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.

The first thing you need to understand is that compared to some other household maintenance issues, garage door repair is relatively simple. You, or somebody who repairs garage doors for a living, can easily check to see if the problem lies with the garage door itself, or in the door opener. Next, you or your repairman will have to determine whether the problem can be fixed, or if the garage door or opener actually needs to be replaced. So far, pretty simple, right?

The best case scenario in garage door repair is that your door is simply not hanging on its metal tracks correctly. This can be remedied as easy as tightening some loose screws on your mounting brackets. Also, you might need to hammer out a dent on your metal tracks with a rubber mallet. All these kinds of remedies are easy to complete and most of the time, you do not need to call in an expert.

In terms of your garage door opener, things can become a little tricky, especially if the issue lies in the radio receiver or motor. Of course, there may also be a simple fix-it solution to this problem as well. You may simply need to move some devices around so that the radio and motor can “speak” to each other.

However, as with anything, the problem may not be as easy as those outlined above. The metal tracks may be severely dented and beyond repair. There may exist deeper issues with your garage opener than just simply having to move some devices around. Having the basic knowledge of the simple ways to garage door repair, however, can better prepare you for any scenario.

If you liked this article I suggest you visit The Home Living Blog where you can find more about repairing your garage door and many other interesting articles.

DIY Installation

Installing a garage opener, as with similar devices, requires some amount of knowhow and access to and ability to use certain tools. Those not experienced with minor home improvements should really not attempt tasks such as this.

Carpentry skills are necessary in order to mount brackets and drill holes. In addition, the homeowner will have to have at least some basic knowledge of electricity and wiring to hook the system up, and assistance from a second person may also be needed. This is why many folk opt in the end to employ a service company or suitably qualified and authorized individual for their garage opener installation.

Hiring Someone Else

This type of installation is fairly inexpensive but prices can vary surprisingly. Contrary to popular belief, the average homeowner may actually save money by employing a contractor rather than attempting a DIY install, thus avoiding costly mistakes due to inexperience.

In some cases, this service may even be provided at no extra cost to the homeowner by the supplier. Some vendors may send a technician to the home if the garage parts and/or the opener is purchased from one of their particular store locations.

The technician will typically handle all aspects of installation of the garage door opener, including electrical wiring, assembly, and controls. Not only will the technician have specialist knowledge related to the specific opener, but they will ensure the product is tested to ensure that everything is in proper working order. This is a great option for someone looking to move past garage door rollers to a proper opener system, but who lacks the basic handyman skills.

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.

Only a minimal amount of insulation is required for your garage door in order for you to reduce the costs of your monthly bills. While the majority of garage doors are joined on to the main living quarters of modern homes, the convenience of having a garage attached can often be offset by the challenge of trying to minimize the effect that the garage temperature has on the temperature of the living quarters. Providing your garage door with the insulation it requires will aid in preventing the fluctuations in temperature that accompany both harsher wintery weather and hot summers.

Insulating a garage door is a fairly easy process. If the garage door is not insulated at all then one simple solution is to install foam panels on the inside of the door. Foam panels are simple to work with – they can be cut to size with a cutting tool – and they can be purchased at almost any home improvement store in your locality. Fasteners or adhesives will be required for permanent foam panel placement.

A basic insulation kit containing both foam panels and adhesive materials can be purchased for around $100. These kits have the added benefit of containing instructions. While you may not initially be willing to part with $100 for an insulation kit, remember that you will begin to make savings and recoup that investment as soon as your insulation has been installed.

While the task of insulating your garage may seem like a large one, do not be overwhelmed! It is actually a simple task! Furthermore, you will reap the benefits of making your property more energy efficient. A little money and time spent on garage door insulation will ensure that your home is more comfortable but cost effective for you to reside in.

#1 – Are there a lot more insects in your garage than normal?

One of the first signs that homeowners generally pick up on is that there are a lot more bugs and other insects finding their way into their garage. When the door seal begins to fail gaps will be created which insects will use to enter your home. The garage area is typically cool, damp, and dark, which is exactly what many insects like to live in.

#2 – When it rains does water pool up inside of your door?

If, during rough weather, you notice water gathering on the garage floor you will probably need to change out the seal. This is another telltale sign that the sealant material is deteriorating and the garage door seal is no longer providing the intended protection. When pools of water begin collecting you could easily face problems such as the concrete cracking, or mold beginning to grow behind the drywall, both of which are potentially very expensive problems to fix.

#3 – Does your garage door seal look like it needs to be replaced?

Whenever you lift the garage door and look at the seal, does it simply look like it needs to be replaced? Usually with a quick look you can determine whether or not the seal has begun deteriorating. If you notice any of the symptoms mentioned above, or an inspection reveals that there is damage to the seal, then you are probably going to want to think about replacing it.

A regular visual inspection now and then plus maybe a few dollars on simple preventive maintenance could save you from a lot of heartache later. So don’t neglect your humble garage door seals – they’re more important than you might realize. Other areas worth keeping on top of include maintenance of garage door springs.

Torsion springs can be made up of several different types of metallic materials. These include galvanized, electro coat tempered or oil tempered. Oil tempered is of much lower quality, so you really should purchase the galvanized or electro coat tempered springs. These are the highest quality made today, very durable and can lift up to 500 pounds. Galvanizing helps protect against corrosion since the zinc and iron form a bond. Although this may be more expensive, you really want to concentrate on the longevity of this product since you don’t want to keep replacing it time and time again.

There are many different sizes, so you will need to know the exact measurements before making a purchase. The most important thing to remember when replacing these parts is that the torsion spring must be firmly attached to the frame of the garage door. Installing garage door springs can be fairly dangerous, so doing your research beforehand or having a professional install these for you is a necessity. Since there are springs on both side of the door, if you replace one you need to replace the other. There are many different manufacturers of these, but some of the most commonly known are made by Clopay, Raynor, Wayne Dalton and Ideal.

If you decide to install these yourself, there is a set of instructions that you must follow very carefully. Always make sure that you wear eye protecting goggles. Research the directions on how to uninstall the current springs in your door. Online retailers can give you a quote on the price of the spring by informing them of the spring wire size, length of spring and the inside diameter of spring. The price of these usually range anywhere from $20 a spring to $150 plus a spring. Commercial sizes are always more expensive since they are bigger and require more material to be made.

The garage door torsion spring is a necessity in making your door work properly. Just make sure that you purchase the strongest and most long lasting on the market.

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.