What’s the Best Flooring for a Garage?

If you’re looking to breathe new life into your garage’s interior, but don’t have the time or budget for a complete renovation, updating your garage floor can be a great way to get a fresh look without a huge investment. And the best part? A couple of the options presented here can be a single-day project for even the novice DIY-er!

Before you begin, it’s important to assess the current state of your garage floor. Does it simply need a facelift or will repairs be required prior to commencing any cosmetic improvements? Minor cracks or surface chips are an easy fix that you can complete yourself by following these simple steps, but major issues such as a failing foundation, termite damage or raised tree roots will require professional attention.

Once you’ve determined your garage floor is structurally sound, it’s time to select your desired garage floor coating! Because each one of these options is designed to protect your garage floor from wear-and-tear, the decision is largely based on personal preference and your desired finished aesthetic. Garage floor options include:

Garage Floor Tiles

The most DIY-friendly option on this list, garage floor tiles are designed like puzzle pieces that snap together, so they’re easy to install without requiring any special experience or equipment. One of the biggest perks of garage floor tiles is that they are highly customizable. With many colors and patterns to choose from, you are able to get quite creative! As for functionality, most garage floor tiles are durable, chemical-resistant and designed for years of use.

Roll-Out Vinyl Flooring

Like garage floor tiles, roll-out vinyl flooring is another great DIY option. It’s essentially a thick rubber mat that you simply unroll over your garage floor, then trim as necessary for a customized fit. The mats are available in a variety of sizes and colors. Roll-out vinyl flooring is designed to provide traction and resist stains, but the biggest drawback to this garage floor coating is that it can be slippery in wet or snowy weather!

Garage Floor Paint and Garage Floor Epoxy

Coating your garage floor with epoxy paint, concrete stain or concrete sealer is another popular garage flooring option—but there’s a catch! Your garage floor must first undergo rigorous preparation for this method to be successful. That’s why this type of garage flooring – as simple as it sounds – is best left to a professional.

Why is garage floor paint or garage floor epoxy not a great project to do yourself? Well, if there’s any trace of moisture on the concrete, the coating won’t stick properly and your project will be ruined. The garage floor must also be completely clean and free of cracks or holes, which often requires a thorough once-over with a pressure washer and making numerous repairs. Despite the preparation and expense, garage floor paint or garage floor epoxy is designed to be a powerful protective sealant and will help to guard against stains, corrosive chemicals and moisture for years to come.

If you’re in the process of upgrading your garage, why not schedule a garage door maintenance appointment to cover all your bases? Contact Champion Overhead Door to schedule a routine maintenance check.

What Color Should I Paint My Garage Door?

A beautiful garage door not only boosts curb appeal, it also helps increase the value of your home. There are a lot of considerations that go into a garage door upgrade, but certainly the most fun is choosing your garage door color.

Here’s some advice we give our customers at Champion Overhead Door when they’re trying to decide on the perfect shade of paint.

Play it safe with neutrals.

When it comes to garage door colors, it’s hard to go wrong with classic neutral shades. Colors like white, cream, gray or tan are typically safe choices, as they tend to go with most color schemes

Use a contrasting color.

ainting your garage door a contrasting color is one way to make it stand out and add some character. For example, if your house is painted a deep red, then a bright white garage door color can be quite striking and appealing. You can also opt for different shades of the same color, like a light grey house with a charcoal gray garage door.

Match accent colors.

A popular choice among homeowners is to match the garage door with the shutters and/or front door. If you’re the type of person who craves uniformity, this is a great way to achieve that without your home looking too bland.

Go bold and trendy.

Some people like their home to reflect who they are. If you have a big personality, a garage door is a great way to express yourself—not to mention stand out among other houses in the neighborhood. Black and charcoal gray are trendy garage door colors in 2018, but you can also go with something more colorful like a red or green if that’s what speaks to you.

Do you need help choosing your garage door color? Here at Champion Overhead Door, we have a wide array of doors to choose from, and we love assisting customers in all phases of the process. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation!

4 Steps for Building a Garage Gym

Let’s be honest, driving all the way to the gym to share equipment at an over-crowded facility isn’t always ideal. Not to mention the amount of money you spend on a monthly gym membership.

The idea of a home gym may seem out of reach, but it doesn’t have to be—especially if you have a garage. Here are four simple steps for building a garage gym

1. Declutter and maximize space.

If you’ve been using your garage for storage up until now, the first step is to clear out that space and make room for your garage gym. Determine which items you can sell, donate, throw away or store somewhere else. If you have a lot of stuff, consider renting an off-site storage space. Otherwise, you can install cabinets, bins and overhead racks on your walls and ceiling to free up that floor space.

2. Insulate the garage door.

Insulation is key to regulating temperature so that you’re comfortable exercising in your garage gym year-round. Chances are the walls in your garage are already insulated, but the garage door will need some work. This is a DIY project you can take on yourself, or you can talk to your local garage door service professionals about installing a new garage door that’s already insulated. Depending on the weather where you live, you may still need portable air conditioners or heaters to keep you comfortable.

3. Install new flooring.

If high-impact workouts are a big part of your gym routine, a concrete floor isn’t going to cut it. You’ll need a gentler, impact-absorbing surface to avoid harming your spine and joints. There are plenty of affordable options out there, such as interlocking or rolled rubber mats that you can easily install yourself.

4. Choose your garage gym equipment.

When purchasing workout equipment for your garage gym, start with machines you already know and like. Remember that variety is important. Ideally, you should have equipment for cardio and strength training.

Don’t have the money for expensive machines? No problem, you can still stock your garage gym with affordable DIY exercise equipment.

Keep in mind that investing time and money into this project up front will save you the ongoing hassle and expense of going to a public gym. With everything you need right there in your garage, you’ll have no excuse not to exercise regularly!

Garage Security: 5 Ways to Secure Your Garage

It’s impossible to overstate the importance of garage security. The garage is one of the most vulnerable areas to intruders—and once they get in, they’re that much closer to the inside of your home.

When was the last time you assessed your garage security? Here are five simple things you can do to protect your garage from criminals.

Take your garage opener with you.

You wouldn’t just leave your house key lying around. Same goes for your garage door opener. If you always have it with you, it’ll be much harder for someone to steal. Luckily, there are remote garage door openers small enough to fit on your keychain, so there’s no excuse not to have it with you at all times.

Cover the windows.

Giving a burglar a direct view of your car, lawnmower, power tools and other expensive items is never a good idea. Sheer curtains or window films allow light into your garage while preventing people from seeing your valuables.

Secure the entry door(s).

Many garages have an exterior door that leads from outside into the garage and an interior door that connects the garage to the inside of the house. It’s important to secure both doors—ideally with a deadbolt lock. Beyond garage security, this also protects the rest of your home.

Add lighting.

Bright lighting is an effect way to deter criminals, so consider adding motion-detector lights to your garage and the surrounding area. This is an energy-saving alternative to having lights that stay on all night, and it really makes a difference in garage security.

Conduct routine garage door maintenance.

Routine maintenance is the best way to guarantee that your garage door, motion sensor lights and other garage security features are in perfect working condition. Be sure to get your garage door serviced regularly so that you can be proactive about any issues.

Request a quote for your annual service and safety check appointment.

5 Important Garage Door Safety Tips

A garage is an important part of any home, but don’t forget that a garage door is a heavy moving object and certain safety precautions must be taken — particularly for homeowners with small children. Here are five garage door safety tips to keep you and your family safe.

1. Test the auto-reverse mechanism monthly.

The garage door auto-reverse mechanism, a requirement for all garage door openers made after 1991, is one of the most important garage door safety features. If a garage door encounters an object while closing, the auto-reverse mechanism causes it to change direction as soon as it makes contact. As you can imagine, this has saved many lives over the past few decades.

To test the auto-reverse mechanism, place a roll of paper towels in the path of your open garage door. When you press the button to close the door, it should reverse immediately upon touching the paper towels.

2. Keep your garage door opener away from children.

Garage door safety is especially important for kids. Teach your children from a young age that the garage is not a toy. We recommend mounting your wall control out of reach of young children and hiding any remotes.

3. Watch your fingers.

Garage door joints and tracks are dangerous places for fingers. In fact, getting fingers caught between section joints is the most common type of garage door injury. Always keep an eye on your children around garage doors to make sure they never place their fingers between panels.

4. Never race a moving garage door.

Even with garage door safety mechanisms like auto-reverse in place, you should never try to run under your garage door while it’s closing. It should go without saying that this is a dangerous idea, yet people are still injured attempting to do it

5. Hire professionals for maintenance and repairs.

Believe it or not, many people also injure themselves trying to repair their garage door. Even if you succeed without injuring yourself, there’s a good chance that you won’t reliably fix the problem. If you have any problems with your garage door, you should always hire a professional. Contact Champion Overhead Door for all your garage door maintenance and repairs.