renovate a garage into a play area

Can I Renovate A Garage Into A Play Area?

Are you using your garage to its full potential? Or has it simply become a home for all of the things you don’t have room for in the house? You don’t have to put up with this wasted space. 

Particularly if you have children, you know how quickly toys can cover your home. Why not expand your living space and give your kids a safe and amazing area all their own, where they can spread out, be active, and do what kids should do – play!

Maybe home improvement projects aren’t your thing, and you’re thinking, wow, that sounds not very easy. You might be surprised to know how simple it can be to convert your garage into a magical play place for your little ones. With a few days, a little work, and some imagination, you’ll be delighted at what you can accomplish.

One of the most fun rooms in the house is the high-tech game room or home theatre room. Of all places, a garage can be the best part of the house to convert into a technological showcase and playroom. 

Whether it is a home theatre, gaming command centre or general family area focused on great technology, converting a garage can be a key component of any major renovation project.

FAQs About Garage Renovation

Standing desks won't make you lose weight, and they also don't make you significantly healthier or more productive, according to a new analysis of 53 sit-stand desk studies.

Standing Core Stabilizer. Promote abdominal strength, increase stability, improve breathing and coordination, and reduce your waistline. Regularly practising standing core exercises is essential to sculpting your midsection and reducing belly fat.

More calories burned: One study showed that standing sheds 88 calories an hour, compared to 80 calories for sitting. Walking burns a lot more -- 210 calories an hour. Less back pain: Sitting for long periods of time tightens your muscles and can hurt your lower back, especially if you have bad posture.

According to the research published in Circulation, sitting down at a desk burns roughly 20 calories per fifteen minutes, while standing at a desk burns about 22 calories per fifteen minutes.

Benefits of Standing at Work

  • Burns Calories. Standing burns more calories than sitting, even if you simply standstill. 
  • Gives You an Energy Burst. 
  • Improves Posture. 
  • Reduces Back Pain. 
  • Helps with Wrist Position. 
  • Keeps Circulation Going. 
  • Boosts Your Mood and Focus.

Must-Have Features Of A Play Room

A man cave has long been a big reason for home renovation projects, and the garage is a great location for a high-tech man cave. Still, in today’s high-tech world, the usual rickety couch, widescreen and beer fridge won’t do. 

Instead, go big on that widescreen television, starting at 65 inches and going up from there. Sales of these larger screens are soaring for good reason since prices on huge televisions are more affordable than ever. Make no mistake about it, a man cave in the 21st century needs a behemoth television!

Another great feature is a dedicated home theatre sound system that will make football games and the latest blockbusters truly come to life. A garage with great acoustics paired with full level theatre speakers can provide sound quality that truly rivals movie theatres. 

A complete conversion for high-tech electronics could ultimately cost as little as $5,000 or as much as $200,000, depending on the budget. Still, even if a budget is smaller, try to pick parts that are built to last and will be quality additions to the high-tech garage room for years to come.

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What’s A Playroom Without Something To Play?

A garage gaming command centre is another great choice for a home renovation project with a gamer at the helm! Serious video game players have few better options for a gaming room conversion than the garage with large amounts of space for desks, monitors, headsets and comfortable leather chairs. This is especially true if players are social gamers who invite friends for some cooperative play.

A room dedicated to video games should also have the requisite gaming themed decorations, and a garage certainly provides the space to do that. Whether the gamer devotes his allegiances to Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo or the PC, there is plenty of space to put up that Master Chief, Nathan Drake, Mario or Gordon Freeman poster. 

When renovating a gaming command centre, definitely put in the time to build quality storage equipment that can sufficiently hold all of the needed games, headsets and other accessories. 

Additionally, added emphasis should be placed on making sure that the garage has sufficient cooling since electronics can overheat. This advice holds no matter what high-tech conversion is being done since such conversions are so electronically dependent.

Believe it or not, the list of reasons not to do it is much shorter than the list of reasons in favour of this conversion. Many people have one of the following situations which warrant such a unique move:

  • You have a small or nonexistent backyard which may even put your children in danger should they follow a ball into the street.
  • You have an extra garage or use your driveway to park your vehicles.
  • You live in an area with weather extremes unsuitable for year‑round play.
  • You want extra space for larger toys, like a floor‑level trampoline or ball pit.

As you can see, a garage conversion offers many great benefits for your wee ones.

Turning A Garage Into A Playspace

If you live in a smaller home, it can be challenging to find space for a growing family. Creating a dedicated play space for your children is a nice idea, but if you don't have a basement or extra room, it may seem like you're out of luck. 

However, if your garage goes unused, it may be the ideal space for a playroom. With some pretty basic changes, you can easily convert your garage into a play space that your kids can enjoy year-round.

Upgrade Floor

The first step to turning your garage into a comfortable play space for your kids is to upgrade the floor. A garage usually has a concrete slab floor, which is an ideal foundation for various flooring. Carpet tiles work well in a playroom because they're comfortable underfoot and easy to install. They're also easy to replace when stained or damaged. A floating laminate or hardwood floor provides a warm, inviting look for the space as well, and you can pair it with an area rug for added colour. The floor's surface must be cleaned of any grease stains and cracks or chips repaired. Before putting down flooring, tape a piece of plastic to the concrete and leave it in place for a day to see if a vapour barrier was installed beneath the slab. Water droplets on the concrete under the plastic mean there isn't a vapour barrier. A layer of polyethylene over the concrete protects the new floor from moisture.

Wire It Up

Heating is necessary for a play space that can be used year-round. Ductwork can connect it to your home's forced-air system or install electric baseboards to keep the space warm in winter. It's also a good idea to have additional electrical outlets installed, particularly if older children will use the space to watch television and play video games. Consider adding additional lighting fixtures, too, since your children may need task lighting for reading, playing games or doing crafts. Since improper wiring is a danger, hire a licensed electrician to handle the project – and it's best to have the heating and wiring systems updated before finishing the walls so you don't have to cut any holes in the drywall.

Finish Walls

For a children's play space that feels more like another room in your home, a finished ceiling and walls are a must. Usually, that requires a layer of insulation to keep the room at a comfortable temperature, drywall and joint compound to provide a smooth, finished surface. Blown-in insulation is an ideal solution to walls that are already finished but uninsulated because it allows you to insulate the room without damaging the walls significantly. Once your walls are finished, Choose the right paint shade to make the play space feel especially inviting. For a bright, cozy room, opt for a light, warm shade like yellow, peach or tan. When decorating the space for small children, it can be fun to paint a stencilled design on the walls, such as polka dots or rainbow stripes.

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Replace Garage Door

Leaving your traditional garage door in place isn't the best option when converting it to a play space because it gives the room an unfinished look and may allow air to enter and escape. 

While you can replace your garage with various entrance options, French doors are an ideal choice because they allow plenty of light to keep the space bright and airy - especially if the garage doesn't have any windows. 

Depending on the size of the replacement door that you choose, you may need to enclose part of the old door opening with framed walls and siding that matches the rest of the garage's exterior.

Plan For The Conversion

Before you lay down a new carpet or start putting toys in the garage, sit down and plan out how you want to convert the garage to a playroom. When you start to plan, think about the long-term. While your toddler may be small now, remember, they will grow up at some point, and you should think about when they are also a bit older.

A playroom can be used for children of all ages, so choose a design that will work for your three-year-old, six-year-old, and ten-year-old.

During the planning phase, you should also consider replacing your garage door as it is not a good choice for a playroom. You can have a traditional stucco or concrete wall installed in place of the door.

Choose The Flooring

Now that you have a plan in place, it is time to start thinking about the flooring you plan to use in your new playroom. Many homeowners like to lay the carpet down because it is soft and provides your feet with a soft place to land. In addition, the carpet provides a cushion in case your toddler falls.

In addition to carpet, consider using soft puzzle piece flooring. It will last for years to come. It adds a youthful feeling to the room – and, after all, it is a playroom for your child.

Lighting And Air Conditioning

Lighting is an important part of the playroom, along with air conditioning and heat for the winter. It would help if you considered your needs and then adjusted the playroom to meet them. You will need electrical outlets in your garage and should plan for a few to ensure all of your electrical needs are met when you need them to be.

Window unit air conditioners are a good idea in the garage because they can cool down the space when you need them to without being overpowering or using too much AC. When winter comes around, you can invest in a small space heater to help keep the room warm, but make sure the space heater is out of reach of your toddler or child.

Decorate The Room And Child-Proof It

The last step once your playroom is ready is to decorate it and child-proof it. You will need to add baby gates and electrical socket covers where needed, along with any other protection methods you want to use.

Decorating the playroom will be fun and an exciting time for you and your child. The two of you can work together to add stickers to the wall, paint, and much more.

When you convert the garage to a playroom, you will provide your toddler or young child with more room to play, and this new room will be safe and built to suit.

In addition to converting your garage into a playroom, you can convert it into a living space for the whole family.

Safety First

There are several ways to make a garage a safe place to play for your children. Garage doors pose safety hazards to children, but removing the rails will keep the door from opening, eliminating the biggest danger in the room. 

You may also wish to invest in the thickest carpet padding available to create a squishy floor, especially if your children are young or prone to accidents.

Finish The Room

To turn your garage into a finished room, you must insulate the walls and put panelling, such as sheetrock or plywood, over the beams. This will create a smooth wall, which eliminates nooks, and crannies and covers exposed wires. 

In addition to finishing the room this way, you may also consider hanging a heavy drapery along with the garage door, quickly transforming the space from garage to playroom. Take caution to secure the drape properly, however, especially if you

have young children.

Ventilate

 Garages are notorious for getting hot in the summer and cold in the winter. While insulation will improve this problem, it is also a good idea to run an air duct from your central air unit into the garage. This will provide temperature control for the garage, allowing your little ones to play in comfort.

Don’t Forget Storage.

 Great use of space in a garage is to install closets, cupboards, and shelves along one section of wall space. This will allow you room to tuck all your knick-knacks, sporting gear, and other garage-worthy equipment.

If you still intend to park your car in your garage, converting the space into a kids’ activity room may require additional effort. While the basics are the same- insulate, cover the walls, and install padded flooring -there are some unique considerations to take into mind. 

The first consideration is a partition. Not only is having your children play in and around your car inconvenient, but it is also dangerous. Framing a room within the garage will allow your children plenty of space to play but require them to pass through a door to get to your vehicle. While your garage will appear smaller, it will also be safer.

While you think about the logistics of transforming your garage into a playroom, make sure you consider space, storage, and, most importantly, safety. Before you know it, you’ll be on your way to creating a space the whole family can enjoy!

Whether your home is too small or your garage is too big, turning your unused garage space into a kids’ activity room is a clever use of space. If you can convert your entire garage into a playroom instead of a parking space, this is an easy project! You need to know about transforming your entire garage into a fun room for kids.

With The Right Renovations, A Playroom Can Add Value To The Property.

There is other advice that universally applies no matter what the high-tech conversion is. One such piece of advice is to not skimp on essentials like finishing the floors. In addition to increasing the home value, finished garage floors will add an extra bit of style. 

In other words, this means avoiding concrete since it is both ugly and very difficult to clean. Instead, try an option like an epoxy coating that can give a finish similar to granite and will prevent slips.

Also, renovators would be wise to consider finishing the job by using drywall, insulation or adding a furnace, depending on the heating and cooling needs of the garage in question. 

If this room is going to be a high-tech showcase, a significant amount of time will be spent in the room. As such, comfort will be of the utmost importance to enjoy the room as it was intended.

In short, renovating a high-tech playroom requires including all necessary technological amenities such as great televisions and sound systems. More than that, though, renovating requires going the extra mile and thinking about how to best complete the job. 

This requires future-proofing with quality flooring and installing excellent insulation, drywall and heating. Doing this will ensure that the room looks and feels as great as the cutting edge technology!

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