What does the garage of your dreams look like?
If you’re like most people, your garage is a sight to behold...but not in a good way. With a little elbow grease and a few bucks, you can transform that garage from junky problem area into an organized storage solution for your home.
The three areas to focus on when considering a garage makeover are flooring, lighting, and storage.
Flooring
Most garage floors start off as simple poured concrete. It’s not a bad choice of material, but concrete can be tough to clean and stains easily. There are lots of upgraded garage flooring products on the market today that combine durability, cleanability, and aesthetics. PVC garage floor mats come in large rolls (like carpet) that allow you to install in minutes, with or without adhesive. Garage floor tiles typically interlock to hold them in place without the use of adhesives. But the most commonly used products for garage makeovers are simple epoxy and polyurea coatings that are applied much like paint (and bonus: It’s less costly than mats or tiles!).
Lighting
For many people, the only lighting in their garage is the light on the garage door opener or a simple lightbulb in an exposed socket. With the help of an electrician, you can build off of that existing wiring to install improved lighting. Fluorescents are a typical choice, combining bright output and cost-effectiveness. Track lighting is another good option to consider, allowing you to direct light onto several specific work areas.
Storage
As a catch-all area, storage is one of the most desired upgrades when it comes to garage makeovers. There is a wide array of choices when looking at storage for your garage. Wall- or ceiling-mounted racks and shelves are a cost-effective way to get all of that “stuff” off the floor and organized, and they are simple to install. If you’re really looking to take your garage to the next level, a medium-density fiberboard (MDF) or steel modular cabinetry system is likely to be the priciest of the options, but man, oh man cave, does it look sweet!
Feeling inspired? Get to work on that garage, and turn the armpit of your house into something worth flaunting. Garage fridge optional.