Americans love garages. It’s one thing they look for in every home. Because of this, about 60% of American families have a garage in their homes. However, despite its versatility, many of these families primarily use their garage to store their vehicles. A garage can be a multitude of many other things aside from mere storage. Its space means that you can construct other functions within it, essential functions that you can have in your home. Here are some ways you can develop your garage to do different functions.
Car Restoration and Maintenance
Garages usually have the extra space to store different equipment, so why not use that space to restore a muscle car that you’ve been dreaming of all this time? Muscle cars are a great addition to your collection if you enjoy collecting cars, and your own garage can be a place where you can restore the muscle car of your dreams.
You’re not going to need many things to convert your garage to your own personal car restoration shop. Additionally, you’re not going to need a lot of space. One of the biggest pieces of equipment you’re going to need (that’s not even going to take much space) is an air compressor. You’re not going to need a heavy-duty air compressor, just a personal one. They’re cheap and easy to maintain. If you’re restoring a muscle car from the ground up, which means including the engine, you’re going to need a transmission stand. Transmission stands aren’t all that big, but they do take up some space, so consider having enough space for it just in case you need it.
These two are the biggest tool you’re going to need for your car restoration. Other tools that you might need, such as a heavy-duty wrench, grinder, and other hand tools, can fit on the palm of your hand. This is optional, but if your garage is big enough for it, you can get yourself a car lifter. Car lifters aren’t essential to car restoration, and they’re primarily used for heavy body works. Still, they can certainly make your life much easier when you’re handling the lower parts of your car.
The great part about converting your own garage into a car restoration and maintenance hub is that you can save yourself the trip from visiting the car shop. You can do all the maintenance you need for your car right on your doorstep. If you don’t have any experience, it’s still worth doing this because you can hire a freelance mechanic to repair for you for less than the regular price since you already have the equipment set right in your garage. It’s a good investment for a place that used to store your vehicles.
Fancy Dining Room
This might be the last thing on your mind, but you can actually convert your garage into a fancy dining room when you have guests or family members visiting your home. This conversion doesn’t mean that you’ll have to park your precious car outside. You have to drive it out when you want to use it.
To convert your garage into a dining room, consider installing some brick wall panels or even a pallet wall to give it that rustic design. You can change the flooring into something more comfortable while still able to handle your car’s weight. Believe it or not, hardwood is a good choice for this. Hardwood is durable and sturdy enough to store your vehicle while also giving your garage that luxurious look.
What you need next is a family-sized smoker or a grilling station. These are amazing when you want to have a party right in your garage. Once you’ve set this all up, all you have to do is park your car outside for a while, open your garage doors, and invite your neighbors to have a dinner party right in your garage!
Children’s Play Room
If you have more than two children in your household, having enough space for them to play in can be a problem. To fix this problem, you can set the garage to be your children’s playroom for the weekend.
Converting your garage into a playroom requires a couple of safety measures. The first of which is that make sure there aren’t any falling hazards stored in your garage. Ensure that overhead counters don’t have heavy-duty tools lying on top of them and that your tools are stored in the proper locations. The second is the flooring. Most garages have a concrete floor, and this can be dangerous and slippery for your children.
So buying a rubber mat or a foam mat to keep your children safe. Ensure that these mats can also be easily removed and stored when you need to use your garage to store your car once again. After all of these precautions, you can now store your children’s toy box and let them play in the garage during the weekends. This playroom can also be useful for table-top games, all you need is to add a sizable folding table, and you’re set for table-top weekends.
Additionally, you already have the set up for a mini-gym once you’ve converted it to a playroom. Just buy a couple of gym equipment, and you’re set!
Garages are a spacious and versatile extension for your home. They can be a great place to maintain your car so you wouldn’t need to visit the car shop anymore. You can also convert it to a dining room or a playroom over the weekend so your family can enjoy the space it can offer. It’s great to use and easy to convert, so give these a try!
