If you are looking for somewhere to store your boat then making a building deck or storage shed may be the answer. These days, people use the space for storage, a home office or even a guest bedroom. However, building a garage is a little more complicated than nailing pieces of wood together. It may not be the best project for a weekend warrior to tackle. Still, with a couple of pointers and some outside help, you can turn an unused piece of land, into a building that will work for you.
Key areas to consider:
1. How big do you want the garage to be?
2. How big can the garage be (city ordinances!?!)?
3. Where and how many doors and windows?
4. What type of roof?
5. What parts are you going to subcontract?
Once you know the common ideas about how you want your grage to look and how big you want it then its a matter of getting it ready.
You will want to “sheath” your garage. Most of the time OSB (or manufactured wood) comprises the sheaths. The sheathing attaches to the studs and joists. Think of this as the “skin” to the building. Make sure you stagger these boards when placing them. It will help strengthen the building. The exterior finish, paneling or brick for instance, will be applied to the sheathing. Once the sheathing is up, you can take down the diagonal bracing. If built correctly, your garage is now sturdy.
Last step is the roof. First, you need to layer “roofing felt” on top of the roof sheathing. This acts as a waterproof barrier. Make sure the felt is flat and overlaps the layer beneath it. This will protect water from seeping in. Most importantly, make sure it is dry before laying it down. Wet roofing felt will do you no good. That means you may need to check the weather report the day you decide to put the roof on. Shingles are the most common finish for the roof. These are easy to apply and come in various sizes, shapes and colors. Follow the manufacturer’s directions to put these on the roofing felt.
Before you set out on your project, you need to make sure safety is your number one priority. Make sure you wear proper eye and ear protection. A hard hat is essential. Read the directions to all the tools and materials you use. Unplug tools before switching blades. Use scaffolding when working on high places. Get help when lifting heavy objects. These are just some of the precautions you need to take, but there are many others. If you take things slowly, and think about what you are doing, you should finish your garage without any injuries.
Building a garage from scratch is not easy. However, the more work you do, the cheaper your garage will be. Of course, if done poorly, the savings won’t matter. That’s why it is essential to get the right help if you are having problems. However, if you do follow these steps, it won’t be long until your boat has a new home.
