Because of the shape and size of the average garage, it’s a natural storage place. It was of course made to store a car, but it is also a great workshop, or perhaps both. So, to make sure that everything is safely stored away in your garage you should consider installing some metal storage cabinets.

Why specifically should you use metal garage cabinets? If you already have a set of cabinets but they’re made of wood, why should you change to metal? There are a few reasons. First up, because they will be inside and away from the rain they are likely to last pretty much forever with almost no maintenance. Even the highest quality wood will start to degrade over time, so you will end up spending all your money trying to keep them in a usable state.

The next reason is for security. You might not store anything of any great value in your garage, or perhaps you have thousands of dollars of tools stored there. A professional thief will tend to stay away from normal garages, so your biggest risk probably might turn out to be local kids. While a wooden cabinet won’t pose much problem to them, a metal garage cabinet, partly because it is so difficult and noisy to break open, will stop them in their tracks most of the time.

Most metal garage cabinets will be made from either stainless steel or aluminum; the best examples are made by the Coleman Company in Kansas. The reason Coleman make the best garage cabinets is that all of their products are weather proofed, so great for use outside. If you live in an area of high humidity then this weather proofing will really extend the life of your garage cabinets.

A good way to keep your garage organized is to have some custom garage cabinets made. These are great for addressing your storage needs but without requiring you to buy several cabinets. If you do not know where to find these types of garage cabinets, here are some of the most reliable makers in the field.

VAULT GARAGE

If you want something that’s both functional and elegant, then the creations by Vault Garage are definitely what you’re looking for. They offer everything from base cabinets, wall cabinets, overhead cabinets plus you can assemble these together so as to create a work center. Their creations are so sleek that you might sometimes think that they are not just for a garage but somewhere where the world could see them easily.

BALD HEAD CABINETS

Having a Bald Head cabinet in your garage is a dream come true. They offer a durable and versatile garage cabinet system which lets you create the ultimate showpiece while having the ability to be functional. The Bald Head cabinet systems are made of durable steel and finished with a textured powder coat finish which makes it very easy to maintain. These metal garage cabinets are also so durable that they should be expected to last for many years. You can choose whatever size and shape of the cabinets you want and the company will ship them fully assembled, so you don’t even have to do any assembly yourself.

METAL LINE CABINETS

Using cabinets from Metal Line assures you that your stuff will be well-protected, and that you can rely on the cabinets for a lifetime. Engineered to withstand a lifetime of constant use, the cabinets by Metal Line can also be customized for a more personal look. The company’s website shows a cabinet holding over 300lbs of weight, and claims that even a weight this heavy cannot break their cabinet. Another great feature these cabinets offer is that you can remove the side panels when you place two cabinets side by side, thereby giving you a huge space to store your belongings. You can store extremely long things such as golf cubs horizontally without worrying whether they would fit. Each cabinet also incorporates self-closing hinges which keep the doors shut without magnets that have a tendency to break or fall off.

In summary, maximizing garage storage space is a great way to both add value and add to your own enjoyment of your property.

Creating a 3-car garage building plan is undoubtedly a worthwhile and rewarding task. But just as when devising a one-car garage plan, you do have to carefully evaluate the available space. Once you have assessed the location where you intend to erect the garage, determine what type of garage you want to build.

Are you aiming for a detached or attached garage area? This decision will of course depend on the design that you want to achieve, the lot size, and the area where you will build the garage. The attached garage is a good choice since it will be more accessible to your home.

However, the main downside of an attached or integral garage is that it may detract from the appearance of your home, unless, you also intend to add a stylish and eye-catching garage facade. If you do opt to build an attached 3-car garage, make sure that it will seamlessly complement the existing architectural style of your home. Doing so will ensure that your home will maintain a cohesive look.

One of the best ways to ensure a good visual fit between an attached garage and the house is through the use of stylish wooden garage doors that complement the style and color of existing timber features such as door, windows and fascias. Conversely, choosing a detached design means you can go for a more informal timber carport type of look.

Aside from determining the type of garage, you also have to figure out how you will use it. Will it be used to only house your cars, RV’s or bicycles etc? Or will you also want to use it as an extension of your workshop and home? If you want to incorporate additional storage spaces in your garage or you wish to divide it into sections, make sure to also take this into consideration when creating your 3-car garage building plan.

After ascertaining the overall look of the garage, you may now decide where to position the garage door, the windows, and other functional features that you want to include. It is vital that you address all of these vital aspects to ascertain that you will be able to come up with a useful, appealing, and versatile 3-car garage area.

However, many carport designs tend to be very utilitarian in their appearance and many homeowners therefore are looking for alternatives to these basic types of designs. By far one of the most common and sought after types of carports are wood carports. The reason is very simple: wooden carports are often highly attractive and will enhance rather than detract from the visual appeal of your property as a whole.

One of the major benefits to going with this particular material for your carport is that it tends to be much more flexible in terms of modifications and customization/ It’s also easier to assemble than the heavier and more industrial carport designs utilizing steel or aluminum for those considering DIY carport construction.

You can usually find a variety of styles of storage units both in a retail setting, at a carport resale or retailer, or you online at the many different Internet-based carport sales websites. Online sites typically offer much better deals than a brick-and-mortar store. Choosing a carport style comes down to the usual factors such as cost vs budget, but also form and function. The latter are necessarily exclusive either; it is quite possible to have a highly functional carport without sacrificing appearance.

When it comes down to deciding what type of wood you should use for your carport, it’s generally sound advice to go with a softer type of wood. This is because these types of woods tend to be much easier to shape and fashion into the form or design that you are aiming to achieve. This is particularly helpful for those of you who may be installing these yourselves. The type of wood that is generally recommended if you’re going to go the softer wood is treated pine timber, or alternatively, what is commonly known as Oregon wood. Either of these is ideal for this particular type of structure.

You need to figure out what you want to use your garage space for and how much lighting you are going to need. There are some good garage ideas out there for using the extra space like making it into a workshop area, a small gym, or a game room.

Most garages don’t have very many electrical outlets and that could be a problem. You may need to put extra ones in or try to get the most out of what you have by using extension chords with multiple outlets.

You can replace the bulb you have in the center of your garage with a much brighter fluorescent light bulb. For the smaller areas of the garage you might use lights that are battery operated and can clip on to workbenches and shelves. That kind of light will not add much to the overall light in the garage however, and are good just for seeing things close up.

If you are going to be using your garage for something like a games room, you might consider track lighting to bring out that “WOW” effect. For that though, you should find an electrician to do the installation unless you have the necessary experience (and/or qualifications). Whenever you modify electricity outlets in your house, it is wise to find someone who knows what they are doing and can get it done safely.

Eventually of course the garage gets full and you need to consider alternative storage options. An obvious choice is that old favourite, a wood carport, but these days there are many other options worth considering. Prefabricated garages kits are a great way to get a garage for storage purposes and with so many different styles available you should be easily able to find one that matches the style of your home.

Many people who have customized their homes would not dream of owning a prefabricated garage simply because of the “standard look” that many of them have about them, but there is no denying just how cost effective they are when you are looking to make home improvements on a budget. The fact is that=, the installation of a prefab garage, even including installation from a professional, invariably costs way less than actually building a conventional garage on your property.

Aside from this, these buildings can be customized any way you please, by painting or adding siding and brick if you should choose. There is really no reason not to go for the prefabricated option to make the initial cost less when you can spend more time customizing it to suit your needs. With so many different sizes, you will need to take into consideration all the things you plan on storing in your garage. If you have a vehicle you want to store as well as lawn and garden tools, seasonal decorations such as Christmas lights and your tree, you might want to purchase a larger garage.

If you do not plan on customizing the prefabricated garage all that heavily and you are happy to go with one of the standard colours then just make sure to choose a color that you can easily live with. All prefabricated garages are available in a wide variety of colors to help you match it perfectly to your house, including the doors used.

One of the most essential tools in my mind for keeping this automotive and tools area clean is the wet dry vac. It’s sturdier than an indoor vacuum and perfect for this area that is prone to collecting dust and leaves swept in by the wind. The good thing about them is that you can purchase one that is both good quality and superior value.

You may of course be wondering just when exactly do you need a wet-dry vac? Generally these models of vacuums work well for outdoor work areas. The fact that they can operate on wet or dry surfaces makes them the popular choice for people that like to work on do-it-yourself type of projects.

This vacuum can pick up sawdust and wood chips even if the floor’s surface is a bit damp. The major difference in the design of this unit is the canister it comes with. This is usually a large tub style item constructed of durable plastic.The large tub makes it easy to empty any type of debris or water that has been picked up. Some units come with additional filters to use for the dry running of the machine.

The style of this vac is in a canister type and has wheels on the bottom for easy mobility of the unit. This makes it work well in garage settings where people might do a lot of messy work. The shop vac style allows you to hose down your garage floor area and quicken the drying process by vacuuming up the remaining water. It can also be used to help unclog a stubborn sink by sucking out all the debris blocking the area.

One of the most popular choices which will add value to the home is a garage. An enclosed garage has a number of benefits including not only somewhere to park your vehicles but as a laundry or workshop. It is even possible to install a television, seating and a refrigerator and use it as a place to entertain friends or hang out with the family.

With a smaller property or a tight budget you may find that you do not have enough room or spare money to erect a garage. If this is the case, then the next best option is to look at a carport. They can be used to store a car, boat, motorbike or whatever you like underneath. They also come in a number of sizes from a single up to a triple.

Many people think of carports as open structures which is correct for most of them. However, it is possible to enclose them and fit a foll up door. This makes them a more affordable and portable alternative to an enclosed garage. What they’re obviously not able to compete with is the kind of secure garage storage offered by custom garage cabinets since they’re basically open to casual access.

Most metal carport kits are constructed from steel and are available in an abundance of sizes and colors. There are also a multitude of enclosure options and roofing options, including a pitched or flat roof. Commonly, they will allow access from both the front and rear. As with the enclosed garage they have a number of uses including storage for garden tools, children’s play area and even a place to keep livestock!

As you can see, a garage or carport will add a lot of extra storage to your home and if you invest in a wood carport which is frankly much more attractive that metal then it can also add extra value when it comes to selling.

• These structures provide extra overhead storage space to house a car or other vehicle if you don’t have a garage or if your garage is not large enough to house all of your belongings plus your vehicle(s).
• They don’t cost nearly as much as a garage to build or install.
• There are many different styles to choose from and you can go with a very basic or even a portable model costing less than a hundred dollars or you can custom build a structure that almost rivals a garage but with a few less bells and whistles.

The picture below shows imaginative use of bamboo (from Bambutec) to construct a lightweight and attractive frame over which has been attached clear corrugated plastic. It gives an idea of what you can achieve with a carport if you think outside the traditional boxes a bit.

Obviously there is no security as such with an open carport, but then again it depends on what exactly you’re trying to protect. Modern cars are so well protected with their own built-in anti-theft devices that these days car thieves often have to first break in to your house to steal the keys before they can then steal the car! A carport is designed to shelter a car from the elements and frankly it is at little more risk of being stolen from an open carport than an apparently locked garage (for more on this subject read this article on secure garage doors).

Other advantages of moving your car from the garage to a carport include (perhaps surprisingly) better protection against rust in the bodywork; a carport protects against the elements i.e. sun, rain and frost to a degree but it also provides better airflow around the car. It is well known that parking a car in a garage will ensure that any moisture on the car will sit there and over time slowly corrode the metal.

And of course, parking your vehicles under a carport means you can make use of extra garage storage, free up auxilliary space to work or play in or whatever you want really. No need to make space for the car or be careful not to scratch it moving the lawnmower for instance. This additional flexibility is also likely to be reflected in the overall value of your property too.

If you are looking for a more permanent structure, then a wooden carport may be a good option for you. These blend in nicely with the existing structures of most homes, whether they are attached to the home or even if they stand alone. Also, because they are constructed from wood they can be finished to coordinate with the home’s exterior by staining or painting the wood to match. Because wood is inherently versatile and easy to work with, you can build a wooden structure in just about any size or shape you need and can add a flat roof or an angled roof, depending on your preference.

If you want something that is less expensive to erect and/or more portable because you want to be able to set it up and take it down whenever you need to (or possibly you want to be able to take it with you on the road when you travel) then you might want to consider a model made from a nylon or canvas cover instead. These covers are draped across a framework made usually from PVC or a lightweight metal such as aluminum. These portable structures will still provide ample protection but will obviously result in a rather different look and feel compared to permanent wood carports.

You also have your choice of using wood or metal carports. The wood structures are not as easy to assemble and disassemble as the metal ones are, but the main advantage of wood carport kits to a homeowner is that they are generally far more attractive.

If on the other hand looks are not a priority and you want a structure that is easy to transport you would be better off choosing a metal one. This is more advantageous for a business use such as a construction company that might want a vehicle shelter for on the job use. The metal units are also widely used as more permanent fixtures in some business structures such as businesses that have a drive-thru area.

You will also want to consider the type of posts you want to use with your Carport. If you want the unit for business as a more permanent structure you might want to choose concrete posts as they are more durable and will hold up over time. You can also use the structures to add additional parking shelter for an apartment unit that might not have any type of shelter or garage units. When installing a structure in a residential are you will need to adhere to any regulations that are enforced by the city. It would be best to find out what building restrictions there might be before choosing the size of the unit you want to construct.

Wooden carports in particular are a great addition to any property where you want to park a car and give it some protection from the elements, just make sure you put a little thought into your purchase so that you get one that is suitable for your needs.