How to Design Storage Units for a Garage
Design and build storage for your garage using new or recycled materials. Take time to draw the units you desire in detail, so your new storage will look upscale. Before you sit down to make sketches, think about how your family lives. The storage area should accommodate tools, sports equipment, hobby materials and gardening supplies in ways that fit your family's lifestyle. Think in terms of creating units to hide all of your clutter, but make everything accessible and easy to find. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- 2-by-8 lumber boards
- Sheets of 1/2-inch plywood
- Sheets of particle boards
- Closet hanging rod
- Hand saw
- Round-blade electric saw
- Flathead nails
- Flathead screws
- Electric screwdriver
- Pre-made wood shelving
- Plastic trays and bins
- Paint or stain
- Hardware for shelves
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Instructions
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Measure your garage floor space with the car parked in place. Find the longest wall area to build storage cabinets or choose a corner to install an L-shaped storage area. Build closet-type upright lockers out of 2-by-8 lumber boards to form each unit's shape. Construct these closets as side-by-side identical units that will hide shelves behind well-fitting doors.
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Create framework for each cabinet that is approximately 4 feet wide by 8 feet tall. Make each unit at least 18 inches deep from front to back. Cover the backs of the units with particle board or plywood. Cover all additional space with plywood. Install pre-made shelving that will hold plastic bins and boxes for tools and small miscellaneous items. Leave one cabinet open for installing a hanging rod for coats or old clothes. Put some hanging hooks inside doors as well. Install shelves, storage holders and hooks to utilize every square inch of each cabinet without any wasted space.
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Cut two side-by-side doors out of plywood to fit each upright unit. Make these doors to meet in the middle of the upright cabinet. Install a handle on each door for easy opening. Paint the units with semi-gloss or high-gloss paint. Lay old linoleum or plastic sheets on top of each unit to protect the surfaces from scratching. Store plastic boxes full of seldom-used items or Christmas decorations on top of the units. Buy small garage cans to place in the bottom of the cabinets that will hold dry pet food, lawn fertilizer or potting soil.
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Screw plastic-covered wire bins to the cabinet doors. Store rags, paintbrushes or small cans of pet foods in these small bins. Install a pegboard on a couple of the cabinet doors to hold small pieces of rope, rolls of tape or small hand tools. Label plastic trays and bins fitting the inner shelves to state what's in those containers. Make the lettering at least an inch high to make items easy to locate. Use each storage unit for one category of items. For example, store home building supplies in one unit. Put car parts in another. Organize gardening tools and lawn supplies in another. Keep a small flashlight in the top of one unit to locate items easily after dark.
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Tips & Warnings
Visit flea markets and yard sales to buy old kitchen canisters and silverware drawer caddies. Use these containers to help organize your garage storage units.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit storage image by MAXFX from Fotolia.com
