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Community and Q&A

Economical Garage Restore

Hammer| Posted inGeneral Questionson

I have been asking questions about if I should keep my old garage or replace it. I compiled some pictures and what I think with my limited knowledge of it’s construction. I know it might be hard but I will take honest opinions of what you think it’s condition is and if it is worth fixing. My thought is it needs repair from outside especially siding. Not sure where do I begin to rip off old cedar and start from scratch or paint it. I also have one wall with a masonry apron, not sure what to do what that and how to match it. Would hopefully like to restore this to its former beauty.

Garage was built prob 1930’s, roof was replaced and repaired 3 years ago. Walls are sitting on what looks like concrete blocks and garage floor is a cement pad. Not sure if that’s good or bad. Old cedar shingles, on two walls, the front has vinyl, and one walls needs siding.
The inside is not insulated or finished.

Thanks for advice, Joe

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Replies

  1. Expert Member
    Zephyr7||#1

    It looks like someone has replaced the sill plate with pressure treated wood (it definetly looks new, but I can't be sure if I see the telltale green tint of of PT wood). This is a good thing if done. The rest of the framing doesn't look bad from what I can see in those pics. The column in the one pic could use some bracing, but that's about it. The siding could use some work.

    What are you trying to achieve here? If you just want to keep this as an unconditioned garage, I don't think restoring it will be that big a deal. If you want to convert it to conditioned space, that would be more involved but probably still doable at lower cost than a total rebuild.

    Bill

  2. Hammer||#2

    I want to convert to conditioned space eventually but trying to figure out first step. Do I need to replace the cedar siding? I also have one side of garage that the bottom 1/3 is stucco, what should I do there? Scrape off concrete so it is all level, take everything off some how and start with one layer of siding?

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