“But, Naomi,” you say, “what has been going on with your garage?”
“What garage?” I say, shiftily avoiding eye contact. “I don’t even have a garage.”
“Yes you do! Your garage that you were blabbering on about all summer and fall. That you showed us really ugly photos of. I’ve become emotionally invested in this project, and you’ve left me hanging!”
Sorry. I had no idea that it meant that much to you! (And if it doesn’t mean that much to you, feel free to just skip to the bottom of this post where there is an adorable video of a tiny pink pig.)
The truth is, this garage makeover is a much bigger project than I thought. I had a great plan: I would clean it out, patch the ceiling, paint the floor and walls, add some pretty finishing touches, and we’d wrap this tidy project up during the summer. I should have known better. This is what I was starting with:
After working on it in the summer and fall, here is where we are:
It may not look like it, but we’ve come a long way! During these months we:
- Cleaned out the garage (and the basement to fit all the garage stuff)
- Learned how to test a garage floor for moisture, and why it is a bummer when you find out it is wet
- Sealed holes and cracks in the ceiling, using a variety of
haphazardinnovative methods - Made over a decrepit old workbench, which will eventually be the star of the space
- Patched holes in the floor and sealed the rusty metal to prepare for paint (while watching ridiculously cute videos of puppies on youtube)
- Learned masonry to fill in a major hole in the cement wall with bricks and cement
- Improvised our way through building a faux beam to cover the exposed duct work
Unfortunately, the weather has gotten cold and we are putting garage work on hold until things get warmer in the spring. I guess when I look at that list I don’t feel as bad about what we accomplished, but it is still a total bummer to not have this one finished. We use the garage a lot in the winter, and I was really looking forward to having it no longer resemble a scary cave where a bear might live.
The one last project that we knocked off before the weather turned was dealing with some of the scary electrical wires and rusted out light fixtures that were hanging around the space.
I am totally paranoid about electricity, and it was not a good thing to have these wires around. We waited until Brad’s amazing electrician friend could tell us it was safe, and then cut those that were no longer in use. Even with professional supervision, it was pretty scary!
It didn’t help that Brad kept making “zzzp” noises while I did this.
It turns out only one of the wires was actually in use, and fortunately it had a lot of extra “slack.”
I was able to staple it up along the side of a beam, so that it travels along the corner and isn’t very noticeable.
So much better!
Doesn’t that look so good? No? OK, at least you can admit that it looks good-er.
So that’s how we’re leaving the garage. Still graffiti covered. Still gray and rusty. Until the spring.
As bummed out as I am, I actually feel OK given how much we got done. When we come back to this project we’ll finally be at the state that I thought we were when I started: where a good cleaning, some coats of paint, and some furniture purchases can bring it home.
But I am sorry to leave you with this emotional cliffhanger. To make you feel a little better, here is a video of a tiny pink pig running around on a pink rug.
(I almost showed you this video of a tiny hamster having the most amazing experience eating broccoli for the first time, except I worked in a pet store in high school, and know that dwarf hamsters are actually evil creatures that are not cute. I just can’t condone that sort of propaganda.)
We have a dwarf hamster. Kind of. He’s rogue, won’t stay in his cage so we just let him have the lay of the land. He’s actually quite adorable and never bites, and occasionally we find him back in his cage, catching up on dinner. Or we might find him in my boot which is a very startling start to the day. Your garage is looking FAB. awesome progress!
Although I am obviously suspicious of anyone who has a dwarf hamster, I will gladly accept your praise of my garage 😉 Thank you!
The pet store I worked at had a rogue dwarf hamster, too! He had only three legs and bright red eyes, and he could not be caught. We spotted him every few weeks and went on a manic chase through the store trying to capture the little guy.
I put this floor down in my garage and love it. Went down quickly, looks fantastic (though be sure to get all your files from a single batch by special ordering) and spills wipe up easily. Unlike any paint, epoxy, or other applied finish this tile is very forgiving at install, not bothered by moisture, and cleans easily. It also costs less than the professional versions of epoxy and takes only a sweeping to prep the floor.
I am not connected in any way with Lowe’s or the tile maker, just a happy homeowner very satisfied with this product.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_73482-53226-CN540DG45___?productId=3654860&pl=1&Ntt=blue+hawk+garage+tile
There are many manufacturers of interlocking tile but this Blue Hawk from Lowe’s is by far the best bargain.
Ooh, thanks Jay that looks nice! I do think that interlocking tile could be the solution. Its great to hear that you’ve had a good experience with it. I’m worried about getting the right fit. How did you handle the edges?