Transform Your Garage Into An Auto Shop
If you’re a car junkie like most of us here at ADVANTAGE LIFTS, you likely already spend a great deal of time in your garage. While you certainly use your garage for much more than just car storage, your setup might not be ideal for tinkering with your vehicles and all of the projects you wish to pursue.
While you may have a number of aspirations for your garage, it can be tough deciding what all you need, knowing where to begin, and making those initial steps in the process to building your dream garage.
Here at ADVANTAGE LIFTS, we’ve developed a comprehensive checklist of necessities to incorporate into your garage in order to transform it from an ordinary family garage into a fully functional auto shop.
Lighting
That unbearably bright and flickering garage light awkwardly placed in the center of the ceiling leaves much to be desired when you’re trying to work on your ride. This is our recommendation for the first item to tackle in your garage renovation process, as it will be one of the most beneficial for working on your cars as well as completing the rest of the necessary steps for setting up your auto workshop.
When it comes to garage lighting, you want lights that will:
- Provide enough visibility at night or with a closed garage door
- Not be overly bright to the point that they pester the neighbors
- Not draw too much outside attention — allowing for a potentially curious passersby to ask for help with fixing their cars
Well-placed ceiling and front-wall fluorescent light fixtures are proven easy solutions for replacing lackluster lights.
Not a fan of installing new garage lighting? Consider investing in a few high-beam portable work lights instead. These can be moved around the car as you work and be conveniently stored when not needed.
Yet another plausible alternative lighting option is to buy a photographer’s studio floodlight with a clamp or tripod for a quick, quality light solution at an affordable price.
Premium Shop Flooring
One of the most aggravating aspects about working on a car in your garage is the mess it can leave behind — oil, grease, and other car fluids can leave ugly stains that can easily become permanent on a standard concrete floor.
Those of you who are, or aspire to be, extreme car aficionados will find customized garage floor tiles to be very worthwhile. Used by professional shops and racing teams, these garage tiles like RaceDeck can be easily installed —locking together like puzzle pieces and providing much more durability than your typical garage floor.
If you are looking for a more budget-friendly option for your auto workshop, a two-part epoxy coating will also suffice — resisting stains from grease, dirt, and oils and providing sufficient grip for safety.
Wall Mounts
When it comes to keeping a garage workshop efficient for working on projects as well as safe, wall mounts are vital. Investing in a wall-mounted Slatwall allows you to maximize your space in your garage and avoid digging around on the floor for hours looking for that one tool that you need. Everything you need for your mechanical projects will be at arm’s reach instead of scattered throughout the garage in various drawers and toolboxes. It is also worth incorporating a power tool charging station on your wall as well in order to avoid searching around the garage for an open electrical outlet.
For a less expensive alternative to Slatwall, you can simply mount pegboard to get the same functionality for your walls.
Work Bench
When you’re transforming your garage into a workshop for your car — or cars, if you’re lucky — we’ve already noted the importance of storage space for your many tools. But what about adequate workspace for when you need to use those tools?
Building a workbench is incredibly easy as well as exciting, as you get to custom design your own home office in a sense. You can make yours as simple or complex as you desire — either nailing together a few pieces of two-by-fours and plywood or diving deeper and incorporating shelving and foldable extensions.
Garage Sink
A garage sink is a must-have for any grease-monkeys as it will not only save you tons of valuable time but will also save you from tons of arguments about you leaving a trail of hand and footprints through the clean house. It will also save you from compiling such a mess while working on your hot rod when you can wash your hands and tools off between uses.
Residential Garage Car Lift
Lastly, but most important of all in our minds, having a high-quality car lift for your residential garage is the ultimate factor for turning your home garage into an auto shop.
Nothing allows for more accessibility and room in your garage than being able to free up the floor space previously reserved for your vehicles. Utilizing the space above your head in the garage allows your maintenance and repairs to be much less hassle when you can easily sit or stand underneath your vehicle as you tinker with it.
No matter what size your residential garage may be, here at ADVANTAGE LIFTS, we’re certain we have a car lift that is perfect for your needs. We carry top-of-the-line Advantage lifts in every size — from portable 2-post lifts to heavy-duty 4-post lifts. Advantage car lifts are some of the most highly sought-after auto lifts for both home and commercial garages.
View all of our car lifts and other garage equipment to take your auto workshop to the next level.
Simply put, our auto lifts provide the best way to work on and store your cars. Stop wasting money on storage units, garage overhauls, and constant repairs. Instead, get your own residential garage car lift online today.
It’s time to discover a better solution. It’s time to get lifted with ADVANTAGE LIFTS!
