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Recent Blog Posts
Attached vs. Detached Garages
Many homeowners face the attached vs. detached dilemma when considering adding a new garage. No question, garages are essential for homeowners, but which type is best for you?
A lot of that decision is based on personal preference and building codes. Some building codes may not permit a detached garage, or you may not have enough land space. Ultimately, there are benefits and drawbacks to each type, so it is important it meets your particular needs. Consider these three factors from HomeAdvisor: lot size and shape, intentions for the garage, what fits your home best, and overall building considerations.
Lot Size, Shape
Believe it or not, the shape of the lot you're planning to build on may help make your decision an easy one. A narrow lot that stretches far back towards an alley is a natural fit for a detached garage. On the other hand, detached garages can swallow up a big chunk of your existing yard. Building an attached garage instead might be the difference between filling up your lot with a detached model, and still having a yard for your kids and pets to enjoy.
5 Garage Wall Storage Ideas
Leveraging the vertical space in your garage is a great way to get your garage organized and make room on your garage floor. For example, hang tools on the wall instead of having a large container taking up valuable garage floor space.
There are a variety of shelving, racks, or hanging options available. Below we will share 5 garage storage ideas from Garage and Storage Spaces:
1. Metal Standards and Brackets
Metal standards and brackets probably don't qualify as a formal wall system, but they nonetheless offer terrific low-cost shelving. In a garage with unfinished walls, the standards can be attached directly to exposed studs. You can put shelves as high and as low as you like on the wall, and you can run them from one end of a wall to the other.
2. Pegboard
Pegboard (perforated hardboard) is available at home centers and lumberyards. It is inexpensive, easy to install and provides a ready-made surface for a wide variety of storage hooks, racks, shelves, cords and other accessories. Attach the pegboard directly to studs in a garage with unfinished walls or use spacers over drywall to hold the panels away from the wall so that hooks can be inserted and removed. Use 1/8-inch pegboard for light items and 1/4-inch pegboard for heavier items, but be sure to match the hardware you buy with the size of pegboard you use.
How to Remove Stains From Your Garage Floor
Garage floors take a lot of abuse, and garage floor stains are one result. Dirt, oil and grease are just some of the troublesome items that can leave their mark. The best way to avoid serious staining is with regular cleaning. When that fails, however, it is important to take action as soon as possible to remove the stain. Below are some 8 steps for getting rid of most garage door stains from Jeff Beneke.
- Act now. Concrete stains are common because concrete is a porous material. Liquid spills are much easier to remove before they've had a chance to soak in. The quicker you act, the easier it will be to remove the stain.
- Choose the right cleaner. Concrete stains in the garage are usually caused by dirt, oil or grease-or some unpleasant combination of all three. Most concrete cleaners are suitable for these stains, and they can be found at paint or hardware stores or at your local home improvement store. If you are removing paint, rust, mildew or some other type of stain, you will need to look for a more appropriate product. Just be sure to read the labels carefully. Oil stains - kitty litter, baking soda, Dawn soap.
5 Reasons You Need a Garage in the Chicagoland Area
We love the Chicagoland area and have been building garages here since 1979! Below are some common reasons it is beneficial to have a garage in Chicago & the surrounding suburbs. Many of these apply to a lot of areas, but they are definitely all problems faced by a Chicagoan!
1. Snow - Is it going to snow more than 2 inches? Chicago & many surrounding suburbs do not allow parking on streets for a certain period of time after a 2-inch snowfall. Besides, who wants to scrape off/dig out their car in the morning?
2. Parking – As in many major cities, parking can be a huge problem. Guarantee yourself a parking spot in your own personal garage and avoid the bad-parking epidemic depicted below.
3. Safety - Each year, $1.26 billion in personal items and accessories are stolen from vehicles in about 1.85 million thefts (Nationwide). A garage can help keep your car safe and secure from damage and theft.
Garage Project Blog - La Grange, IL
Its been a busy summer for Blue Sky Builders, Inc.! For our next project blog we wanted to share a custom garage we recently built.
The recently completed garage was built in La Grange, Illinois. The existing garage was wrecked on 4/12/13 and a brand new garage was built in its place. Below we will share some project details and pictures of the new garage.
New Garage Details
Located in La Grange, IL, the existing garage was wrecked on 4/12/13 and the new garage project was completed on 5/29/13.
Dimensions: 14×26
Garage Style: 4/12 pitch gable
Windows/Doors:
- 9'x6'6 overhead door (reused owners)
- Service door
Shingles: 3 tab asphalt shingle
Siding: Double 4″ vinyl siding
Color: Brown aluminum soffit, fascia & trim
Garage After Pictures
4 Tips For Eliminating Garage Odors
Thanks to the A+ Garage Doors blog for these tips.
It sometimes cannot be avoided that our garage will have a certain stink about it. Paint cans, gasoline canisters, tools etc. may be stored in the garage and items like these can leave foul odors behind. The cat box might be out there or it is even where some may store the trash until pick-up day. This does not mean that one should have to suffer with a smelly garage.
Below are 4 tips for eliminating garage odors:
1. Storing odor eliminators like baking soda, air fresheners and deodorizers will help reduce the pungent smells in your garage.
2. If your car is not parked in the garage, washing the floor will disinfect the floor and help keep smells from becoming too overpowering. Especially wash where garbage or pet waste containers are being stored to stop the growth of odors and bacteria.
3. Once or twice a week, open the garage door. Keep it opened for about an hour in order to let some fresh air in and the musty smell out. Make sure that you garage door is properly maintained. Check out this Garage Door Maintenance Checklist for tips.
Organizing Your Garage - Infographic
Studies show that 50% homeowners rate the garage as the most disorganized place in the house. And the U.S. Department of Energy reports that 25% of people with two-car garages don't park any cars in there and 32% park only one.
Does this sound like you? A few simple organization tactics can help you get your cars back into the garage! Below is an infographic from Angie's List sharing some tips for organizing your garage.
Top 5 Garage Organization Tips
- Use vertical space
- Get rid of what you don't need
- Consolidate into containers
- Properly dispose of old paint
- Shed some weight
(Click to view full size)
Tips for Organizing Your Garage Infographic
Have any tips to share?
We are on Angie's List! Review us here
Garage Project Blog - Oak Park, IL
Blue Sky Builders, Inc. has been building top quality custom garages in the Chicago area since 1979. We have built so many garages, we thought it'd be nice to share some project blogs sharing the details and highlighting some of the work we've done.
We recently completed a project in Oak Park, Illinois. The existing garage was wrecked on 3/27/13 and a brand new garage was built in its place. Below we will share project details and some before & after pictures!
Located in Oak Park, IL, the existing garage was wrecked on 3/27/13 and the new garage project was completed on 5/10/13.
Before Pictures
New Garage Details
Dimensions: 22×24
Garage style: Reverse gable, 18'6" total height, 10' hip dormer, full floor with stairs
Carport to Garage Conversion Checklist
Are you looking to convert your carport into a garage? While carports can offer a more inexpensive and easy-to-build solution, some opt for garages for complete four-wall protection and storage purposes.
If you would like to convert your carport into a fully enclosed and secure garage, keep in mind you will have abide by more city regulations. Following is a 7-point checklist from Jeff Benke for converting your carport!
- Check your local building code and HOA regulations. Find out if the project is allowed and what you may need to do to get a permit. For example, an attached garage will likely need a fire-rated wall on the house side.
- Measure the slab. At a bare minimum, a garage should be 20-ft. deep, with a width of 10 ft. for one car and 18 ft., 6 in. for two cars. A more comfortable garage would add 2-4 ft. to each dimension.
- Check the height. Will there be room for a header above the garage door opening? A standard garage door requires a rough opening 8 ft., 1 in. high, with a 2×8 or 2×12 header spanning the opening.
9 Ways to Take Advantage of Your Garage Space
As the cost of real estate rises, the garage has become valuable extended square footage. And cars are often left outside in favor of a gym, playroom, or craft areas (Garage History).
Your garage can be used for so much more than just parking your car. With that in mind, Garage Door Repair created an infographic sharing creative ways to take advantage of the space in your garage as long as you are in accordance with your local building codes and permits. View the full infographic. See 9 of those ideas below!
1. Apartment for Lease
Even the tallest SUVs on the market right now don't exceed seven feet in height. For garages with higher ceilings, that means there is enough vertical space to build a second floor. With a proper renters license, you could lease that space as an apartment - that is if you have the appropriate plumbing for a bathroom and a kitchen.
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