How To Close In A Garage Door Opening

Adding an extra room to a home can be a daunting – and pricey – task for any homeowner, which is why a garage-to-room conversion may be an attractive option. A garage comes with siding, a roof and framing, and can quicken the process of conversion while making it more affordable. The first and most crucial step is to close in the garage door opening with a wall.

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You should begin closing in the garage door opening by taking out the siding from the front of the garage and stripping the aluminum flashing from the garage door trim. Next, remove the weather seal stop around the door while the door is raised to its highest position and clamped in place.

Using a nut driver bit in your portable drill, remove the hex head screws that connect the garage door panel hinges to the uppermost panel. Skew the panel from its track and lower the end of the panel to the floor. Move to the other end and remove the panel from its track. Repeat with the second and third panels. As for the last panel, if it's attached to spring cables, twist it off its mounting post with a pair of pliers. Make sure to wear goggles, a face shield and leather gloves for protection. To fully remove the panel, reverse the bolt and nut at the rear mounting brackets of the track, and allow the door to roll off the top of the track.

With the garage door removed, attach a pressure-treated bottom wall plate to the concrete to be used for the new wall. If the garage has a support column, build a temporary "bridge support" by doubling up some 2-by-6 temporary headers and wedging them under the garage door header with 2-by-4 stilts on either side. With a small sledgehammer, knock the bottom of the support column free.

Cut the 2-by-6 pressure-treated plates to length and use heavy duty construction adhesive and explosive nails for a sturdy attachment, using a chalk line as your layout guide.

After knocking the partially assembled walls into place, fasten additional studs into place and start framing for the window and door. Attach 1/2-inch OSB sheathing to the outside wall. Next, use 1-inch thick Styrofoam insulation panels to cover the OSB.

After building the wall up to matching thickness, the window and door can be installed.