Portable garages are custom made shelters that will protect your vehicle or RV from the elements of the weather. It is easy to put up and take down and because it is not a permanent structure, you don’t need to have a building permit to erect one of these structures on your property. It is also the ideal solution if you are renting a house that does not have a garage.

You can purchase everything you need to have one of these portable or instant garages in a kit. Those that are made of canvas are quite easy to erect and if the canvas happens to get torn in a windstorm the material is easy to replace. You save a lot of time with one of these garages because you can have one set up in a few hours as compared with weeks or months when building a wooden garage. They are also much cheaper when you look at the current cost of building materials.

Using this type of garages as a shelter for a new vehicle or one that is freshly painted is a space saving alternative to having a large garage. You can use it when the need arises and disassemble it when you don’t have a need for it. If you want to do any maintenance work on your vehicle, these garages provide you with shelter and protection from the weather, sun and insects so you can work in peace. They come in all shapes and sizes and are made from a variety of different materials.

You have to look at the material in the type of garage kit you choose. Some of the materials common to all of these kits are steel frames, UV treated and waterproof covering. UV treated fabric is available in standard, medium, and commercial grades and is impossible to tear. Most of these garages include a fire door, a back panel, a heavy duty zipper and a cement anchor.

For lots of information on

portable garages and other garage remodeling related topics, visit Garages Spot at
http://www.garages-spot.com

A Great way to add Living Space to Your Home

A garage conversion project is a simple and great way to add 200 to 400 square feet of living space to your home. Frequently garages are converted into bedrooms, bathrooms, and family rooms. Due to the fact that a garage already consists of a foundation, four exterior walls and a roof it is relatively an inexpensive solution for adding more living space to your home, compared to building a brand new home addition.

A garage conversion project has some of the same concerns and problems as finishing a basement. There are cold concrete floors and various protrusions and obstructions in both a garage and a basement that must be worked around.

When developing a garage conversion plan there are a number of items you should first consider before actually moving forward with such a project.

Check first with your Local building Inspector

Local code requirements may vary on garage construction versus living space construction. You may want to first check with your local building inspector to determine if there are any structural or zoning issues with converting your garage into a completed living space. For example, it may be okay for garage roof trusses to be spaced 24″ apart in your municipality, however local building codes may also specify that these may need to be 16″ on center for formal living space. It is worthwhile talking to your building inspector first before completing a garage conversion plan and hiring contractors. You will need to pull permits anyway, so you might as well learn up front any code issues / restrictions before submitting plans to the building inspector and beginning your project.

Garage Conversion Projects and Plumbing

When considering a bathroom, kitchen or wet bar as part of your garage conversion project special upfront attention needs to be paid to plumbing. Most garage floors are concrete, and as a result, you typically only have a couple of choices to address plumbing requirements. You can either cut out swaths of concrete flooring to run drainage pipes or elevate the floor. Elevating a bathroom or kitchen floor is typically less desirable, unless of course you plan on elevating the entire garage floor. I will discuss this issue/concept in more detail later.

The alternative to elevating the bathroom / kitchen floor is to cut out swaths of concrete flooring. This task is extremely messy, dusty, and requires a great deal of hard manual labor, but in the end you will achieve a better product. Consequently, my recommendation is to first consult with a plumber before you develop detail floor plans of your garage conversion project. He can help you decide where the best location is for your bathroom / kitchen / wet bar, and recommend a layout. Ideally you will want to locate the rooms requiring plumbing near each other and near the existing sewer/septic drain pipes within the main home to minimize concrete cutting.

Once you have completed your garage conversion floorplan, have your plumber mark the locations for where the concrete needs to be cut away. Remove the concrete prior to beginning any other work on the project. Cutting concrete is an extremely dusty and noisy endeavor so make sure everything is out of the garage prior to cutting. I would also recommend hiring either the plumber or another subcontractor to perform this work.

Framing in the Garage Door Openings

When converting your garage into formal living space you will probably want to frame in the existing garage door openings. You may want to consider locating a standard door or windows in one or more of these openings as you frame them in. Cutting new door openings and windows into existing walls is a more expensive effort, as external siding and potentially interior sheetrock will need to be disturbed that may not otherwise be required. If aesthetically and functionally it makes sense, replacing a garage door opening with a standard door and/or windows can potentially save some money.

Also, when framing in the garage door openings, first build up the base of the openings with either concrete or concrete blocks to the same height of the adjacent foundation walls. This will help to ensure a finished external appearance that blends in well with the rest of the home’s siding.

Garage Floors

Garage floors can be cold. Garage floors typically consist of just an un-insulated concrete pad. Also, frequently garage floors are sloped so that water runs toward the garage door opening(s). To address both these issues it may make sense to raise the entire garage floor using 2”x2”s, 2”x4”s or 2×6”s depending how much floor insulation is desired. Shims can be used to level the raised subfloor. Alternatively the 2”xNs can be trimmed to level the floor. If there is sufficient ceiling height in the garage the use of 2”x6”s could eliminate the need for concrete cutting for installing drain pipes. Using 2”x6”s can frequently provide enough height to support sufficient drain pitch. Again, you may want to discuss this with your plumber if you plan to elevate the entire garage floor.

Ducts, Pipes, and Other Obstructions in a Garage

Like a basement there are frequently air ducts, pipes and other obstructions in a garage. Unless you want to spend significant time and money moving the ducts and pipes, you will want to box these obstructions in using either 2”x2”s or 2” x 4”s. The boxed in areas can then be easily sheetrocked. Aesthetically it is better to box in clusters of obstructions with one large box rather than having several small boxed in areas. Many small boxed in areas will make a finished room look chopped up.

Garage Wall thickness

Frequently exterior garage walls are framed using 2”x4”s, where as the rest of the home’s exterior walls are framed with 2” x 6”s. The 2”x6” walls allow for additional insulation. You may want to add furring strips to your garage exterior wall studs to enable additional insulation thickness. As a matter of fact, your local building codes may mandate this.

A garage conversion project is a great and inexpensive way to add formal living space to your home. The only real downside is the loss of a sheltered place to store your vehicles. As outlined in this article develop a solid garage conversion plan first before beginning work.

About the Author: Over the past 20+ years Mark Donovan has been involved with building homes and additions to homes. His projects have included: building a vacation home, building additions and garages on to existing homes, and finishing unfinished homes. For more home improvement information visit http://www.homeadditionplus.com and http://www.homeaddition.blogspot.com

There are many reasons for ensuring that you protect your garage floor. This area of your property which often gets forgotten about and is certainly going to have to put up with a lot of wear and tear through the years. Certainly if you live in an area where the winters are harsh then think about all that salt you will be getting on your garage floor every time you drive the car back into it. However, by putting down a good quality garage flooring you should help it to last that little bit longer.

Certainly the best types of garage flooring are those which are resin based such as those produced by Nuplex Construction Products and Terraflake Flooring Systems. They both provide resin based garage flooring and are resistant to a varied range of chemicals such as oil. But not only do these types of floorings protect your garage floor they also make it look great as well.

Luckily today the types of garage floorings available come in a variety of different colors so you don’t need to stick to boring old grey or black. Also if you want you can add a flaking material which is normally made from stone and this will provide you with a little more grip as well as providing your garage floor with a little classier look to it. But probably the best reason for coating your garage floor with a special flooring cover is that it will help the floor to last longer. Unfortunately if you do not coat your garage floor with one of the best epoxy resins on the market today you may find that the water and oil will get into the garage flooring and after some time they will begin to eat away at it and in turn you may find yourself having to replace the garage floor completely. Also if you happen to spill anything on your new garage flooring you will find that it is much easier to clean it up.

Although there are several different types of coating for your garage floor available certainly the epoxy resin based paints are the most popular of all. The best way to see if your garage floor is able to have this paint applied to it is by carry out a very simple test. All you need do is pour some water on to your garage floor and is if it soaks into it or just stays on top. Unfortunately if the water remains on top of the garage flooring then it has been treated with a sealer and this needs to be removed before you can apply a new garage flooring paint to yours. But prior to painting on the new epoxy garage flooring resin you will need to ensure that it is completely free of dirt.

For more information on flooring try visiting http://www.flooring-solution.com, a website that specializes in providing helpful flooring tips, advice and resources to include garage floor and more.

Before removing or demolishing your garage there are some important things to bear in mind, Asbestos can be very dangerous to handle, so before you replace your old garage, you should have it tested and should possibly hire a professional crew to remove your garage if it is found that your garage used asbestos cement. If you want to do it yourself, there are some important rules to remember in order to keep yourself safe.

Firstly, remove anything nonessential from the area to reduce exposure to the asbestos. Cover whatever is left, including surfaces that are not going to be removed. You do not want asbestos dust lurking on your surfaces if you can help it. You should also wear protective clothing.

Protective clothing includes disposable overalls or coveralls with a hood to minimize skin contact with the asbestos, a disposable paper face mask, and gloves, either rubber or disposable. Leather gloves will not necessarily protect you from the dust. When you are done, dispose of these with the asbestos waste.

Damp down the area. Do not entirely soak your work area, or it will be harder to clean up. You should, however, use a hose or plant sprayer to get the area damp to keep the dust from rising as much as possible. Remove the asbestos without breaking it up to keep the dust down further.

Wrap the removed asbestos in polythene sheeting or bags, and seal it up with tape to keep any of the asbestos from escaping. This material really is dangerous, and you don’t want to leave it lying around where it can make people sick. To this end, you should go over your work area as best as possible, and remove any additional debris. Clean off all exposed surfaces with a damp cloth and dispose of the cloths with the rest of your waste.

As soon as the job is done, wash your hands and face. You may want to take a shower anyway, consider the hard work you just finished, but you should at least get the grime off of you and away.

How to dispose of asbestos waste? If you are a house holder intending to dispose of your own asbestos waste, you do not need a permit to carry it in your own vehicle. To keep your car clean, however, spray down the cement with water, double wrap or bag the asbestos with heavy duty polythene plastic and secure with tape, and keep it away from any occupants of the vehicle.

Asbestos is a serious danger, and should not be taken lightly. Take extra precautions to be sure that you are not contaminated, such as washing down your boots when you are done for the day, and doing the dismantling on a wet, drizzly day to keep the asbestos cement wet and the dust from rising. You do not want to release asbestos fibres into the air.

Henry Gale writes for Garage Quotes who are experts in asbestos garage removal who can safely and professionally demolish and replace any kind of garage.

If you are interested in a replacement concrete garage please visit Garage Quotes for more information.

The availability of garage packages makes it very easy for you to build your own garage and not have to worry about trying to make up the amount of lumber you need for certain measurements. These packages are available at virtually all locations where you can buy lumber and offer the convenience of including everything you need for the garage. You can choose a single garage with a 9 x 7 garage door or a double garage with one 16 x 7 door or two standard size doors. The package kits contain the lumber, hardware, paint and the plans. All you have to do is have the cement slab ready to start building the garage.

If the sizes that are available in the packages for garages, most of the lumberyards will be able to help you design the size of garage you want and supply everything that you need to complete the work yourself. The standard features that come with these packages include the sheathing for the roofs, the bottom plate, the fibreglass shingles, the overhead garage door and a side entry door as well as the windows that you need. The garage has a 12 inch overhang and even the trim for the outside is included. The lumber is usually pre-cut in the lengths that you need to fit the measurements of the garage, but you may need to so some cutting yourself.

Before you purchase a particular package, you can study different plans to make sure you get the one you want. You can even have a package for a garage that consists of panels that snap together to create a continuous foam surface for maximum energy efficiency. You can have the whole garage built in less than one day with this type of package, but even with the garages built out of lumber you don’t have to have all the lumber sitting in the driveway for long periods of time. Once you purchase a package, the company will deliver the materials in stages according to how far along you are with the construction. When you have one part ready, you just have to give them a call and they will deliver the next lot of materials you need.

For lots of information on

do it yourself garage kits and other garage remodeling related topics, visit Garages Spot at
http://www.garages-spot.com

Many people are using garage organizers in the same way that they use organizers for their bedroom closets. Specially designed fixtures and storage options are the ways that many garage builders are maximizing the space in the garage, while still making it look fashionable and eye-catching. There are many different types of organizational units on the market that are manufactured to withstand the rigors of a garage and are able to hold up under extreme temperature conditions. They are resistant to chemicals and can hold heavy tools, which is what most homeowners want when it comes to storage units for their garages.

Most of these garage organizational systems provide a complete solution to storage problems because they have a variety of brackets, hooks, shelves and cabinets all in one system that you can move around in the garage. They are made from PVC materials that have several advantageous features, such as:

These organizers are meant to be very flexible. They have very durable surfaces and many of them come with their own lighting systems. You don’t have to purchase everything at once and can add to the unit piece by piece as your budget allows. When you have one of these in your garage, a section that fits to the system is a perfect gift idea. They give the garage a professional look that compliments the décor of the home.

For lots of information on
garage
organizers and other garage remodeling related topics, visit Garages Spot at
http://www.garages-spot.com

When you have a lot of difficulty finding what you need in the garage, it may be time for a garage makeover. You may not realize how functional the garage is as a room of your home until you start tripping over empty paint cans and junk that you have stored away. This room is so versatile that you don’t only use it for parking your vehicle out of the weather, but you also use to store your golf clubs, bicycles, sports equipment, and your tools that you use when you convert the garage into a workshop.

You may think that cleaning out the garage is an intimidating task and you may not know where to start. You need to start in one area and focus your attention on everything that you have stored there. This makes it easier than trying to tackle all of the mess at the same time and you should only do what you can instead of rushing the job and getting frustrated at your lack of progress. You don’t need to devote a whole weekend to the chore, but most people like to finish the job once they start.

When you start sorting through the things in the garage, you have to realize that you can’t keep everything if you want a nice, orderly garage. If there is something that you haven’t used in quite some time, get rid of it. You can start by piling up all the things that are still usable, but that you don’t want. You may end up being able to realize some profit at the end of the chore by holding a garage sale where you can get money for what you look at as being junk. You will be surprised at what other people will buy when the price is right. You can even have several boxes labelled according to what you can sell or giveaway, what you want to keep and things you are not sure what to do with.

When you start to give your garage a makeover, you may be surprised to find something that you had been looking for. You may also be surprised to ding multiple quantities of many items when you really only need to have one or two. Getting rid of these items frees up a lot of storage space, so you can go out and purchase new tools or items that you figured you didn’t have room for.

For lots of information on

automatic garage doors and other garage remodeling related topics, visit Garages Spot at
http://www.garages-spot.com

You need to have good garage lighting if you plan to use it as your workshop as well as a storage area for your vehicle. The best lighting for garages is known as LED (light emitting diodes) because it has many advantages over normal light bulbs. They do not require as much current so they will last longer and will not need to be replaced very often. They do not generate heat and you can get them in a variety of colors. The only thing is that they cannot be used in areas where you need white light and they are little bit more complicated to wire.

LED lighting has to be connected in the proper manner in order to get them to work. You can’t connect them across a battery because there would be too much current flowing through and this would damage the battery. In order to install LED lighting you need to know the forward current and forward voltage. The forward current is the amount of current that this lighting needs to operate and the forward voltage is the voltage that it needs across it for the amount of forward current. To get longer life from the LED, you should stick to the average forward current, which is usually 20mA while an ordinary light bulb could use 200mA.

A resister helps to control the current and voltage, but sometimes you may not be able to find a resistor for the value you need. These resisters come in preferred values, so you should choose the one nearest to the calculations you come up with for the current and voltage. You can connect several LEDs in either a series or parallel circuit. With a series connection, you only have to buy one resistor because the same current will flow through each LED. You need to know that if one LED should fail, the whole series will go out. With a parallel connection, each device has its own resistor and works independently of each other.

LEDs have varying degrees of brightness and this is usually designated by terms such as super, hyper or ultra-bright. The amount of brightness you need also determines the price you pay because the really bright LEDs are more expensive. They usually come in the standard shape of a round cylinder, but you can get other shapes as well. As with the brightness, you will have to pay more money for unusual shapes.

For lots of information on
garage
construction and other garage remodeling related topics, visit Garages Spot at
http://www.garages-spot.com

You may think that you would only need garage floor coverings if you do any mechanical work on your car in the garage. Coverings for the floor of the garage are beneficial in many ways. They keep the garage floor looking bright and clean and many of the coverings have a fresh scent that eliminates the odor of gasoline that is quite common in garages when the door is closed. They come in many different shapes and sizes and are available in different kinds of material.

The type of covering you purchase really depends on how much of the floor you want to cover. There are coverings that you roll out to cover the entire floor. These are available in various widths and the wider ones have overlapping flaps that make it easier to join the seams so that the floor will appear as if it was laid in one piece. The wider widths of flooring do not have the flaps, but when the edges are butted together, you will still get the seamless effect. The flooring helps keep the mud from outside from getting tracked all over the concrete floor, which is much harder to clean. With this flooring, all you have to do is wash it off with an ordinary cleaner and water.

You can get tiles for the garage floor as well. These are not the same as the flooring tiles you use in the house because you don’t need any additives to make them stick to the concrete. They are in squares that you match end to end and if you want to make sure that there are no open seams, you can seal them with construction adhesive. You do have to wipe the excess adhesive from the tiles, but rubbing alcohol does this removal quite well.

If you only want a small area of the floor covered, you can get small mats to fit under the tires of the car or under the whole car. Inside the garage all the mud and snow from the street will melt onto the garage floor, causing a stain when you move the car. Also, you never know when some fluid may leak from the vehicle and stain the floor.

To some people, the garage is their workshop, so they want to be as clean as possible. You want everything to be neat and tidy and prevent accidents caused by slipping on wet concrete. The flooring that is suitable for garages is slip-resistant, which eliminates any danger of slipping and the cushioning effect of the flooring is quite comfortable for walking or standing on.

For lots of information on
garage building and other garage remodeling related topics, visit Garages Spot at
http://www.garages-spot.com

Many homeowners who live in mild weather areas are habituated with parking heir 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.

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