March, 1910 
HOUSE AND GARDEN 
93 
Rough field-stone walls are backed up with reinforced concrete, 
and the roof is of the latter material 
Cement walls and red tile roof make an attractive combination 
for the private garage 
place, store closets and other accessories, must be taken into 
serious account in the initial stages of planning. 
It is seldom wise to plan only a one-car garage, unless 
there is a definite reason for so doing. There are occasions 
when one will wish to put up a visitor’s car, or otherwise house 
a second motor. However, the garage is sometimes a mere shed 
or enclosure, and as such can be reduced to 9 ft. by 15 ft. inside 
measurement for an ordinary roadster, with a height of 9 ft. 4 
in. to the top of the plate for the roof rafters. Such a one was 
built for a physician in Asbury Park, New Jersey, and with its 
outside covering of cream colored siding and red shingles, glass 
lights with heavy panels in the doors, it is by no means unattrac¬ 
tive and was built at a complete cost of $250. 
Generally, the garage should be planned so that the cars 
can stand against the 
back wall with the door or 
doors directly opposite; one 
door 9 ft. 6 in. wide, and of 
about the same height, is gen¬ 
erally sufficient, providing the 
room is about 20 ft. deep, to 
allow for making the neces¬ 
sary curve for rolling the car 
into place. These dimensions 
apply to a garage to hold two 
cars. For a still larger gar¬ 
age two doors are better, or 
one sliding-door of three sec¬ 
tions making an opening of 9 
ft. on one side or the other 
of the door as desired. A 
small door, either sep¬ 
arate from the large 
doors or built into 
them, will be found 
convenient in the 
winter time for acces¬ 
sibility and keeping in 
the warmth. 
Unless there is a 
separate work-room 
a work-bench about 
4 feet wide at one side 
of the room is a ne¬ 
cessity. A window 
should be over it with 
an electric light con- 
veniently arranged 
for night repairs, and a sink with hot and cold water connections 
built in at one end. This will be found a great convenience 
while repairing tires. A shelf below makes a suitable place to 
store tires, and a closet for storing gears, springs and other 
duplicate and sundry parts should be near at hand. The location 
of the washing stand follows generally the arrangement of a car¬ 
riage wash in a stable. It is advisable, however, to have the 
whole floor of the garage slope to the one or more floor-drains. 
A revolving overhead wash, fitted with an electric light, will 
be found most useful. Closets with poles, hooks and drawers 
for the storage of rugs, coats and other accessories should be at 
hand. The attic can be arranged for the storage of tops, usually, 
and other large parts not in use. A hand elevator will be found 
a great convenience for lifting these heavy articles and can be put 
in at a small cost. 
There seems to be a differ¬ 
ence of opinion as to the use¬ 
fulness of the repair pit. The 
alternative is a chain tackle 
arranged to lift one end of the 
motors to get at the under side, 
and geared to work easily by 
hand power. But the pit has 
a number of advantages in 
spite of its extra expense. If 
the garage is built upon slop¬ 
ing ground there should be an 
outside escape from the pit 
with glass in the door. Suita¬ 
ble dimensions will be found 
to be 10 ft. by 3 ft. 6 in., with 
a depth of 4 ft. 6 in. 
Seats 12 in. wide and 
18 in. high, arranged 
on both sides of the 
pit, will be found a 
great comfort to the 
mechanician. A drain 
in the floor and an 
electric light upon a 
cord are practically 
necessities. 
Other questions of 
planning are involved 
with the very impor¬ 
tant one of making 
the building as fire¬ 
proof as possible. 
The plan of the garage pictured below, showing the desirable equipment 
of a four- or five-car house 
Mr. W. D. Denegre’s garage at Manchester, Mass., designed by Andrews, Jacques & 
Rantoul and built for approximately $5,000 
