Stuff.... I have WAY too much stuff. In fact, as I write this, I can't even get my vehicles into my garage. Last fall, I salvaged three giant rolls of wall to wall carpet that I intend to use in my basement office and kid's playroom. It is still on the floor of the garage!

There is also a giant pile of woodwork in the center of the garage. We are modifying the interior trim of my house to make it look like an 1890's Victorian farmhouse - the actual exterior architectural style. Add to this, kid's bikes, lawn mowers, table saw, etc. and you can see the problem.

It Was Worse!

When I was still doing construction work on a daily basis, I used to bring home leftover materials and parts from jobs. From past experience, I knew they would come in handy on a future job. Over time, I simply accumulated too much stuff. It got so bad that I couldn't pull my truck into the garage.

Several years ago, I decided to take advantage of my garage's large interior height. The walls of my garage are nearly 11 feet 6 inches tall. I had to build it this tall so that the roof of the garage would not interfere with the adjacent roof over the laundry room. If I had it to do over, I would have built 12 or 14 foot high walls!

Anyway, I constructed in one corner of my garage a wonderful loft that allowed me to take vast quantities of materials, parts, etc. and suspend them up in the air. My loft is nestled in a corner of my garage, although I am planning to extend it along the back wall of the garage much like I have described in the column and this bulletin.

Scads of Space

If you have a garage with only 9 foot high ceilings, you will be able to still make a wonderful loft area. Just look at your current garage and imagine all of the cubic feet of wasted space located over the hoods of your vehicles.

The trick is to place items in the loft that are needed on a seasonal basis. Plan the space so that you don't have to move things back and forth to retrieve something else.

Access to the Loft

I found a wonderful 10 foot long wooden ladder in perfect condition at a garage sale. I use it to access my loft. It just leans up against one end of my loft. I do not have it permanently attached to the loft since I use the ladder for other things. It would be safer if I did attach it, so keep this in mind for your situation.

I would not use a step ladder to access a loft unless the ladder was taller than the loft. Remember, you are not supposed to stand on the top two rungs of a stepladder. They can be come very unstable and you can fall. This situation becomes even worse when you are carrying some large box up or down the ladder. You have your hands full and your center of gravity is now altered! Avoid step ladders for loft access!

Beams and Joists

Most people have built decks before. It is common for the deck joists to be in the same plane as the deck ledger board at the house. In many instances the other end of the joists rest on top of a beam. I don't suggest you do this for a garage loft as it takes away precious inches of head room beneath the beam. Beams can be in the same plane as joists. You simply use joist hangers at each end of the joist!

Keep in mind that there is the possibility for vast amounts of weight in the loft. Use your existing floors in your house as a guideline for joist sizing and spans. If you decide to build a giant loft, consult with a seasoned carpenter or designer to make sure you have the lumber sized correctly.

When you load objects in the loft, keep heavy things towards the back of the loft. This will help to transfer the load to the ledger board and not the front beam. Distribute loads evenly. Try not to concentrate all of the weight in a small section of the loft. Use common sense.

Remember, you can hang rakes, shovels, hand tools etc. from the joists! Be creative!

Fan Mail

Betty and Don M.'s garage loft.

After my column ran in the many papers across the nation, I received a very nice letter from Betty and Don M. in Bellingham, Washington. They read my column each week in the Bellingham Herald. They were kind enough to write to me and tell me about a nearly identical loft that they built in their own home. They commented that the loft is saving them $50 per month in off site storage fees and that they can easily park both cars in the garage. Betty and Don, thanks so much for sharing your photo and story with all of us!

Companion Articles: A Storage Loft in a Garage, Garage Storage - Loft Material List, Floor Plan for Garage Storage Loft

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A Very Simple Structural Floor Plan

The following plan is about as simple as they come. Your mission is simply to build an elevated deck in your garage. The ledger board is the first thing that is installed.

Simply make sure you have it positioned correctly so that the 4x4 posts will not interfere with your cars.

I accomplish this by pulling the vehicle into the garage in its normal position. Use a level and plumb down the sides of the car at its widest point or where the 4x4 posts will be closest to the car. Make marks on the garage floor and then pull the car out of the way. Take a full sheet of plywood and lay it on the floor so that its long 8 foot edge is parallel with the back wall of the garage. Make it overlap the two marks on the floor equally. Project the two 4 foot plywood edges back to the rear wall of the garage and you now know where the ledger board must be. Simply plumb a line up from one of the new marks and this is a starting / ending point for the ledger board. Going through this exercise will keep the platform framing square so it is easy to attach the plywood flooring.

The 4x4 posts can extend to the ceiling but should be secured to the ceiling joists or collar ties or new 2x4 blocking between these existing members.

For a list of materials required for this loft, read the column Garage Storage - Loft Material List.

Companion Articles: A Storage Loft in a Garage, Garage Storage - Loft Material List, Garage Storage Loft

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Garage Storage - Loft Material List

Building my garage storage loft does not require too much material. If you visit a full service lumber yard, they will have everything on the following list. Do NOT use roofing nails to attach the joist hangers to the beams and ledger board. Roofing nails are designed for shingles, not for supporting large amounts of weight. The heads of the nails can pop off and the shafts of the nails can break. You can buy short nails that have a thick shaft and thick head that are meant to take weight. They are specified in the following list.

This is the material list for the garage storage platform shown in the column Floor Plan for Garage Storage Loft. If you build it wider or deeper, you will need to modify the list dramatically. Remember, if the span between the 4x4 posts is more than 8 feet, make the front beam double 2x8's.

The Material List:

• Four 2x6 x 12's - Cut to 6' long for joists

• Three 2x6 x 8's - Ledger and Double Beam
• Two 4x4 x ? - Length depends upon height of your garage
• Two 2x4 x 8's - Blocking material for anchoring top of 4x4 posts
• Four 1/2 inch x 7 inch long carriage bolts with washers and nuts - Use these to attach the beam to the 4x4 posts - two bolts per post.
• Six 3/8 x 5 inch long lag bolts with washers - Use these to attach the ledger board to the rear wall of the garage.
• Twelve single 2x6 Simpson or equivalent metal joist hangers
• 1 small box Simpson or equivalent joist hanger nails
• Two 4' x 8' x 3/4 inch pieces of plywood for loft flooring ( 5/8 or 1/2 inch can be substituted)
• Two Simpson or equivalent 4x4 post bases
• Two 1/2" x 3" expansion stud anchors for post bases
• Two pounds of 8 penny sinker nails - For subfloor attachment
• Two pounds of 16 penny sinker nails - for misc. attachment of joists to beams, beam construction, etc.

Companion Articles: A Storage Loft in a Garage, Floor Plan for Garage Storage Loft, Garage Storage Loft

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What About Cost?

To build the dream garage I have described and illustrated in other articles, it will probably cost you between $35 and $45 per square foot (Actual Costs as of 1999) if you have a contractor do it for you. If you happen to be handy and can do lots of the work yourself, you might be able to get it done for about half of that.

If you do decide to build the garage yourself, you will need at least 6 people to help you tilt up the walls. The garage door wall should be built without the beam in place. It will be very hard to erect as it will be top heavy. Create the pocket for the beam and slide and fasten it in place after the wall is up and braced.

The beam over the garage door will need to be sized by an engineer. Its size depends on what type of trusses you decide to use. If you go with the attic storage trusses, be prepared for a slightly larger beam.

Exterior Surface?

If your budget starts to get tight, give vinyl siding a serious look. Be sure to look at the ones that are multi-colored. When viewed from a distance of 20 or more feet, they will usually fool most people into thinking you covered your garage with expensive cedar or redwood. Buy a siding that has passed the voluntary standards of the Vinyl Institute!

Companion Articles: Dream Garage Has Lots of Room, Dream Garage Illustrations, Ideal Garage Plans & Tips

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Ideal Garage Plans | Don't forget paint colors when it comes to garage planning ideas! Look at this stunning paint job. Did you see the cupola too? Copyright 2019 Tim Carter

Ideal Garage Plans - Make It Much Bigger

Tips for Creating Perfect Garage Plans

Who among us has not banged a car door into a bicycle or a garbage can once inside a garage? Or, are you guilty of scratching your car with a shovel or rake as you try to navigate the narrow spaces between your car and all of the other clutter inside your existing garage?

Do Most People Want to Enlarge Their Garages?

My guess is that most people - once they have moved into a house - would love to expand or enlarge their garage if given the chance. This column and bulletin set is for those people who have an opportunity to build a detached garage or possibly an attached garage of their dreams.

CLICK or TAP HERE for FREE BIDS from local garage builders.

Does the Perfect Garage Have Space for 3 Cars?

The perfect garage, in my opinion, does not have to be a 3 or 4 car monstrosity. If you have that many cars, well then, I guess you may be a candidate. If you are like most people, you might have two cars and just need some extra room to store things without being cramped.

What are the Perfect Interior Dimensions For a Garage?

Using my existing garage as a model, I have determined that a nearly perfect garage would have interior dimensions of 32 feet by 26 feet. The floor to ceiling height at the back wall of the garage would be a tad over 12 feet. As you approach the garage door from the back wall, the sloping concrete slab would cause this height to increase.

What is the Widest Single Garage Door?

The ideal door for two cars would be 18 feet wide by 8 feet tall. This is a standard sized door if you deal with most national brand garage door companies.

Is It a Good Idea to Install a Man Door?

It is a good idea to install a man door. This is a regular door you walk through when you just need to get yourself into the garage, not a car or truck.

It becomes a personal preference as to whether or not you install a standard-width access door for humans to enter the garage so that you don't have to raise and lower the garage door. Doors take up valuable wall space, but the overall convenience may be worth it. Windows provide lots of light, but they also take up valuable wall space and provide a way for strangers to view your possessions. Natural light can stream into the garage space if you install inexpensive but leakproof skylights. I happen to have had great success with Velux skylights. I have installed hundreds of them and they have never leaked.

CLICK or TAP HERE for FREE BIDS from local garage builders.

Should a Garage Have a Storage Loft?

The dream garage has loft storage within the garage for all of those boxes, seasonal decorations, and other possessions that might get damaged in excessively hot attics or in damp, musty basements. Since the garage slab will be installed over a high-performance vapor barrier, the interior of the garage will have humidity levels consistent with the outside air. Although the inside of the garage can get hot, it should not get as hot as an enclosed attic area.

The 12-foot-high walls allow you to build one or more six-foot high lofts that allow you to get under them and on them without having to bend over excessively.

Should I Use Garage Attic Storage Trusses?

If you have the need for extra storage space for items that can take extremes of heat and cold, then consider trying to fit attic storage trusses into your building budget. These handy trusses have a center area within the truss that does not contain any pesky cross members or webs.

Watch the following video. The trusses you see in the video were placed ON TOP of my daugther's garage creating a massive room.

The net effect once all of the trusses are in place is a cave-like space that is fairly wide open and allows you to easily store objects on the trusses themselves or a plywood floor you install. The bottom chord of the trusses is usually a 2 x 6 or a 2 x 8 so that it can take a considerable amount of weight. Visit a full service lumber yard or truss fabrication plant to see what these look like.

Companion Articles: Dream Garage Has Lots of Room, Dream Garage Illustrations, Garage Plans & Construction Costs

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Sample Sketches of Possible Seat Configurations

Here are a few sketches and details that may help you build a window seat. These are the same type of drawings I used to do while sitting at a prospective client's dining room table. Often, I would have to draw a detail to explain how I might do something. These worked then and I hope they work for you. (You are right - I didn't get an "A" in art class!)

A Simple Window Seat Plan

The following plan should help you visualize just how to build a simple window seat on a wall. The most important perspective, in my opinion, is the side view. This one actually shows you the structure of the window seat. Consider building a very simple small test seat in the place you are going to construct the real one. Make sure you like the height and depth of what you have in mind. To do this, all you need to do is nail a simple cleat on the wall and then sit a piece of plywood cut to the depth your seat will be. Support the front edge of the plywood with two simple 2x4 legs to get it level. The window seat needs to be right and comfortable or you are wasting your time. Building a simple window seat can be done in one day. Use small decorative moldings under the seat lip. Finishing the window seat may take you another 4 to 6 hours. It is a delightful project.

Remember, the width of the seat is a function of where you place it. The window trim often decides what the width will be. There is no standard. Keep in mind that plywood longer than 8 feet is a custom item and very expensive.

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Do you want to create a cozy spot to read a book, ponder the majesty of the autumn colors, watch snow fall, or listen to a rain shower? You often can't find a better place than a comfortable window seat. Window seats are classy, plain and simple.

Surprisingly Simple

If you possess the following basic carpentry tools, you can successfully build a simple window seat. Here are the tools I would gather for this project:

• 2 and 4 foot levels
• Power circular saw
• Tape measure
• Framing square
• Miter box and saw
• Drywall finishing tools
• Hammer
• Screwdrivers
• Painting Tools

These are very basic tools that many people have. The hardest part of the entire project, in my opinion, is cutting and fitting the top. All too often the space where the top fits is not perfectly square. You need to use the framing square to help you determine just how to cut each short edge to make the top fit snuggly in the wall recess.

Storage Access Options

Probably the easiest way to provide access to the area beneath the seat is to use stock kitchen cabinet fronts. I have found that the best size to use is the front face of a 15 inch high kitchen wall cabinet. You can often just order these without the sides, top or bottom of the cabinet. The trick is to find one or a combination of cabinet faces that will work for the width of your window seat. Once you have accomplished this, you simply install a 2x4 on its side at the front bottom of the window seat wall. The cabinet face will sit on top of this blocking. A 4 inch high baseboard will overlap onto the frame of the cabinet front and hide this rough lumber, giving a professional look to your job.

Front access to a window seat eliminates the detail work of building the flip-up seat. This can require a good degree of skill and patience.

Front access means you may have to get on your knees to retrieve items, but they will be clearly visible for the most part. Window seats with flip-up lids often become interior dumpsters. You have to remove all items to get to something on the bottom! There is no right or wrong way to provide access to a window seat storage area. It is a matter of personal preference.

Big Seats!

I think the largest window seat I constructed to date was one that is nearly 9 feet wide. It was a spectacular seat that was on a flat wall - one without a recess in the window area. The architect created the recess by placing the seat in between built-in bookshelves that flanked either side of the large window. A cabinet maker constructed all of the cabinets - an option you might consider - and the window seat came ready to install. The entire job of placing the seat,cabinet and top took about one hour! This method costs more money, but you grant ownership of 90 percent of the construction problems to the cabinet maker.

If you like flip up window seat lids, a cabinet maker will be able to help you locate slick hidden hinges that recess into edges of the flip lid and the seat edge. These hinges work best if you plan to have cushions on the window seat. Traditional hinges stick up above the surface of the seat and can tear cushion material.

Try to build a test window seat in another location of your house before you build the one all of your friends and neighbors will see. Refine your carpentry skills in a child's bedroom or perhaps another room. Good luck!

Click here for a cross section and details to build this window seat!

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