Garage Plan

Garages have ceased to be mere repositories for cars and unused tools and household junk. A garage functions as an integral part of the house and doubles up in many cases as children's play area, workshop, hobby area or laundry room and more! A garage can also double up as a home office. Many a garage plan can be printed from house plan sites and implemented. Choose garage door openers with care. Find out various options for optimizing your garage storage.

Garage plan

Gone are the days when a garage was a small, dilapidated structure that sat beside or usually behind the main house. The garages of today are modern and, aesthetic and boast of many a comfort utility. Ensure that the garage plan you decide on is cohesive with the rest of your house style and structure. You wouldn't want your garage to be an ugly corner sticking out like a sore thumb in the overall landscape. Plan your garage so that it blends well with the house façade. You can dress it up with flower beds and green shutters to camouflage it. You can position the garage door so that it doesn't face the main street.

Get your garage plan discussed with a building contractor or structural engineer. A professional will be able to guide you with adequate aesthetic elements to your garage without sacrificing the structural integrity. Plan for plenty of electrical outlets and additional phone lines. If your budget permits you, consider adding plumbing to your garage.

Garage plans are available aplenty. You can choose them according to different styles and sizes. Garage plan software can help you lay out your dream garage - one that lets your cars sit snug as well as allows you room and latitude for other storage and activity needs. Choose from single vehicle garage to multi-car garage or even one with loft and living quarters upstairs. Garages can be planned for country homes, barns or even city homes. Typical suburban home garage plans allow 7' high doors. But if you have an SUV, go in for a garage door that is wider and taller.

Garage Door

A garage door plays a vital role in the style, comfort and safety of your home garage. A garage door can make or mar the appearance of the garage from the street and its overall impact of the curb appeal of the house. Look up critical elements that should not be overlooked when selecting garage doors:

• Determine the size of the garage door you require. Use printable dimension sheets provided by various manufacturers to check out the size that fits your garage right.
  
  
• The style of your garage door is critical to the overall appearance of the house. It must complement the home's exterior. Choose from ornate styles or simple raised panel designs or go in for customized doors. Decide whether you want to opt for steel doors or wooden doors. Steel doors are more economical and come in a wide range of color options. You can also choose from aluminum garage door or even garage door made of fiberglass. Aluminum garage doors are long lasting.
  
  
• Check the R-value on the garage door - its insulation rating. This is important not only for the garage but for the rest of the house too. The higher the R-value, the better its insulation properties.
  

Garage Door Opener

Getting out of the car door to open the garage door can be a real pain, especially in inclement weather. Consider installing a garage door opener to save you the bother. A garage door opener is a separate product from a garage door. It is an electric motorized device that opens and closes garage doors. Most garage door openers work on the chain drive mechanism.

This type of garage door opener costs in the range of $150. This involves use of a metal chain to lift the door up and down on its tracks. The Belt drive mechanism ensures a smooth and quiet operation but can be expensive at $200 upwards. Typically most garage door openers work on internal reversing mechanism - one that causes the door to reverse when it hits an obstruction. But it is essential to check this mechanism often to prevent accidents and injury.

This is mandatory by Federal Law to prevent children or objects being accidentally crushed. Some garage door opener models come with remote control transmitters. They also activate a security light inside the garage that stays long enough for you to move to the house safely. Since security is an important consideration, all modern garage door openers work on 'rolling codes' for added safety. This ensures that no one else opens the garage door with his remote transmitter.

Garage storage

Optimize your garage space for storage needs. You can choose from myriad storage options so that you can keep your garage clean and uncluttered. Start by categorizing the items you use depending on the frequency with which you use them. Garbage bags and cleaning supplies are frequently used but the snow blower and weed trimmer need not occupy pride of place right in the middle of your garage. Garage storage can range from sports equipment to tools and unused items to even a canoe or RV.

Make appropriate use of containers to stack up items. Labeling them can save you time and effort later. Mount bicycles to a sidewall and associated paraphernalia such as bike helmets, inline skates etc. Safety is yet another consideration when planning the garage storage. Keep fertilizers, pesticides, paints and sharp gardening implements out of reach of kids. You can consider installing a workbench in your garage if you are the handy man of the house.

Make best use of overhead space to claim extra storage by adding rafter racks. Use pegboards and shelves for additional storage within the garage. The extensive shelving will provide the homeowners with sufficient space to keep boxes and other items up off the ground and at the same time still keep everything visible and within easy reach. A little planning and the right storage aids can go a long way in maximizing your garage space to stow all your unused stuff.

Garage flooring