DIY garage products. Useful DIY garage gadgets. DIY garage accessories: all the most useful things

It’s rare that a garage is used exclusively for storing a car, but even one over time acquires a bunch of home-made products necessary for its maintenance. Often it is the garage that serves as a home workshop for its owner. What should you fill it with to make the life of the car owner easier and, of course, save on car repairs and maintenance.

We will talk about homemade products for the garage and home handyman that you can make with your own hands.

The very first thing, in my opinion, that needs to be created in the garage is a place to store all kinds of small items and tools. These can be racks or shelves that will fit well into the garage interior and help put things in order. They can be made from wooden planks or metal corners, which were left with you during the renovation or construction of the house.

And with the help of magnets you can easily tidy up small parts.

A garage is very useful for storing garden supplies, if space allows, because... It is not always the case that a special room is allocated for such things in a suburban area. The photo below shows how easy it is to do this using strips and hooks.

It is also convenient to store travel and sports equipment in the garage (after all, not everyone in their city apartment has extra space to store bicycles for the winter).

The following devices on the ceiling save a lot of space in the room:

And most importantly, tires have a special place in the garage. Real home craftsmen can easily make tire holders with their own hands.

And if you have a welding machine, then such holders can be made from metal corners.

It saves space and keeps the garage clear of clutter. And you can safely create masterpieces in making homemade products for repairing and servicing your car.

Stands and mini-overpasses in the garage

A jack is a standard tool included with a car, but it is strictly prohibited to carry out even minor work under the bottom of the car when it is hung on a jack. And sometimes it is necessary to lift its entire front or back part.

In this case, you can’t do without goat stands.

Sometimes the stands are made in the form of mini-overpasses that the car runs over.

Except general requirements listed below, important element For such stands there is a travel limiter at the front of the structure.

It doesn’t matter what they are made of, but the requirements are the same:

stable wide support;
safety margin for the design weight of the vehicle;
minimal gaps between moving elements for height-adjustable stands.

The video shows the simplest coasters with a drive-in:

Very often, just such a homemade product is not at hand in the garage during repairs that do not require the involvement of service specialists.

After all, they are used to remove not only bearings from the shafts, but also gears, and they will also help press out and press in silent blocks and so on.

A factory-made bearing puller is quite expensive, but making this device yourself is not so difficult:

Even if you don’t have welding, and you need a puller urgently, you can clamp an elongated nut with stops between the strips of the puller body from the video. Or use a power plate design with drilled holes, as in the photo, where the nuts can simply work against the stop and without welding. But it’s also useful to have a small welder that can secure such elements in the garage.

Homemade welding from a microwave transformer for the garage

This is one of the most suitable transformers for conversion into a welding machine. The primary winding in it is standard, only the secondary is altered. Moreover, the wire can be used thinner than in the video offered to you, but preferably with a cross-section of 8 - 10 mm:

The number of turns simply increases. Transformers from low-power microwave ovens produce welds with a power of 0.5 kW, a current of about 250A and an output voltage of about 2V. They are capable of welding 2 sheets of steel with a thickness of 1-1.5 mm.

Such devices can be doubled, increasing the power ratings.

But it is not necessary to saw the housing - you can saw off the protruding turns of the secondary winding and take it out, and simply drag the new wire through the resulting windows.

Also, it is not at all necessary to place the electrodes opposite each other. You can place them side by side, with a gap of 2 - 3 mm. With this device you can weld the wing to the body and do much more.

You just need to modify the holder a little and make it removable.

And for small things, this version of mini-welding using a standard car battery is quite suitable:

Compressor from an old refrigerator in the garage

Despite its apparent weakness, it is a fully functional unit. With its help, you can pump up the tires and, with a little modification, paint the car. It is no weaker than most car compressors powered by a cigarette lighter, but unlike them, it can operate for a much longer time.

The main problem direct use of this compressor is the presence of a thermostat in its connection diagram as part of the refrigeration unit. It should be disabled:

But installing a fine filter on the outlet hose of a car that catches oil droplets is ineffective; it is better to use more powerful filters with sedimentation tanks for this purpose. The starting relay should be used as standard. The compressor is powered by 220V, which makes it connected to the mains, but in a garage it is a very useful device.

To inflate the wheels, you should put a gun with a pressure valve and a pressure gauge on the outlet hose, because this little thing can create pressure up to 16 atm.

And if you plan to use such a compressor to carry out small painting jobs, then you cannot do without a receiver.

Its role can be played by any sealed container capable of withstanding a pressure of 4 - 7 atm, into which 2 threaded or comb fittings can be inserted. Installation of a pressure gauge in such a system is mandatory.

You can also use a car wheel or even a camera as a receiver. More stationary option such a receiver is shown in the video:

But you don’t have to spoil the disk, but make the system simpler.

The pumping hose is connected to the system through a spool, and on the outlet branch there is a mechanism for shutting off the air in the paint sprayer.

Of course you can use and .

But in this case, a shut-off valve should be installed in front of it. But the wheel can also be inflated with a mechanical pump; with a small air flow, such pressure will be sufficient.

The simplest devices for recharging the battery

Having a full-fledged car charger is good, but sometimes it’s quite expensive, especially since cheaper devices can also perform its function. So, a laptop charger can handle a full charge of a car battery with a capacity of up to 75 ampere-hours.

Moreover, there is no need to make any alterations, but simply plug in a 12-volt 55-watt car lamp into the circuit and periodically monitor the battery charge level with a multimeter.

When the indicator reaches 13 - 13.5V, you should stop charging - the battery is fully charged. In addition, it is extremely important not to confuse the polarity. This use of the adapter does not harm it at all.

In general, without any modifications, chargers for 12-volt cordless power tools handle the recharging function quite well, and most of them also have LEDs indicating that the battery is fully charged.

An old computer power supply can also slightly recharge a dead battery to a level sufficient to start the car. It has an output voltage of 12V, and to fully charge it needs to be up to 14V, but minor modifications can provide this voltage.

Tire mounting and balancing - homemade products for the home craftsman

Creating devices for independent tire mounting and balancing in your garage is realistic, and will allow you to constantly save quite a lot of money. And you don’t need a lot of equipment for this:

universal machine for tire mounting;
balancing device.

Some craftsmen destroy functional parts tire changer, but in a garage it is better to combine them on the contrary.

You will need a paw with a lever for tearing the tire off the rim and a stationary stand with holes for mounting the rim and a central stop pin. Mounting the disk can be done in various ways, but since you most often have 1-2 cars for personal use, it makes sense to make the mounts for specific wheels. The easiest way would be to drill holes for the bolts locally. The number of levers for removing and installing a tire on a disk can be large, or you can get by with just one – double-sided.

This is exactly what the home master did in the video:

Of course, it would be more convenient to attach such a machine to the base, but on the other hand: when assembled, it will not take up much space in the garage, but will perform its main function anyway.

And yet we don’t trim wheels as often as they require balancing. According to the rules, it should be done at least every 10 thousand kilometers, but this procedure at a service station is quite expensive and therefore few people maintain the established frequency. And its quality does not always meet our expectations, because complex computerized machines are even more expensive to set up and maintain, and the running gear of our cars suffers as a result.

There are 2 types of balancing:

static;
dynamic.

The jigs for both are not complicated, but you will need a good turner and a quality bearing for one of them. Static balancing is often sufficient if you mostly drive at speeds no higher than 120 km/h. You need to turn a hub to secure the wheel of your car, it is advisable to do this with one fastening of the part or subsequently carefully balance it by drilling blind holes in the right place.

And the process of static balancing is clear from the video:

The listed accessories for the garage, which are not difficult to make with your own hands, are not the only ones of their kind; there are a lot of other homemade products that simplify the “garage” life of a home craftsman. If you share your options for such devices with us, we will be sincerely glad.

Dear readers, if you have any questions, please ask them using the form below. We will be glad to communicate with you;)

Another issue about homemade products for the garage and home craftsman.

1. Let's start with an interesting trim made on the basis of an angle grinder. The guides are two aluminum corners along which the grinder moves on bearings. The mechanism is returned to its original position using a spring. The rotary table has two stops: for angles of 45 and 90 degrees.

Homemade clamp

2. Super-budget, one might say free homemade clamp clothespin made from a piece polypropylene pipe and 2 planks. The designs of clothespins are quite well known.

Unusual spatula

3. Surely many people will like a combined spatula for tile work, which you cannot buy in a store. Its design allows you to adjust the height of the comb. Very good option for laying borders, cornices, clinker.

Transformable table-bed

4. This idea will be of interest to owners of Khrushchev-era apartment buildings and other small-sized housing. Desk easily transforms into a bed in a room only 2 meters wide, as in a standard Khrushchev, it will be an excellent solution and will allow you to avoid clutter usable area extra furniture. Mechanisms for such bed tables are commercially available. Chipboard cutting can be ordered if desired.

Pipe drilling device

5. If you have to drill a large number of workpieces of the same type, an interesting jig will help you, which will significantly save the master’s time in the garage or home workshop.

Another interesting device.

Homemade product for applying plaster

6. A very simple device that can be made in half an hour. For applying plaster coats. Suitable for compressor owners. Air is supplied through a tube that goes into the neck of the canister. At the end of the tube there is a nozzle, opposite there is a hole. We put the solution into the bunker and get good performance at a minimum of costs.

Order in the garage means convenient open storage of all frequently used tools and compact storage of various small items “in reserve.”

Often the garage and home workshop are combined, so all tools and consumables must have convenient system storage

As soon as the storage system becomes not very convenient for regular maintenance, the garage again turns into a spontaneous warehouse.

Best used for storing tools in the garage open shelves. It will be very convenient if these shelves are removable.

In the garage of the workshop it is necessary to place not only the usual set of tools for a car enthusiast and a home craftsman, but, sometimes, also garden tools and camping equipment.

Make the most of the entire height of the room. IN plastic boxes under the very ceiling and on the floor you can put those things that you use from time to time.

The tool storage system in the garage uses the entire wall area as a stand. Separate sections-shelves for storing tools and Supplies.

Wooden guides are used here, but it is better to use metal pipes. If over time the guide we see in the photo crumbles, a box with a heavy tool could fall right on your foot.

You can make such an organizer for storing consumables yourself from sheets of plywood, which are connected with hinges in the form of a book.

A lockable stand-box for home craftsman's tools will allow him to easily maintain the necessary order in the garage.

Metal mesh is convenient for storing paint cans, fertilizer bags, etc.

Metal guides and metal shelves not only guarantee safe storage of the tool, but are quite simple to clean.

It is inconvenient to keep a power tool in a company suitcase; it is much more convenient to make such an open stand for storage.

The owner has a lot of necessary little things in his garage, and each of them has its own storage method.

Most tool storage methods are simple, but still more effective.

Very convenient design for storing consumables! The box with self-tapping screws that you use is secured to a separate panel, and upon completion of work, it is pushed into a common organizer.

Each owner has his own scope of activity and a different number of tools. But a convenient organization of work always makes you want to do something more. Take the time to tidy up your garage.

Sliding panels provide additional storage space for tools. Make sure that they will work reliably without getting stuck in the grooves, otherwise this storage method will not be practical.

Simple and convenient. Store your instrument wisely! If you don’t have a garage, and you store all your tools in a small box on the balcony, then even there you can organize a small work cabinet.

Let's continue for the happy owners of the garage. Here is a convenient way to store clamps.

Some storage ideas can be found in stores that sell tools.

But our garage contains more than just tools. We also have pipes, planks, and the necessary pieces of plywood and plastic.

It’s not at all difficult to assemble such a ceiling structure from pipes in your own garage.

Large sheets of plywood and drywall are best stored this way - in a vertical position.

For scraps of plywood, plastic, etc. You can make a wall rack like this.

Even a dozen boards can create a mess in your garage. Let's do it simple design for storage.

Another convenient way to store long pipes and all kinds of strips in the garage.

A small workbench can also serve as a storage place for boards and pieces of plywood.

You don't have to clean out your garage in one day. All this can be done gradually, step by step.

Any car enthusiast can make a variety of accessories for the garage with his own hands using inexpensive materials and the simplest tool. Such homemade crafts by a home craftsman turn a motorhome into a full-fledged workshop.

If you plan to do independent maintenance of your vehicle in the garage, as well as perform a variety of renovation work and do own crafts, it will be difficult to do without a workbench. It is usually made of wooden boards, which are mounted on a reliable base (profiled metal pipe or thick wooden beam).

It is allowed to make a desktop from metal blanks. They are easy to cut to the required sizes and assembled into one durable structure using steel angles and hardware (screw connections, bolts, etc.) or using a welding machine.

Making a wooden one always begins with drawing up a detailed design drawing. You must evaluate correctly working space your garage and fit your desktop into it as harmoniously as possible. It is advisable to provide shelves and drawers (pull-out) on the workbench. They will allow you to keep all kinds of tools at hand. It is recommended to install a small vice on the tabletop.

Making a metal workbench

If your garage has shelves or racks (or you want to mount them), experts advise installing a workbench next to them.

Then you will get excellent work area, where you can engage in any kind of home creativity, producing original and useful homemade products for the home.

Assemble a tabletop from boards with geometric parameters suitable for you (for example, 200 by 10 by 5 cm), connecting wooden products together with metal ties and good glue. For a standard workbench suitable for any garage, it is enough to take 20 of these boards.
Make special grooves on the tabletop (on the 5th and 16th boards) for the stops. The parameters of the grooves are 2.5 by 2.5 cm.
After the glue has dried, the tabletop must be planed so that a perfectly flat working surface is obtained.
Use 80 x 10 x 10 cm bars to make legs for the workbench. Grooves should be provided in the front supports. You will insert brackets into them, which you will then connect to the beam (longitudinal).
Assemble the base of the table from two frames made of 10 x 5 cm boards and fix it to the support. The frames are cut into the legs of the workbench by about 2.5 cm, and then they are secured with bolts.
Attach to the resulting structure supporting walls(back and side). They can be made from centimeter plywood or chipboard sheets.

Now you need to connect the top frame to the tabletop. This operation can be carried out without problems using bolts. Don't forget to apply drying oil to the made wooden workbench and coat it with varnish. On such a table you will make any crafts with special pleasure!

Over time, the motorhome of any vehicle owner turns into a kind of warehouse where they store various items and tools. They all need to find a convenient place so that each device is easy to find. A self-made rack allows you to efficiently organize the storage of tools.

You can make such a structure from metal and wood. In the latter case, use solid wood - beech or oak. Shelves and drawers made from them can withstand quite serious loads. According to accepted standards, the rack must maintain a pressure of at least 150–160 kg. At the same time, it is not recommended to load home-made structures with things that generally weigh more than 500 kg.

Wooden shelving

Let's see how you can quickly make a garage shelving unit while spending a minimum of money on purchasing materials. The work flow diagram is as follows:

Take a 9 cm wide board and cut it into pieces different sizes(18–30 cm). We will use these pieces as supports for the rack.
Make the shelves from a thicker board - 19 cm thick. To do this, you will need to cut it into pieces of the required length.
Mark the board for the base of the structure, indicating on it the locations of the spacers (they are usually spaced 2.5–3 cm from the edge of the base). Now you need to attach (it is advisable to use construction adhesive) the top spacer and nail the top shelf of the rack to it (with regular nails of suitable sizes). Then repeat these manipulations with other shelves and spacers. Lastly, the lower expansion element is attached.
Turn over the assembled structure, tighten the base of the rack with spacers using screws.

The structure for storing various tools and things is almost ready. You just need to sand the rack and then apply an oil varnish to the wood (it’s better to do two layers), and then attach it with anchor screws homemade design to Wall. The places where the rack is attached to the wall are under the lowest and highest shelves.

A homemade clamping device, which is sometimes impossible to do without in home-made projects, is very simple to make. You will need:

hydraulic jack;
metal platform bed;
profile pipes with a cross section of 6x6 and 4x4 centimeters (two pieces of each will be required).

The press is done this way:

Attach two vertical guides (4 by 4 cm pipes) to the base of the structure.
Weld between them (at the very top) a piece of pipe 6 by 6 cm.
Install another 6 by 6 cm pipe so that it moves without difficulty along the mounted guides.

Homemade garage press

The use of such a technical homemade product is elementary - you place it on work surface press the products you want to connect, cover them with a thick plywood sheet, lower the jumper pipe with the jack placed on it. You only need to apply pressure to the jack to glue two products or your own crafts together for centuries.

But with the help of the following homemade product - a cyclonic vacuum cleaner, you can always clean perfect order in the garage. It is made from thick plastic or (which is better) from a metal container. It must be sealed. The scheme for making a homemade product for effective garbage collection in a motorhome is as follows:

Make two holes in the lid of the container. Place the first one at the edge, the second one in the central part. The diameters of the holes must correspond to the cross-sections of the hoses that you will connect to the device. One hose is connected to the hole from the edge, it is intended for collecting debris, the other is needed to connect a regular vacuum cleaner.
In the inlet pipe of the described homemade product you need to install a plastic elbow. It will ensure the process of swirling (cyclone) air in the tank. Due to this elbow, the effectiveness of such a homemade product increases, which easily and quickly absorbs small stones, lumps of dirt, sawdust and other solid contaminants. All of them will collect in the tank that you connected to the vacuum cleaner.

When heated, the material from which bottles are made mineral water and various drinks, is capable of shrinking. This gives us the opportunity to make excellent rope from such containers. With its help, you can very firmly connect various parts and assemblies in a motorhome and in the household in general.

Rope made from a plastic bottle

To make a device for making homemade cords, you need to stock up on two bolts with washers and nuts, metal washers, a piece of thin board or plywood, a utility blade and an electric drill. We make the device like this:

Place two washers in the middle of the board or plywood and mark their centers.
Drill holes in the marked centers with a drill.
Drill holes with reverse side(this is a mandatory procedure to ensure that there is no twisting or rotation when using the device).
Screw in the bolts.

The use of this craft is simple. You need to put several washers on the protruding areas of the bolts (their number determines the thickness of the rope being cut). Then you should place a utility knife on top of the washers (you can even use a piece of it) and strengthen the structure by installing several more washers and tightening the nuts until they stop. After this, the homemade device must be secured with clamps on a garage workbench or other work surface.

Next, we take a two-liter plastic bottle, cut out the bottom, cut a strip (very small) of the required length and place our “blank” under the knife. You need to pull the tape with one hand, and hold the container being cut with the other. From one 2 liter bottle you will get about 25 linear meters of excellent rope with high shrink characteristics.

The word “motorist” today is not just a term denoting the owner of a personal vehicle. Being a motorist is a lifestyle. The modern garage is the stronghold of the home handyman.

Peculiarities

The specificity of arranging a garage space is that the layout, ceiling height, number of floors, garage area, and the number of cars “living” in it are purely individual. There is no recipe for all occasions - everyone decides for themselves what they like.

You just need to take care of:

dryness and heating of the room;
good ventilation;
protection from thieves;
arrangement of desktop and storage systems;
good lighting.

Depending on the dimensions of the building, the area occupied by equipment, fixtures, and communications should not be more than 20% of the garage area. And the distance from the side rack to the parked car should be no less than the width of its doors.

A garage is a multifunctional space. To properly delimit it, define work zones. This way you can understand whether you have enough space to accommodate everything you need. It is better to sort out the things that have accumulated in it in advance and throw out everything unnecessary.

Naturally, a garage without a workshop area is unthinkable. A workbench placed against the far wall will be useful for repairs and for practicing hobbies. Place tools and finished crafts on the shelf directly above your workspace.

It is convenient to store hardware, dowels and other small items in transparent jars with lids glued to the shelf. Another little trick - a magnetic strip glued to the furniture will help save a lot of space.

Where and how to place the tools?

Order in the workshop is impossible without proper placement of tools.

Place the essentials on a shield or hanging shelves above your workspace so that everything is at hand. Convenient to store necessary tools vertically on plywood boards with holes drilled in them. Heavier utensils will sit comfortably on the shelves.

PVC pipe holders are easy to manufacture and convenient.

Homemade rack

Wooden and metal racks will the best option for the garage, since plastic ones break quickly and cannot withstand heavy objects.

Racks are:

stationary – fixed to the wall for stability;
collapsible - if you have not yet decided where it is better to place the rack, it can always be disassembled and mounted in another place;
mobile - on wheels so that you can move without unloading;
console - for storing long items.

The advantage of wood furniture is its relative ease of manufacture. It can be installed using a standard carpenter's kit, without the help of specialists. Wooden rack It’s easy to make any size and shape, and a broken shelf can be easily replaced without dismantling the entire structure. In addition, making a rack from wood is cheaper than from metal.

To the disadvantages wooden product include its fire hazard and stationarity.

It is better to immediately install a wooden rack “completely”, since it will become loose when moved.

The most inexpensive and easiest wood to process is pine. It does not rot or crack when dry. But pine also quickly deteriorates. If you don't want to replace your furniture every five years, choose harder wood. Oak and larch are harder and also do not rot.

For maximum functionality, the rack should be installed along the entire length and height of the wall. Just be sure to leave a gap of 5–10 cm between the wall and the rack to make it convenient to install.

We make the width of the shelves such that it is safe to walk past the rack with the car parked in the garage. You should not make the shelves too deep, as they will be inconvenient to use. The optimal size is 50-60 cm.

We cut out the supports from timber with a cross-section of 10 by 10 cm, and the crossbars from thinner timber - 5 by 5 cm in cross-section. The distance between the racks is about a meter and no more, so that the shelves do not bend or break under the weight of the equipment. We make the shelves from timber or a thick plywood sheet. Markings for attaching the crossbars are applied to the wall according to the height of the future shelves. Be sure to measure the evenness of the marked level and tape measure.

Securely screw the boards with self-tapping screws to the wall every 40-50 cm. Attach boards of opposite crossbars to the fixed crossbars. Vertical boards attach to the horizontal ones, being careful not to screw them to those nailed to the wall. We put the workpiece aside and cut the crossbars for the shelves. We hang them on the frame every meter. We secure the assembled workpiece and measure the final size of the shelves, cut it out and secure it with self-tapping screws.

Anyone who does carpentry will need a mobile rack for storing lumber.

To assemble it you will need:

square;
screwdriver;
electric jigsaw;
clamp;
self-tapping screws;
4 furniture casters;
4 boards 2.5 meters long.

Decide on the parameters of the rack and draw up a working drawing. Measure and cut the parts the right size. Make two identical side parts, like a stepladder. The distance between the crossbars is equal to the height of the shelves.

Assemble the base frame. It must be strictly rectangular. To align, secure the pieces to the table at a 90-degree angle using a clamp and square. Attach the wheels to the base. Secure the side elements at a slight angle, like a stepladder.

Perfect for storing long garden tools simple shelving from two boards.

You only need:

mark the hole of the holders according to the given dimensions;
drill through holes on a carpentry machine;
carefully cut out the inclined part;
paint or varnish the finished holders and hang them in the place planned for the shelf.

Metal furniture can withstand heavy loads and last longer than wood. To save time and effort, you can order ready-made racks, but it’s cheaper to make them yourself. You don't have to buy new metal, just use what you already have. For example, water pipes, which you got by chance, but were not useful on the farm.

Most often, the frame is welded from profile pipes and angles.

This is done like this:

We mark the position of future shelves on the vertical posts. Make sure they are equal to each other. The distance between the lower shelves is greater than between the upper ones. At the top it’s time to reserve a place for a high shelf for storing light oversized items.
For the base slats, take a corner 5 by 5 or 5 by 7 cm; it will protect things from accidental falling or sliding. The span between the vertical posts is no more than a meter.
We weld the corners, control the level of all corners - they must be straight.
We check the diagonals of the welded frame, and install crosshairs from reinforcement at the back for additional structural rigidity.
Coat the welded joints with an anti-corrosion agent, prime and paint the furniture with wear-resistant paint.

The upper shelves are used for lighter items and are covered with plywood; it is advisable to cover the lower ones with a steel sheet. It is better to reinforce shelves for storing particularly massive objects with several stiffening ribs.

It is also possible to store various small and not very heavy things in a plastic rack. It is easy to assemble from empty canisters.

This option will be useful to anyone who does not have enough space in the garage or the finances to install a rack. And small things will stop scattering around the room in disarray.

To do this, you need to take the canisters and wash them well so that no traces of their contents remain. The same canisters can be used as separators or pull-out shelves on the finished rack, but then you need to cut off the side so that the handles remain.

A rack made of PVC pipes is also suitable for storing lightweight items.

Making hanging shelves

For the home craftsman, a garage shelf can be more than just a storage area for tools, but also a place to display finished work.

You can assemble the hanging shelf yourself using the same scheme as the rack. It is even easier to install a shelf from corners - metal or wood.

Baskets hung on the wall can also serve as hanging shelves.

It is worth plastering the walls in advance before installing the shelf. This will prevent condensation from appearing on the walls after installing the shelves.

You can attach the shelves in any place where no one will cling or hit them:

above the windows, if any;
above the workplace;
under the ceiling.

Today the market offers various new products such as shelves with a lifting mechanism that can be hung near the ceiling and lowered down when needed.

It’s easy to make a suspended ceiling structure yourself by assembling shelves from thick sheets of plywood or fiberboard on studs.

For this you will need:

large anchors (4 pcs.);
hex nuts-couplings for the coupler (4 pcs.);
simple nuts (12 pcs.);
hairpins (4 pcs.);
large diameter flat washers (8 pcs.);
Grover washers (4 pcs.;
drill;
perforator;
spanners;
screwdriver;
level;
electric jigsaw.

First, we cut out shelves of the required size from a plywood sheet. They can be reinforced at the edges with a metal profile.

We retreat 5-7 cm from the edge of the tile and make holes into which we will thread the pins. This indentation is needed to prevent the edges of the shelves from crumbling during use. To prevent the shelf from bending from long-term use, it is better to install supporting studs every 60-70 cm.

Through drilled holes We make markings on the ceiling in the place where we will hang the shelf. According to the markings, we drill holes for the anchors, remove dust from them, drive the anchors to the end and tighten the nuts.

Now we connect the studs to the anchors using coupling nuts. We strengthen the connection with ordinary nuts.

Screw a nut onto the stud fixed to the ceiling, followed by a washer;
string the shelf onto the ends of the pins;
We fix it with a Grover washer and a control nut, or better yet, two lock nuts.

The ceiling shelf will make it easier to use the garage. It has only one drawback - a movable design. It is better to fix the shelf with an iron corner. We attach one edge to the wall, the second to the base of the shelf. Now it will not become loose and will last longer.

DIY tool storage shelf

A shield shelf is a more compact alternative to a regular wall shelf and will help you organize your tools inside your garage so that they are all visible.

It’s quite easy to put together a panel shelf from plywood and wooden blocks.

Process description:

cut out a board of the required size from plywood and mark the position of the shelves;
put together shelves with side walls along the length of the shield;
secure the shelves to the panel with self-tapping screws;
then there are two options: install on back wall bracket and hang it on hooks built into the wall or fix it on support posts desktop.

Mechanic's workbench Rather than a wooden shelf, a metal shield with holes is more suitable, on which it is convenient to hang both shelves and tools on hooks.

How to make a workbench yourself?

A workbench is a must-have item for a garage workshop. It can be used to sort out machine parts, solder radio equipment, and cut out with a jigsaw.

The manufacture of a workbench usually begins with a detailed design drawing.

Measure the area of your workspace and the height of your workbench.

Optimal height the workbench is usually 90 cm, but this is not an absolute value and depends on the height of the master and whether he prefers to work standing or sitting.

To make your own workbench, you will need:

jigsaw or hacksaw;
drill and set of drills for wood and metal;
screwdriver;
carpenter's square;
roulette;
level;
spanners.

When choosing wood, check that it is free of cracks and knots.

Before getting started, prepare:

bars 10 by 10 cm for legs;
two thick plywood sheets;
boards with a section of 5 by 15 cm;
bolts (take furniture bolts with a square head so that they do not turn);
nuts and washers;
self-tapping screws

Draw a drawing based on your measurements, indicate the exact dimensions of the parts so as not to make a mistake.

First, we make the top frame with a spacer in the center. We strengthen 6 supports on the frame. Place the leg in the corner of the frame and drill two through holes through the leg and side board. Then secure with long bolts. Measure thirty centimeters from the bottom edge of each leg and secure horizontal boards at this height for greater stability of the structure. They will also become the base of the lower shelf or drawers.

Screw the tabletop flush with self-tapping screws. Cover the finished tabletop with a layer of hardboard. For greater wear resistance, you can replace hardboard with a steel sheet.

We measure the gap from the central to the end supports, and according to the measurements we install the shelf. Grooves for support legs cut out with a jigsaw or hacksaw. Instead of the bottom panel, you can install drawers. To do this you will have to buy additional guides, handles and more. plywood sheets. Screw the guides with self-tapping screws to the supports and install the knocked-down drawers on them. Make sure the sizes match.

Instead of a shelf, you can install drawers. Above the workbench, install a shield or hanging shelves with a reserve for new tools that will appear in the future.

If metalwork work is involved, only a metal workbench is suitable.

To assemble it you will need:

“grinder” with cutting and grinding discs;
level;
electric jigsaw;
measuring instruments;
small rack beams made of profiled pipes - for the frame part;
steel strips - for welded spacers in the corner area;
profile pipes with a wall thickness of 3-4 mm;
corner;
one and a half centimeter thick plywood and drawer guides;
drill;
screwdriver

We weld the frame first. To prevent the frame from moving, the beams should be spot welded, laid out on a flat surface. Welding seams are made in turn on one side and the other at the joining points.

We mount racks and a horizontal beam on the back side to the base. Check that all corners are even. If the corners are not straight, they can be corrected with a hammer.

A tabletop is assembled from boards and impregnated with a fire-resistant compound. We tighten the bars with screws and glue them. A steel sheet is placed on top.

The shield for placing tools is mounted on vertical rack parts; the cabinets are equipped with wooden boxes. Wooden elements treat with a fire-resistant compound.

If your garage space is very small, build a folding workbench. You will need a tabletop, a board along its length, screws, dowels, a drill, a screwdriver, legs and door hinges.

First, secure the board to the wall at the level of the future tabletop. Screw the door hinges to the board with self-tapping screws. Secure the tabletop to door hinges so that it goes down. When raised, it will be held by the legs.

It would be ideal to carve grooves for the legs in the tabletop using a chisel so that they do not slip off.

For car owners, property on wheels is a matter of great concern. Today the castle is no longer the most reliable protection from car theft.

If you have an old push-button telephone still working. Make a simple electronic alarm out of it. When intruders break into the garage, the smart GSM alarm system will call you or send you a pre-dialed SMS.

The alarm is soldered from:

wires;
push-button mobile phone with a quick call function;
magnet;
closed sealed contact;
toggle switch or key switch.

The mobile phone should be hidden more reliably. Also take care of timely recharging or power your phone from the network.

We install an alarm system:

set up speed dial to the desired number;
remove the front panel to provide access to the keyboard matrix;
We solder one wire to the end call button, the second to the shortcut button, then we connect the wires to the reed switch. One wire must be with a switch;
discreetly install a magnet and a reed switch on the gate leaves, so that the contacts close when opening;
hide the phone and wires so that intruders do not notice them.

How to properly store tires?

A seasonal set of tires is not only a voluminous and bulky item, but also requires special storage conditions. Tire sets with and without rims are stored differently. It is better to hang tires on rims. In this case, it is not necessary to buy special hooks for tires. You can assemble pendants from scrap materials.

Prefabricated wheels can also be stored lying down, but tires without rims are stored only “standing up”, and, moreover, they are turned once a month.

A place for storing “lying” or “standing” tires can be equipped under the ceiling or on one of the shelves of the rack or under its bottom shelf. A ceiling rack for tires can be assembled from profiles and corners - you only need a drill and a grinder, and if you have a welding machine, it can be welded.

Ideas for useful gadgets

Garage workers come up with many interesting inventions to make their work easier.

For example, cyclone vacuum cleaner. Take a thick plastic or metal container (or 5 liter bottle), and make two holes in its upper part - one at the edge and the other in the center. The diameters of the holes must match the cross-section of the hoses that will be connected to the device.

The inlet pipe is on the edge. We will install a plastic elbow into it, which will provide cyclonic air movement. We insert the hose from a conventional vacuum cleaner into the central upper hole.

Such a vacuum cleaner will easily suck up small stones, sawdust, dried dirt, and all solid dirt will remain in the tank.

Another useful “homemade product” - a “bottle cutter”, can be made using a drill from scrap materials. All you need is a piece of board or plywood, a utility knife blade and a couple of bolts and nuts.

Mark the centers of the washers by placing them in the middle of the board. Drill the holes, and be sure to drill them from the back side so that the “bottle cutter” does not turn during use. Screw in the bolts.

The life hack should be used like this:

We put several washers on the protruding ends of the bolts. The more there are, the thicker the rope becomes;
on top of the washers we place a utility knife or at least a piece of it, and for reliability we secure it on top with nuts;
take a plastic bottle, cut off the bottom and make an incision so that you can pull the resulting “tail”;
We place the workpiece under the knife and pull the “tail” into a full-fledged rope.

From one two-liter bottle you will get about 25 meters of durable, very useful rope. A strong rope from a bottle will come in handy for tightening reinforcement for pouring concrete, for wrapping sliding tool handles, and even for weaving baskets. To avoid cutting yourself, it is better to work with gloves.

A garage winch is a simple mechanism that will help you drag large and massive loads. The most ancient and simple winch– manual. The cable is wound around it using a long lever. It is relatively compact, does not depend on electricity, is inexpensive, and by increasing the lever, you can increase its draft force.

Disadvantages include the need for significant physical effort and some inconvenience when working in cold weather, in mud or in cramped conditions.

To assemble, purchase:

short pipe;
axis of rotation;
lever arm;
cable;
carabiner hook

Assemble a winch from the prepared elements:

drive the axle securely into the ground;
weld a pipe to it;
On one side, use a loop to fix the cable on the axle so that it wraps around it when turning, and on the other, hang the hook.

Constructing a cellar as a viewing hole: pros and cons

Any motorist who knows how to independently maintain his car and wants to reduce production costs for its repair needs an inspection pit.

Despite the additional costs of arranging the pit, experienced drivers will benefit, as they will be able to:

independently inspect the steering, chassis and brake parts and identify possible faults in a timely manner;
change oil;
save on minor repairs that you can do yourself;
protect yourself from unnecessary costs associated with the dishonesty of car service mechanics;
the presence of an inspection hole increases the cost of the motorhome if it is sold;
For many car owners, self-inspection of the car and its repair is an exciting hobby.

The following can interfere with the organization of an inspection pit in the garage:

burial level groundwater: if it is higher than 2 meters, water will flood the hole;
soil instability;
the complexity of organizing a drainage system in a finished garage.

It is ideal to plan the inspection pit at the garage design stage, for example, country house. But often the need for it arises when a garage has already been purchased and it either has no cellar at all or has a so-called “vegetable pit”.

In the first case, you will have to carry out a thorough study of the soil type, establish the level of groundwater and check the presence of underground communications in the location intended for the pit.

It is better to entrust all research to professionals. This will allow you to quickly assess the situation, saving energy and time.

Work can begin if the technical plan of the area allows digging 3 m or more deep - then the deep foundation will be protected from erosion. Otherwise, the foundation will be flooded.

If the garage already has a vegetable pit, part of it can be converted into an inspection room; this will even be somewhat easier than digging a pit from scratch.

First you need to move the entrance to the cellar to a convenient place and build on the missing walls with bricks.

The dimensions of the inspection hole are calculated:

length – machine length plus 1 m;
width – the width between the wheels is minus 20 cm, so that the car does not fall through when driving into a pit;
depth – driver’s height plus twenty centimeters.

If the depth of the vegetable pit is greater or less than this value, it is better to build or deepen the bottom. All elements of the pit and cellar from the outside must be insulated with polystyrene foam and a drainage system must be installed if it has not been previously equipped.

It is better to take care of the wiring for future lighting right away. Also, do not forget to equip a niche in the wall for tools.

Once the work is completed, the garage floor will have to be redone. will solve the problem concrete pouring, which can be done independently if you first install fittings or guides.

This way we get a separate entrance to the cellar, where we can store private products household, and a separate inspection hole, covered with boardwalk or sectional door.

If it is impossible to arrange a viewing hole, with sufficient height garage ceiling An alternative to a viewing hole can be a homemade overpass.

They are:

full-size (designed for the entire length of the car);
mini-overpasses (allow you to raise the front or rear axle of the car).

The simplest mini-overpass is welded from profiles and reinforcement.

Lighting

To work comfortably in the garage you need correct lighting. The illumination of a garage depends not only on the number and type of lamps used and the power density of the network per 1 m2, but also on its area, height, number and nature of work areas, even on the color of the walls. A room with dark walls needs brighter lighting.

A multi-level lighting system for a garage is considered the most optimal. It involves installing a central lamp in the middle of the room and spotlights in work areas.

Calculation of height for multi-level lighting:

It’s easy to check that the lamps are installed correctly – just look at the car. It should not cast a shadow in any direction.

Formula for calculating the power of ceiling lighting: “P = S x W/N”:
P – total required power, W/m2. W – power of one lamp, W. N – number of lamps (luminaires), pcs. S – room area, m2.

For LED and halogen lamps, the optimal indicator is 16-20 W/m2. This value is suitable for rooms with a ceiling height of no more than two and a half meters. For higher ceilings, this figure should be multiplied by 1.5.

Halogen lamps operate similar to incandescent lamps, but produce more light. They also have a longer service life - 4 thousand hours. The bulb of a fluorescent lamp is filled with an inert gas. The inside of the glass is coated with a phosphorescent composition, which glows under the influence of an arc discharge.

Lamps must be in shades. You should also take care of the power surge stabilization system.

The most expensive lighting is LED. But it is 50% more economical than fluorescent lamps, and the service life of LED lamps is 50 thousand working hours. And they do not require lampshades, since LEDs do not contain toxic components and provide light that is closest to natural.

Illuminating the inspection pit, low-power LED or halogen lamps may cause an electric shock due to condensation settling on them. LED bulbs more convenient because halogen ones get very hot. Make the lamp retractable, and it will not suffer from an accidental fall of a tool into a hole.

Heating devices

Before choosing the device itself, determine whether you will heat the garage around the clock, maintaining a certain temperature, or turn it on only while work is being done.

Should be done in advance high-quality ventilation. When installing any kind of garage heating, this is necessary according to safety regulations and Russian legislation.

An excellent option is to connect the garage to the heating system of the house, but it is only suitable for a personal building on a private plot of land.

The most popular option is compact heaters. Many motorists prefer to buy them, thinking that assembling them themselves will cost more.

In fact, you can assemble a compact heater from quite budget materials. The overwhelming majority of homemade heating units operate efficiently using thermal film. Thermal film is a multi-layer electric heater that can be assembled from laminated plastic or carbon fiber. It heats up quickly with low energy consumption.

To check the functionality of the assembled device, you will need a multimeter. The remaining parts can be purchased at a hardware store or found in your home pantry.

You will need:

two-core wire with plug;
laminated paper plastic (area of one element 1 m2);
epoxy based adhesive;
graphite, crushed to powder.

First, prepare the epoxy-graphite mixture. The amount of graphite chips determines how well the device will heat. On average, the temperature reaches 60-65 degrees.

Apply the mixture to the rough side of the plastic sheets using zigzag strokes. We fasten the sheets with epoxy glue with the front sides facing each other. Make a frame along the outline of the sheets to further secure them.

Next, we attach the terminals to the graphite conductors on opposite sides of the heater. If you want to regulate the temperature, you can install a dimmer in the wire. To avoid short circuits, the assembled device is thoroughly dried. Then test the device (a multimeter is useful for this), measure the resistance and power. If it turns out that the homemade heater is safe enough, you can use it.

An electric heater made independently using the type of thermal film can be used in both vertical, horizontal and inclined positions.

The main thing is to follow safety precautions:

Do not leave the heater on unattended;
Children should not be assigned to look after him;
Do not place the device near flammable objects.

If you decide to install stove-type heating in your garage, you must obtain permission from the fire department and the garage association.

However, fire inspectors rarely give permission to use homemade “stoves”, and in case of their unauthorized installation, all responsibility for any damage will fall on its owner.

Examples and options

There are many options for using the free space in the garage.

The most popular of them:

Workshop. Garage - perfect place for activities that have no place at home - noisy metalworking, flammable lamp-working and soldering with unpleasant smell burnt rosin will finally find a cozy refuge.
Stock. Every home has a lot of necessary things that you don’t want to keep at home - seasonal sports equipment, children’s sleds, even out-of-season clothes and family photo albums.
Garden corner. The garage is often used by amateur gardeners to store bulky and oversized gardening supplies.