How to Set Up a Home Office in Your Garage
Clean the space., Provide heating and cooling., Paint the walls and ceiling., Install lighting., Provide electrical outlets., Purchase a dehumidifier, if necessary., Insulate your walls.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Clean the space.
Before beginning work on your office, you’ll have to do some considerable cleaning.
This is important regardless of the size of your project, as you’ll want your home office to be neat, tidy, and welcoming.
Sweep the floors.
Mop the floors.
Unless you’re installing hardwood, carpet, or tile, you may want to bleach the concrete floor in your garage.
When doing this, make sure to empty the room and keep the garage door and windows open.
Dust and wipe down baseboards, walls, and corners.
It’s likely that you have a decent bit of dust or cobwebs that have accumulated. -
Step 2: Provide heating and cooling.
Wherever you are, it’s very unlikely that your garage has heating or cooling.
Because of this, you’ll need to install some sort of HVAC system.
Fortunately, there are many options for you to choose from.
If you’re on a tight budget in a cooler or temperate climate, you may be able to rely on a fan for cooling.
In addition, you may be able to use portable heating units in the winter time.
If you’re not doing a complete conversion or you’re on a tight budget, you can install a wall or window unit to provide heating and cooling.
If you’re doing a complete garage conversion, you can consider hiring an HVAC specialist to tie your garage into the home’s heating and cooling system.
If you're doing a full renovation, you may want to consider adding radiant floor heating to your garage if you live in a colder climate., Depending on the age of your home, your garage walls and ceiling might be fairly dirty.
As a result, you’ll need to paint them in order to complete your transformation.
If you plan to partition a corner of your garage, you might consider just painting that area.
If you’re doing a garage conversion in an older home in a humid region, you may need to have the ceiling resurfaced or "remudded" – as the original taping and mudding job might be deteriorating.
Unless you’re remodeling the whole room, you may want to paint or stain the concrete floor in your garage., One of the most problematic aspects of creating a home office in your garage is making sure there’s enough light.
Depending on your home’s design, it’s highly likely that there aren’t any windows.
As a result, you need to make sure you install enough lighting in your new home office.
Buy several lamps, both standing and desk, and station them so the room is well lit.
If you’re focusing more on a garage conversion, you might consider installing recessed lighting or lighting fixtures in the ceiling., Depending on the configuration of your garage, you may need to provide electrical outlets.
This is important, as many older garages aren't equipped with enough outlets to meet the needs of a home office.
Hire an electrician to add outlets where you need them.
Use extension cords and power strips to provide more plugs for your home office equipment.
However, make sure you don't overload your outlets by plugging too many devices into one. , Depending on the climate you live in, you may need to purchase and set up a dehumidifier in your garage.
The dehumidifier will decrease the chance of moisture damaging your electronics or harming important paperwork.
Measure the relative humidity of your garage.
You can buy an inexpensive device at a local box store.
Your target humidity level should be between 30% and 50%.
If it is higher, you should purchase a dehumidifier.
If you notice rust, mildew, or other growth on objects in your garage, you should consider getting a dehumidifier.
This is true especially if you don't want a complete remodel.
If you live in a tropical or subtropical climate, you'll likely need a humidifier for your garage., If you garage is either unfinished or is not insulated, you should continuing finishing and insulating it.
Without insulation, it will cost you a lot more to cool or heat your new office.
Many garages are completed without insulating the walls.
If you're unsure about whether your garage is insulated, take off a light switch cover and peak into the wall.
If it is insulated, you'll see the insulation.
Hire a contractor to install insulation and drywall, if needed. -
Step 3: Paint the walls and ceiling.
-
Step 4: Install lighting.
-
Step 5: Provide electrical outlets.
-
Step 6: Purchase a dehumidifier
-
Step 7: if necessary.
-
Step 8: Insulate your walls.
Detailed Guide
Before beginning work on your office, you’ll have to do some considerable cleaning.
This is important regardless of the size of your project, as you’ll want your home office to be neat, tidy, and welcoming.
Sweep the floors.
Mop the floors.
Unless you’re installing hardwood, carpet, or tile, you may want to bleach the concrete floor in your garage.
When doing this, make sure to empty the room and keep the garage door and windows open.
Dust and wipe down baseboards, walls, and corners.
It’s likely that you have a decent bit of dust or cobwebs that have accumulated.
Wherever you are, it’s very unlikely that your garage has heating or cooling.
Because of this, you’ll need to install some sort of HVAC system.
Fortunately, there are many options for you to choose from.
If you’re on a tight budget in a cooler or temperate climate, you may be able to rely on a fan for cooling.
In addition, you may be able to use portable heating units in the winter time.
If you’re not doing a complete conversion or you’re on a tight budget, you can install a wall or window unit to provide heating and cooling.
If you’re doing a complete garage conversion, you can consider hiring an HVAC specialist to tie your garage into the home’s heating and cooling system.
If you're doing a full renovation, you may want to consider adding radiant floor heating to your garage if you live in a colder climate., Depending on the age of your home, your garage walls and ceiling might be fairly dirty.
As a result, you’ll need to paint them in order to complete your transformation.
If you plan to partition a corner of your garage, you might consider just painting that area.
If you’re doing a garage conversion in an older home in a humid region, you may need to have the ceiling resurfaced or "remudded" – as the original taping and mudding job might be deteriorating.
Unless you’re remodeling the whole room, you may want to paint or stain the concrete floor in your garage., One of the most problematic aspects of creating a home office in your garage is making sure there’s enough light.
Depending on your home’s design, it’s highly likely that there aren’t any windows.
As a result, you need to make sure you install enough lighting in your new home office.
Buy several lamps, both standing and desk, and station them so the room is well lit.
If you’re focusing more on a garage conversion, you might consider installing recessed lighting or lighting fixtures in the ceiling., Depending on the configuration of your garage, you may need to provide electrical outlets.
This is important, as many older garages aren't equipped with enough outlets to meet the needs of a home office.
Hire an electrician to add outlets where you need them.
Use extension cords and power strips to provide more plugs for your home office equipment.
However, make sure you don't overload your outlets by plugging too many devices into one. , Depending on the climate you live in, you may need to purchase and set up a dehumidifier in your garage.
The dehumidifier will decrease the chance of moisture damaging your electronics or harming important paperwork.
Measure the relative humidity of your garage.
You can buy an inexpensive device at a local box store.
Your target humidity level should be between 30% and 50%.
If it is higher, you should purchase a dehumidifier.
If you notice rust, mildew, or other growth on objects in your garage, you should consider getting a dehumidifier.
This is true especially if you don't want a complete remodel.
If you live in a tropical or subtropical climate, you'll likely need a humidifier for your garage., If you garage is either unfinished or is not insulated, you should continuing finishing and insulating it.
Without insulation, it will cost you a lot more to cool or heat your new office.
Many garages are completed without insulating the walls.
If you're unsure about whether your garage is insulated, take off a light switch cover and peak into the wall.
If it is insulated, you'll see the insulation.
Hire a contractor to install insulation and drywall, if needed.
About the Author
Michelle Knight
Brings years of experience writing about lifestyle and related subjects.
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