garage cabinets Archives - Page 2 of 3

A Brief History of Garages

February 21, 2012 by Rick Scully

Over the next few weeks, I’m going to discuss the evolution of garages: from sheds to what have been called ‘Garage Mahals‘, home extensions that contain everything from work stations to interlocking floor tiles to hydraulic lifts.

The word garage comes from the French garer – to shelter or protect. It’s an apt name because that’s effectively what garages do. They protect our cars from the elements.

During the early part of the 20th century, cars weren’t that common because they were expensive. The first garages were just converted carriage houses that were remodeled to fit cars rather than horses. Garages that were designed for cars didn’t become common until the early 1920s when car sales increase. However, demand grew quickly.

By 1925, in fact, garages were on people’s must have lists. According to the June 1925 issue of Atlantic Monthly, ” the first question asked by the prospective buyer is about the garage. The house without a garage is a slow seller.”

These garages were mostly stand-alone structures, built away from the main house. It wasn’t until the early 1950s that builders started to incorporate garages as part of the house design. Before this, drivers had to brave the elements when getting from their garage to their home.

Carports became popular in the 60s as a low-cost alternative to a garage – often just roof and four posts, they were popular in warmer parts of North America.

The next major change happened in the 80s. Garages were built to be conspicuous and large, to make room for families with multiple cars. Thankfully today they’re now being built to be less obtrusive.

The first patent for an automatic garage door opener was issued in 1937, but oddly enough, it didn’t really become popular until the late 1960s.

Fun fact: many businesses have been started in garages, including Hewlett Packard, Walt Disney, Apple Computers and Motown Records.

Not All Garage Cabinets Are Equal

January 24, 2012 by Rick Scully

When it comes to cabinets for your garage, the good news is that there are choices. The bad news is that the quality varies greatly, and you get what you pay for. At the retail level, there are several types of products available: MDF (a waferboard), a Rubbermaid product and steel.

As you weigh your options, the most important thing to consider is the strength of the material. How secure is it and how much weight can it bear? Check the hinges as well and make sure they’re solid. If they’re not, the cabinet may start to wobble.

The advantage of the Rubbermaid cabinet is that it’s impervious to moisture versus the MDF products which will swell and weaken if you have a damp or humid garage. However, neither are very sturdy, so you run the risk of the shelves not supporting anything of any significant weight.

I believe steel or aluminum cabinets are the way to go. They’re sturdier and resistant to animals. They are also lockable, so if you’re storing anything valuable, such as skis and ski boots or tools, you can lock them behind the doors. They’re also good for keeping chemicals out of reach from little hands.

Some retailers carry a steel product but the material is light weight and not commercial quality. It looks similar to the appropriate grade steel cabinets, but it doesn’t hold much and can dent easily, losing its aesthetic appeal quite quickly. In addition, light weight materials may not provide the appropriate level of safety and protection of your valued tools, sports equipment, vehicle and family members.

To find out how strong a steel product is, you have to look at the ‘gauge’. The smaller the number, the stronger it is.

I recommend Onex cabinets. We install these high performance steel garage cabinets because they last longer than retail products while offering superior weight support. They’re also lockable, come in various colours and can be adjusted to the height, width and depth of the space. It provides a high level of utility and quality while giving your garage that luxury feel.

Onex offers a wide variety of cabinets, so we can create a custom storage solution rather than finding something that simply fits into the space.

If you have any questions about cabinets or anything else garage related, please give us a call!

What to Expect When You’re Organizing Your Garage

November 22, 2011 by Rick Scully

In the last several blog entries, we discussed clearing the clutter out of your garage. In today’s blog, you’re going to find out about the process of a garage transformation, getting an estimate and what questions you should be prepared for.

When I’m called in, the decluttering should be nearly complete. Only the stuff you want to keep should be in the garage. When we can see the space we’re working with, it makes planning a whole lot easier.

You may also find that there’s stuff in the house such as seasonal decorations that you’d like to store in the garage as well as boxed items like clothes, or tools that are currently in the basement.

Some people have a good idea of what they want or need, such as shelves for storage, tools they want to hang on the wall, cabinets to keep things out of the way. Most people show me what they want to store and ask for recommendations.

The main questions I need answered are:

What’s your objective?
What do you want the garage to do that it’s not doing today?
How many cars do you want to fit in the garage?

The answers to these questions and the initial visit can last up to an hour. I get a sense of how the client lives and what they are looking for. I try and understand their aesthetic priorities versus their functional needs.

Some people like to be able to see everything at a glance. In this case it could be mostly hooks and shelves. Other people are a little messy, and I understand that. Cabinets are great for hiding messes, as well as keeping things like chemicals out of the reach of small hands, for people who have kids.

Within two days of the visit, I’ll send a detailed drawing, proposal and itemized estimate. It’s not something I can do on the spot as each job is custom, which is one of the benefits of using Garage TailorsGarage.

The transformation can be done in as little as two days, if all we’re doing is getting the garage organized. If we’re drywalling, that will add another two days and flooring will add a day.

Once you’ve had a chance to look over the proposal and estimate, you have a chance to ask any questions you might have, give me additional suggestions and make the decision to move forward and have the garage that you’ve always wanted.

Seasonal Garage Anxiety Disorder

October 13, 2011 by Rick Scully

For most of us, the garage is likely the largest room in our house. Our cars are probably our second largest assets. It makes sense to use this space to house and protect our vehicles.

During spring and summer, however, we leave our cars on the driveway to have easy access to things like lawn mowers, bicycles and gardening tools.

It’s during the first cold snap of the year as we’re putting everything away that we look into our garages and wonder how two cars are going to fit. Seeing everything that’s filling up the garage, we experience paralysis. Often, there’s no clear way to start the clean-up process, so it doesn’t get started at all.

I call this Seasonal Garage Anxiety Disorder (SGAD): All the stuff is preventing us from using our garages for what they’re meant for and it causes concern.

In the next two blog entries, I’m going to help you cope with your SGAD! But first, we have to think about motivation: how badly do you want to get your car in that garage and why?

If the garage is de-cluttered to make room for vehicles, we can:

say goodbye to scraping ice off the windshield before the sun comes up
get into a warm car – in the middle of winter
worry less about security, especially for those who spend much of the winter down south

One of the main objections to cleaning out a garage is the amount of decision making that has to happen. It requires some tough choices about what to keep and it’s usually a full day’s worth of work.

I’ve encountered garages that were full of furniture – both from parents who have downsized and children who were moving out, seasonal decorations, winter tires, garbage and recycling bins. Some of the clutter has value, but there is only an emotional attachment to the rest.

The feeling of relief that’s experienced once all the stuff you’re not using is gone, will give a sense of release and freedom necessary to move forward with new activities and projects.

How great would it be to have shelving and storage systems that allowed garden tools, holiday decorations and toys to be found without digging through boxes? Easy access and storage for seasonal items like paddles, kayaks and canoes and tires? A discreet space for your garbage bins?

Garage storage systems, whether it’s cabinets, wall organizers, shelving, or a combination, can keep the garage organized all year round. So when next fall comes, we’re not standing in front of our garage doors, wondering where we’re going to park our cars, we simply drive them in.

Stay tuned for the next blog: How to get Started.

Add a Workshop in your Garage

September 20, 2011 by Rick Scully

Whether you’re an avid gardener, car enthusiast or weekend DIYer, it’s great to have a workbench in your garage to work on your projects. Even if your garage space is limited, there’s likely a way to give yourself a little workspace.

A surface area of 4 ft x 2 ft, positioned about 40 inches from the floor is an ideal minimum size.

This workbench, with a tabletop made of plywood, easily folds up to fit onto the side wall of a one-car garage.

This simple and inexpensive yet very functional corner workbench is made out of plywood. It provides you with a good amount of workspace as well as extra storage room for tools.

The ultimate in garage workspace is this sleek steel workbench with drawers, cupboards and a butcher-block top.

Give us a call. We’ll help you design a workspace in your garage that suits you.

Tidy Tool Storage

September 6, 2011 by Rick Scully

3 hook tool rack — Often, people hang tools sharp side out. Hang sharp side towards the wall to prevent personal injury to family members.

So many tools, so little space. Even in the biggest garages, tools and gardening equipment often start to take over. And why does that rake always seem to threaten to fall on you every time you open the car door?

Start by sorting your tools into groups. Put all the gardening equipment together in one area of the garage. Hang rakes and shovels on lockable hooks with the sharp side towards the wall. That way you’ll know they’re secure.

Don’t hang tools on nails hammered into boards – it’s an accident waiting to happen. A slatwall system is a great solution because hooks and baskets can be safely locked into place.

Electric tools, such as lawnmowers and weed whackers can also be hung on locking hooks with their extension cords wrapped and stored neatly on hooks beside them.

Smaller tools with holes in the handle are easily stored on hooks. That way you’ll always be able to find what you need when you need it.

Tools for woodworking or home maintenance, such as drills and saws, can also be neatly stored in the garage. Any tool with a handle can be hung safely and securely and easy to find.

Smaller items (especially tools for a car enthusiast) should be stored in a cabinet with shallow drawers. Place the tools in one layer so you can see them easily. Line the bottom of the drawer with a rubber membrane mat to prevent the tools from sliding around.

Next time we’ll discuss making room for a workbench in the garage, so you can store and use your tools in one place.

In the meantime, give us a call. We’ll help you find a solution to all your garage storage needs.

The Lowdown on Garage Cabinets

August 22, 2011 by Rick Scully

Nothing improves the look of a garage more than a sleek bank of cabinets. It’s a great way to keep the garage looking neat and tidy. But be careful about what’s lurking behind the doors. Rummaging through a disorganized cabinet to find what you need can be a real pain. Also, things can get forgotten in cabinets — out of sight, out of mind.

Sort through your cabinets at the beginning of each season to see what you have and get rid of anything you don’t need anymore.

Make sure everything has a place in a cabinet. Group items into sections and make sure smaller tools are stored where they can be seen.

Cabinets are great for storing stuff you need to hide, such as expensive or sharp tools or hazardous chemicals.

We offer two types of cabinets. You can opt for a simple wood cabinet. They’re inexpensive and practical, but come in limited colours. Our popular metal cabinets are sturdy and come in a choice of 21 colours. They also lock.

A great feature of our cabinets are that they come in modular segments, so you can rearrange and add cabinets over time.

Give us a call. We can help you choose the cabinets that will work best in your garage.

Making Use of Overhead Space

August 9, 2011 by Rick Scully

Think you’re making the most of the space in your garage? Look up…. there’s probably another level of storage you’ve not considered.

Tiered storage can make the most of empty space above the car. It works best in garages with minimum 10-foot ceilings because you want to make sure shelving can be out of the way of your minivan or SUV as well as your head.

There are two types of tiered storage:

The end walls where a tier can be as low as 4 feet, so the nose of the car can tuck underneath
Side walls where the storage needs to be high enough to clear the top of your head

We build the storage using sturdy 2×6 or 2×4 wood construction and finish it with ¾-inch plywood. It can easily support hundreds of pounds. It can be finished and painted to suit your design. And you don’t need to worry about running into poles or posts because everything is held securely into the ceiling with airplane cable.

The structure can be as simple as a single shelf. Or it can be as elaborate as shown in the photo here with pot-lights installed underneath to create a workspace. And you can even check out some moderately priced options for tiered storage for an extra vehicle.

What sort of things can you store overhead?

large seasonal decorations
pool chemicals so they are out of children’s reach
tires
larger sports equipment
out of season items

Let Garage Tailors Garage help you make the most of the space in your garage. Give us a call.

Easy Garage Maintenance

July 19, 2011 by Rick Scully

Summertime is the perfect time to do a little maintenance on the garage.

Oil the rails on the garage door with a lubricant (such as WD-40) to make sure it runs smoothly.
Clear any spider webs from the electronic eye on the garage door.
If you need a new garage door, contact Aurora Overhead Doors for a quote.
If you use extension cords to connect your garage door power, consider having a receptacle installed in the ceiling. Extension cords are really only safe for temporary use.
Improve your lighting. Ask us about T8 fluorescent bulbs. They stand up to cold temperatures and provide lots of light.

Keep your things and your family safe. Change the code on your garage door periodically.

Also, kids are in an out of the garage this time of year looking for their toys and sports equipment, or even playing hide-and-go seek. Make sure dangerous tools and chemicals are locked away in cabinets and their toys are on low shelves or hanging on hooks within easy reach.

Any questions? Give us a call.

Easy bicycle storage

June 8, 2011 by Rick Scully

With the rising prices at the gas pumps these days, there’s even more reason to pump up the bicycle tires and get out for a ride. But what’s the best way to store the family bikes in the garage?

You’ll want to make sure even the kids have easy access to their bikes without worrying about them scratching the car or the bike – two wheels don’t come cheap these days either.

Overhead storage makes use of unused space higher up in the garage without using that precious floor space. These systems use pulleys or motors that are easy enough for even a child to operate.

Wall-mounted bike storage racks are another option that also saves some floor space. They are easy to install and some come with shelves to store helmets and other bike-related stuff.

There are also floor stands that make it easy to just roll and lock your bike into place after your ride.

Before you make your decision on bike storage, get advice your local bicycle shop about the best way to store your particular model of bike. Some high performance bikes don’t like being hung by the wheel or at certain points on the frame.

Still competing with the car for space in the garage? Give us a call.

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