A hidden room in your house

By Ken McEntee

Like the couple that rediscovered one another in the Piña Colada song, your garage just may be the home addition you’ve been dreaming about for years.

And it’s right before your eyes.

“In many cases, the garage is the biggest room in the house, but it can’t be properly utilized because it’s cluttered, dirty and the floor is chipped, pitted and stained,” says Chad Gleske, half of the father and son team that owns Ohio Garage Interiors.

Ohio Garage Interiors specializes in garage enhancement, including the installation of rugged polymer floor coatings, cabinets and organizational systems that eliminate clutter and create a warm, inviting atmosphere for family and guests, Chad says.

“Whether you have a single-car detached garage or an attached multi-car space the size of the Q, our flooring and organizational systems can help you to reclaim your garage as a useful and valuable storage area, work space or even a large, versatile party room,” Chad promises.

You might start with the floor.

If you’ve ever had a driveway or sidewalk poured, you probably know how expensive concrete can be. Unfortunately, the porous concrete floor in your garage begins to deteriorate the moment it comes into contact with the road salt that symbolizes Northeast Ohio winters, Chad says.

“Even a brand new garage is likely to show pitting from salt exposure within 10 years unless the homeowner is ridiculously meticulous in constantly cleaning and hosing down the floor,” he says.

A tough, attractive polymer floor coating from Ohio Garage Interiors, on the other hand, isn’t affected by salt, water or oil.

“Salt, dirt and grime won’t hurt our floors,” Chad insists. “Cleanup is a snap. You simply get the hose and rinse the dirt and salt away.”

And, a clean garage floor leaves little dirt to track into your house.

Some people confuse the Ohio Garage Interiors floor coating with an epoxy and stone product, Chad laments. There is a difference, he clarifies.

“Our product is a colored vinyl flake that is broadcast into a clear coat,” he says. “The big difference is that unlike a stone epoxy product, our coating is not porous, so water, oil and other liquids can’t seep in and settle between the coating and the concrete. Our coating is actually four times stronger and more flexible than standard epoxy. It offers a contemporary, attractive finish that is ideal for the spills, stains or extreme temperatures associated with the garage environment.”

They are available in hundreds of colors and patterns that include decorative flake coatings, imitation stone and solid colors.

Once your new floor is in place, you may want to organize your garage and reclaim some space. Ohio Garage Interiors offers a variety of sturdy shelves and cabinets that are designed for a garage—but look nice enough to be used inside the house.

“A lot of people hang kitchen cabinets in their garage for storage,” Chad says. “That’s when they realize they are smaller than they look. Storing plates and coffee cups is a lot different from storing garden tools, toys and big storage bins.”

Cabinets installed by Ohio Garage Interiors are ruggedly built, with heavy-duty hardware and adjustable shelves that come as deep as 30 inches. Garage walls can be organized using the unique Silver Track hanging system, which can be customized with a nearly unlimited assortment of steel organization accessories.

A recent visit to a garage designed and equipped by Ohio Garage Interiors revealed a variety of convenient and unique features that can save the inside of a home from destruction. A dog washing station, for example, features a drained, shallow “tub” area, with a faucet and a sprayer—an ideal alternative to pulling clumps of hair out of the bathroom drain after bathing Rover.

“One of our popular features is a drop zone at the entrance into the house,” Chad says.

The “drop zone” is a small shelf with wall organizers where you might leave car keys, items you don’t want to forget to take to work in the morning, or a tool that you might want to grab in a pinch, like a flashlight. Near the drop zone is a boot or shoe bench.

“Some homes have a mud room or utility room where people can take off dirty clothes or muddy shoes,” Chad says. “This is even better because the dirty stuff doesn’t even get through the door. It’s another way to protect the house. This set-up has a closeted shoe rack so you don’t even have to look at the muddy shoes.”

You don’t need a huge garage to install cabinets and closets, Chad assures.

“On the contrary. Smaller garages may need our organizational products even more,” he says. “People are amazed by how much more room they have in their garages after they organize their clutter. It’s an ideal way to add on to your home without adding on.”

You can escape the aggravation of a cluttered garage, or beautify your garage with sleek cabinets and a rugged, gorgeous polymer floor, by scheduling a no-cost consultation with Chad or Scott of Ohio Garage Interiors at 330-835-8111 or 440-520-9370 or 216-767-6363. You can get more information by Ken McEntee at OhioGarageInteriors.com.