Garage Basics

In years past a garage was a place to park a car or store items not currently in use. They were generally messy detached outbuilding that attracted very little attention. Today they have graduated to being part of the house and homeowners are as interested in a decorative, as well as a functional garage floor coating.

Whether the garage is used just for parking the car, as an organized workshop or for occasional entertaining, a quality and decorative garage floor coating can give you the look you are after. It can be a single color scheme or have many different designs painted on it, to make it seem more a part of the home than an afterthought.

Painting a garage floor is the easiest and most economical means of updating the look of the garage. With so many types and colors available finding a garage floor coating to do what you want it to do, should be no trouble. Whether you just want a functional garage floor coating to protect the concrete from stains and tire marks, or one that lends itself to being aesthetic, it can be found.

Protection From Damages Is Key

Preparing the floor prior to using a garage floor coating is the main part of a good-looking floor. A cleaner degreaser should be used to remove surface dirt and grease, thoroughly rinsing before proceeding to the next step. A concrete etching product will remove heavy stains as well as rust and also needs to be thoroughly rinsed and completely dry prior to putting down any garage floor coating.

Failure to fully clean and remove and grease and stains will cause the garage floor coating to fail to adhere to the concrete and it a short time the garage floor coating will start to bubble and wear off.

Daily cleaning with a dust mop or light broom is also recommended as dirt brought in on the car tires can scratch and ruin the top finish. It is recommended a weekly, more intense, cleaning schedule is also followed. This time spent caring for the floor will help the garage floor coating last longer.

To maintain the appearance of plain concrete you can also obtain garage floor coating that is clear. Usually this is an epoxy-based product that allows the finished concrete to show through without any color. However, once you have applied the desired garage floor coating follow the manufacturer's recommended drying time before using it to protect the finish.

Learn more about garage floor coating at http://www.GarageBasics.com

For the do-it-yourselfer, garage equipment may be a necessity for doing many jobs around the house on your own. Whether you work on your own car, or do periodic checkups, there are some items you will want to own.

A rolling jack is a must-have piece of garage equipment for jacking up your car without digging it out of the trunk or other storage spot. They are easy and quick to use and can be useful for a variety of tasks like rotating tires, changing oil or getting under it for general maintenance. When using any type of jack, before sliding under it, make sure the vehicle if held up by jack stands to prevent it from falling down on you.

An air compressor may be another piece of garage equipment you will want to have on hand, whether just for inflating your tires, of to use with air tools, a quality air compressor with the correct attachments can aid in a variety of household chores. A power washer is another almost essential piece of garage equipment to have around. It can help clean your vehicle, your sidewalks and the garage floor after you have worked on your car. They also work well in cleaning gutters.

Think Of Equipment Needed For Car Care

When you think about what garage equipment you want to stock, remember how much you care for your vehicles. Washing can be done with the help of the pressure washer but waxing can be tiring on your arms and hands. One piece of garage equipment that can help is a power buffer. Normally a small one can be picked up for under $30 and can make buffing the newly applied wax a lot faster and easier.

A paint sprayer, either a separate unit or one that attaches to your air compressor can be another useful piece of garage equipment to have around, especially if you plan to paint your car or outside furniture. They can also be used to apply protective coatings to your wood deck and in painting just about anything.

For those who do heavy work on vehicles, a parts washer is another piece of garage equipment you can't do without. It holds even the smallest parts for cleaning and allows for proper drainage of the cleaning chemicals to avoid spills on your garage floor and to meet strict disposal standards set by the Environment Protection Agency.

Learn more about garage equipment at http://www.GarageBasics.com

Garage door installation doesn't have to be such a stressful situation. If you just bought a new garage door and don't know if you should do it yourself or hire someone, you should do whatever feels right. If you feel as though you can do the job, then do it. You might as well, you'll save money on labor costs if nothing else. If, however, you're not very technically proficient, then let someone who knows what they're doing handle the job. You want the job done right the first time, don't try to install it yourself only to have to hire someone later.

The Internet Has All Kinds Of Do-It-Yourself Information

If you know what you're doing or even if you just want to learn how, turn to the internet. The internet is filled with information on all sorts of subjects and, chances are, there's a site out there dedicated to garage door installation. You can find how to do it, what tools you'll need and even tips and warnings. Do your homework and make sure that you're comfortable before you start climbing a ladder and installing the garage door yourself.

If you are going to hire someone, make sure that you go with a reputable company. It's best, if you're going to pay for it, to get someone who's done it before. Don't just hire anyone to install your garage door. It may seem like a simple job but, let's face it, if you're hiring someone to do the job, you probably can't do it yourself. Make sure the job is done right. Think about it, you get home and you push the button on your garage door opener. The garage opens and the door falls right on the hood of your car. Don't let this happen to you. When it comes to garage door installation, make sure the job is done right.

Garage door installation doesn't have to be a daunting task. It could be a great way to learn how to install garage doors. If you're not sure about what you're doing, however, and you don't want to risk doing a bad job, find someone else to do the job. The money will be well spent when you know that the job was done correctly the first time around.

Garage door installation, whether electric or regular is no small job and should be done by a professional. However, if you're technically proficient, then, by all means, try to do it yourself. It will be a fun and rewarding experience.

Learn more about garage door installation at http://www.GarageBasics.com

Most of the time, the garage turns out to be much more than that; it usually is used as a storage place, workshop, after school band practicing stage, and, of course, storing your car. Whether you are using your garage for one or all of the above purposes, you need to do one thing in the first place and that is get it organized.

The better your garage is organized the more activities you can conduct in it without having to mishandle any of the existing tools and space.

Organizing Your Garage

In order to get your garage organized you will need a garage cabinet or more depending how many activities are being carried out in that space. Usually, the main activity that takes place in the garage is the workshop and men generally (not always) like to leave tools around to either finish the job next day or simply because that is their working space.

However, in order for more than one activity to take place in the garage or even for the simple reason that you want to find your tools next time you need them, I suggest to invest in a garage cabinet.

Garage cabinets come in all sizes, therefore, depending on how many tools you have, you will want to pick the appropriate size garage cabinet; I would suggest a slightly larger one even if you don't need it now, you will in the future as men always enjoy adding to their toy collection.

Garage cabinets also come in different shapes in order to match your garage and to take up the least amount of space. My favorite type of cabinet is on wheels. It is extra slim and about 4 -5 feel tall; the reason behind it is that it can be used as a table when needed, fits all the tools and has space for others when they make their way home, as it can be moved wherever I need to perform some work, I don't need to take tools out and return them each time I need something else.

Which Is The Right Garage Cabinet For You

In order to get the answer to that question you need to consider the following points: the size of your garage and where you are going to place the cabinet; the amount of tools you have and what is the rate you add tools to your collection as well as how often do you use your tools.

Garage cabinets are usually expensive but a great investment in any household, which can be passed from father to son for generations to come.

Learn more about garage cabinets at http://www.GarageBasics.com