When we moved into our new pool home, one thing was clear—the garage was begging for a makeover. It was tiny, barely enough room for my car, and forget about fitting Honey’s oversized truck in there. Let’s just say the garage had potential (if you squinted really hard).
The floor? Oh, it was a disaster. The previous owners had glued down some matting, and when we peeled it up, it left behind a sticky, nasty mess that looked like the floor had been attacked by a giant wad of gum. But I knew exactly who to call to help me turn that sad little space into something functional—and dare I say—clean, if not stylish.
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The Garage "Before" – A Hot Mess
When I entered the garage, I knew our work was cut out for us. It was small and cluttered, and the floor—oh, the floor!—was a total disaster. Thanks to the remnants of some ancient matting, it was a sticky, glue-covered mess that made the whole space unusable.
And then there was that awkward raised step running around the edges of the garage. Sure, it was a bit of a pain if you wanted to park anything big, but I figured, hey, at least it gave us a little extra storage space. Still, the real villain here was the glue. It was everywhere, mocking me, daring me to try and scrape it off. This was going to be… fun.
Check out some before photos to get a sense of how bad it was:
It was quite the sight, let me tell you. But I couldn’t help thinking, with a little elbow grease, this garage could actually become a super functional spot for all our tools, bikes, and random stuff I don’t know where else to put. First things first, though—I had to deal with that ridiculously sticky floor. Seriously, it was like walking on flypaper!
The Garage Floor Makeover: A Professional Solution
After going back and forth (and then some), I finally decided to call in the pros—Nassau Floor Coatings—to rescue our poor, sad floor. These guys came highly recommended for their Shark Coating-style magic, which is basically code for “super durable and looks amazing.”
Step one? Grinding off all the crusty, stubborn old glue clinging to the floor like its life depended on it. Let me tell you, it wasn’t pretty. But it had to be done to get the floor back to square one.
The Nassau crew showed up, rolled their sleeves, and got straight to work. Here’s a little video of them tackling the glue situation like total pros:
It took three days to get this done, and let me tell you, it wasn’t a quick slap-it-on-and-go kind of thing. First, they ground the floor to a smooth finish (goodbye, old scuffs), then apply the coating. After that, I had to play the waiting game—cue the patience. Here’s the fun little “no” list I had to stick to:
- No walking on it for 24 hours (not even a sneaky step).
- No putting anything on it for 48 hours (so much space, so tempting).
- There was no parking for 5 days—I waited seven just to be extra safe because, you know, January’s cold snap wasn’t messing around.
It felt like forever, but honestly, it was totally worth it. The floor looks fantastic, and I’m officially a fan of delayed gratification.
The "After" – A Beautiful New Garage Floor
Once the coating finally cured (felt like forever, but worth the wait), the transformation blew me away. Our garage went from chaos to looking like it belonged in a glossy magazine (without the leaves that blew in haha). Seriously, I might actually enjoy being in there now! The finish is super smooth, tough as nails, and ridiculously easy to clean—spills, what spills? Check out this final result video—it’s like a garage glow-up!
The floor? It’s practically sparkling now—hard to believe it’s the same sticky disaster it used to be. Honestly, the whole space feels like a total glow-up. It’s so much more organized, and I can finally use it for what it’s meant for—stashing tools, bikes, and all the other random stuff that somehow piles up.
Storage Solutions for Our New Garage
With the new floors done (and looking fabulous, if I do say so myself), I figured it was time to tackle the chaos in the garage. A little order wouldn’t hurt, right? So, I dove into some simple storage hacks to finally get our stuff together.
The first thing I did was add some sturdy shelving to the walls. All that random stuff on the floor suddenly had a new home in neatly organized bins. If your garage is begging for some order, do yourself a favor and check out this budget-friendly shelving option—it’s a lifesaver!
Next, a spot for Honey’s giant toolbox. Funny enough, he’s been rocking his Husky toolbox for over 40 years—and yep, it’s still kicking! If you’re hunting for a toolbox that’ll outlive us all, this one’s a keeper.
We added our bike rack to hold our bikes and our golf clubs sit next to it. I rather enjoy the small “step” around the perimeter because now I can park my car with plenty of space to walk around.
The Aftermath
Renovating our small garage was no joke—especially when the floor looked like it had survived a natural disaster. But thanks to Nassau Floor Coatings and some clever storage hacks, I turned a chaotic mess into a totally functional, organized space. Now it’s actually a place my car enjoys spending time in!
We’ve got room for tools, bikes, and all the random stuff that used to live in piles. If you’re staring at your garage disaster, do yourself a favor: invest in a good floor coating and smart storage. You’ll feel like a DIY champion when it’s all done. Totally worth it!
If you have any questions about the process or need advice on your garage renovation, feel free to get in touch for a consultation!
