Do you have a garage on the way to becoming cluttered and disorganized? If so, you aren't alone. Garages have great potential, but they do need direction (figure A). A lack of organization becomes a problem for everyone in the family; what's needed is a high functioning multipurpose space (figure B).
This is the challenge for Nancy Golden as she explores the potential of the garage at her new home. Her busy family wants a clean, functional space that also offers a funky, quirky personality. In one weekend, she transforms the 20'x20' space with a decorative wall mural that is both pure fun and reflective of the local Southwestern landscape, a new floor coating that changes the entire look of the space and organizational elements that dress up the room and provide ample storage space (figure C).
- This makeover is rate intermediate to advanced.
- On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 indicating the highest degree of difficulty, it rates a solid 4.
- The project took 12 hours to complete, over the course of two days.
- The cost to complete the garage is approximately $1,000.
After creating a computerized room plan, prep work was done earlier in the week. The walls were base-coated with a medium-blue paint and allowed to dry completely. The concrete floor was thoroughly cleaned to ensure the new floor coating sticks properly. The final prep job was the first, and very important, step for the new floor: it was swept to remove any debris and-- following manufacturer's instructions -- cleaned with a muriatic-acid-and-water solution, removing any oil and residue on the floor. The floor was rinsed three to four times to remove the solution and allowed to dry completely. Tip: The drying process requires at least four to six hours; keep the garage doors open during the cleaning process to maintain good ventilation.
| 
)
)
![PHOTO](javascript:popup("http://img.diynetwork.com/DIY/2004/11/01/wdc306_1fe_e.jpg",350,450))
![PHOTO](javascript:popup("http://img.diynetwork.com/DIY/2004/11/01/wdc306_1fd_e.jpg",350,450))
