How Can You Turn Your Garage Into A Great DIY Station

Your home’s garage isn’t just a place for you to store your car, it’s also a great place to work on projects and undertake hobbies like woodworking. Unfortunately, many people’s garages are complete messes. In order to transform your garage from a storage area into a workshop, there are a few things that you need to do, one of which is to clean it up if yours is messy.

If you want to transform your garage into a DIY station but don’t know where to start, then look no further. This article will explain all of the steps that you need to take.

Installing Cabinets

Cabinets are essential. If you intend on woodworking or really taking up any hobby, you are going to need somewhere to store equipment. You won’t be able to create your own home workspace if you don’t put cabinets up. The best place to put cabinets in a garage is on the walls. Mounting cabinets on the walls will give you somewhere to store important equipment, without taking up floor space. The higher the cabinets are, the more room you will have below. When fixing cabinets to the wall, make sure that they are fitted properly. 

Improperly fitted wall cabinets are hazardous to anybody walking (or in your case, working) beneath them. The company that you buy them from may be able to send a representative out to fit them if you are not confident in your own abilities.

Deep Clean

Before you can go ahead and install cabinets (or do anything else mentioned here), you need to deep clean your garage. As mentioned in this post’s introduction, many people’s garages are filthy. Even if yours is somewhat clean, the chances are that it will be incredibly dusty. Any room that’s not used every day becomes dusty quite quickly. Dust can irritate your lungs and even cause infections—it’s not something that you want to be working around for long periods of time. Make sure to also sanitize the floors in case rats or mice have gotten in, and clear away any trip hazards.

Work Benches

Unless you’re intending on sitting on the floor and working, then you are going to need a workbench. Workbenches are a great investment because they give you somewhere comfortable to practice your hobbies. A lot of people actually build their own workbenches. If woodworking is your hobby, then this could be a great first project. If you are not interested in woodworking (or don’t have the technical skills needed to build a bench) then you can go ahead and order one online.

Securing Doors

A lot of people’s garages are not secure in any way. They have rusty and broken windows, easily kicked-in doors, and no locks. If your garage is going to be doubling as a workspace, then you need to make sure that it’s secure. Failing to do so could mean that your tools and the things that you have made are easy pickings for thieves. If your garage’s windows are old and weak, then you should consider replacing them. You may even want to put a cage over them. The door to your garage should also be replaced if it is not heavy, durable, and robust.

Installing Windows

As mentioned in the previous section, you need to secure your garage’s windows. However, a lot of garages don’t even have a window. If you are going to be working for long periods of time in your garage then you are going to want natural light. A lack of natural light can make any workshop very difficult to work in. Depending on where you live, you could have to get approval from your local town council or municipality to install a window in your garage. A building permit is usually necessary when structural changes are being made to buildings.

New Lighting

Finally, re-consider your garage’s lighting. For some reason, wherever you go, people’s garage lights tend to be old and flicker. If this is true for yours then you need to change the bulbs or re-fit the light fixture. There is absolutely no way that you will be able to comfortably work under a flickering light. If you are working with sharp tools, then this could actually be very dangerous, since you may not be able to see what you are doing and could cut yourself. It’s especially important to change your garage’s light if there is no natural light source there.

Your garage doesn’t just have to be a storage place, it can also be a workshop. More and more people are turning to hobbies like wood and metalworking. If you are too, then your garage provides you with the perfect place to peacefully and quietly get on with your new hobby.