You have endless possibilities for a garage with a well-insulated door – here are 10!

Have you ever wondered why a lot of people choose to park their car on the street instead of in their garage? It’s because they’ve identified a lot of other uses for their garage, and they’ve had a weather-tight, insulated garage door so that they can re-purpose the garage for other activities. What a well-insulated door does for you is keep the cold out in winter, and the heat out in summer. It also serves as a noise barrier. The trend in today’s homes is toward a multi-functional garage, so why not jump on board? Here are 10 great ideas for re-purposing your garage that might just motivate you to buy a weather-tight, insulated garage door

he perfect workshop

This is actually the most common reason to re-purpose a garage, and it makes sense. Whether you’re a craftsperson, a carpenter, or you love to tinker with cars, you can do it in comfort – no more making a mess in the house or having to work in the driveway. You’ll be comfortable any time of year, and you won’t have to worry about annoying your neighbors when you fire up your power tools.

A renovation center

Most people prefer to do their interior renovations over the winter, and exterior renovations in the summer. Now, you can take it as a given that your family isn’t going to be all that happy if you’re cutting bathroom tiles in the house, or cluttering up the driveway with building materials. You can do a lot of your prep work in the garage, and with an insulated door, you’ll be cool in summer and warm in winter.

A place to do your trim work

Again, if you’re renovating, cutting ceiling trim or baseboards in the house is going to make a serious mess. Of course you want your walls to look better, but it would also be nice if you weren’t leaving cut bits and sawdust all over the place. You can do your cutting in the comfort of your heated garage, without subjecting your family to mess and mayhem.

A place for creating

Do you have an artistic flair? Does anyone in your family? The garage is the ideal place for painting, sculpting, or any other creative activity. This is especially true if you have kids – you don’t want paint all over your furniture or rugs, so send them out to the heated garage where they can indulge their passion for art without causing any harm to your living areas.

A furniture refinishing area

Many of us think there’s nothing better than finding an old piece of furniture at a yard sale, stripping off layers of paint, and then restoring the wood to a warm glow. The trouble is that in the winter, if you’re using paint stripper in the house, you’re going to have to open all your windows. Or you could wait until summer to tackle your project out in the years. With an insulated garage door, and an exhaust fan, you can do it indoors any time of the year.

Temporary storage

Note that we said “temporary.” We’re not talking about taking all your stuff that you can’t decide what to do with out to the garage. We’re thinking more along the lines of someone who is operating a business out of their home. If you have items for sale, you may need to store them somewhere that there is enough heat, and low humidity. So why not use your garage? Get all that stuff out of the spare bedroom so you can use the bedroom as it was meant to be used – for guests.

Homework for your dog

If you’ve been taking your best buddy to obedience school, you’re probably going to want to practice what you’ve learned. You could do it in your house (and risk scratching your floors), or you could do it outdoors (where the weather might not always be accommodating). Or, you could do it in your garage, where accidents are easy to clean up and there’s no danger of damage. You and your dog will always be warm and comfy, and won’t have to depend on the whims of Mother Nature.

Party!

As long as your garage has an insulated door, you can host a gathering. A single-car garage is perfect for a gathering of just a few friends, and you can host more people in a two-car garage. Add a stereo system and a fridge, and you’ve got Party Central! This is a great idea for people with teens, who want a bit of privacy. And you’re still close by to check on them once in a while.

A playroom for the little ones

You know how kids hate being house-bound during inclement weather. So if it’s too cold, or too rainy, or too hot, send them out to play in the garage. Just clear off the floor so that they can kick a ball around or ride their trikes. As they get older, you could think about installing a pool table or a ping-pong table. A heated garage can be a great play area for kids of all ages.

You can park your car there, too

Even though people are finding inventive ways to make use of their garage space, that doesn’t mean that you can’t use it for its original purpose. There’s something to be said, in the dead of winter, for being able to go out and get into a room-temperature vehicle instead of cleaning off a ton of snow and then waiting at least 10 minutes for the car to warm up before you head off to work.

What do you do with your garage?

Is there something we haven’t thought of? Then tell us! We love hearing about the inventive uses homeowners are finding for their garages.

Thinking of switching up your garage, and your garage door? Contact us or call us at 506-455-3667. We’ll help you to decide what you want to do with your garage.

We would also love to see you at our showroom. We’ll talk with you about the variety of doors that complement your home’s architectural style. You can also request a quote online.

Want to see how your garage door will look before you buy? Then use our Design Centre, and create your perfect garage door online. You can also take a look at our image gallery.