I know that I am not alone in needed a garage door repair. The following guide is from The Family Handyman and is a terrific (and relatively simple) how-to to repair your garage door trim, door jamb, stop molding, and door seals.
If you are like me, you might be realizing that one more year of holding this together with paint is not going to cut it. Time to replace with PVC trim.
This DIY home bar is a cool design. This isn’t a super detailed plan with a measured drawing, but this home bar is laid out with enough photos that most handy folks should be able to figure it out.
I like the fact that this bar has two tiers, a nice overhang, and a clipped corner. These are all hallmarks of thoughtful design when it comes to a large home bar. If you are looking to enhance the professional look even further, you can purchase bar molding and brass foot rails from Rockler.com.
Well done.
With the increase in demand for what is in effect a finite global resource, over the last few years there has been a significant increase in the cost of energy. With prices now at a point where homeowners are looking for effective ways of reducing energy consumption, the rise of the insulated garage door has become apparent.
Whilst installing loft insulation and double glazed windows may seem like an obvious solution, many homeowners are not aware of the fact that heat is escaping out of the garage opening at an alarming rate.
Where the garage is attached to the house, this heat loss means that heating systems need to work harder than they otherwise might should the space be adequately insulated from the elements.
If we consider the fact that the garage opening is the largest structural opening within the home, then it is obvious why insulation is important. You would not leave a window open on a cold winter`s night, so why settle for a rattling old garage door that in effect creates the same amount of heat loss.
Unlike a traditional garage door that is constructed from only a single sheet of thin metal, the thick energy efficient foam filled core of an insulated garage door acts as a really tough barrier against not only the heat escaping but also the cold from entering the inside of the garage in the first place.
Once installed across the garage opening, an insulated garage door will make the inside of the home considerably warmer and therefore more energy efficient leading to savings off energy bills.
Whilst traditional garage doors are available in many forms, the most popular form of energy efficient doors is either an insulated sectional garage door or an insulated roller garage door.
These two types of design are great at insulating due to their design and the way in which they are installed. Because they are fitted to the inside face of the opening with the door panel overlapping the brickwork, a really tight weather seal is formed preventing draughts getting in. In addition to this the bottom of the door is fitted with a rubber strip to prevent draughts getting under the door.
Roller Garage Doors
These are really popular where homeowners are looking for a simple to operate unit that not only offers a level of insulation but also allows for additional storage space to be created inside the garage roof space. As the door opens, the material coils around a drum wheel located above the lintel and is housed inside a neat and compact box that takes up little room.
The drawback to insulated garage roller doors is that they cannot be overly thick otherwise the door would simply not roll up. For this reason the maximum thickness tends to be 18mm thick. Whilst pretty good at insulating, they are really a trade off in terms of storage space / energy efficiency.
Sectional Garage Doors
Unlike insulated roller garage doors, the design of a sectional door means that the panel thickness can be much greater leading to increased levels of thermal performance. Whereas a roller door coils up, the panels of a sectional garage door retract back inside the garage and are housed in the ceiling space when the door is opened. Whilst no additional storage space is created, the door can now be made up to 42mm thick which will seriously protect the garage space from the elements no matter how cold it gets.
In conclusion, replacing the old garage door that was probably fitted to your home some time ago when energy conservation was not an issue for a modern and up to date insulated garage door is a really sensible option and costs far less than you may first imagine.
Whether you are looking to organize your storage space, need a place to store wood for the winter, want to add a workbench to your shop or simply want to give an old garage and new look, remodeling your garage is a great summer or weekend project for any handyman. These 10 tips and tricks offer easy ways to make the most of your garage.
1. Organize Your Tools and Provide Easy Access with Pegboards
Pegboards are a great way to store and hang cords, power tools and other items. To help keep track of your items, consider tracing an outline of the tools on the pegboard using a permanent marker before hanging the board.
2. Improve Comfort through Increased Insulation
Many garages lack proper insulation. By adding insulation to the outside walls and installing a garage door insulation kit, you can help to reduce thermal leaks between the garage and home to save on your energy bills
3. Install a Shelving System
While individual shelves can work for storing items, a shelving system provides a cohesive look and greater flexibility. Using wall anchors and laminated boards allows you to accommodate a wide variety of items. However, you should always check weight capacities before storing items.
4. Install Floor Pads in High-Traffic Areas for Added Comfort and Safety
Padded flooring provides numerous benefits during extended periods of standing as well as increasing traction when spills occur. Most foam or rubber padding can be cut to size or purchased in interlocking panels to provide optimal coverage at an affordable price.
5. Finish Your Garage to Add Room to Your Home
If you do not store your vehicles in your garage, finishing your garage can add value to your home. Simply install basic wooden framework, fill with insulation and attach your drywall. You now have a spare room for the kids to enjoy, a place to entertain friends or a room for that new home theater system you have always wanted.
6. Theme Your Garage
If you have a favorite sports team, car manufacturer or hobby, vinyl wall art, banners and trim make it affordable to personalize your garage. Matching these items with a new coat of paint will tie the look together for your new man cave.
7. Improve Ventilation for Improved Heating and Cooling Bills
The garage is often not included in residential heating or air conditioning systems. Installing ventilation fans in the garage can provide air circulation while helping to regulate temperature and reduce humidity as well.
8. Install Light Sensors for Safety and Convenience
Motion sensors switches will automatically turn on the lights in your garage when movement is detected. This can make it easier and safer to move from the vehicle to the house while carrying objects or during the night.
9. Take Advantage of Overhead Space
Shelving systems designed for storing objects on the ceiling of the garage make it easy to take advantage of unused garage space. Always check for proper vehicle clearance before purchase and installation.
10. Relocate Your Laundry Room for Increased Indoor Storage
By moving your laundry equipment to the garage, you can reduce ambient heat and moisture within the home while reclaiming valuable storage space. Always ensure adequate ventilation of equipment in the garage to prevent damage and health risks.
Every year I run into the issue of poor garage storage space. This year I am going to do something about it. Well… that is what I have said for 5 straight years. Each year I’ll add a shelf, some hooks, or a cabinet, but nothing seems to work. My space needs have either grown, or my hodgepodge of shelving isn’t cutting it.
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This year, my intention is to alleviate our issues by moving things up off of the floor and providing high storage with some custom cabinet storage along the entire wall.
This plan comes from The Family Handyman Magazine and is a terrific concept. The lumber won’t be cheap, but if it helps to clean up my garage, then it will be mission accomplished. It would be nice to park both vehicles inside the garage
Click on the image for the complete plan (pdf). If the link is dead, please post a comment below and we will email you a copy of that file.
Have fun.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]
A $3 tube of adhesive caulk along with a few screws and a little elbow grease was all that was needed to repair my garage door support bracket.
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I have a Wayne Dalton garage door and the bracket ripped from the door yesterday morning. Kind of surprising since the door bracket was hanging from a single screw. I thought that I was going to be in for a hard to find part and a difficult repair.
Here is a view of the bracket. You can’t necessarily tell, but the bracket (also known as an Operator Reinforcement Bracket) has a crack just below the black bracket piece. It was bending and that point and probably would have cracked completely with one more operation of the garage door.
I haven’t ever experienced this issue, so I did a bit of research. Immediately, I was able to come up with a replacement bracket for Wayne Dalton door for about $20. However, that was mail order and I needed my garage door today. I figured I would give Lowe’s a shot to see if they carried a universal bracket. They did not, however, the gentleman in the building materials department had an idea.
Flip it upside down and reattach!
Funny, but the simplest solution often passes us by when we are in the midst of a project or repair. He was right. The only part of the bracket that saw any strain, was where the bracket attached to the garage door motor arm. I simply created a paper template and copied the screw hole pattern on the opposite end. It was a mirror image.
To attach the bracket, I used the existing screws (4) plus the screws where the black arm bracket attaches. The original installation utilized 2 beads of adhesive to attach. I went a bit overboard in this department and used adhesive wherever I had surface contact. In addition to that I added screws wherever possible (why not over do it here?). After all, this door only has a 1/16″ aluminum skin along with a lightweight foam core. There isn’t much holding power for a fastener.
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$3 later (I had the 1/2″ screws laying around the shop) and I have a secure door bracket once again. Simple solution.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]