Garage Project Ideas

A garage is capable of being far more than just a spot for cars and storage. With the right attention paid to design, and an awareness of the possibilities, your garage project can contribute significantly more value to your home than you might think! Find out what’s available with Windmill Construction.

Storage Solutions

Garages are great for storage, but when you’ve got nothing but an open floor, things can become disorganized easily. Just because you have a significant amount of space doesn’t mean you cant use it efficiently. Consider the following for creative ways to maximize the value of your storage and organizational systems.

1) Ceiling Track Storage

Items that you only use seasonally, or only a few times any given year, don’t need to be conveniently accessible. That said, nobody wants them inconveniently accessible either. For things like pool supplies, gardening equipment, clothing, etc; consider the benefits of designing track ceiling storage for your garage project.

With a garage storage solution like this, your things are easily stored high and dry all year long. When you need to access them, all it takes is quickly sliding them out. While we wouldn’t recommend putting heavier items into this system, there’s no better way to store off-season clothing.

2) Firewood Storage

Having to walk to your wood storage every time you run out inside can be a massive hassle. Skip the snow and freezing rain by incorporating your wood storage into your attached garage! Indoor storage keeps wood dry all year long, and having it so accessible means you don’t have to get cold so your family can stay warm. Depending on your preferences, with the right design, the wood in your garage can go a long way to improving interior aesthetics as well.

3) Overhead Storage

Perhaps the most common form of garage storage is the construction of a small overhead shelf/crawlspace. It’s popularity is largely attributable to the fact that all it takes is a few 2×4’s and plywood to make, and has a massive impact on clearing floorspace for cars. Overhead storage is a must-have for any garage construction project.

 4) Tire Rack

Twice a year in Cornwall and Ottawa, we have to change our tires. It’s not only a major hassle to get your tires from wherever you’re storing them, but having the stored tires lying around can be a hassle as well. With a tire rack in your garage, you can designate an easily accessible space for all your tires, making life easier for you when changing and storing them.

Interior Design Ideas

1) The Heated Garage

Installing insulation and heating system into your garage makes your garage capable of doing considerably more than car storage. Not only will all vehicles stored in there experience the benefits of consistent climate-control year-round, but having a heated space means you can use it for more than typical garage use. Consider the possibility of building a man-cave or entertainment center in your garage loft!

2) Car Lifts

Love to work on cars? There is perhaps no better indication of a true automotive aficionado than a personal car lift. Making tire changes, car modifications, and storage easy, car lifts are a life-long investment in cultivating the jealousy of all your friends. Just be aware that as soon as it’s installed, your house will become the de-facto gathering place for all your friends who work on cars! While twice a year during tire change your friends will be liable to come calling, one of the hidden benefits of a car lift installation is the ability to require beer-for-access from all those needing help.

3) Finished Walls

Typically, garages are left ‘unfinished’. Relegated to the simple task of storing stuff and cars, most homeowners don’t see the value of finishing their garage space for aesthetic appeal. Those that want more than the basic treatment for their garage build, or who are looking to get more use out of the space than simple storage, can benefit tremendously from installing proper walls. Depending on your needs, a wide variety of materials are available to bring out the aesthetic appeal of your garage space.

4) Plumbing, Drainage, Vacuum

Another one for car lovers, having a plumbing and drainage systems incorporated into your garage design can go a long way to helping keep your car and garage clean. Instead of having to wait for sunny summer days, or taking it to a heated cleaning bay during the winter, you can rely on your garage year-round to protect your car. With retractable hoses hung from the ceiling, all it takes is a 5 minute wash and spray-down to guarantee the consistent cleanliness of your car year-round. If you’ve got a central vacuum system, we can even install a retractable vacuum hose for your vehicle interiors!

5) Soundproofing

Got musicians in the family? Its great to cultivate the ability to use instruments, but it can often come at the cost of family sanity. Hearing loud drums day-in and day-out can slowly erode the patience of those seeking peace and quiet, so consider the value of a soundproof garage! Soundproofing is a surprisingly affordable addition to any garage project, and can contribute enormous value to those with noisy past-times. Whether practicing music or watching the game with friends, having a soundproofed garage space can go a long way to protecting the peace and quiet of a home.

6) A Custom Workshop

Last but not least, perhaps the most valuable addition to the design of any Ottawa-area garage build is a custom workspace, a specialty of Windmill Construction. Able to construct a space for the practice of any craft, Windmill has access to the materials and experience necessary to build organizational work systems around your needs. Whether it’s cabinetry, shelving, and organization for all your automotive needs; a professionally designed space for all your fabrication tools and materials; or a small spot to work on a given craft or hobby; whatever you needs, all it takes is getting in touch with Windmill to find out how a garage project can exceed them.

Windmill Construction

If you’re considering a garage build in the Ottawa or Cornwall area, with Windmill you are capable of far more than you might think! Above are only a few examples of what a garage is capable of being in the hands of the right design and construction team. We invite you to take a look around online to find more inspiration! Sites like Pinterest and Houzz are great sources for ideas and inspiration, so feel free to take a look around! If you find anything you particularly like, get in touch with us and we can help you bring them into reality!