Garage Parking Aid

Questions on how we spend our money and our time - consumer goods and services, home and vehicle, leisure and recreational activities
Post Reply
Topic Author
General Disarray
Posts: 230
Joined: Sat Feb 08, 2014 12:35 pm
Location: Body in the east coast, but heart in the west coast

Garage Parking Aid

Post by General Disarray »

My garage is a tandem garage, rather than the side-to-side type of garage. When I bought the unit, there was a shoddily patched area in the front of the garage. Someone clearly drove into the wall. A contractor will patch up and paint the garage (after removing the popcorn plaster from the walls and ceilings) soon.

When there are two cars in the garage, the front car has to be very close to the wall. I can only imagine that one of these days, someone will drive into the wall accidentally. Is there some sort of garage parking aid that Bogleheads might use to prevent drivers from bumping/crashing into the front wall of the garage? I prefer not to hang anything from the ceiling or wall, as the walls and ceiling are concrete (for instance, a string with a tennis ball) and drilling into concrete is a pain.

I've seen ads for a variety of stop sign aids. I have also seen rubber parking blocks, which are much lighter than concrete blocks, but because of their weight, they also move if the car pushes it. Not sure how effective these parking aids are.
User avatar
lthenderson
Posts: 8499
Joined: Tue Feb 21, 2012 11:43 am
Location: Iowa

Re: Garage Parking Aid

Post by lthenderson »

I have owned a couple of those stop signs on a stick over the years but they don't seem to hold up very well with time and tend to flop over as the springs weaken. My end solution was to buy parking lasers that tie into the safety system of your garage door. I mount mine to the ceiling but they can also be mounted to walls. When a vehicle breaks the plane of the safety system, the lasers come on and pulse a blinking red light for two minutes. Once I have the car parked where I want it to stop, I adjust the laser so it points inside the car at a reference point. In both my cars, I use the edge of the dash as the reference point. When the light gets to within an inch of the edge of the dash, I know I have reached the point where I wish to stop. Works well and there is nothing cluttering up the space when I'm using it for a workshop.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0021 ... UTF8&psc=1
Fclevz
Posts: 651
Joined: Fri Mar 30, 2007 11:28 am

Re: Garage Parking Aid

Post by Fclevz »

If you have a newer car, use the backup camera.
User avatar
SmileyFace
Posts: 9081
Joined: Wed Feb 19, 2014 9:11 am

Re: Garage Parking Aid

Post by SmileyFace »

An set of old tires lined up against the back wall work well and are free (if you don't have some - go to a nearby tire place and they will gladly allow you to take a few off their hands). You can bolt them to the wall or use rope bolted to the wall to hold them in place.
neilpilot
Posts: 5003
Joined: Fri Dec 04, 2015 12:46 pm
Location: Memphis area

Re: Garage Parking Aid

Post by neilpilot »

In my area, you can buy a 6' concrete stop for $75. They weight about 260 lb, so usually don't need to be anchored. If necessary, it's simple to add loose wood on each end to brace against the back wall. Simple, but will require a few wasted inches from the back wall if vehicles with very different dimensions will be parked in the same spot.
User avatar
SmileyFace
Posts: 9081
Joined: Wed Feb 19, 2014 9:11 am

Re: Garage Parking Aid

Post by SmileyFace »

A second idea (the one my father used) is to build a small frame out of 2x4's (framing wood) laid out along the ground to the back wall such that your tires will hit the resistance of a piece of wood to tell you when to stop.

Looks like this:

BACK WALL
| <space> |
| <space> |
-------------
Last edited by SmileyFace on Mon Jun 19, 2017 2:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
2retire
Posts: 400
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 9:00 am

Re: Garage Parking Aid

Post by 2retire »

I use regular bricks that you'd build a house out of. Just build two columns (three of four bricks wide) from the back wall to where you want tires to stop. The lose bricks will absorb some of the tire pressure as they make contact. If you are still worried about the wall, where the bricks make contact, put a long 2 by 4 against the wall to disperse the pressure even more.is.
carguyny
Posts: 376
Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2016 4:56 pm

Re: Garage Parking Aid

Post by carguyny »

I've had one of these on the garage floor for 3 or 4 years now.

https://www.amazon.com/Camco-44442-Accu ... arage+stop
User avatar
Pajamas
Posts: 6015
Joined: Sun Jun 03, 2012 6:32 pm

Re: Garage Parking Aid

Post by Pajamas »

You could get a Command hook that would stick to concrete to hang a tennis ball. No trouble at all applying them to a clean surface. Would be fast and inexpensive.

A hanging ball is more effective at helping to get the car in the right place than a physical stop on the floor is if the lateral position is at all important rather than the distance from the wall in front of the car alone.
livesoft
Posts: 85972
Joined: Thu Mar 01, 2007 7:00 pm

Re: Garage Parking Aid

Post by livesoft »

Bricks are a fine idea as is sonar on newer cars. My car beeps when I get too close to something whether a wall, car, person, or other obstacle.

My garage has a raised section of concrete, so one cannot drive through the back wall instead of brick indicators.

But I use the beeps when parking in public garages.
Last edited by livesoft on Mon Jun 19, 2017 2:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Wiki This signature message sponsored by sscritic: Learn to fish.
bloom2708
Posts: 9855
Joined: Wed Apr 02, 2014 2:08 pm

Re: Garage Parking Aid

Post by bloom2708 »

We have a 3 stall garage and have 3 single lasers mounted on the ceiling.

Here is a single unit for 2 stalls:

https://www.amazon.com/MAXSA-Innovation ... arking+aid

Park cars where you want them. Aim the laser at the center of the dash or a spot that is easy to spot/remember.

When you pull in, the laser activates on motion and you stop when the laser is in the center of the dash.
runner3081
Posts: 5978
Joined: Mon Aug 22, 2016 3:22 pm

Re: Garage Parking Aid

Post by runner3081 »

Pajamas wrote:You could get a Command hook that would stick to concrete to hang a tennis ball. No trouble at all applying them to a clean surface. Would be fast and inexpensive.

A hanging ball is more effective at helping to get the car in the right place than a physical stop on the floor is if the lateral position is at all important rather than the distance from the wall in front of the car alone.
Completely agree. Cheapest and quickest method.

Don't have a tennis ball? Can always buy a Styrofoam ball at Michael's or a fabric/crafts store.
downshiftme
Posts: 1142
Joined: Sun Mar 11, 2007 6:11 pm

Re: Garage Parking Aid

Post by downshiftme »

My parents use the hanging tennis ball and it is a GREAT solution. I see others have suggested using adhesive attachments if you don't want to drill concrete.

Another alternative is a plastic kids play sign. We have a freestanding sign (doesn't matter what it says) that is light enough to withstand a bump by a car without damaging the car, but tall enough to be seen as you drive into the garage.
German Expat
Moderator
Posts: 961
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2009 10:49 pm

Re: Garage Parking Aid

Post by German Expat »

I used 2 different things.

a) hanging tennis ball, e.g. something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Genie-GPS-R-Univ ... ge+parking

Drawback is that it is working with your car, so if you park various cars in there it won't work. We had a short spot for our Honda CRV and used it there but it was always the same car.

b) a pole with a stop sign on it

https://www.amazon.com/Ekarro-Modern-Fl ... top+lights

This worked for all cars and you just slightly tap it with your car. I did not care much about the lights and we had a different model and the lights eventually stopped working but you can see when you hit it regardless of some fancy flashing light.
Globalviewer58
Posts: 736
Joined: Fri Jul 18, 2008 3:26 pm

Re: Garage Parking Aid

Post by Globalviewer58 »

I painted a line on the wall of my garage. When I am even with the line I put the car in Park. Leaves about a foot of space between front bumper and garage wall.
CloudNine33
Posts: 125
Joined: Sat Dec 07, 2013 4:21 pm

Re: Garage Parking Aid

Post by CloudNine33 »

My wife pulls her car into the garage forwards and we use a tennis ball on a thin rope for her car. I back into my spot and wanted something that would make more noise so I drilled a small hole in a golf ball and used a hot glue gun to secure a rope into the hole. Works very well as I hear a distinctive "ding" when my back window touches the golf ball. Plus it looks cool and the dog doesn't try to jump up and grab the golf ball (he sure loves tennis balls though).
random_walker_77
Posts: 2207
Joined: Tue May 21, 2013 8:49 pm

Re: Garage Parking Aid

Post by random_walker_77 »

carguyny wrote:I've had one of these on the garage floor for 3 or 4 years now.

https://www.amazon.com/Camco-44442-Accu ... arage+stop
I've had 2 of these in my 2-car garage for 7 years and really like it. It's held up well to the texas heat.
User avatar
LadyGeek
Site Admin
Posts: 95466
Joined: Sat Dec 20, 2008 4:34 pm
Location: Philadelphia
Contact:

Re: Garage Parking Aid

Post by LadyGeek »

I'll throw in a suggestion for fishing line and a bobber, which is much lighter and easier to rig than a tennis ball.

Just clip the bobber onto the line at the desired height.
Wiki To some, the glass is half full. To others, the glass is half empty. To an engineer, it's twice the size it needs to be.
User avatar
Kosmo
Posts: 1303
Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2012 11:54 am
Location: Philadelphia

Re: Garage Parking Aid

Post by Kosmo »

I put a 2 ft length of 2x3 on the ground at the front tire. Stop when you feel it. My wife generally enters the garage at a sportier speed than most drivers so the wood shifts around. I have a chalk outline so I know where to replace it to. If you will be parking different cars in that spot then different colors of chalk can be used to mark the right spots. I do have to re-chalk sometimes when I sweep out the garage.
User avatar
tuningfork
Posts: 884
Joined: Wed Oct 30, 2013 8:30 pm

Re: Garage Parking Aid

Post by tuningfork »

I use this "stop sign on a pole." I've had it for nearly 10 years. I use it to get within about 5 inches of the back of the garage. I use a couple of bricks to hold it in place; otherwise tapping it with the front of the car can occasionally move it slightly. The flashing lights are a gimmick; when the batteries died after several years I never bothered to replace them. At some point I replaced the plastic pole with a metal rod I bought at the hardware store for a couple of bucks. I don't recall what happened but I image the plastic pole broke at some point. If I had to buy again I would see if I could find one with a metal pole to start with.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000RGI7BQ/

My new car has parking sensors, but I'm not close enough to the back when the beeps are at max, so I still need this to get closer.
terran
Posts: 2966
Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2015 9:50 pm

Re: Garage Parking Aid

Post by terran »

My family hangs a tennis ball by a string from the ceiling at the appropriate length to just hit the windshield when you're parked where you want to be. I think my great grandfather started the tradition. On a closer read, it looks like it's not a totally unique idea.
mhalley
Posts: 10424
Joined: Tue Nov 20, 2007 5:02 am

Re: Garage Parking Aid

Post by mhalley »

I had the stop sign on the pole, until one day it got knocked over and broke. I got a colorful pool noodle at the dollar store to slip over the now topless pole.
Diogenes
Posts: 602
Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2012 2:58 pm

Re: Garage Parking Aid

Post by Diogenes »

Any products that are good for parking assist on the sides? We have a water heater that is on one side of where DW parks. Rather not put in a pole, just a gentle reminder...
Cash
Posts: 1572
Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2010 9:52 am

Re: Garage Parking Aid

Post by Cash »

After reading multiple reviews, I just bought one of these earlier this week:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E ... UTF8&psc=1

I'll let you know how it works out.
CurlyDave
Posts: 3182
Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2016 11:37 am

Re: Garage Parking Aid

Post by CurlyDave »

neilpilot wrote:In my area, you can buy a 6' concrete stop for $75. They weight about 260 lb, so usually don't need to be anchored. If necessary, it's simple to add loose wood on each end to brace against the back wall. Simple, but will require a few wasted inches from the back wall if vehicles with very different dimensions will be parked in the same spot.
+1.

Check local construction supply houses for them. They are the same ones you see in parking lots everywhere.

I would get two shorter ones because they will weigh less and be easier to handle. You will then need some 2"x4" lumber to cut into pieces to brace against the back wall.
Answering a question is easy -- asking the right question is the hard part.
User avatar
pennstater2005
Posts: 2509
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2012 8:50 pm

Re: Garage Parking Aid

Post by pennstater2005 »

I pull ahead very slowly until I feel a slight bump. I then reverse just slightly off the wall. My kids get a kick out of it every time.
“If you think nobody cares if you're alive, try missing a couple of car payments.” – Earl Wilson
User avatar
F150HD
Posts: 3926
Joined: Fri Sep 18, 2015 7:49 pm

Re: Garage Parking Aid

Post by F150HD »

You could get a Command hook that would stick to concrete to hang a tennis ball. No trouble at all applying them to a clean surface. Would be fast and inexpensive.

A hanging ball is more effective at helping to get the car in the right place than a physical stop on the floor is if the lateral position is at all important rather than the distance from the wall in front of the car alone.
+1 I use a piece of rope over a rafter and when it touches my left mirror, I'm good.

Simple string/rope from ceiling held w/ 3M adhesive/tape = easy.

Putting tons of extra items in your garage to 'help' sucks up floor space.
Long is the way and hard, that out of Hell leads up to light.
User avatar
TD2626
Posts: 637
Joined: Thu Mar 16, 2017 3:40 pm

Re: Garage Parking Aid

Post by TD2626 »

Pajamas wrote:You could get a Command hook that would stick to concrete to hang a tennis ball. No trouble at all applying them to a clean surface. Would be fast and inexpensive.

A hanging ball is more effective at helping to get the car in the right place than a physical stop on the floor is if the lateral position is at all important rather than the distance from the wall in front of the car alone.
LadyGeek wrote:I'll throw in a suggestion for fishing line and a bobber, which is much lighter and easier to rig than a tennis ball.

Just clip the bobber onto the line at the desired height.
You could combine these ideas. Command hook + fishing line & bobber.

Command hook is much easier to hang from the ceiling than drilling concrete, but it requires something light or else it will fall down. The bobber works well here. Plus, bobbers are usually brightly-colored. Mabye use two bobbers, one down low to hit the car and another higher up that you can easily see move.
User avatar
FrugalInvestor
Posts: 6213
Joined: Thu Nov 06, 2008 11:20 pm

Re: Garage Parking Aid

Post by FrugalInvestor »

Pajamas wrote:You could get a Command hook that would stick to concrete to hang a tennis ball. No trouble at all applying them to a clean surface. Would be fast and inexpensive.

A hanging ball is more effective at helping to get the car in the right place than a physical stop on the floor is if the lateral position is at all important rather than the distance from the wall in front of the car alone.
I agree. It's tough to beat the cost, effectiveness and simplicity of a hanging tennis ball.
Have a plan, stay the course and simplify. Then ignore the noise!
Post Reply