Saturday 10 August 2013

How to Design a Three Car Garage

A garage is a valuable addition to any home. Nowadays, the three-car garage is becoming increasingly popular among families as it provides more space for vehicles and belongings. Designing your own garage, with some technical assistance from the Internet or a contractor, can actually be a rewarding task.

Instructions

Designing your own 3 car garage

    1

    Decide if you want an attached garage or a detached one that stands apart from the home. An attached garage is more convenient as it allows direct access to your home, but it might detract from the view of your home. It also depends on your lot size, and where you could accommodate a garage. If you choose to build an attached garage, ensure that you match the facade of your house and continue the same style so that your garage is integrated with your home.

    2

    Consider what your garage is going to be used for. Do you have two cars, a motorcycle and bicycles? A minimum standard for a three-car garage is 24 feet in depth by 32 feet in width. If you require additional storage space, you can increase either the depth or the width by about six feet.

    3

    Decide on the entry point to your garage from the road. Where would you ideally need to position the garage doors? The size of the doors depends upon the vehicles you own. In most cases, a three-car garage would have one larger door of about 18 feet wide and eight feet high. The size of the smaller door would depend upon what purpose it was going to serve, for a car, a boat or any other vehicle.

    4

    Mark the positions of your cars on your graph paper. In most cases, cars turn in from the road at a 90 degree angle and drive straight into the garage. A standard parking lot dimension for a car turning 90 degrees to park, according to second edition of "Time Saver Standards for Building Types'" edited by Joseph De Chiara and John Callender, is 10 feet wide by 19 feet long, with a minimum driveway length of 24 feet. Use this as a base to ensure that your driveway is long enough for your car to turn into and that there is enough space to park in your garage.

    5

    Position any windows that you would want, and the door to access your home (for an attached garage). A standard roof height would be about 9 to 10 feet, or if you want a loft, 12 foot high walls are an option. In this case, make a provision for a staircase. Trusses work well for garages and are a perfect option that allows for more storage.

    6

    Make room for your other belongings and demarcate the space on your graph paper. Mark a spot for your lawn mower, bicycles and other such equipment that may use floor space. Remember to leave adequate space to open the car door. Hang your rakes, brooms, gardening and home tools on the wall. You can even add a retractable workstation to save your floor space. Store your seasonal and other belongings in plastic bins on shelves and cabinets along the garage walls.

    7

    Check out the types of flooring, doors, and organization materials that are available in home improvement or hardware stores. For more ideas, consult magazines or online sites such as Garage Design Center (See Resources)

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