problem handling the fast pace of Friday’s live broadcasts. One minute he was on TV in New York, the next he was fielding calls from a radio show in Phoenix.

Each spot moves quickly. With the garage as a backdrop, Mr. Champley, in his native Australian accent, discussed clutter with a television host, while Mr. Pomerance watched on a television outside under a tent.

“Clear the clutter in your garage and you’ll find more square footage in your home,” Mr. Champley said. “If there are items you haven’t used in 12 months, they should be cleared out. Give them to someone who’ll use them.”

He advised viewers to hold a garage sale, especially in light of National Garage Sale Day. “It’s a great way to clean your house and make some money, and it’s something the whole family can do together,” he said.

Anything not sold at the garage sale can be donated to charity, he said, and he mentioned that Habitat for Humanity will come to the home for items that don’t sell in the garage sale. “They come in a truck, pick everything up, and it works out fine for everyone,” he said.

Mr. Champley then advised viewers to reinvest their garage sale money back into their garages. He pointed to the cabinets and floor in the Pomerances’ garage to show how a plain garage space can be transformed.

“Now you can feel proud of your garage,” Mr. Champley said.

After several broadcasts in a row, Mr. Champley took a short break and munched on some fresh fruit. Originally from Australia, he and his wife, Diane Matthews, moved to Los Angeles in 2001. Their little son Kai is well known to TV viewers as Baby Bob, the chipmunk-cheeked, smart-talking baby on the Quiznos Sub commercials.

But just as Mr. Champley started to relax, he was called back to the garage as the next set of broadcasts was about to begin. A talk show host in Miami tells him how nice the Pomerances’ garage looks, and once again, it’s show time.

Swisstrax Interlocking Floor Tiles: Never Has Flooring Induced So Much Garage Envy

A whole new level of garage gear obsession. [click on image]

from Gear Patrol

If you are anything like me, then your garage serves as a multifunctional part of your home. It’s a place to park your vehicles, store your tools, hide your toys, and, just maybe, hide yourself. If your garage is anything like my garage, then its floor looks like absolute crap. Enter Swisstrax.

Originally hailing from Switzerland but now manufactured in California, Swisstrax represents Gear Patrol’s new favorite innovation from the neutral nation, coming out of nowhere to unseat Ricola cough drops and holey cheese. Swisstrax offers six different styles of tile, some of which are available in fourteen different colors. Even better, their website features a floor designer whereby you can layout a custom floor and easily order all the pieces you’ll need. Here’s a tip: the square tiles lend themselves perfectly to oversized renderings of your favorite 8-bit game characters (think Mario, the size of a Mazda).

Their various designs suit garages, workout rooms, airplane hangars, and more. Each tile features a hefty complement of snap locks to secure it to its brethren, and a four point injection molding process that allows a Swisstrax floor to withstand up to 40,000 pounds of roll-over compression. Even if you could overwhelm this floor system with the sheer bulk of your man-toys, you’d be backed by a 12 year warranty. My favorite feature is simply a function of the tiles interlocking design. Unlike other floor coatings and coverings, the tiles are inherently portable and reusable. Consider me impressed.

The best way to test garage flooring, get a Ferrari F430. [Courtesy: Swisstrax]

Gear Patrol Hands-On: GP procured Swisstrax floor tiling for hands-on testing. We pinched, pulled, stomped, and even bit the Swisstrax with all of our combined might. Nary a scratch was made. Conclusion: this is one tough tile.

Swisstrax Announces Sponsorship of Valerie Thompson, 2X NHRA World Land Speed Holder; and our New Company - Swisskits Floor Pads

Swisstrax is a proud supplier and sponsor of Valerie Thompson Racing. Randy Nelson, owner and president of Swisstrax maker of Interlocking Floor Tiles, met Valerie in 2007 at the annual SEMA show in Las Vegas. Valerie has selected Swisstrax as her official NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle race team flooring. The Two-Time Bonneville land speed record holder made her long anticipated debut at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals NHRA POWERade Drag Racing national event on August 28 to September 1. She displayed her new Pro Stock Motorcycle on the modular event flooring during the 5-day event, which is televised on ESPN2. Swisstrax is the manufacturer and sole distributor of their interlocking floor tiles to North America and also sells its product to companies in Central and South America, Australia, Korea, Japan and Europe.

Indio, CA (eMediaWorld) September 17, 2008 -- For the past year, Swisstrax has been a proud sponsor of Valerie Thompson Racing. Randy Nelson, owner and president of Swisstrax, met Valerie in 2007 at the annual SEMA show in Las Vegas. Valerie has selected Swisstrax as her official NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle race team flooring. The Two-Time Bonneville land speed record holder made her long anticipated debut at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals NHRA POWERade Drag Racing national event on August 28 to September 1. She displayed her new Pro Stock Motorcycle on the modular event flooring during the 5-day event, which is televised on ESPN2. Swisstrax is the manufacturer and sole distributor of their interlocking floor tiles to North America and also sells its product to companies in Central and South America, Australia, Korea, Japan and Europe.


Swisstrax proudly sponsors Valerie Thompson
Valerie's response to her relationship with Swisstrax:
I wanted to take this opportunity to sincerely thank you for your support in 2007. Swisstrax is in my opinion, the best floor of its kind on the market today. I am grateful to be part of your team.

Your commitment has made possible this year's phenomenal team success, including a Special Recognition Award. Valerie Thompson Racing Team was awarded the 2007 "Best Appearing Team." We believe this award is your success as well.

It was important to me to have a great hospitality area where fans would feel welcomed at all times. The Swisstrax flooring gave the team a fresh new and exciting colorful pit area to hang out in. I cannot wait to get my logo placed into the flooring.

Thanks again for taking my race team to the next level of racing…I look forward to working with you in the future. Let's keep the competition behind us and race one tile at a time!

Valerie Thompson/Team Owner
Valerie Thompson Racing

Swisstrax also announces a new company division, Swisskits.com, ready-to-go kits of complete floor pads and floor mats for use as garage floor pads; car display floor pads; patios floor pads; as well as for commercial floor pads and event and tradeshow booth flooring pads. There are many more uses to these flooring kits, which are made of the same durable modular floor tiles sold by Swisstrax for wall-to-wall applications.

The web-based company will open up its new website, www.swisskits.com in the fall of this year. Not only are there many designs and colors of pre-designed kits to choose from; you can also customize your own floor pad for size, design and tile color.

Swisskits.com will offer different "Kit of the Month" specials and as with Swisstrax, will offer a $50 referral bonus to customers who have purchased a floor pad and refer a new customer who also purchases a 400+ square foot flooring pad.

Ideal Floor Plans For Garage Floor Design

By Arturo Ronzon


Many homeowners who live in mild weather areas are habituated with parking their cars on the streets or the driveway itself. They do not feel the need of building garages. If they do have garages in their property, they end up using these as repositories for their scrap items. However, in case they want to turn a new leaf and decide to become organized, they might as well look into garage floor plans and construct garages that serve multiple purposes apart from storage. It is always a better option to totally re-build a decrepit garage than to try to fix the existing one.

A number of garage floor plans are available in the market. Some provide the option of turning the garage into a workshop or an extra living space. The walls and other hitherto unutilized storage space can be used for storing various tools and implements. One can install some weight-training and other exercise equipment and use it as a home-gym. This will enable the pursuance of a healthy lifestyle from the comfort of the home itself. The concrete floor can be refurbished with rubber floorings or epoxy coatings to make the floor feel easier on the feet. The amount of dirt that tracks into the house will also be reduced. Factors like insulation can also be taken into account by building double walls into the garage floor plan and pack these with thermal materials. This will keep the interiors of the garage warm and cosy.

The floor plan should be based on the purpose for which the garage is to be used – whether it is just sheltering the car, or to erect a workshop. The size of the garage also needs to be considered. The cost of building will depend on the size and the finish. Garage floor plans can be designed with some help from the different software that are available in the market, like the Plan3D. Various architects and manufacturers offer their floor plans on online websites. Garage floor plans that are drawn up by experts can convert the thus far overlooked garage area into a pleasant addition to the house.

Hot new plan in the works for Lyons Plain firehouse

An artist’s rendering of the proposed Lyons Plain Firehouse
shows new garage bays facing away from the street.

Written by Patricia Gay
from Acorn Online

Members of the Weston Volunteer Fire Department are often called on to save buildings from being destroyed.

But there is one building in town they would like to see come down — their own firehouse on Lyons Plain Road. “The building is in really poor shape,” said Weston Fire Chief John Pokorny.

With cracks in the floors and walls, leaks, poor heating and ventilation systems, a separating chimney, and decaying cinder block walls to contend with, the department is proposing to tear the existing firehouse down and put a new one up in its place.

Curtis Gunn, president of the department, said he would like to break ground for a new firehouse in March 2009. But first there are two obstacles the department has to overcome — funding, and land use approvals. The Lyons Plain firehouse serves homes in Weston east of the Saugatuck River. The town has a second firehouse in the center of town on Norfield Road

The Norfield firehouse is owned by the town of Weston. But the Lyons Plain firehouse is the fire department’s responsibility because the department is the property owner. According to attorney George Guidera, who represents the fire department, the Lyons Plain Road property was deeded to the fire department for the express purpose of constructing and operating a firehouse. In the event the property ceases to be operated as a firehouse, title would revert to the heirs of the previous owner. “As long as there is a firehouse on the property, it belongs to the fire department. There’s been a firehouse there for 61 years and there will be a firehouse there for 61 more years,” Mr. Guidera said.

While the town of Weston provides equipment and trucks to Lyons Plain, and some benefits to its firefighters, it does not pay for the maintenance and repair of the Lyons Plain firehouse building. Those costs are borne by the department. The town also does not pay salaries to the firefighters, as they are an all volunteer service.

Cost
The estimated cost for a new firehouse on Lyons Plain Road is approximately $1.8 million, according to Mr. Gunn. The fire department has $900,000, half the total cost, available for the project. “The department knew this expense was coming and has been putting money aside for it for several years,” said Mr. Pokorny. The department’s funding sources have come from donations as well as the proceeds from the sale of property the department used to own on Dillon Pass, he said.

But the department still needs $900,000 more for the project so it is asking the town to help. Mr. Gunn and other members of the department have asked the selectmen to consider allocating $300,000 for the next three years so they can make their goal.

First Selectman Woody Bliss said he supports the project. “I agree, the firehouse needs to be redone. It needs to be done right,” he said.

The fire department’s plan needs to be presented to the selectmen as well as the Board of Finance before funding can be authorized, Mr. Bliss said.

Urgent need
Chief Pokorny said there is an urgent need to replace the Lyons Plain firehouse before it falls apart or sinks into the ground. The building dates back to the 1940s and has had several renovations done to it over the years.

“What’s now the existing garage is made of cinder blocks and they are in bad shape and starting to crumble in places. I’m not sure if the building will last two or five years. It’s becoming unusable,” he said.

Inside, the main floor of the building’s meeting room has a long, deep crack that runs down the center. Outside, the chimney is separating from the building. The department first considered making repairs to the building, but when the costs were added up, it was just about the same to build a new structure, Chief Pokorny said.

If the building is not replaced and is forced to shut down because of structural problems, a portion of the town would be left without emergency services close at hand. “The response from Norfield to that side of town is pretty long,” said Chief Pokorny.

Mr. Gunn agreed. “Fire trucks would be dispatched from the Norfield firehouse, meaning a longer response time to get to Lyons Plain, especially with Cartbridge Road out of service,” he said.

Mr. Gunn recalled several emergencies in which the Lyons Plain firehouse was the first to respond, including the rescue of a family by boat when a storm flooded the Saugatuck River, and a fire at a home on High Noon Road that was contained to the garage and did not spread to the house. “We saved that home,” Mr. Gunn said.

Same footprint
While the new plan calls for considerable changes to be made to build a structure that is compliant with building and safety codes, one thing would remain the same. “The new firehouse would have the exact same footprint as the existing one,” said Mr. Gunn.

That means the firehouse, which is only several feet from Lyons Plain road, would not move any closer, nor would it expand in the back or sides. The new firehouse would however, go upwards a bit. “The existing firehouse is 3,200 square feet. That includes the garage bays and everything,” said Fire Captain Larry Roberts. He said the existing garage bay for the fire trucks takes up about 2,000 square feet.

The proposed building would measure approximately 6,000 square feet. “The new firehouse will have two stories and will include garage bays for three vehicles. The bays will take up about 2,800 square feet of garage space,” Mr. Roberts said.

The height of the building will be taller than a residential structure because the fire trucks are nearly 10 feet tall. “In order to get a truck parked, the first floor needs to be about 13 feet tall just for the vehicles. It’s a necessity to have a taller structure because we can’t make the trucks any shorter,” Mr. Roberts said.

Another change with the garage bays should result in a major improvement with safety. The bays currently face Lyons Plain Road and are only several feet from the street. This means the fire trucks have to back into the bays by pulling onto Lyons Plain Road.

With the new design, the bays will face the side of the building which opens onto a parking lot. This will allow more room for the trucks to maneuver, without going onto the street. “It is a much safer design,” Mr. Gunn said.

Adding a bay
The design also calls for adding one more garage bay, raising the number from two to three. “This will allow room for an ambulance if needed at the firehouse. The present bays are tight, and one of our trucks barely fits into it,” Mr. Gunn said.

On the second floor of the new building, there would be space created above the garage for a training room that would be used for the department’s meetings and social events. On the ground level there would be room for an office and bathroom as well as the garage bays.

In the basement there would be space for a gym and workroom. The building would also have an elevator to make it handicapped accessible. The new building would also get an exterior facelift and would be re-modeled so it resembles a country barn, fitting in with the rural character of the neighborhood. The existing building is gray and non-descript.

Mr. Gunn said he understands the department’s plan needs to be approved by various town boards and he hopes the public will come to those meetings so they can learn more about the project. “The volunteer fire department saves the town a lot of money. It is one of the best bargains the town has. I hope the town will support this project because time is of the essence for this building,” Mr. Gunn said.

Elements Of A Good Garage Design Idea

By Tim Lee

Most people hire the services of contractors to make a garage plan for them. But if you prefer to build your own, coming up with a garage design idea is really not difficult. While technical expertise is important, there are basic factors which should make things easy for you. When you are thinking of a good garage design idea, consider the following:

1. Location.

Where do you plan to build your garage? Most homes either have front or side garage. Either way, garage should be constructed where house and the driveway are most accessible. Location also plays an important role on the overall design of your garage. The space available determines how the garage interior should be constructed in respect on the functions you want your garage to have. Once you have determined the "where", everything is easy.

2. Budget.

How much? The amount of money you should pour on the garage design is the next factor you need to be aware of. The cost of constructing a garage per square feet depends on where you live but it roughly goes from $40-$100. The materials you will use for the garage design also play a bit factor.

3. Function.

How will the garage be used? Before, the garage is used solely to keep the vehicle secured. But garage nowadays serves multiple purposes from storing house and gardening tools to working space for do-it-yourselfers.

Utilize the spaces available on your floor, wall, and ceiling.

Your garage walls can accommodate most of your home tools and gardening equipment including your brooms, extension cords, hoses, garden tools, ladders, bicycles, balls and bats, golf bags and accessories, food coolers, coats, shoes, hats, and other workshop and general house tools and accessories. Install vertical storage on the wall for additional storage space.

Garage cabinets can store your insect, lawn, and garden chemicals, paint, other small tools used for car maintenance, and the rest of the items you want to keep hidden for safety reasons.

Overhead storage can be installed to maximize the unused space of your ceiling. Here, you can securely keep seasonal items such as sports equipment, holiday decorations, and other things that cannot be kept at the floor.

The key here is not to focus your attention so much on the floor; you have lots of spaces above it.

4. Aesthetics.

Functionality is your main concern when thinking of a garage design idea, should you be worried with the aesthetics? Yes. How your garage will look like is important. Colors of the wall, design of the cabinets, types of materials used, and even the theme of the garage should be carefully planned.

Garage Design Ideas

Dream It! Just Do It!

from Garage Design Plans 101

Most people hire the services of contractors to make a garage plan for them. But if you prefer to build your own, coming up with a garage design idea is really not difficult. While technical expertise is important, there are basic factors which should make things easy for you. When you are thinking of a good garage design idea, consider the following:

Location.
Where do you plan to build your garage? Most homes either have front or side garage. Either way, garage should be constructed where house and the driveway are most accessible. Location also plays an important role on the overall design of your garage. The space available determines how the garage interior should be constructed in respect on the functions you want your garage to have. Once you have determined the “where”, everything is easy.

Budget.
How much? The amount of money you should pour on the garage design is the next factor you need to be aware of. The cost of constructing a garage per square feet depends on where you live but it roughly goes from $40-$100. The materials you will use for the garage design also play a bit factor. But no matter how large or small you want your garage to be, coming up with a good and precise garage design idea will significantly reduce the amount you have to spend.

Function.
How will the garage be used? Before, the garage is used solely to keep the vehicle secured. But garage nowadays serves multiple purposes from storing house and gardening tools to working space for do-it-yourselfers. Come up with a garage design idea that includes how the garage will be used. Lay out your garage floor plan. Identify the areas where you will install storage cabinets, workstation, bench, wall storage, and car park. The garage design should not only have to look good in paper, it also has to look good and usable when built.

Utilize the spaces available on your floor, wall, and ceiling.
Your garage walls can accommodate most of your home tools and gardening equipment including your brooms, extension cords, hoses, garden tools, ladders, bicycles, balls and bats, golf bags and accessories, food coolers, coats, shoes, hats, and other workshop and general house tools and accessories. Install vertical storage on the wall for additional storage space.

Garage cabinets can store your insect, lawn, and garden chemicals, paint, other small tools used for car maintenance, and the rest of the items you want to keep hidden for safety reasons.

Overhead storage can be installed to maximize the unused space of your ceiling. Here, you can securely keep seasonal items such as sports equipment, holiday decorations, and other things that cannot be kept at the floor.

The key here is not to focus your attention so much on the floor; you have lots of spaces above it.

Aesthetics.
Functionality is your main concern when thinking of a garage design idea, should you be worried with the aesthetics? Yes. How your garage will look like is important. Colors of the wall, design of the cabinets, types of materials used, and even the theme of the garage should be carefully planned.

If you want to get garage design ideas, browse on some online sites that offer free template and downloadable garage designs.

Garage Floor Plans

from Garage Design Plans 101

Almost all of the houses today have garages. The problem is, these garages are often quite unusable. This is because these garages are either too worn or they are too full of junk. Many people prefer to park their cars in the street outside their homes because there’s just no space in the garage anymore. There are also those who prefer not to use the garage because they could end up not being able to take out their cars due to one problem or another with the structure. You have to remember that sometimes it would be more cost-effective for you to build a new garage instead of hopelessly trying to salvage the ruins of the old one. This means you have to find a great garage floor plan. Here are the essentials of finding those:

1) Functionality – for a lot of people, the garage is not just a place for sheltering the car. That’s why a great garage floor plan should include provisions for utilizing any excess space. Great garage floor plans should include anything you need from a gym to a workshop. Let’s face it: people won’t waste valuable space just to have somewhere to park their cars in, not unless they profit from that space. Maximizing functionality is the next best thing to actually gaining monetary profit from your garage. You need to get a garage floor plan which allows you to make the most out of the expenses in building the garage. Of course, the functionality of the garage should reflect your preference.

2) Size – of course, the garage floor plan you follow should be able to accommodate the vehicle/vehicles that you have in mind plus any additional equipment that you may want to place inside. This, of course, depends on the actual size available for you to build on. It is quite unlikely that you will find any garage floor plans with specifications that exactly match the space available to you. This means that you might have to settle for some garage floor plans which are near enough in dimensions and specifications to enable you to build it without making any drastic alterations. The whole purpose of the plan is to guide you, not further confuse you.

3) Flexibility – although a great garage floor plan is meant to be a guide, you have to realize that there are certain specific needs which should be considered in the project. This means you need to be able to make necessary adjustments to the garage floor plan without greatly affecting the plan. You need to be able to personalize the garage floor plan and still retain the qualities that made you want to use that plan in the first place. Flexibility makes all the difference in the world when it comes to building something. After all, everything does not always go according to plan.

4) Cost-effectiveness – of course, following a garage floor plan should not bankrupt you. You need to check both the garage floor plans and your budget to see if you can afford to finish a project. You need to be able to actually build the garage and still be able to keep it. It’s not just the building costs that you should keep in mind. You also need to make sure that you have enough cash to pay for the labor and the equipment that you might want to install later.

Efficient Garage Floor Plans

Garage Floor Design completes the space to be more
than just a place to park a car!

By Harmony Teal

Are you designing your new dream home with an architect or a builder? If so, don't forget to lay out the garage floor plans too. We tend to overlook garages, but they can be so much more than just a place for your vehicles.

What you want to do is start by examining sample floor and house plans, which you can get either from your architect or an online site. These plans should give you a pretty good idea of the current trends in garage plans.

For example, try making your garage a little wider by a few feet if it needs to be a two-car garage. This gives you extra space for cabinets and shelves, and still gives you enough room to access your car without scraping up against things or doing weird contortions.

Making the garage a few feet longer than normally seen in garage floor plans is good too because it gives you more room and versatility. All that extra space will give you a place to put your lawnmower, bikes, and even a workbench.

Another step to creating a multipurpose garage is to create a little area or nook that can be used as a workspace, a children's play area, or just a place for extra storage. These spots are usually tucked in a corner in the back of the garage.

You will get a lot of extra room just by extending the garage space out or even connecting it to the house.

If you want to use the garage for storage, you can raise the ceiling. A tall garage with a ten or eleven foot ceiling will give you extra wall space that you can load up with shelves for storing Christmas decorations and other seasonal items.

Another thing to consider is access to the yard and the house. It's traditional for most garages to have a door to the house, and of course the main door for car access.

It could also be convenient to add an extra door that opens out to the yard. That makes it easy for you to take out your yard and lawn tools, and gives easy access to large toys.

If you have a laundry room near the garage, you can make an instant mud room just by adding a door to your garage floor plans that provides access to this room.

With a little thought and modifications, you can have a fantastic garage to go with that dream home you're building.