Garages are perhaps the most neglected space in your house. Usually, they’re dark, dingy places that make you want to get in and out as quickly as possible. They’re great for storing the car, but that’s about it.
But as we make clear in this post, it doesn't have to be this way. In fact, you can build a stunning garage that also functions as it should. Here’s what to do:
Put Down A Reinforced Vinyl Floor
Concrete is a strong material, but it’s not exactly the most attractive. Even if you sweep it regularly, it’ll still look dull and unappealing, like some sort of Soviet tower block.
Fortunately, these days, there are other options. Reinforced vinyl, for instance, is strong enough to support the weight of a car and allows you to adjust your garage’s aesthetic in whatever manner you like. It also comes in different patterns, including wood-effect and Venetian tiles.
Get Rid Of The Junk
So many garages are full to the rafters with junk. They house all sorts of items, from old kayaks you’re never going to use again, to car components, deflated bouncy castles, ironing boards and roof racks.
Junk, though, wrecks the aesthetics of the room. If there’s no order to the space, it’ll always feel like you’re fighting an uphill battle.
Here, you have a couple of options. You can either store everything on pallet racking or you can relocate some of it to the attic. You can also chuck out or sell anything that you really don’t want or need.
Use Hanging Storage
Another option is to make greater use of hanging storage. This is ideal for people who have a lot of tools, and want to keep everything neatly tucked out of the way.
To set up hanging storage in your attic, start by installing the slatwall panels. These contain helpful grooves that allow you to permanently fix hooks for holding up your equipment. Generally, they work better than other options, such a corkboard, since they are more robust.
Then it’s just a matter of hanging all your accessories to the wall. If you have a lot of smaller tools, you can hang baskets from the slatwall and then fill them with all your items.
Add Cabinets
Another option is to add cabinets to keep everything looking neat and tidy, similar to what you might see at a professional mechanic. What’s nice about this option is that it hides all your paraphernalia while also making it highly accessible. If you need it, choose floor-to-ceiling cabinets. These offer the most space and allow you to make the best possible use of your garage, given the circumstances.
Protect Your Floor
Garage floors can take a lot of punishment. Vehicles driving over them can disrupt surfaces and eventually cause materials to fatigue.
Fortunately, you can get around this by using floor protection. These coatings provide an additional layer of cushioning between the floor material and anything passing over them. They can also resist impacts, such as dropped tools.