Transform Your Garage into the Workshop You Always Wanted
Today many garages have evolved from more than just a parking place for your car, but a junk pile for your home. Organizing your garage and making it a multi-purpose area seems to be an ongoing trend. What about turning your garage into the workshop you always wanted? Here are the steps needed to make your dreams a reality.
Lighting
Most garages do not have the ample light required for a workshop and are probably very dark. If you will be working with power tools, it is a necessity to ensure proper lighting. Inadequate lighting can hurt the quality of your work. 4-foot instant-on bulb fixtures with reflectors work well in a garage as well as hanging shop lights that can drop down from above your workbench to ample light. Pur11hasing a portable work light will come in very handy as well.
Storing your tools
Now that you can see your surroundings with your increased lighting, where to properly store your tools is the next question. Few things in life are as frustrating as spending an hour looking for the tool you need for a project that is only going to take 10 minutes. Tools are an expensive investment and you want to make sure your investment is organized and is able to be locked up if needed. You should consider a roller cabinet and chest combo that is a minimum of 16 inches deep and 26 inches wide. I would also recommend installing drawer mats to keep your tools from sliding around and banging into one another. For your larger power tools, creating a shelving unit designated for each specific tool is a great way to keep everything ready to use at a moment’s notice.
Flooring
A regular garage floor is not the ideal surface for a workshop because they can become slippery and stain very easily. Upgrading your floor to an epoxy finish or modular tiles will give you the extra grip you are looking for. If your budget does not allow this type of flooring, look for restaurant grade rubber mats that you can put in your most used areas.
Comfort
What man doesn’t like the perfect temperature in his work space? Most garages are not insulated so taking the extra step to warm in the winter and cool in the summer is a must for your new workshop.
Entertainment
What workshop would be complete without a mini fridge and some tunes to make your next hobby project as successful as possible? Did you know that you can run your MP3 player or smart phone through DEWALT’s new radios? Make sure to purchase one on your next visit to your home improvement store.