A garage is not just a space for parking cars but can be a very convenient room for everyone in the family. This is where you store large items until they’re needed, such as barbeque grills, luggage, and bicycles. Many people also have a certain area within the garage for their workshop, where they can work on sundry projects.
In order to utilize our garage for all that, we’d obviously need a decent amount of space inside. If we don’t have a large enough garage for all our needs, there’s not much we can do besides some major reconstruction work, right? Not really! There are a lot of tweaks and adjustments we can make in order to make our garage open itself up for all our projects and storage needs.
The most surprising thing that could increase space in your garage is the floors. The right type of garage flooring can help you maximize the space that you have inside your garage, thus making it easier to store items for safekeeping.
If you’re lucky enough to have a garage with your house, you’re probably wondering how the kind of flooring can have an effect on the space inside. We’ll guide you through the process below:
Things You Can Do
The first step is to make sure that you use the services of a professional who can help you have the type of garage floor for the best possible storage options. Let the professional know what you need, and they’ll hopefully be able to provide you with ample space for an activity room, hobby area, and space for storage to boot.
You will need to measure your garage in order to determine how much space you actually have. Make sure to include the window and door openings as well. This information will make it much easier for the installer to know which kind of flooring you need and how to go about installing it.
Some people want their garage floor to match the kitchen floor, but this isn’t necessary. Doing so will make your garage look like the rest of your home, so this might be a good idea if you want the garage to be used for things like a family room.
However, remember your garage is a separate ‘room’ and can be treated as such. If you want to use part of the garage for storage, the type of flooring you have installed should include a way to install cabinets.
There are many types of garage flooring, but having the garage floor installed by an expert will ensure the best results. Improperly installed tile might end up with mildew because of the water that backs up under the tile. A tiled floor is also at risk of chipping under the weight of the stored items and the cars, so it probably wouldn’t look too good after a few years. Also make sure you check out Roller garage doors in Melbourne VIC for great options.
What Not to Do
When you’re undertaking any kind of project, it’s just as important to know what not to do as well as the tasks that you simply have to undertake. For instance, you do not want to use any type of wood products on the garage floor. This is a general rule of thumb for garage floors for a variety of reasons:
- Wood will stain very badly if you spill any oil, grease, or other chemicals that you use in the garage.
- It will require extra maintenance to ensure the wood is sealed properly. Improper sealing could result in the wood deteriorating, which would be an extra expense.
The Kind of Flooring You Need
For the best results and practical use in a garage, you want poured flooring that will adhere to oils, greases, and chemicals. This way, you can go ahead with all sorts of projects in the garage without having to worry about keeping a pristine floor. Wood polish, varnish, turpentine, and oil spills can all be easily splashed on a garage floor, so make sure you choose a material that can survive them all.
What’s more, this type of flooring is easy to keep clean. You can even resurface it from time to time making it look brand new. You can also choose to have different colors for the floor, which is again easily possible if you go for a poured option for at least one area. Many people like to have their garage flooring in two colors, one for the activity or hobby area and the other color for where they park the car.
Planning the Garage Floor
The way you plan your garage floor can make a difference in how your garage looks. In addition, having the floor plan in mind can improve the way your garage complements the rest of your home. You want to be comfortable in your garage just as you are in the kitchen or even the bedrooms. That is why properly installed garage flooring is very important.
When you know the ins and out of your garage floor plan, you can have different kinds of flooring for different spaces. The space where you park the car could be concrete, while the hobby area could be something softer. This would make the latter a more comfortable space and one that wouldn’t scrape your knees if you have to work on the floor. Also be sure to check out companies like Australia’s Best Supplier Of Concrete Sealer Coatings for great options.
Getting a Garage Floor Kit
If you’re keen on DIY projects, laying out your own garage flooring could be a fun task for you to accomplish. We do recommend hiring a professional, but a garage floor kit might help you get the job done at a fraction of the cost. The Rust-Oleum Garage Floor Kit is one of the best options for modern garages, so check it out here:
The Rust-Oleum Garage Floor Kit comes in a few color choices, such as a tan gloss and a gray option. Once you apply this as your garage floor, you’ll have a surface that can resist all sorts of chemicals as well as stay unaffected by hot tires pick-up. This product is made in the United States, so you know it’s of the best quality at least for that region.
Keep in mind that this type of flooring is only suitable for indoor use. When it gets dirty, you can easily clean it with regular soap and water. While there is a slight odor to it, the smell is faint enough for comfort as well as safety.
This type of flooring would give your garage protection against all kinds of spills, including motor oil, salt, antifreeze, gasoline, etc. The spill kits also includes a two-part water-based epoxy coating, as well as decorative chips, concentrated cleaner, detailed instructions, etc. In order to help you with the mixing and pouring, there’s also an instructional video as well as a stir stick to see you through. This way, the kit makes it easy even for novices to create their own garage floor without any hassle.
Adding the Right Products
Along with a garage floor kit, you might want to add certain products that will make your garage floor much easier to handle. A non-slip additive is a great idea, as this will make your floor slip-resistant even when it’s wet.
Paint chips are also a nice addition to the poured floors. This would give a more high-end look to the garage, also making it seem more spacious.
While all these tasks might not increase the actual space inside your garage, they would make the place more useable. Also be sure to consider getting help from Australia’s Best Supplier Of Concrete Sealer Coatings for example.
Conclusion
Using the garage for storage helps clear up the clutter in your home and also keeps ongoing projects away from the everyday hustle and bustle. The garage can also become a central part of your home when you have a good garage floor installed. Take a look at some of the best flooring options for increasing your garage space and try out one of them for a more convenient setting.