| Introduction | | | | eaves and overhangs. The undersides where the |
| Apart from the common sense safety practices | | | | roof overhangs the walls. |
| which go without saying, there is always one rule to | | | | HDG (hot dip galvanised) Finishing Nails: Nails used for |
| doing it yourself. “Patience”. It takes time | | | | finishing |
| and patients to be a DIY person. Without this, you | | | | Garage door: The front garage door is usually made |
| will run into all sorts of difficulty, make mistakes, | | | | of aluminium. The door has a manual opening |
| panic, become angry and put yourself and others into | | | | mechanism or remote control auto-opening |
| very real danger. Other than that, always find out | | | | mechanism which allows easy access to the garage |
| and read all the safety rules for every tool and | | | | whilst maintaining security to the house. |
| material you intend to use. | | | | Garage door sealer: Flexible sealing strips like the |
| I f you are not going for a windowed garage, I will | | | | Tsunami Seal® set at the horizontal threshold of |
| first introduce you to the materials needed to build | | | | the garage to prevent water, dirt and rodents from |
| the foundations, doors and siding. The terminology | | | | entering the garage. Since the garage is also often |
| may be new to you, so allow me to explain each | | | | one of the least insulation tolerant rooms in the |
| one. | | | | house, the sealer is also used to help insulate the |
| Foundation materials needed | | | | garage through winter months. |
| Visqueen: Brand of plastic sheeting used to cover | | | | Crown moulding: A moulding used on the cornice |
| concrete as it sets. | | | | (Overhang of a pitched roof, usually consisting of a |
| Wooden forms: This will be used as a temporary | | | | fascia board, a soffit and appropriate trim mouldings) |
| structure for the footings of the foundation. | | | | or wherever an interior angle is to be covered, |
| Sand or gravel: Used to reinforce the concrete and | | | | especially at the roof and wall corner. |
| bedding. | | | | Passage door and lock: The passage door leading into |
| Concrete: | | | | the house with dual -locks. |
| Wiremesh: Used to reinforce the concrete. | | | | Caulking: A flexible material used to seal gaps |
| Vermiculite: Mineral used as bulk insulation and also as | | | | between two surfaces e.g. between pieces of siding |
| aggregate concrete flooring insulation. | | | | , the corners in tub walls or for sealing garage door |
| Garage doors and siding materials needed | | | | sealers. Caulking is also used to prevent leakage and |
| Trim materials: Finishing materials such | | | | aid insulation. |
| as the seal mouldings or flexible sealing strips applied | | | | The above are materials necessary for foundations, |
| around doors, floors and ceilings. (See garage door | | | | sides and doors. Other materials needed for roofing |
| sealer and insulation). | | | | and wall framing will be looked at in later articles. Most |
| Sheathing- composition board: This is the structural | | | | materials can be purchased at hardware stores or |
| wood panel sometimes made of plywood or OSB. | | | | from building merchants. Garage door sealers for |
| Fascia: Roof drains and gutters are attached to this. | | | | keeping your garage clean and aiding with insulation |
| These are horizontal boards which attach to the | | | | can be purchased online at the garageaccessories R |
| rafters or truss ends. | | | | Us website. Installation of the door sealer is simple |
| Flashing: Sheet metals and other material used in | | | | and takes less than thirty minutes. The kit comes |
| rooves and wall constructions to protect a building | | | | with all the tools you need including adhesives and a |
| from water seepage. | | | | caulking gun. The seal works well for all types of |
| Plywood for Soffits: Soffits are the areas below the | | | | garage floors and carries a lifetime guarantee. |