June 12, 2020

Garage to game room: A conversion guide

Have you given up the basement space in your home? Maybe you once had a game room where a pool table or other activities were enjoyed, but those days are over and it is overrun with teens watching TV or using it as a bedroom? That's okay, for a minimal investment, your garage can be reorganized and converted not a bigger, better game room.

Here are some of our top tips if you want to turn the garage into a game room:

Game Room in the garage

The Garage Reimagined

Many of us overlook the garage as anything more than a handy spot to park cars or bikes, use for DIY projects, to store food and dry goods, to install washing machines, or to have a spare fridge or freezer. We might use it strictly for storage. However, if you crave a game room and have no space inside, the garage is there to transition into the ultimate gaming area.

However, it takes planning to get it right.

Start with a Plan

With a well-written plan, any garage to game room conversion will go smoothly and easier than imagined. Here are the steps to follow:

  • Relocate cars
    Parking will now have to be done exclusively outdoors, but your municipality may allow the installation of a portable car shelter for the winter season. This will protect your car and spare you shoveling snow in the mornings when you are in a hurry to get to work. Some car shelters can easily fit two cars side by side.
  • Measure it!
    While we mention decluttering below, we also suggest you measure the entire space from top to bottom and side to side. Don't forget to measure the height of the interior in addition to the width and length of the space. Why? You may need to find storage options, and if you think in all dimensions, you can tuck storage in lots of oddball spaces, including the space above the garage door, if you have a high ceiling. Measuring also gives you the greatest flexibility in laying out the room…
  • Layout the game room on paper
    You have the room's dimensions, and you can measure the games to find ideal placement. For example, how big is the pool table? Is it fixed in space or movable? What are the footprints of everything else? Ask the family to participate as they may have great ideas.
  • Punch list
    There are few home improvements that don't also come with a few renovations or repairs. Chances are you'll find yourself repainting the walls and concrete floor. Make a punch list of tasks, and materials, such as epoxy paint for the floor. What about electrical work? Heating and cooling? A dehumidifier? What about some plumbing for a hand sink or even a tiny bathroom?
Game Room

Eliminate clutter

With plans in place, it is time to get to work. The first thing you'll do is declutter the garage. If you used it for storage, this could take a while. It is best to make three piles for items coming out of the garage: Keep, Sell, Give or Throw away.

This way you can revise your plans and design a small storage space, and then eliminate the items you no longer use or need. Store what is left in cabinets or in plastic bins. Avoid cardboard boxes: they accumulate moisture with time and develop musty smells.

Get Cozy

By this time, the game room will be emerging, and it is the ideal moment to think about the coziness factor. Be sure you choose colors and lighting that give the space the amount of brightness or darkness desired. Think about the use of large furnishings like sofas and chairs and electronics like TVs with gaming systems in addition to wall art and more.

What about games?

  • Darts
  • Air hockey and Foosball
  • Video games and a pinball machine
  • Ping-pong
  • Poker or blackjack tables
  • Putting green and more

Game Room

As you can see, you have plenty of options! It's up to you to design your game room according to your family's likes and your available budget.

Don't Forget the Door!

And what about the "fourth wall" in the game room…your garage door?

If you want total comfort, you must have a door that is well insulated and weathertight to protect the space from extremes of cold, heat and humidity.

If you live in the Etobicoke or Guelph area, please contact us at 416‑239‑7777 and 519‑829‑3777. We know garage doors better than anyone and take pride in our abilities to advise you on the best garage door system for your needs and budget. We will happily email you a quotation, or you can pay a visit to our showroom. You can also use our Design Centre to select the style of door that suits you best and explore our image gallery to see how other garage to game room conversions look.

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