If you want to transform your lifestyle or your work processes, first you need to look at the way you organise the spaces you use. A messy home denotes a messy mind, so when you’re repurposing your garage, the rooms in your home, or your workspace, it’s easier to start with a clean slate. With a blank canvas, it’s easier to see what works where. And starting from scratch with a clear room is the perfect time to consider epoxy floor coating for a fresh new look.
The garage seems to be the forgotten room of many homes. Filled with archive boxes, motor oil bottles, tools and half-finished DIY projects, it’s often the default place to store the stuff that doesn’t really fit anywhere else. But what if you could repurpose your garage into a place of pride you’d actually like to spend time in? It doesn’t have to cost a lot, but it will add a lot to your lifestyle and your home’s value, especially when you add epoxy flooring or garage floor paint.
1. Take stock of what you want to keep, cull the rest
Get your Marie Kondo on and work out what sparks joy. Also, what will be useful to keep to use in the life of your biggest project? Write up your three main DIY projects and whatever doesn’t fit on there can go to Gumtree or ‘go to God.’ You might benefit from a skip bin or a trailer to visit the tip at this point, rather than waiting for the next council hard rubbish collection. Another option is to advertise a literal garage sale and mark what you’re keen to sell.
Spring cleaning, or even summer cleaning, means you don’t have to worry as much about leaving some items in a secure space outdoors during the process. With a relatively clear floor, we can get started on what garage improvements you want to make.
2. Plan out your shed or garage improvements
Think bigger. Your repurposed garage could become a man cave.
Or a workshop,
Or an artist’s studio,
Or simple a well-designed garage to greet you coming home.
Once you’ve decided how you will better use your repurposed garage, let’s design for your goals.
3. From garage floor to ceiling, make the space work.
The thing about land is that they’re not making any more of it. Well, aside from a few nations building new islands. So, getting furniture and tools off the floor is imperative. Industrial shelving or stylish, hardwearing furniture — including practical storage solutions — are an excellent investment. Measure your space and draw up a rough plan to see how everything is going to fit. Remember, once something is on the ground, how can you utilise the space above it, even all the way to the ceiling for tools or things that are used infrequently? A step ladder can be your best friend to maximise your new garage floor space.
Take a look at your electrical outlets. Extension cables are a hassle and a hazard. Getting additional outlets where you need them, such as next to the bandsaw, drill press or tool charging station is going to make your life so much easier, without needing to plug and unplug every time you switch tools.
Say goodbye to the dusty fluorescent tube in the middle of the roof. Light over your common work stations with energy efficient globes like adjustable LED fixtures. As for the dust? Think about your long-term health of your lungs by investing in a ventilation system or ceiling exhaust fan.
Your floor also needs to be ready to take a beating, especially if you’re going to park your car in the space, or do any kind of DIY project like furniture recovering, carpentry, painting or finally building that kit car. An epoxy resin floor coating offers practical and aesthetic benefits for a garage refurbishment. An epoxy floor finish is also easy to clean and can provide extra grip.
4. Garage floor cleaning: removing oil stains
Hiring a professional pressure washing service to remove motor oil stains and unsightly marks from your garage floor is a safe bet that the job will get done well. You can learn about that process here.
To get your floors looking even closer to new, it’s time to book an epoxy resin application. Choose from a multitude of colours and effects, including glitter and matte looks. The pouring process takes around 24-48 hours to cure, after which you’ll have a hard surface that’s easy to look after.
Safety first: non-slip flooring for your garage
One of the many benefits of epoxy flooring is that it can be installed as slip-resistant flooring. The process involves mixing a fine aggregate into the epoxy flooring at installation time, which offers more grip in wet or oily workshops. That said, having a non-slip pressure mat in your most common work areas is a low-cost luxury that few people regret.
Should I DIY my garage epoxy floor coating or call in the professionals?
You’ll find a lot of videos online that make epoxy installation look easy. That’s because they are professionals. There’s a few things that can go wrong when trying to lay an epoxy floor DIY style, and hiring an epoxy floor professional won’t set you back much more (but it will save you hassle). To get a quote for your epoxy floor project, or oil stain removal head to the ‘get a quote’ page or give us a call.
