When families want to create a playroom for their children, options tend to be limited if there is not a spare room already available. In such a scenario, the only choice tends to be to convert the attic or the basement – but such conversions are not suitable for every type of property, which can mean that a dedicated playroom seems like an impossible dream.
There is, however, one potential area that tends to be overlooked: the garage.
If you’re comfortable with parking your car on the driveway and storing garage-dwelling belongings in a shed, then a garage conversion can be surprisingly effective – and simpler to achieve than you might initially think. Here are the essential elements that you will need to consider if you want to give the idea a try.
Secure the garage door
Garage doors can potentially be dangerous, so ensuring that your kids cannot open or close the door without supervision is your first priority. If your garage door can only be opened manually, invest in a strong lock and store the key elsewhere. If the door is electrically operated, then make sure that the internal controls are deactivated, and if you have a remote control, ensure this is stored safely in another area of your home.
Secure the garage door
Garage doors can potentially be dangerous, so ensuring that your kids cannot open or close the door without supervision is your first priority. If your garage door can only be opened manually, invest in a strong lock and store the key elsewhere. If the door is electrically operated, then make sure that the internal controls are deactivated, and if you have a remote control, ensure this is stored safely in another area of your home. Make sure that your door is in good condition, and in good working order. Should you find this is not the case, you may wish to get a garage door repair service out to take a look at it. Kings Garage Doors are the number one garage door repair company in King of Prussia, PA. so, if you are local to this area, you could consider giving them a call.
Ensure the space is warm
Garages can be notoriously cold, so you’ll need to think about how you can ensure that the space is warm enough to be used in winter. Insulation is an important part of achieving this goal; if your garage is not currently insulated, then it’s definitely worth asking a professional for further advice in this regard. In addition, a good, weather-proofed garage door is definitely a must; and you can also consider adding one of these heaters if you feel a little extra warmth may be required.
Install proper flooring
Flooring will always be essential in any playroom, but all the more so if you are converting your garage – the hard, cold concrete simply has to be covered if your children are going to be able to play comfortably. Options such as a rubber playground surface can be customised to suit your chosen color scheme and ensure a fantastic, child-friendly surface that is straightforward to install and maintain.
Painting the walls
One of the most significant challenges you will face is painting the room to reflect its new purpose, as in most cases, garage walls are bare concrete rather than fresh plaster. One solution is to use plasterboard to cover the walls and then paint the plasterboard – which can make it easier to create murals and other types of cheerful “playroom” decor. Alternatively, you could paint the walls directly with a specialist concrete paint. Both of these choices will work well and help to transform the space, so it largely depends on which you would prefer from an esthetic point of view.
In conclusion
If you are short on space, then transforming your garage into a playroom can work extremely well. Do you think you would be tempted to give this idea a try?