Make Your Garage Even More Useable with Affordable and Functional Upgrades

Garage Finisher Team • September 21, 2021

Do you have a garage, but wish you could make it better and more usable? If so, you're far from alone. According to the Wall St Journal, 89% of garage-owners want to make their garages better. In too many cases, a person's garage is basically a large junk shed that might have room for a car, with a lot of space either going to waste, or being used in a way that prevents it from being used well.

Most homes have a garage - but not many people make the best use of that space!

A garage doesn't have to simply be a place to store cars and whatever other stuff you happen to put in it. With some simple upgrades, such as better garage cabinets, slatwall, or flooring, your garage can be transformed into a space you love to be in. It can be a far better environment for working or for hobbies.

It's also a great way to show off if you want the neighbors to be envious. Do you have a garage you want people to see, or are you afraid to leave the door open? A few upgrades could give you the best garage on the block!

At Garage Finisher, we specialize in helping people in Cleveland make the most of their garage! Whether you want more room for cars and car repairs specifically or want to turn your garage into a more general-purpose working space, we've got plenty of affordable ideas to make it better! Garage Finisher is here to help you turn your plain garage into a wonderful working space, and we have extensive experience upgrading garages to meet our customers' needs.

Five Great Ways to Turn Your Garage into An Excellent Working Space

1 - Clean out all the junk and Prepare the Space

Before you can even think about upgrading, you've probably got some work to do; you need to clear out all the junk. Don't worry, a lot of people are in the same position. It's so easy to use a garage as a 'junk room,' but over time, it fills up with clutter and things that - realistically - you just aren't going to use.

The practical reasons for this are obvious: the less junk is in your garage, the easier it will be to install new garage cabinets or flooring or other upgrades. However, the other reason is that too often people use their garage as a dumping ground for stuff they won't throw out, but probably aren't going to ever use. It's time to change that!

Go through your garage and think hard about the things you're storing in it. As a rule of thumb, if it's something you haven't used in the last year, you probably don't need to keep it. Or, at least, it's probably something that should be moved into another storage location, such as a basement or attic.

De-cluttering your garage will make any future work much easier, as well as ensuring you have a great well-organized garage at the end of the upgrade process.

As a rule of thumb, if you have something in your garage that you haven't used in at least one year, you're probably never going to use it. Hold a garage sale or donate anything usable to charity. Free up as much floor space as you can.

The other thing to consider is the condition of your current concrete floor. Is it good enough to keep using as is? If your floor is older, and is already heavily damaged or stained, you may be happy to hear that in most cases you don’t have to consider ripping it out and replacing the slab. A professional can repair the cracks and pitting and apply a durable coating system on top of the existing concrete that can last the life of your garage and really improve it’s appearance and durability.

2 - Install a better floor - Garage Flooring Upgrades

Most garages only have a naked slab of concrete for a floor. This works, but it's going to make for an unpleasant working environment. Concrete sucks up spills like a sponge, and if you've spilled something like oil that's going to stain, it's going to be permanently stained. Concrete also tends to attract dirt, dust, and other small particles like metal or wood shavings and is hard to clean.

On top of that, concrete is extremely vulnerable to damage since it cracks easily and is damaged by road salt.

You can make your floor so much better, and more usable, by installing a resinous coating on top of the concrete. A material such as polyaspartic floor coating creates a single smooth surface that is stain resistant, easy to clean, and exceptionally strong. A resin-coated garage floor will be ready for anything you throw at it for years to come and will not be damaged by road salt.

Most garages start with a basic concrete slab, but that should not be the final floor. Concrete is easily damaged, and when it becomes pitted or develops a crack, that becomes a tripping hazard. It's not particularly easy to repair, either.

Basic concrete is also porous, so it is exceptionally easy to stain. If you spill some oil, for example, that stain isn't coming out unless you want to grind off the top layer of concrete. Even worse, bare concrete can be easily damaged by the salt that is applied to the roads to keep them safe.

The best way to upgrade garage flooring is with resinous coatings. Resin-coated-concrete has been used since the mid-20th Century due to its strength and durability. Over the years there has been development of improved formulas.

Simply put, a layer of extra-hard resin is poured onto the surface, then spread out evenly and allowed to dry. Once it cures and hardens, you get an edge-to-edge surface that is exceptionally resistant to damage, difficult to stain, and very easy to clean.

There are several different resins used, with epoxy or urethane being the most common options in the past. However, in the last couple decades, a new option has emerged as the clear front runner: polyaspartic coatings.

Polyaspartic coatings are even stronger than epoxy, and almost impossible to damage without going out of your way to do so. Even dropped heavy items are unlikely to cause damage as a good polyaspartic blend can be ten times stronger than epoxy. Polyaspartic materials also have better chemical resistance than most other resinous coatings and can stand up to anything which you're likely to have in a typical garage. The most damaging substance to a garage floor is road salt and that does not harm a good polyaspartic floor. Polyaspartic in not damaged by UV light, unlike epoxy, so there's no reason to fear leaving your garage door open on a sunny day.

Perhaps best of all, polyaspartic coatings are fast to cure. They can become usable in less than 24 hours, and installation (by professionals) is quick as well. Basically, you can spend one day having your garage floor coated, and it'll be ready to use the next day.

Unlike epoxy, there really is no downside to polyaspartic coatings as long as they are applied by a professional with a lot of experience with the material. Because polyapartic coatings cure so fast, it’s best to be left up to professionals that knows what they’re doing, or the results might not be what you were hoping for.

A professional applied polyaspartic coating can easily last the life of your garage.

3 - Got too many cars? Install a car lift.

As a family grows, the number of cars tends to grow as well. This can be a problem for smaller one- or two-car garages. Fortunately, professional-quality car lifts are more affordable than you might expect.

These allow you to stack two cars 'on top' of each other, effectively doubling the number of vehicles you can store in a garage.

They're also excellent if you have other utility vehicles, such as jet skis or ATVs. Those can go in the top slot for long-term storage, while your primary road vehicle comes and goes beneath them.

Car lift systems could even be used to add storage above your car if you really need more room.

4 - Garage cabinets add utility

If you want a well-organized garage, you need well-organized garage cabinets. Today, garage cabinetry can be built to order, so that it fits perfectly into any size space that your garage might have. These are professional-grade cabinets, capable of storing anything you might need while keeping it close at hand. You can even get cabinets with locking mechanisms, for storing dangerous chemicals you don't want in the house.

Another major issue facing most garages is that storage space is often limited, or not well suited to the work you're doing in your garage. New garage cabinets can be a great way to rectify that situation.

You've got three basic options for cabinet materials: wood, plastic, or metal.

Plastic & Metal can be ideal solutions and can be terrible solutions. With so many varieties of both, you have to be very careful when buying. Both offer quality storage solutions, but both offer cheaper versions that just aren't that durable and will be easily damaged. Some may not even be up to the task of holding heavier pieces of equipment. Sagging, scratching and warping are common. So when you are shopping, take a good look at the quality of design and materials used.

Depending on the amount of work you want to put in yourself, you can potentially measure out your walls and pick "off the shelf" cabinets from stores. On the other hand, hiring a company for custom garage cabinets will probably cost a bit more, but yield a great set of cabinets that are specifically designed for garages. But it’s important to choose the right company with a lot of experience in cabinet design and installation.

Plus, don't forget labels! Good labeling is the key to making the best use of garage cabinets and other storage systems.

Warranty should also be an important consideration. Cabinets can vary from worthless short-term warranties up to Unconditional Lifetime warranties like the warranty you receive when buying cabinets from Garage Finisher.

5 - Slat walls put everything you need close at hand

Slatwall is great because it's so versatile. Slatwall can hold up shelves, hooks, baskets, bins, and more.

Do you have a smaller space in front of a wall, where there isn't room for a full-sized cabinet? Add a slat wall instead! Slat walls are amazingly multi-functional. With a few accessories that hook straight into the slats, it can store almost any small or flat objects - anything from everyday hand tools to larger implements such as brooms, shovels, bikes or rakes.

This puts them close at hand, as well as making it as easy as possible to put them away when you're done.

Or, add shelves or baskets to your slat wall, as needed. There's very little limit to what can be hung on a slat wall. (And they're stronger than you might think!)

The other major option for garage storage are slatwall systems, but this doesn't need to be an either-or choice. The best garage organization upgrades typically use both cabinets and slatwall for maximum utility.

Unlike cabinets, your slatwall layout is never set. If you decide you want to change how things are laid out, just move the various components around. This versatility means that a well-made slatwall can continue being useful for years, even decades, even as your own needs and usage change.

As with cabinets, slatwall can come in wood, plastic, or metal variations. And, just like cabinets, choosing the right slatwall should come down to design, product quality and warranty. You can buy cheap slatwall that won’t hold up long with a useless short-term warranty, or quality slatwall with an unconditional lifetime warranty that you’ll never have to worry about.

Also, consider how much weight you will want to hang on your slatwall. Given that slatwall can involve a lot of weight being put on relatively small attachments, you want the slatwall to be able to hold whatever you might want to hang both now and in the future. It's an investment that will pay off for years to come.

Garage Finishers Makes Cleveland Garages Better

For decades, we've specialized in organizing and upgrading garages for both residential and business customers. We can build you cabinets or slat walls to order, coat your concrete floor with our own super-strong "Forever Floor" polyaspartic blend, or even do a full renovation.

Choose Garage Finisher To Create A Garage That You'll Love!

For nearly 30 years, Garage Finisher has specialized in creating the best possible garages for homes and businesses across Cleveland and Northeast Ohio. We work with you to understand your needs, and can then craft both storage and flooring solutions that create your dream garage.

You can see our work for yourself with our before-and-after picture gallery.

If your garage has become so cluttered that you can't use it, or you're afraid to leave the door open for any amount of time, Garage Finisher can help! We have the best in garage cabinets, slatwall, and of course, our own proprietary Forever Floor custom polyaspartic coating blend.

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What To Expect During Garage Floor Coating Installation

By Mario Salwan • January 29, 2026

If your garage floor is pitted, stained, dusty, or cracked, a garage floor coating installation can feel like the reset button. Garage Finisher makes the process simple: clear communication, clean prep, and a finished floor you’ll actually enjoy walking on. Your First Step Is A Quick, Practical Walkthrough Garage Finisher starts by looking at how you use the garage and what’s happening to the concrete, salt stains, cracks, peeling coatings, or moisture that keeps coming back, so your garage floor coating installation fits the way you actually live. This is where you’ll talk through color, texture, traction, and what “easy maintenance” really means for your household. Garage Finisher also sets expectations upfront, because in Cleveland and across Ohio, the floor has to handle freeze-thaw cycles, road salt, and hot tires. When you know what’s normal during the process, the whole project feels a lot less disruptive. What Happens First In A Garage Floor Coating Installation Garage Finisher begins with prep because coatings don’t bond to dust, oil, or weak concrete. The floor gets cleaned, then mechanically prepped so the coating can penetrate instead of sitting on top like paint, this is the step that makes a garage floor coating installation last. Garage Finisher treats this step like the foundation of the entire job, since rushed prep is where most failures start. If you want the “why” in plain terms, the right concrete surface profile for strong coating adhesion explains what quality prep is really doing beneath the finish. Dust Control And Safety Aren’t “Optional”, They’re Part Of Doing It Right Garage Finisher uses professional equipment to manage dust during grinding and surface prep, because concrete work can kick up fine particles you don’t want floating through the house during a garage floor coating installation. Good crews contain the workspace, protect nearby areas, and keep the job site clean as they go. Garage Finisher also stays mindful of safety realities tied to concrete prep, especially during grinding. It’s worth reviewing how silica dust can be created during concrete work and why controlling it matters before any project starts. Repairs And Detail Work Are What Make The Floor Look “Finished” Garage Finisher handles cracks, pitting, and rough spots before any coating goes down, because those flaws don’t magically disappear under a glossy finish. This is also where edges, corners, and control joints get the attention that separates a quick job from a clean-looking garage floor coating installation. The goal is a smooth, uniform surface that looks intentional, not like a cover-up. Coating Day Is A Process, Not A Single Coat Garage Finisher applies the system in stages so each layer has a job, penetrating, building strength, adding design, and sealing everything in. When the coating is built in the system instead of a one-and-done layer, it holds up better to salt, moisture, and daily traffic. Garage Finisher’s Forever Floor approach is designed for real garages, not showroom floors. If you’re scheduling around work, kids, or parking, this is the point where Garage Finisher can tell you when you can walk on it, when you can move items back, and when it’s ready for vehicles. Cure Time And The “First Week” Rules That Protect Your New Floor Garage Finisher will give you simple do’s and don’ts for the first few days and how to easily clean your new floor forever. The biggest thing is planning your parking and heavy moving so the floor has the best chance to lock in that smooth, sealed surface. If you’re thinking about a garage floor coating installation and want a clear plan for timing, prep, and what your garage will look like at each stage, Garage Finisher can walk you through it before the first tool comes out. If you have additional questions you’d like to ask our team about garage floor coating installation, contact Garage Finisher , to transform your garage by the time the next Ohio winter shows up.

Nature Stone Alternative Flooring: What Homeowners Need To Consider

By Mario Salwan • January 29, 2026

If you’re frustrated with your pitted, dusty, and stained garage floor, you’ve probably Googled a nature stone alternative and wondered what actually holds up in real life. Garage Finisher talks with Cleveland-area homeowners every week who want something tough, clean-looking, and low-maintenance. When “Pretty” Flooring Doesn’t Match Real Garage Life A garage floor gets hammered by road salt, hot tires, water, grit, and whatever spills during weekend projects, so Garage Finisher always starts with how you use the space, not just how you want it to look. Some systems look great at first, but if they’re porous or rely on weak bonding, they can start breaking down fast in Ohio’s freeze-thaw cycles, especially if you chose them simply because they looked like a nature stone alternative. Garage Finisher recommends thinking past the first impression and focusing on what happens after the first winter. If a surface traps moisture, stains easily, is slippery or is hard to clean, you’ll feel that pain every time you pull in, sweep, or try to keep the space safe & presentable. Moisture And Porosity Are The Deal-Breakers Most Homeowners Miss Before picking any coating or decorative surface, Garage Finisher wants homeowners to consider the concrete underneath. Concrete naturally holds moisture, and garages see extra water from snow melt and humid summer air, so if a floor system can’t handle moisture movement, it can bubble, discolor, or loosen over time, no matter which nature stone alternative you’re leaning toward. Choosing A Nature Stone Alternative That Won’t Turn Into A Maintenance Project A true nature stone alternative should give you the textured, high-end look you like without constant maintenance. Garage Finisher sees homeowners get disappointed when a “stone-style” surface holds onto grime, absorbs spills, or needs constant re-sealing to look decent. Garage Finisher’s rule of thumb is simple: if it’s hard to rinse clean, it’s not a good solution. Homeowners who want a garage they can actually use for a gym, workshop, storage, or hangout space, usually do best with a seamless, non-porous surface that rinses clean without drama. Compare Long-Term Wear, Not Just The First-Year Finish It helps to separate “surface looks” from “surface durability,” and Garage Finisher encourages homeowners to ask what protects the floor when the novelty wears off. Some options can chip under impact, while others resist abrasion but still show stains or dull quickly in high-traffic paths. Installation Quality Matters As Much As The Material Homeowners can buy a “good product” and still end up with a bad floor if the prep work is rushed. Garage Finisher focuses heavily on proper surface preparation because that’s what controls bonding, smoothness, and how well the finish stands up to Cleveland weather, car traffic, and chemical exposure. If you’re evaluating any nature stone alternative, Garage Finisher suggests asking direct questions about maintenance, not just color choices. A floor that’s installed correctly should feel solid underfoot, clean up easily, and keep its look without constant touch-ups. The Best Choice Is The One That Matches Your Goals And Your Garage Some homeowners want maximum grip, others want the easiest cleanup possible, and plenty want both, so Garage Finisher frames the decision around your priorities: appearance, traction, stain resistance, durability and how much time you want to spend maintaining it. If you’re torn between a few options, Garage Finisher can walk through what a nature stone alternative will look like after salt, slush, and summer humidity, so you can choose with confidence. If you’re considering a nature stone alternative and want a straight answer on what will hold up in the Cleveland weather, Garage Finisher is here to help. If you have additional questions you’d like to ask our team about the nature stone alternative, contact Garage Finisher , and make sure the floor you choose is one you’ll still love after the next winter.