Garage storage primer - Brief Article

Sunset, March, 2000 by Barbara Boughton

Strategies to help you make the most efficient use of the space in your garage

For most of us, the garage has become a sort of museum of clutter: It's usually crammed with infrequently used family items and, if there's any room left, a car. But a well-organized garage can be an attractive and efficient storage space while still accommodating the automobile. You just need to make every inch--on floor, walls, and ceiling--count.

Make a plan

* Before you begin moving anything to the garage, think about what you really want to store. Which belongings need a home, and which can be discarded or go to the thrift store? "It often helps to have a neighbor or friend participate in this process. They're less emotionally involved and can really help you say good-bye to belongings you've had for too long," says Sepi Day, president of California Closets.

* When you begin your garage improvement project, start with a written list of the things you need to store. Decide which need to be immediately accessible, which should be nearest the door, and which can be safely stored overhead. Make a tentative floor plan based on these decisions.

* If you want to include some type of workshop space, measure your available area first. Check to see that you'll have enough room for your equipment as well as the materials with which you'll be working. If you're thinking about doing some serious projects on your bench, use thick plywood or 2-inchthick planks for the top.

* When setting up a woodworking or auto repair area, don't bolt power tools to the bench all at once. Try the space out first to see if it works for you.

Use walls and ceiling

* Space is limited in a garage, so plan to hang as many things as possible. The cheapest ceiling and wall solutions are heavy-duty, screw-in, vinyl-coated steel hooks, available at most hardware stores. When you install the hooks, make sure to center the screws on overhead rafters or the studs of your house. "By doing that you can hang as much as 100 pounds from steel hooks," says Home Depot sales associate Jim Christensen of Concord, California, who has outfitted his garage with these hooks. Use bracket systems for installing shelving easily.

As an alternative, Denver contractor Paul Kotarba recommends placing a 2-by-4 across the studs and screwing hooks into this piece of wood. "That way you don't have to find the studs for every hook you want to install," he says. But Kotarba cautions that the 2-by-4 needs to be screwed into the studs.

* Use narrow shelves for your garage. "The problem with deep shelves is that often you'll accumulate two layers of junk and you can't see the stuff in the back when you need it," says Kotarba.

* Consider the advantages of a rope-and-pulley system for storing large items overhead, such as kayaks, camping equipment, or outdoor furniture. "If you're fairly handy or have done any kind of rigging, you'll be able to install such a system. You can find the equipment in any basic hardware store," says Seattle contractor Michael Bogan.

* Add a loft. "If you have a garage with a high ceiling, you can install a mezzanine storage area that covers the entire area of the garage," Bogan says. "But it's a task that shouldn't be attempted by amateurs."

* Purchase power tools and cabinets on wheels so you can move them during and after use--especially if you have a small garage. Rolling metal mechanics' cabinets, outfitted with tiny, shallow drawers good for storing hardware and tools, are available in most hardware stores. These cabinets are noteworthy for their compactness. Or retrofit existing cabinets and tables with heavy-duty casters.

Choose cabinets

* Use covered storage for your belongings as much as possible to reduce clutter and control dust.

* Modular melamine shelving, cabinets, and work centers are good alternatives to unfinished or painted wood shelving. Most of these units are strong enough for storage, easy to clean, and give the garage a neater look. They come in a wide variety of sizes and types (some designed for use in closets) and are usually sold as kits.

* Use a child's discarded furniture for garage storage. Or purchase old bureaus at yard sales. Use the drawers for enclosed storage and the tops for keeping heavy items off the floor and within easy reach.

Eliminate safety hazards

* In any place with water heaters, washing machines, and cars, there are bound to be occasional water leaks, oil spills, and dirt. That's why everything in your garage should be mounted on galvanized steel legs, masonry blocks, or rubber wheels. Mounting wood cabinets on legs is especially important since they can sustain heavy damage from moisture, chemicals, and ground-in dirt.

* Make sure you place paints and solvents or any other dangerous chemicals in well-ventilated areas away from gas appliances and under latch and key, especially if you have children.

* Autos and gas appliances are a source of heat and sparks, so consider cleaning the air of sawdust with an air filter after you finish woodworking. For a more thorough job, consider a vacuum system. Most power saws made today have ports that can attach to vacuum tubing.