Handy Tips and Hints to Convert Your Concrete Sectional Garage to an Office or Workshop

I am often asked by my customers as to how they go about either partitioning their concrete garage to create extra ‘living space’ or how they may internally line their building in order to heighten the insulation properties or lessen the potential for  condensation.

When buying new, those more adaptable brands and manufacturers of concrete sectional buildings may offer you a concrete wall internal partition. This is a handy addition if you have ever considered separating your lathe or washer/dryer from your precious car. Do ensure however that you have left sufficient clearance after your car to allow the internal door to open and enough room to house the depth of any appliances or workbench. As a minimum you will require at least 15ft internal length to accommodate your car and a further 6ft providing room for domestic equipment or a workbench and adequate walkway and door clearance. 

Ensure that your chosen garage brand offers levels of installation ensuring that the walls are mastic sealed and the floors include an internal sand/cement fillet. Opt for heaviest concrete panels available, we suggest at 2(cwt) and a minimum 2¾ inches thick and reinforced.

Look for increased internal eaves options particularly if you have considered a suspended roof, most garages are constructed from 6ft6in high panels but look out for those containing an internal timber ‘ring beam’ raising internal heights by up to 4in.

The rib design of the internal walls of the spar/pebbledash garages does readily facilitate the addition of a plasterboard lining; you may even consider insulated plasterboard. The plasterboard is attached using an adhesive designed to bond concrete and wood together; this can be purchased from many DIY stores or timber merchants.

Some concrete garages are sold with optional batten bearer lining clips but if the garage is lined in such a manner it will reduce the internal sizes fairly significantly.