The House Plan Shop Blog

When building a new house, there are many decisions to make regarding the look and functionality of your home inside and out. One choice you’ll be faced with is selecting the type of garage door you prefer. Garage doors come in various materials including aluminum, steel, vinyl and wood. Wooden garage doors have been around since garages have become part of a family home. They remain a popular choice in today’s market due to durability, longevity, technical aspects and visual appeal. The House Plan Shop has provided a list of the advantages and disadvantages of wooden garage doors to help you decide if they are the right choice for you.

Advantages

·         They are custom built to meet the home owner’s specifications and preferences.

·         These doors can be built to fit any size or shape garage.

·         They can be created or adjusted to accommodate non-level garage floors.

·         Their custom-built nature ensures your garage doors will have a unique look.

·         Wood garage doors nicely complement homes with an exterior finish of natural materials such as cedar shingles, wood board siding, logs or stone.

·         They do not crack or dent like vinyl, aluminum and steel doors.

·         Wood is a renewable resource; therefore wood garage doors are earth-friendly.

·         Natural material treatments are available to increase the longevity of the garage door by protecting against bending, distorting and rotting.

·         Damaged garage doors can be replaced easily by repairing the damaged portion or panel rather than replacing the entire garage door.

·         They can be operated manually or automatically like garage doors made of other materials.

·         Wood is a natural sound barrier and cuts down on noise pollution better than other garage door materials in noisy neighborhoods and along busy streets.

·         Wood can withstand drastic temperature changes and serves as an insulator against heat and cold.

·         These garage doors can easily be repainted in the future giving them a whole new look.

Disadvantages

·         They are more costly to build than their manufactured competitors.

·         Wood garage door manufactures are hard to come by.

·         Due to their custom-built nature, wood garage doors must be custom ordered. They require building time and therefore are not readily available in lumberyards and home improvement stores like their manufactured competitors.

·          Wood garage doors are heavy requiring a properly sized garage door opener and springs to move the weight of the door. 

·         Regular maintenance is necessary to prevent rotting and other damage.

The House Plan Shop recommends taking some time to consider the advantages and disadvantages of wooden garage doors as well as other pre-manufactured doors ensuring you choose the garage doors that are right for your new home.

Tags: garage, garage doors, wooden garage doors

Now that you’ve built your dream home using a house plan from The House Plan Shop, it is time to think about storage options for your new garage. Before you begin, there is one rule to follow: Go vertical! From floor to ceiling, it is necessary to capitalize on vertical storage space keeping the parking area and walking spaces free and clear of clutter and unorganized chaos allowing easy and safe movement about the garage.

First, think about the walls. There is a wide range of storage items and accessories that can maximize your garage storage space in a safe manner. Common organizational items include pegboards and hooks or cabinets. Pegboards give you flexibility when hanging and storing items while cabinets hide your personal belongings away. Both of these options can be arranged to fit any size garage and can even be used together. A slotted panel system is another choice for garage wall organization. It combines the use of hooks, shelves, baskets and cabinets. No matter which method you choose for your walls, make sure each piece or item is securely mounted to the wall and do not store anything that exceeds the recommended maximum weight capacity.

Now consider traditional shelving units. They are available in many different sizes and styles and can easily stretch from floor to ceiling in a given space. Just like wall units, all shelving should be anchored to the wall so they cannot be toppled easily, especially where small children are present. Organizational boxes and bins work well on shelving units. Place open bins on the lower shelves to organize the kids’ sporting equipment and toys in a place where they can access their things easily. Group like items, a box for various balls, a bin for rollerblades, helmets and kneepads, etc. Use bins on the middle shelves as well. This is a good place to group related items like flower pots and gardening gloves, fishing tackle and life jackets, and so on. Plastic storage containers and bins with lids are great for folding and storing seasonal clothing like winter jackets, hats, gloves and boots. Reserve the higher shelves for items that may be dangerous and harmful to children and pets such as chemicals and items that do not hang well on the wall like a leaf blower. (Note: Carefully read labels on chemicals regarding temperatures. Some chemicals are better stored indoors where the temperature is more consistent such as in the basement.)

Finally, it is time to think about the ceiling. Though we do not traditionally use the ceiling for storage in our homes, the garage is one place where you can make good use of the space above. Often, hooks can be installed in the ceiling for hanging and storing bikes, lawn chairs and even strollers in some cases. If there is room above the rafters, consider creating a storage loft for boxed items you cannot part with and other things you access only once or twice a year, like holiday decorations. Usually a ladder or pull down stair is the easiest and most inexpensive way to access the upper level space. Make sure the floor is sturdy enough to support the weight of the items you plan to store and be careful hauling heavy boxes and bulky items up and down the ladder.

With careful thought and extra planning, you can create a highly functional and very efficient storage space in your garage.

Tags: garage, garage storage, Home Storage

Spring is quickly approaching. Soon bike lovers will be dusting off their bikes and taking them for their first sunny ride. Whether you enjoy weekend bike rides with the kids or your friends or you plan to train for a bike race, now is the time to get ready. No one likes to hassle with getting their bike out of the garage, especially if that means you have to move boxes, toys, and the car to find it. Take some time to shop for a bike storage rack now. That way, when you are ready to ride, it will only take a minute or two to get your bike and start peddling.

Bike racks and storage systems are available in a range of sizes and styles accommodating one or more bikes in a safe manner. Some options include vertical poles to which the bikes are mounted saving precious floor space in your garage. Others offer hooks by which bikes hang from the ceiling. Your specific needs and the space available will determine the type of bike rack that will work best in your attached or detached garage.

Begin by determining how much garage space is available for bike storage and how many bikes you plan to store. Then, shop around for bike racks and storage devices to find out which ones will suit your needs and fit in the allotted space within your garage. Which ones are easy to use? Which ones offer the most safety and protection for the people, cars and other things in your garage? Do you want your kids to be able to access their bikes on their own? Is there ample room to open the garage door if you install a particular bike rack or storage system? Consider extra features that come with each bike storage system. Some come with hooks or shelves for storing helmets, shoes, water bottles and other gear. Is this something you need or want?

If you want to add bike storage to your attached or detached garage, you’ll have to so some research to find the one that works best for your specific needs. Check local bike shops, home improvement stores and biking websites for ideas and possibilities. 

Tags: bike storage, garage, Home Organization

Often the garage is a catch-all for the many items we need to store, but don’t know exactly where to put them. In most cases, the garage is the ideal storage space. However, sometimes storing chemicals and tools in the garage can be dangerous and even hazardous to your health. These garage storage tips will help you determine what items are safe to store in the garage and how to store them without threatening your heath, harming your family or causing damage to your new home.

Chemicals

·         Road salt and ice-melt mixtures can be very harmful to children and pets. Store these items in childproof, non-spill containers. Place them on a high shelf, in a high cabinet or in a locked garage closet out of reach of children.

·         Do not store auto fluids, paints or pesticides in old food containers or containers that do not have tightly sealed lids or caps. These containers might leak causing burns, fumes, respiratory problems and fire hazards.

·         Sweet smelling anti-freeze may be very attractive to pets, but it can kill them. As little as one tablespoon can make your pet (or child) very sick or even be deadly to cats and small dogs. Make sure caps are sealed tightly on all anti-freeze bottles and store out of reach of children and pets.

·         Propane is extremely combustible. A single spark of static electricity or flip of the light switch could ignite nearby propane causing an explosion. It is necessary to store propane containers and anything that uses propane away from the home in a storage shed, detached garage or other outbuilding. Do not store propane in your attached garage.

·         Get in the habit of storing all chemicals in their original containers complete warning labels so you know what is inside and what dangers or threats each may pose. Store these in a safe place out of reach from children where they will not fall or spill. Chemicals are best stored away from the home in a detached garage or a shed rather than in an attached garage.

Ladders, Tools and Other Items

·         Ladders should be stored against a wall or at floor level using storage hooks to secure them. Ladders stored vertically or not securely fastened to the wall can easily tip or fall harming people and damaging property.

·         Store lawn and garden tools and other small hand tools such as pliers, a hammer or screw drivers in a secure place such as a toolbox. Lock the tool box if possible.

·         Store tools, especially those with sharp blades and points, out of reach from children. However, be sure they are easily accessible to you without having to balance tools overhead or reach dangerously overhead.

·         Use peg board and hooks to hang long-handled items on the garage wall such as shovels and rakes. Secure them tightly to the wall.

·         Make sure all power tools are turned off before storing after each use.

·         Place heavy and bulky tools and items on low shelves or on the floor preventing them from falling. Make sure all sharp points and edges face the wall preventing someone from getting hurt if they bump into the sharp and pointed edges.

·         Check all extension cords that are stored or used in the garage to be sure they are rated for outdoor use due to possible moisture. Those not rated for outdoor use are a potential hazard.

Read more home safety tips from The House Plan Shop.

Tags: chemical storage, garage, garage storage tips, storage safety, tool storage