Last Updated on January 27, 2023 by teamobn
Gone are the days when a garage is only used as a space to park your car. Today, modern houses utilize their garage for many purposes, from storing auto parts and accessories to keeping seasonal household items and using the garage space for handy and crafty projects. Some families even use it as a workshop or playroom for their toddlers.
Since a garage is known to accommodate many daily activities from all household members, it makes total sense to spruce up or build a sturdy garage from scratch. Aside from constructing it to have four walls and a concrete base, there are many other ways to leverage its durability. You can turn this multipurpose area into a better place for work and play.
To help you, consider the following tips for creating a sturdy garage:
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1. Build A Strong Garage Foundation
The foundation of a garage is crucial to its stability. You can make a sturdier garage when you take time and enough planning for its foundation. Make sure you follow all safety standards when constructing a garage foundation.
Your foundation will not pour straight if your form boards are not straight. Therefore, ensure that they’re all aligned. It will not be as strong if the concrete mix ratios are incorrect. Make sure the rebar is placed accurately so that the walls of your garage will not collapse during an earthquake or any other natural disaster.
Thankfully, there are many options available for garage foundations. You will have no problem building a sturdy and strong one. The three types of foundations you can use for your garage are slab, point, or strip foundations. Weigh their pros and cons and choose the one that’s most suitable for your garage design. Once your garage foundation is finally stable, it would be easier to spruce your garage later on.
2. Install Outer Sheathing
Your garage walls need framing to ensure their stability, but while you’re at it, it’s best to install sheathing too. It shouldn’t be a problem getting the sheathing nailed down since the studs are regularly spaced. You can hire a contractor for this construction procedure.
The sheathing is necessary for many homes and buildings because it joins the studs together and provides a surface on which the siding can hang. It provides structural support underneath the exterior cladding, making it stronger.
Sheathing your walls over small openings like doors and windows is the most common practice in households. Having nailed them in place, a person can drill holes in the corners from the inside, then go outside and open the windows and doors.
3. Weatherproof Your Garage
A waterproof garage makes it sturdier and helps protect your vehicle and all the other items therein from water-related damage. And since your garage accommodates a lot of things, it makes sense to waterproof it. Throughout the year, a garage can be exposed to changing weather patterns, from stormy summers to snowy winters. Think of modern home-grade weatherproofing features when planning your garage construction project. Thankfully, there are many ways to weatherproof your garage. You can use systems and elements which prevent leaks, water damage, water seepage, moisture, drip, and drafts all year long.
Some weatherproofing systems you can consider are the installation of architectural shingles, investing in building enclosures or adding ventilation. You can also include insulating your floors, windows, and doors to protect your indoors from exterior elements.
4. Invest In A Sturdy And Durable Garage Door
Most break-ins occur when the garage door security is not tight, so invest in high-quality garage doors. It ensures your family’s safety from theft and crimes and makes your property safe against bad weather conditions and other external elements. Install a garage-door lock that secures the entrance to the sidewalls when you’re gone for an extended period. It may seem like a daunting task, so you can hire some overhead door experts to assist you. They help you shut your garage door at all times and protect your property from criminals.
Today, the selection options are nearly endless, making it challenging to choose the right garage door style. In addition to the weather of the place you live in, your lifestyle and preferences will play a role in selecting the garage door material that works best for you. You can narrow your options by choosing the sturdiest material to improve the durability of your garage.
5. Find The Right Flooring For Your Garage
The flooring for your garage should be one of the most critical components to invest in to ensure its durability. Many homeowners have trouble deciding how to enhance their garage floors, as many options are available. When choosing a new garage floor, it is helpful to decide between two choices, which are floor coatings or floor coverings.
Modern materials offer a good substitute for concrete as a floor covering. While concrete comes with notable advantages, you can consider using additional construction materials for your garage flooring. PVC tiles, rubber mats, and epoxy floor coatings are great flooring alternatives. These materials are usually heat-resistant and can accommodate chemical reagents. Modular rubber can be safely applied, whether on a cement base, asphalt base, sand base, or in direct contact with the ground.
Another idea to elevate the homey vibe of your garage is to insulate your floors. A flooring heating system allows your garage floors to be warm during the winter months. It makes your family spend time in the garage comfortably continuously. Another cost-effective garage floor insulation alternative is to apply rigid foam over the floor or lay down weather strips onto it.
Furthermore, the garage floor is the best place to start when adding style and color. Even if a garage is a place to park your vehicle and is sometimes utilized as a workshop area, you can turn it into an aesthetically pleasing spot in your home. Concrete slab flooring can be colored and turned into different textures and designs as you wish.
Conclusion
There’s no doubt how important a garage can be for many families. It’s no longer just a place for your car park; it can become a workshop, entertainment area, or storage space for anything. With the tips above, you can make your garage sturdier, which will be a safe place to hang out in.
