Dad's Garage Makeover

It is Father’s Day once again and you have no idea what to get your dad this year – you have already done wine, chocolates, slippers, golf accessories and pens so many times that you feel desperate to make this year different!  

Why don’t you consider giving something practical that will have a lasting impression and give your dad joy for years to come? Have you considered taking the ‘room’ that he spends so much time in and giving it a revamp? This could even be a combined project for his birthday as well if you want to do some serious renovations. 

Revamping your dad’s garage does not have to be difficult or expensive, you just have to start with the basics and work from there. You can also suggest that you and your dad do the revamp together as a DIY project, which is a wonderful way to spend some quality time with him. 

The Basics

According to Mitchell Mwalo from Mica you should start at the basics. Here are his tips for getting your dad’s garage in order: 

“Clear out what you don’t need. It’ll be a challenge to create the garage of your dad’s dreams if you are overwhelmed with an accumulation of odds and ends. Group different items into functional categories. Keeping all the gardening tools separate from the workbench tools will make it easier to map out space for these areas.

Before you start installing shelves and cabinets, freshen up the garage walls. Repair any holes. Apply a fresh coat of paint. Now may be the time to consider a colour that your dad likes. If you are making over the garage into a gardener’s workshop, a rich, earthy brown colour can put him in the mood to embark on your spring planting projects. Don’t forget the floors. He’ll be pleasantly surprised at the difference a newly refreshed floor can make. Be sure to clean off oil stains with a mild acid cleaner. Apply epoxy acrylic garage floor paint. The floor will not only look good but it will be protected from stains and fading.

Once the floors and walls are taken care of, you are ready to return your dad’s items back to the garage. Take the necessary wall measurements to determine the available space. Designate sections in the garage for specific areas. Whether you are reserving room for DIY projects or sporting equipment, it makes sense to keep these objects grouped together. 

Take advantage of vertical wall space. Hanging racks are excellent for holding rakes, brooms and mops. Use heavy-duty wall hooks for items such as bicycles and ladders.  Wall pegboards are ideal for storing small items that need to be readily available. Use basic wall shelves for storage too.”  

Flooring solutions

Mitchell suggests the following easy steps to clean your dad’s garage floor properly:

“Step 1: Using a rag, wipe off all oil and grease spills from the concrete surface. Remove all dirt or debris with a broom. 

Step 2: Pour CONCRETE & MASONRY CLEANER/ETCHER NO. 991 into a plastic watering can or plastic pump sprayer. Using the sprayer, apply the product to the uncoated concrete floor. Allow the product to remain on the surface for 10–20 minutes.

Step 3: Using a stiff bristled, non-metal brush or broom, vigorously scrub the concrete surface. DO NOT allow the surface to dry. 

Step 4: Thoroughly rinse the entire concrete floor with clean water using a garden hose with a high-pressure nozzle, or a pressure washer.

Step 5: Using a non-metal squeegee or mop, remove the excess water from the entire project area.

Step 6: Allow the area to dry. The surface is ready for priming when it feels like medium grit sandpaper and no residue or loose concrete remains.”

Mitchell adds that if you want to prime your dad’s garage floor, the following steps will help you do it properly:

Step 1: Pour thoroughly mixed primer into a bucket and dip a quality brush into the primer.

Step 2: With your brush, paint (cut in) wide area around the perimeter of the garage floor. Start in a corner and continue along the edge of the wall.

Step 3: From the bucket, pour primer into a paint tray and work a roller into the tray until it is fully loaded with primer. 

Step 4: Starting at a corner of the floor, roll the primer onto a wide section. 

Step 5: Reload the roller with primer and continue to the next section. As you go, roll back into the previously applied area. 

Step 6: Repeat the process until the entire floor is covered. Allow the surface to dry a minimum of 8 hours before applying a topcoat.

Coat your garage floor by pouring thoroughly mixed floor coating into a bucket and dip a quality brush into the coating. With your brush, paint (cut in) wide area around the perimeter of the floor. Start in a corner and continue along the edge of the wall.

From the bucket, pour the floor coating into a paint tray and work a roller into the tray until it is fully loaded with coating. Starting at a corner of the floor, roll the coating onto a wide section. Reload the roller with coating and continue to the next section. As you go, roll back into the previously applied area. Repeat the process of painting sections and back rolling until the project is complete.”

Shelving 

GarageTek specialises in garage storage solutions and will definitely have the ideal products to suit your dad’s garage needs. 

If you need space to store your dad’s bits and bobs, they recommend installing a Full-Size Cabinet: “Organise your dad’s belongings in this lockable cabinet with three movable shelves. Mounted off the ground to protect contents from the elements, it’s easy to clean underneath. This cabinet is equipped with three shelves and one door bin. Shelf liners, extra shelves and door bins are available.”

For the active DIY’er, the garage can represent a special and peaceful hideaway where many enjoyable hours are spent. Unfortunately, most garages are not particularly suited for working in – often not having suitable work spaces / areas or likewise not having everything on hand in terms of tools, screws and all the knickknacks. The GarageTek system can help as it has a number of custom-designed accessories specifically for the active DIY’er or hobbyist.

They suggest the following if your dad is a keen DIY’er:

Medium Tip-Out Bin: Clean up your dad’s work space by easily organizing tape, wires, plugs or your craft supplies. There are six compartments to help you keep everything in its place

Stack ’n Store toolbox: This item consists of three removable compartments that store away neatly. Your dad can take his entire toolbox to the work bench and simply return it to its place without any hassles. The steel holder and double latch cases makes it a must-have for any garage.” There are also various other options available, visit http://www.garagetek.co.za/ for more information. 

New tools

A garage make-over wouldn’t be complete without some nice new tools to finish it off with. Consider the following:

Fragram 710 Impact drill

As you know, a good drill is the most essential part of any handy man’s toolkit!  Fragram has just launched a state-of-the-art new tool range that includes two new drills – a 900W and a 710w version. They are perfect for a wide range of applications and guaranteed to handle anything from a quick fix around the house to major DIY projects. The 710W option has similar features – a well balanced design for easy operation and a new ergonomically shaped handle so you can keep a comfortable grip. It is not only compact but light at just 2.3 kg and has a 13mm chuck so you can drill into concrete with ease. Technical specifications include a 220V rated voltage and a no-load speed of 0 to 2 800r/min. Fragram’s entire range comes with a two year warranty. 

Decorland Dust Buster

DIY experts and household handymen can now look forward to dust free drilling thanks to Decorland’s Dust Buster. Up until now, something as simple as putting up a picture or a curtain rail has meant irritating dust on your skirting boards, carpets or floor - and the inconvenience of dragging out the vacuum cleaner or finding a broom to sweep it up.  An alternative has been to holding a wet cloth against walls to catch the dust ... but that usually leaves dirty patches on clean surfaces. Those with allergies are often left sneezing and wheezing thanks to dust in the air. Decorland has come to the rescue with the Dust Buster Drilling Aid- an ingenious pouch that sticks to the wall on the spot where you are drilling. Gently pull open the bag, push your drill bit through the central opening and drill your hole. After that, simply remove the Dust Buster from your wall. The Dust Buster is reusable and quick and easy to use from one hole to the next. 

Fragram Polishing Sander

Fragram is driving a brand new state-of-the-art tool range – one that includes a polishing sander that means buffing up your car requires far less elbow grease.  

Car lovers will take a shine to Fragram’s new 1200W Polishing Sander with its rated voltage of 220V and no-load speed of between 1 500 and 3 800 r/min. Its wheel diameter is 180mm and this must-have tool comes with one wool bonnet and a rubber pad. The polishing sander features a well balanced design for easy operation, a new ergonomically shaped handle and is compact and lightweight at just 2.8 kg. 

This product is extremely versatile and can not only put the finishing touches to sparkling fenders, bumpers or wheel trims – but help when you get down to a bit of DIY.

If you do not want to do a garage make-over and are looking for something practical and different as a gift, try this item from Cape Union Mart:

Butte Torch Tongs

The Butte Torch Tongs are made from polished stainless steel and incorporate a light that can illuminate food while braaiing in the dark. The removable light is activated by pressing the tongs against one’s body (or any other surface). The movable parts are covered in matt molded rubber that produces an ergonomic fit in the user’s hand.