5 ideas to transform your garage

For some reason, your garage may lose its primary purpose. And because it would be a shame to waste that extra space, why not transform your garage to give it a new life?

Depending on the extent of the transformations to be made, the renovation project can be quite simple to carry out! Time, motivation and inspiration remain essential ingredients for the realization of this transformation project.

Whether you've chosen to renovate your garage to take advantage of some extra space, make your storage easier or increase the value of your home, RenoQuotes.com has several ideas to transform your garage.

5 renovation ideas to transform your garage

1. Renovate your garage and turn it into a gym

You don't have enough time to train and your garage isn't being used anymore? Maybe it's time to make the best of this situation by turning your garage into a gym. The garage is a spacious room, so it will be fully adapted to the practice of sports and the installation of the necessary equipment.

These machines are often very heavy, so it is best to install them on the ground floor, to avoid causing damage to the structure of the house in the long term. As a result, the garage is ideal for sports equipment.

If you have a budget to spend on the renovation of this room, you could install a large mirror to consolidate the "gym" side of your home garage. Lighting should also be adapted to the practice of sports and you can consider installing a carpet to avoid getting cold during your floor exercises.

2. Turn your garage into a game room

From a certain age, your children will need to use up more energy and you will be happy to have an extra room where they can play safely. For this reason, many parents choose to turn one of their unoccupied rooms in their home into a children's playroom.

The attic, basement and garage are preferred rooms for the development of a children's playroom. However, since garages are often poorly insulated and very cold in the winter, you should certainly think about improving the insulation of the room for the comfort and health of your children.

Also, make sure to properly clean this space before turning it into a playroom. For example, you could hire a professional or rent a pressure washer (for floors) to do a thorough cleaning of the room. The walls can also be repainted with bright and luminous colours.

3. Turn your garage into a guest room

This is a project that requires a little elbow grease because in addition to improving the insulation of the garage, you will certainly need to add one or more windows to allow ventilation and prevent bacteria from proliferating.

By renovating your garage, you can enjoy an extra room to accommodate your friends without having to install them on the couch. They will certainly be delighted to have more comfort and privacy during their stay!

4. Make your garage a themed room

If you have a passion or like to collect particular objects, you would certainly be happy to have a room where you can collect all your objects.

Some enthusiasts opt to transform their garage into a workshop, a music room, or even an office. Others do things even bigger by turning their garage into a themed room to welcome family and friends.

In that mindset, if you're a pool enthusiast, you could turn your garage into a poolroom by installing tables, a bar, chairs and a Jukebox. And to furnish the room, know that there are many vintage stores where you can find equipment without breaking the bank.

5. Improve storage in your garage

Using shelves, labels and boxes, you can transform your room into an excellent storage room. Big family? Stock up on food, hygiene products and other supplies that can be cheaper when purchased in large quantities.

No matter what vocation you aspire to for your garage, you still need to follow a few tips to properly organize this space:

• For bike storage, think of hooks. Choose steel models to make sure the installation is strong enough ;

• For storage of miscellaneous items such as gallons of paint or automotive cleaning products, install shelves on one of the walls ;

• For shovels, rakes and brooms, install two 2 x 4 pieces in height a few inches apart. They will serve as solid and practical supports for these objects if you take care to install them head up ;

• For more fragile pieces of equipment, use closed galvanized steel closets to protect them from shocks ;

• For small items, use Mason jars. You will avoid scattering nails and screws all over the room ;

• For screwdrivers and other metal tools, install magnetic strips. Your tools will be easy to access and will not be a source of clutter on your work surface.

Garages tend to become storage areas where everything you don't use on a daily basis is stowed away. Simply improving the layout of the room will make you feel like you've gained a lot of space.

Garage renovation: how to choose your floor?

Garage floors experience a lot of wear and tear. Therefore, if you decide to undertake a major renovation project in this part of the house, you may want to consider the following options:

• Carpet: Parts of the floor may be covered with carpets. Easy to install and available in a wide range of colours, the carpet can be used to hide damaged or stained sections.

• Epoxy: Epoxy resin is very popular because it is very resistant and gives very good results. People also appreciate the fact that the surface is easy to maintain. This product is very trendy right now and it will give you the kind of flooring you see in car dealerships and showrooms.

• Painting: Painting the floor can also be considered among the options. There are concrete floor paints that are affordable and easy to apply. This option is less expensive than using epoxy resin to cover the floor.  On the other hand, it is less durable.

No matter what you decide to do, just make sure you have a well-established plan and budget to be able to know which projects are possible.

Looking for more information on garage transformations? Check out our article RenoQuotes.com Garage Renovation Guide.