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Building a mudroom in garage


20 Super Functional DIY Garage Mudrooms

Mud Room | Mudroom | Organizing | Roundup | Storage and Organization

Today I’m sharing some DIY garage mudroom spaces where people have used created mudroom style storage in a part of their garage.

I know I’ve talked several times before about how our dream home would include a huge mudroom area. A full wall of storage cabinetry and a bench as well as hooks for taking care of all the in-and-out of the house clutter. Shoes, boots, coats, bags, backpacks, and purses…

I’ve even shared posts about dream mudroom spaces here; but alas our home has basically a hallway that doubles as a laundry room and a few tight hooks near the door that very quickly become overwhelmed if we each add one coat and one bag to them… I’ve racked my brain over the years about ways to create more space within this tiny hallway mudroom area, and even shared some short term solutions in this post as well as a collection of small and functional mudrooms here.

But!! These short term solutions are just that…and I have my mind set on carving out a bigger and more functional corner of our garage to turn into a mudroom.

Yes! You read that correctly! Our garage!

I’ve seen a few of these DIY Garage Mudrooms on Pinterest over the years, and am really inspired to make this solution work for our family, as well! So today I’ve gathered together some lovely DIY garage mudrooms to help inspire this project, and I thought you might be interested in this creative solution to a small-house issue if, like us, your home is lacking in the mudroom department. {If you also lack a garage, you may be interested in my post about small and functional entry ways here}.

To be taken to the original post and learn more about any of these spaces and DIY garage mudroom makeovers, simply click on the link listed below the image!

Via Keeping it Simple

Via  Simply Organized

Via Taryn Whitaker

Via Emily A. Clark

Via Dixie Delights

Via Sypsie

Via A Bowl Full of Lemons

Via Crazy Wonderful

Via Triple the Blessings 

Via (if you know the original source please let me know)

Via I heart organizing

Via Kim Six Fix

Via Princess Pinky Girl

Via East Coast Creative

Via Wild Ruffle

Via

Refresh Restyle Via House of Turquoise

Via A Thoughtful Place

Via Curbly

Via My Kids Eat off the Floor

The key ingredients to creating a mud room in your garage seem to be:

  1. A bench or seating area
  2. Hooks for hanging coats and backpacks
  3. Shoe storage cubbies or shelves
  4. Extra storage bins if room for them
  5. Other shelving or baskets for in/out types of items

I would like all these aspects, in addition to a coat closet style unit if possible. I’m thinking it might be Ikea PAX to the rescue again! This garage mudroom project will be part of a larger garage makeover project that we would like to tackle this fall, if everything else in our life works out in a certain manner… lots of time to plan for the best organizing solutions! I hope you’ve found some inspiration for making your own in/out entrance that much more functional for your family’s needs.

 

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Garage mudroom ideas – expert strategies for practical zones |

Looking for garage mudroom ideas? The garage can be a great place to locate a mudroom, providing the space the whole family needs to shed dirty or wet footwear and store outdoor items.

In fact, the garage can be the ideal venue for a mudroom if this is the way you usually come into your home, or one or more members of the household often spends time in a garage workshop or comes in from the backyard that way.

Mudroom ideas can help you keep your home cleaner, tidier and more organized and the garage mudroom ideas here will make the very best of your location – and ensure your mudroom looks good, too.

Garage mudroom ideas

Adding a mudroom to the garage needn’t mean a huge sacrifice of space, and it’s possible to realize your garage mudroom ideas without compromising the functionality of either garage or mudroom. 

1. Make the mudroom a buffering zone

(Image credit: Shannon Eddings Interior)

A mudroom in the garage can create a transitional space leading to and from the calm of the house.

‘Carving out a nook for a mudroom in the garage is a brilliant way to have a little buffering zone between the main house and the mess of the garage,’ says Shannon Eddings of Shannon Eddings Interior .  

‘In this particular space we have mudroom hooks (not pictured), a utility sink, laundry and plenty of storage. We gave this space some personality by adding in a vintage hanging lantern that we found at an antique store for about $100 and a beautiful backsplash by Cle Tile. 

‘We converted this corner of the garage in a client’s house into a full blown laundry and storage room. ’

2. Go for a simple solution

(Image credit: Neptune)

It’s a fact that garage mudroom ideas don’t need to be elaborate to be highly practical. A garage mudroom can be created very easily near the door leading to the house. Follow this example with a storage box that doubles as a bench for changing footwear, and a peg rail above for hanging coats to fit it out in double-quick time. You could add a rug to the floor to make the space more hospitable, too.

Wall panelling isn’t a necessity, of course, but it can distinguish the different function of this part of the garage.

3. Select a store-it-all cabinet

(Image credit: Tom Howley)

One of our favorite garage mudroom storage ideas is fitting a cabinet that won’t monopolize floor space but can double as shoe and boot storage as well as a place to stash the items you don’t have room for in closets and cabinets in the house. 

‘Floating shelves store everyday items such as wash detergent or even a dog lead and treats,’ says Tom Howley, design director of Tom Howley of this design.  

Being able to close the doors on what you need to keep in the mudroom will ensure the finished effect is neat and tidy, particularly if yours is a smaller garage.

(Image credit: Daval)

If you’re coming in and out of your home through the garage accompanied by the four-legged members of the family, consider adding a shower to a garage mudroom to clean them of what they’ve picked up on their paws and coats.

‘Increasingly we are seeing clients ask for provisions to be made for their pets in their boot or mudrooms,’ says Emma Sims-Hilditch of London and Gloucestershire-based interior design practice Sims Hilditch . 

‘This often includes installing pet showers. A boot room in a garage is a great space in which to do this – we recommend using a minimally porous Dijon stone tile for the floor and the walls of the shower to make it easy to clean.’

5. Plan in a sink

(Image credit: Future / Jonathan Gooch)

A sink can be a valuable part of a garage mudroom layout, providing keen gardeners with a place to cut and arrange flowers without taking mud and leaves into the house. It’s also a great clean-up area for handwashing on the way in from outside. 

There’s one caveat, though. If you live in a northern state, the garage should be a well-insulated space if you want to have a sink in a mudroom located here.

6. Organize the whole family

(Image credit: Settled)

It’s possible to get both adults and kids organized when they go in and out of the house through the garage even if there’s only a limited space you can dedicate to the mudroom.

‘This small mudroom closet beside the garage needed to do some heavy lifting for a busy family of five,’ say Pamela Meluskey and Larisa Bright, founder of NYC-based luxury home organization brand Settled . 

‘Using the Elfa closet system from The Container Store, we transformed this closet from having a single hanging bar to serving as an out-the-door command center. The top shelves are outfitted with acrylic bins to store sunscreen, bug spray, lanterns, and pet accessories, while the drawers house winter accessories.  

‘To top it off, we added adhesive acrylic containers to the inside of the doors to categorize every family member’s face masks. With totes hanging on S hooks, this is the ultimate grab-and-go set-up.’

7. Make clean-up easy

(Image credit: Sims Hilditch)

Boots and shoes worn for gardening and hiking can drop plenty of dirt on to a garage mudroom floor. Store them on wall pegs like these, though, and sweeping up is easy as you don’t need to move them out of the way to clean up what they’ve dropped.

Wall pegs like these are great space-savers, too, leaving more of the floor free for the whole family to pass through the mudroom easily. 

8. Boost hanging capacity

(Image credit: Symphony Group)

Don’t stint on the number of hooks incorporated into a garage mudroom so there’s space for backpacks and sports bags along with coats. In this design they’re flanked by cabinets in a symmetrical arrangement that makes the mudroom look smart, and conceals the items that need to be kept in the space but are used less frequently.

‘We recommend homeowners install plenty of hooks for hanging coats and also shelves to store boots/shoes and baskets for smaller items like gloves/hats,’ says Simon Collyns, marketing and retail sales director at Symphony Group . ‘Today’s mudroom could also include a sanitizing station with a place to store masks and hand gel.’

9. Work with a corner

(Image credit: Polly Eltes)

Even the corner of a garage can provide sufficient space for a practical mudroom. In a limited space go for the mudroom essentials with a bench for swapping footwear that doubles as a place to tidy shoes so they don’t become a trip hazard, and hooks for coats. Here a shelf with a built-in drawer adds extra storage for items such as gloves.

10. Use a garage mudroom to free up upstairs closets 

(Image credit: Sims Hilditch)

Bedroom closets are easily filled and a garage mudroom can be a better place to keep many essentials, ensuring they are ready for any journey.

‘Incorporating bins into your mudroom can help keep seasonal items organized,’ says Kristiana Laugen, home expert at Handy . 

‘From gloves, mittens and hats to flip-flops and baseball caps, moving those smaller items into the mudroom will save you some upstairs closet space, and will make sure they’re easily accessible for any last minute trips.’

This mudroom is fitted with wicker baskets for a rustic appearance, but consider metal or clear versions if family members need a visual reminder of what goes where to stay tidy. 

Can a mudroom be in a garage?

The garage can be the ideal location for a mudroom. ‘Garage mudrooms are a great space to keep the things you’re using on a daily basis organized,’ says Handy expert Kristiana Laugen.

‘Especially for those moments when you’re rushing out the door to work, school or extracurricular activities, a garage mudroom keeps those grab-and-go items like your favorite jacket, everyday sneakers, rainboots or umbrellas easily accessible and organized for the daily hustle.  

‘Just as they can be the ideal solution for keeping these items organized, mudrooms can also become a pile of jackets and dirty shoes if they’re not properly set up. When looking to reorganize your mudroom, consider the ways you can make sure its organization will be maintained over time. One great way to keep it organized, especially for parents, is dividing the mudroom into sections for each family member. Having a designated hook, cubby or shelf for each person makes it easier for them to keep track of their items. It also holds everyone more accountable for putting their belongings in the right place.

‘You should also consider adding extra hooks for your little ones’ backpacks. Getting into the habit of keeping backpacks in the mudroom can resolve the morning shuffle of running around to find missing items. This makes the mudroom a kind of home base, where your little ones bring their school books and supplies the night before.’

Does a mudroom add value?

A mudroom can add value to your home. ‘People are always looking for more organizational space, and we do see more and more homeowners adding mudrooms to their renovation plans,’ says Justin Goldman, co-founder and CEO of RenoFI . 

‘In terms of value, you should never expect to get a 100 per cent return on investment for most renovation projects, including mudrooms. Mudrooms certainly will add value, but as for how much, it comes down to the individual renovation project. 

‘In certain markets where mudrooms are more popular, more valuable or more sought after you can get a higher ROI for sure. But this definitely varies based on your specific project, your home, and where you live. 

‘Mudrooms are custom and unique, and having one will give your home the potential to stand out on the housing market.’

How to Attach a Garage to a House

Contents

Living in a private house and not having a vehicle is very difficult, almost impossible. The only question is when exactly the car will appear in your yard, before the completion of the main residential building or only a few years after its completion, which is very possible. Even if you only calculated and planned your house on the site, it is worth considering how you can attach the garage box to the load-bearing wall of the finished building. You can attach a garage to the house with your own hands, but this is a troublesome business, and good knowledge of construction techniques is required.

The main ways to attach a garage box to the house

The technique of erecting a garage box as an extension to the house depends on the material and method of arranging the foundation and walls of the main building. The heavier the building and the more complex the soil, the more difficult it is to combine the two structures into one. There are several ways to attach a permanent garage building to the load-bearing wall of the house:

Tip! Before planning how to attach a garage to the house, you should clarify the parameters of the extension.

In addition to solving purely technical issues of erecting the foundation and walls of the building, before attaching the box, it will be necessary to draw up a project for changes and restructuring of the main capital building, coordinate its location with the architecture bureau and fire authorities. For example, a garage, as a capital building, in accordance with fire safety standards, must be at least six meters from the nearest building, while the distance to the fence of the site fence can be only one meter.

Thus, it is possible to attach a garage if the neighbors did not have time to build a similar object on the foundation earlier. But even if there is no construction activity in neighboring areas, this does not mean that it will be possible to find a common language on this issue.

Garage extension construction options

Ways of tying two strip foundations are divided into open and ordinary. Open options, as can be seen from the above diagram, are ordinary U-shaped tape castings from concrete to the depth of soil freezing. The rigidity of such foundations is low, so they can be used to attach a light frame version with walls made of sip panels, wood concrete block or aerated concrete or foam blocks.

Normal conjugate foundation schemes look like two closed quadrilaterals with a small gap between the bases. On such a foundation, you can attach fairly heavy garages made of brick or cinder block.

A clever way to attach a garage to a house building

The easiest way to attach a garage room of any size and shape to the main wall of the house is using a conventional frame structure made of sandwich panels. In this case, it is possible to cleverly use the light weight and design features of such a prefabricated garage:

  1. The foundation for the erection of the building is made of a tape type to a depth of at least 50-60 cm, concrete can be poured even without formwork, but with mandatory reinforcement with a four-thread bar with a diameter of 10 mm. The insulation of the tape will need to be performed only on the outside of the foundation, which is not adjacent to the building of the house;
  2. The light weight of the garage and good thermal insulation properties make it possible to build an extension on a relatively weak foundation, without being tied to the main wall of a residential building;
  3. According to the regulations, such a structure will be considered a temporary construction, therefore, it is possible not to comply with the restrictions on the distance from the fence and fire standards of six meters, especially since the walls of the sandwich panels are made of sheet steel and mineral wool. There is simply nothing to burn.

In this way, you can attach a garage to a wooden house or panel structure. The minimum pressure on the ground allows you to attach the structure in close proximity to the foundation of the main residential building, without the risk of subsidence and deformation of the concrete base. Steel load-bearing roof trusses, in addition to supporting posts, are fixed on one side on the brickwork of a residential building, which significantly increases the stability and strength of the structure.

Important! In this case, on a weak foundation, you can build a relatively high garage with ceilings under three meters. At the same time, the huge windage of the extension will in no way affect its strength and stability.

The garage attached to the house has an advantage over any other options, primarily in fire resistance, which is of paramount importance for this kind of buildings. The disadvantages of a structure based on sandwich panels include the fact that the external "plastic" texture of the walls will require additional efforts and costs to decorate the building to match the style and color of the main building.

How to properly build a garage from aerated concrete or foam blocks

There are no fundamental differences in building a garage from foam materials. In order to attach a lightweight foam building, it will be necessary to additionally increase the rigidity of its walls and ensure maximum strength of the mating of the strip foundation with the base of the residential building.

First, in the walls in every third row, provide horizontal reinforcement of the block masonry with steel mesh. In the corners, it will be necessary to embed vertical reinforcement from a bar into the foundation base, which must be tied up with horizontal layers.

Secondly, before pouring the formwork of the garage foundation strip, it is necessary to break through the windows to the reinforcement of the foundation of the residential building and weld the horizontal sections of the outlet to the reinforcement cage of the future garage foundation in 20-30 cm increments. This will ensure sufficient rigidity of the connection of the two foundations.

Thirdly, it is possible to attach an aerated concrete box to a residential building provided that a reinforcing belt is arranged in the upper part of the garage walls. Otherwise, non-rigid aerated concrete masonry will not hold the bursting action of the rafters and the roof frame, even if there is a connection with the main wall of a residential building.

Add a cinder block or brick garage to the building

The most common solution is to add a garage made of the same material that was used in the construction of the main residential building. In most cases, it is believed that the specific pressure on the ground of such an extension will coincide with the load of the foundation of a residential building, which should reduce the difference in the subsidence of the concrete tape or foundation blocks of the two boxes. Accordingly, there is no need to rigidly attach and tie the two support systems to each other.

In fact, it is quite difficult to match the parameters of a small concrete base of a garage in accordance with the settlement of a large building. In practice, such foundations are either made in the form of a single structure, or left disconnected.

In this case, the concrete strip of the base is cast with a margin for draft, as shown in the diagram. What exactly should be the excess in height can only be decided by an experienced builder dealing with associated foundations.

Conclusion

Regardless of the structure of the garage and the way it is attached to the main building, an internal passage is always arranged between the two buildings, allowing you to get from one room to another without going outside. The main idea of ​​​​the extension is always based on this. The garage, according to its purpose, is always filled with a mass of fuel and lubricant fumes and exhaust gas residues that can penetrate into the living quarters with the slightest drafts. In this case, a small, well-ventilated vestibule with two doors is arranged between the two buildings. Practice has shown that heat loss in this case is insignificant, and odors are removed quite effectively.

How to attach a garage to a residential building with your own hands?

Contents

  1. How do I add a garage to my house?
  2. What should be the optimal location for a garage building?
  3. Garage combined with the house: advantages, disadvantages
  4. Where does the extension of the garage to the house begin?
  5. Documents for obtaining permission to add a garage to the house
  6. Necessary materials and tools
  7. Features of placing a garage near the house
  8. How to attach a garage to the house?
  9. Garage Roof Building Steps
  10. Pro Tips

Many people want to make their space both comfortable and compact. One of the best inventions in this case is the extension of the garage to the house. But how to properly attach a garage to the house, what nuances should be observed?

How to attach a garage to the house?

Before building a garage to your house, you need to choose the right material. One of the best options is foam blocks and aerated concrete blocks. It is with the use of this material that it will be easiest to make a garage attached to a residential building with your own hands. Foam blocks, like aerated concrete, have low thermal conductivity. When the material for the construction of the extension is selected, you can proceed to the preparatory work. To do this, it is necessary to prepare a place for future construction, as well as purchase the necessary materials for the construction of an extension. Usually for these purposes they buy: reinforcement, cement and sand, gravel, formwork boards and tools.

What should be the best location for a garage building?

Even at the stage of planning the construction of garages attached to the house, it is necessary to pay attention to some nuances. When building a garage extension to a residential building, all communications will be carried out from it. At the same time, it is important to carry out a fire alarm system in the garage, as this is a room of increased fire danger. The wall of the garage, which is adjacent to the house, must be insulated with refractory material so that the fire cannot spread to the wall of the house in case of fire.

Garage combined with the house: advantages, disadvantages

Adding a garage to the house has its advantages and disadvantages. The advantages include the rapid melting of snow from the driveway in the spring, the savings in heat transfer (one of the walls of the garage is adjacent to the house), as well as an increase in the total living space. The disadvantages include the fact that the access road to the garage extension will take up a lot of space on the site.

How does one start adding a garage to a house?

The idea to build an extension in the form of a garage usually arises when the house has already been built. Therefore, before attaching a garage to the house, it will be necessary to pay attention to the following points.

Before building a garage attached to the house, you will need to obtain permission to renovate the house. If this is not done, the building will be considered illegal.

Documents for obtaining permission to add a garage to the house

Before building an extension of the garage of its foundation to the house, you need to familiarize yourself with the “Rules for the maintenance of residential buildings, as well as adjacent territories”. Local authorities will need to submit an appropriate application with a package of documents certified by a notary:

Required materials and tools

Before starting work, you will need to purchase all the necessary tools and materials. The process of building an extension depends on their quality. When all permits for the construction of a garage extension are obtained, you can proceed to the purchase of materials and tools. For the construction of a garage, you can use brick or foam blocks. With the help of these materials, it is easiest to build an extension to the house after the foundation has been erected. Alternatively, sip panels can be used to build a garage. Such material will allow you to build a garage extension in haste. Also, you can not do without the purchase of concrete and sand.

Before erecting the garage extension, you will need to purchase the following tools:

Features of the garage near the house

Garage-extension can be located on the right or left side of the house. It is important to choose the shortest path from the entrance to the yard to the parking lot. It is the location of the gate that determines the location of the extension. Ideally, an extension should be erected during construction with a house, then a house with an attached garage will have one foundation. If you are building an extension after building a house, do not ignore the construction of the foundation. Then the house will experience shrinkage at the same time as the garage.

The minimum distance of windows and doors in the house from the technical building is two and a half meters, and the minimum distance from the balcony of the main building to the ridge of the garage roof is two meters. The attached garage is a fire hazardous technical building, therefore, when building an extension, strict compliance with all fire safety requirements is mandatory. If you plan to install hinged doors between the garage and the house, then you will need to observe a “blind zone” or leave free space for the canvases to move.

How to properly attach a garage to the house?

When erecting a garage extension to the house, it is necessary to act according to the following algorithm:

Construction steps for a garage roof

When choosing a roof for a garage extension, many people prefer pitched roofs. They are easier to build and make the garage extension more compact. At the same time, it is important that the roof of the garage is made of the same material as the roof of a residential building. To make a pitched roof, a minimum amount of material is required. The angle of slope of a shed roof can be from 10 to 30 degrees. For the manufacture of the roof of the garage, you can use special floor slabs with a high level of sound absorption and low thermal conductivity.

When making a shed roof, be sure to take into account the dimensions of the garage, on the basis of which it is necessary to build hanging inclined rafters (they need two supports). This is true for garage extensions with a width of no more than 4.5 meters. If the extension has a large width, then additional fixing of the rafters will be required.

Pro Tips