A narrow garage can be a pain. Narrow garages are harder to get into and out of without damaging your car – they also provide less storage space. However, for some homeowners, a narrow garage is the only option – especially in urban areas where space is limited. If you happen to have a narrow garage, there are many things you can do to make it easier to navigate and easier to use for storage. Here’s what you need to know.
Install Parking Aids
Parking aids can help guide you into the garage without touching or scraping the sides of your garage door. There are a number of solutions for parking aids, whether you choose to DIY one or go with a proper commercial parking aid.
What are some simple DIY parking aids?
- Some people attach a paintbrush to the door frame so that if you hit the paintbrush, you know you’re too close to the edge.
- Hang a tennis ball from the ceiling so that if it touches the car’s windshield you know that you are fully in the garage.
- Place a wooden block on the floor of your garage to act as a stopping indicator.
- Fasten a soft material such as old sofa cushions, carpet, or foam pads to the walls so that you can get as close as possible.
What are the top commercial parking aids?
- Laser parking aids that mount inside of your garage are come in handy as they help guide you when parking in your garage.
- There are a number of digital display parking aids that mount to your garage wall. These aids come with proximity sensors that display how far you from the wall or come as a traffic-light style display that flashes green, yellow, or red depending on your proximity.
- Some proximity sensing parking aids come with a display that plugs directly into your cigarette lighter and will indicate you are close to the accompanying sensors mounted on your wall.
Back Into Your Parking Spot
This might come as a surprise, but backing into a narrow parking spot is often much easier than pulling into a parking spot driving forward. As you’re backing in, use your side mirrors to straighten the vehicle and avoid the edges of your garage. Thanks to a law passed in 2018, all cars made after May 2018 are mandated to have a backup camera – so chances are that you have one. The proximity sensors and wide field of view on these cameras make backing into your narrow garage easier now more than ever. 
Widen Your Garage
If you have a large property and a disproportionately narrow garage, hire a contractor to widen your garage and make it easier to navigate. Remodeling can improve your garage’s value and make using the garage much easier. The suggested minimum size for a 1-car garage is around 12′ wide by 24′ deep and 22′ wide by 24′ deep for a 2-car garage. As a general rule, always go bigger with more space than what you think you will need. If you do remodel, you’ll need to install a new garage door. Overhead Door Company of Oklahoma City sells garage doors for every style of home. You can find our selection of residential doors online.
Clean the Space
It’s much harder to tell if you’re safe to pull in if your garage is full of clutter. Keep a clean and organized space by removing clutter. Install garage organizers to make more space for what you do need to keep in the garage. Whether those organizers are floating shelves or cabinets, or a loft area, keep the organizers off the ground and away from the area where vehicles will pull in.
Install Better Lighting
Poor lighting is a problem when you’re trying to pull your car into a narrow space. Work with an electrician to install bright overhead lighting in your garage. If you’re remodeling your garage, this is also an excellent opportunity to install more windows to allow more daylight into your garage.
Remodeling Your Narrow Garage? Contact Overhead Door Company
It’s no fun owning a narrow garage. If you’re remodeling to make your garage wider, contact Overhead Door Company of Oklahoma City to make an appointment to discuss your upcoming garage remodel.
