How to: Garage to playroom conversion

Are you using your garage to its full potential? Or has it simply become a home for all of the things you don’t have room for in the house? You don’t have to put up with this wasted space. Particularly if you have children, you know very well how quickly toys can over your home. Why not expand your living space and give your kids an safe and amazing area all their own, where they can spread out, be active, and do what kids should do – play!

Maybe home improvement projects aren’t your thing, and you’re thinking wow, that sounds complicated. You might be surprised to know how simple it can be to convert your garage into a magical play place for your little ones. With a few days, a little work, and some imagination, you’ll be delighted at what you can accomplish.

Why should I convert my garage into a playroom?

Believe it or not, the list of reasons not to do it is much shorter than the list of reasons in favor of this conversion. In fact, many people have one of the following situations which warrant such a unique move:

• You have a small or nonexistent backyard which may even put your children in danger should they follow a ball into the street.
• You have an extra garage, or use your driveway to park your vehicles.
• You live in an area with weather extremes, unsuitable for year‑round play.
• You want extra space for larger toys, like a floor‑level trampoline or ball pit.

As you can see, a garage conversion offers many great benefits for your wee ones.

How can I cover the concrete floor?

A two‑fold approach is best for the task of creating a kid‑friendly play surface. Using a product like Behr Premium Concrete & Garage Floor Paint allows you to easily create a smoother, more colourful floor. There are many other major brands that offer a similar concrete product. In addition, you can find foam rubber mats that fit together like puzzle pieces at almost any department store (Home Depot, Toys"R"Us, Walmart, as well as online).

Won’t it get cold?

As long as you’ve got a decent garage door, like a Cambridge model with a thermal resistance rating of R‑16, the room should stay pretty comfortable. For exceptionally cold days, however, there are manual heating systems available that are easy to use and won’t break the bank.

What about safety?

You’re probably thinking, what about that fun little button that makes the big door open? Tempting for kids, to be sure. The garage door opener can be disconnected while the kids are young, and reconnected later once they’ve learned it’s not a toy.

Finishing touches

Of course you’ll need storage, and places like IKEA are perfect to get versatile modular pieces that can be arranged to fit your specific needs. Most importantly, these storage options keep the clutter off the floor.

To brighten up the walls, you can go with a number of fun choices – wall stickers (available at Walmart, Wayfair, and almost any other craft or home decorating store), a painted mural (if you’re lucky enough to be that talented, or have a friend who is!), or a collection of posters reflecting your babies’ favorite characters or animals. Don’t be afraid to dive into a theme – we think blue floor mats with a grouping of large undersea wall stickers would be absolutely irresistible!

Once everything is in place, you can sit back, relax, and watch your energetic little cuties tire themselves out in their enchanting new garage playroom!

Did you like this article? Tell us what you think, and share your own cool garage to playroom conversion ideas with us. Don’t forget to pass this idea along to your friends and family so they can benefit from the inspiration as well!