Make your garage more comfortable with these easy steps
Most of us who have a garage use it to park the car. The majority are unfinished, which is fine for car storage. But if you use your garage as a work space, you might consider making it a little more comfortable. Here are some super ideas you can try that won't cost too much.
Air leaks in most garages are through the door. There are some simple weatherstripping kits you can buy at a home center that are easy to install with tacks or glue. Some are even cut to fit standard-size overhead garage doors.
Another kit is available for a better seal along the bottom of the door. Again, they are already cut to the right size and are easy to install.
You also can install foam insulation panels on the inside of a standard door. Kits are available with pre-cut panels for both single and double doors. If you want to save money, you might be able to do so by buying full-size sheets and cutting them to fit your door.
Because you will have cars, paint and other solvents stored in the garage, special care must be taken when shopping for a heater. You shouldn't have one with an open flame, and so portable heaters and heat lamps might be your best bet. For beating the heat, fans or portable air conditioners can be used.
Adding a layer of insulation on your floor will help too. This might mean rubber mats or a plastic grid system in your work area. Snap-together floor systems can be put in the whole garage if you want. They will help keep the entire garage in better shape, but they can be costly.
We also recommend better lighting. In most cases, you will need good lights to get your projects done. Install overhead lights or, better yet, use clip-on lights that can be moved to where you are working.
Make sure that the door from the garage to the house is weatherstripped to keep your home energy costs down. A better-insulated garage also can help.
Other add-ons for garage workshops are intercoms so you can talk to the people in your home if you need to, a smoke detector and maybe even a phone.
There is no rule that says a workshop in a garage has to be cold and impersonal. A little work and some creative solutions can make your workshop a super place to tackle your projects and repairs.
Save the cord: If you have to leave an extension cord running across your driveway, you should protect it from being run over and damaged by cars. One way to protect it would be to use a scrap of garden hose, slit down the side and slipped around the cord on those areas. The hose is easy to install on the cord and can be repositioned if need be. It's simple, easy and might be free if you have a bad garden hose lying around. Even so, it's best to avoid this situation with a cord.
Chip cans in shop: Those tall potato-chip cans or tennis-ball cans are super for storing things in the shop. Keep a set of wrenches in one, screwdrivers in another and drill bits in a third. The lids fit tightly and keep contents inside. Just slap a label on the front, and you will be able to get what you need when you need it. Use the smaller, individual snack-size containers for hardware items like screws and nails. You even can take these containers in your toolbox or your automobile when you need to.
Super hints
• Use a squeegee to remove cat or dog hair from your furniture. The foam side works great on some surfaces (it can be dampened if you want), while the rubber side works better on others. It's easy to do and works great. We think it's even faster than using a lint brush.
• Have your mower blade sharpened before mowing season starts. You don't want to store a freshly sharpened blade in a moist area, or rust will start quickly. Wipe the blade edge with lubricant to prevent this, and install it right before you are ready to use it.
• Save empty hand-soap dispensers to use for all sorts of household and shop liquids. It's great for shampoo and cream rinse in a shower, body wash, dish-washing liquid in the kitchen, lubricating oil and hand cleaner in the workshop, and lots of other things. You'll love your new dispensers once you start using them.
Q. I hate the wallpaper in my guest bath. I am in a hurry to get it down and would rather not hassle with that. Can I just paint right over it if it's up there good?
A. It's really best to strip off the old wallpaper first. It will be worth it in the long run. Even if the wallpaper looks like it's glued on well, it could loosen when the wet paint sits on it. That having been said, we both admit to painting over wallpaper with good results.
Q. Several years ago, we installed solar window film on our windows. We are trying to take it off our patio door now but can't do it. Some of it comes off OK, but not all of it. It actually looks worse now. I can't get it all off. What can we use to get it all off?
A. There are a few things you can try. First of all, you can buy a remover supplied by the company that makes the film. Denatured alcohol also might work. Adhesive removers, available at your hardware store, might be of help.
Q. My wallpaper is peeling around the edges. How can I glue the edges back down? The paper is stiff, and I don't want to rip or break it off. I've tried, and the edges are stronger than the glue is. What can you recommend to help this situation?
A. Wallpaper paste is your best bet. Dampen the wallpaper before applying the glue, then hold it in place with low-tack painter's masking tape.
Reader tips
• My wife tripped and fell in the garage while taking the garbage out because she couldn't reach the light switch while carrying the bag. I found a motion-sensor lamp base and plugged it into the overhead lamp with a new bulb. Now the light comes on automatically whenever anyone walks into the garage. It's very handy and safer for us all.
• I found a great way to make sure my tools get put back where I can find them. The tools that live in the garage/shop have blue tape wrapped around them, like my best set of screwdrivers. The tools kept in the kitchen have red tape on them, and the garden tools get green, of course. The bright tape does seem to make them easier to find, too. This system is easy enough for anyone to use, and really seems to help the whole family stay organized.
• I don't fish much anymore, so I gave away all of my old tackle and cleaned the box out. I found a better use for the old box, which was pretty great for organizing my tackle. I now use it to store all of my miscellaneous hardware in the bins. It's super. It has lots of individual trays that close up, so it's great for hardware. I now have room to keep all of my hardware in one place. And I can take it with me when I need to.
• I finally cleaned my old iron. It was spitting a lot of saltlike stuff that would come off on my clothes sometimes. I filled the reservoir up with half water and half vinegar and let it steam. The steam holes all came clean, and I ran water through it again after the vinegar was gone, just to clean it out. It's like a new iron now.
• I had always heard that cedar closets kept moths from eating your clothes. We created our own by taking cedar planks left over from a project and cut them into blocks. Then we placed the blocks in all of the drawers in the closet and on the shelves, as well as hanging some with the clothes. The whole closet has a great cedar smell, and I think we have done a good job for a lot less than redoing the whole closet.
Shop talk
• We always recommend trying to unclog a toilet by means other than chemicals, so the Johnny Jolter is a great tool to have on hand for those unclogging chores we all have. The Johnny Jolter is a cylinder that draws water in and then forces it back out to blast out the clog. A flexible bowl adapter fits most styles and sizes of toilets. It's designed to be easy to operate, and can be disassembled to clean. If you've had trouble with a standard plunger, you'll find the Johnny Jolter easier to use. If you are interested in learning more, visit the company's Web site at www.atticdek.com. You also can find a local dealer in your area through this Web site.
• If you are planning to buy a new lawn mower this year, a cordless mower is a good choice. There are several models on the market to choose from. They don't cost that much more than a gas-powered mower either, and since there is no gas or oil to mess with, they are super-clean to operate and store, not to mention how much better they are for the environment. Black and Decker has just come out with a model that looks pretty good. It's adjustable and can be changed to a bagging or mulching mower fairly easily. The Black and Decker model is Energy Star rated and has a solid two-year warranty. If you want to learn more about this "green" mower, visit the company's Web site at www.blackanddecker.com.
• Write to Al and Kelly Carrell in care of the Daily Herald, P.O. Box 280, Arlington Heights, IL 60006.