When it comes to working out how to get what you need from your garage it’s a good idea to get familiar with garage dimensions.
In this article, I’ll explain what the normal size of a two-car garage is and also what the minimum and maximum sizes are as well. On top of that, I’ll do the same for one and three-car garages to give you a better idea of what to expect when planning your garage.
The most important thing to think about, with regards to what size garage you need, is what you’ll use your garage for. The size of your garage will determine what vehicles you can park in there and also what you can use it for besides parking cars.
Below you’ll find everything you need to know about 2 car garage dimensions.
Let’s get started.
Average Garage Dimensions
One Car
When it comes to working out sizes, the best point of reference is to think about how big a car is. To help you with this, most average-sized cars (like a Honda Accord) are about 16ft long and 6.5ft wide.
The average size of a one-car garage is 12 x 20 ft (240 square ft).
Some other common sizes for a one car garage are 14 x 20 ft, 14 x 24 ft and 16 x 24 ft. Garages of these sizes are a bit easier when it comes to parking larger cars, opening the doors without scratching them, or using the garage for storage space as well. It’s possible to go even longer, say up to 30ft, to give some extra room for something like a workbench for example.
The smallest one car garages are 10 x 18 ft (180 square ft) and the largest are usually about 16 x 30 ft (480 square ft).
Lots of people would say that 12 x 20 ft is really the minimum size that you should go for in a one car garage but will be comfortable for basic use.
Two Car
The average size of a two-car garage is 20 x 20 ft (400 square ft).
Some other common dimensions for a 2 car garage are 20 x 22 ft, 22 x 22 ft and 24 x 24 ft. Again, the larger sizes provide more comfort. The wider your two-car garage, the easier it will be to park a car and to open the doors and move around inside. A longer garage will make it easier to park a longer vehicle, like a pickup, and will give you some extra room for storage like a workbench.
Another common size for a two car garage is 24 x 30ft. A garage of this size will provide a good amount of room for moving around and will also give you a good amount of space in front of the car for storage or to place a refrigerator, a workbench or dust collector.
The smallest you can really go with a two car garage is 18 x 18 ft (324 square ft).
When it comes to maximum dimensions, people often go big with two-car garages. This is when they’re used to parking two cars and have storage requirements. If someone wanted a really big garage, say for parking two cars, a motorbike and a riding lawn mower as well as having plenty of space for storage, they might even opt for a 26 x 30 ft (780 square ft) garage.
Three Car
Three car garages are much more variable in size and often end up being used for more than just parking cars. Often, parking is arranged at one end of the garage with a wide space left at the other for alternative use.
A normal three car garage is about 31 x 20 ft (620 square ft).
Widths of three car garages are between 31 and 34 ft and depths are between 20 and 24 feet. Again, a depth of 30ft is sometimes chosen to give extra space in front of vehicles for alternative use or for extra storage. Some common measurements for a three car garage are 32 x 22 ft, 32 x 24 ft and 32 x 30 ft.
The minimum width for a three car garage is around 28 x 18 ft (504 square ft), although these are rare. A massive, luxury three car garage, that would provide heaps of parking room as well as extra living/storage space, would be 40 x 30 ft (1200 square ft).
In a big garage it might even be possible to build extra rooms or a whole second floor for some spacious extra living space.
What Can Fit Inside a 2 Car Garage?
Small size
If you go for anything smaller than that, you’ll end up without much space left for storage and you’ll have to be careful about how you park. If you are pushed for space or budget though, it’s worth remembering that with some inventive overhead storage you can make good use of the space available.
Standard size
With a standard size two car garage (20 x 20 ft), you’ll be able to park two regular sized cars in there fairly easily and get in and out without banging the doors. Also, you’ll probably have some space left for some narrow shelving or to store a few things stacked on top of each other in front of where you park.
Larger sizes
The more you build up from the standard size, the more spare room you’ll have if you plan to park two regular sized. Length is particularly useful because width often just gets lost providing a walkway for when you get in and out of your car. A 30 ft long garage, for example, will give you a lot of room for working or storing machinery like a lawnmower or your barbecue.
It’s worth noting that for a long vehicle, like a pickup, an SUV or a minivan, you might need a longer garage just to be able to get it in there. You might even need bigger garage doors as well.
If You Don’t Use the Garage for Parking
If you aren’t planning on using the garage for parking and are going to use it as extra living space instead (or for a mix of the two), then the more space you can give yourself the better. When it comes to size, if you can leave an area of 10 x 18 ft this would be enough for a small extra room. Working up from there, you’ll have a bigger and better room.
Another thing to think about when it comes to using a garage as a living space is the height of the ceiling. Some garages come with low ceilings, sometimes only 7 ft, and these can make you feel closed in. If you can raise the ceiling as much as possible, this will help things to feel better.
Another thing with height is that it’s possible to build a garage so tall that you can have a whole second floor! While it means raising the height of a garage substantially, say to around 16-20 ft, having a second floor will create extra living space on top of parking space.
Deciding on the Right Garage Size for You
How many cars you own
The most important thing is to get all the cars you need into your garage.
However, while it’s essential to plan for the cars that you own at the moment, it’s often a good idea to plan for the future as well. If you only need a small garage now for example, it might be worth thinking about whether your children might also drive in the future or if having a larger garage might increase the value of your home.
Another thing to think about is whether or not you should allow some extra room on top of parking for storage. Taking a three-car garage, even if you only have two cars, might give you some valuable extra storage space. Or, alternatively, taking one that is 30 ft long might be useful as well.
What you like to do inside of your garage
It’s worth remembering that garages are useful for a lot more than just parking cars.
Garage make great extra living space, alternative storage space or are even good for throwing a party in. If you’d like to use your garage for more than just parking, just remember to work around your car and add in the extra space that you need.
In some cases, people don’t even use their garage for parking at all. If this is the case, you want to give yourself the right amount of space as a primary consideration and then plan to make it as comfortable as possible.
For people who want to use their garage as a workshop, as often happens, the good news is that they are a great place for this. One thing worth noting though is that if you’re also planning on using it for parking a car, then you might have to be careful when it comes to sparks and heat.
Using it as an extra bedroom
As I already said, it is possible to use a garage as an extra bedroom. Even a small single car garage, sized 10 x 18 ft, will be acceptable in terms of size.
Important things to think about, when it comes to using a garage as a bedroom, are how you’re going to heat the room and whether or not you’ll need to put in some windows.
If the garage is attached to the house, then heating it will be fairly easy with it just being a case of linking it up with the house. When it comes to windows, if the garage doesn’t already have a window, it might be a good idea to put one in to open the room up with the outside world. It will also be a good idea to look at what you can do to insulate and secure the door as well.
Attached VS Detached Garage
The big advantage to having a detached garage, if you’re having one built from new, is that it’ll be easier to link it up to the heating and lighting in the house. Also, you won’t have to go outside if you’re in the house and you want to get something from the garage.
Detached garages offer a lot of privacy and in some cases can be a great alternative. One example of when having a detached garage can be better is when you’re planning on using it as a workshop. Workshops are noisy and with a detached garage, the noise won’t bother people in the house as much.
If you’re planning on refurbishing or building a detached garage that will provide living space, being detached will allow for more privacy but might mean going outside to get things from the house.
How Deep Should a Garage Be for a Full Sized Pickup?
Be careful because a standard 20 ft deep garage will be too short for a lot of pickups. While most garages will be wide enough for a pickup (as long as the door is as well), the depth can be an issue.
A lot of Ford pickups, for example, will need a garage that is 24 ft deep and 12 ft wide just for parking. This will only leave a small amount of room for moving around inside.
Can you fit 2 Cars in a 20×20 Garage?
Yes, it’s definitely possible to get two standard sized cars in a 20 x 20 ft garage. This is the standard size of a two car garage.
It’s worth noting, though, that this won’t leave you heaps of room for storage or for installing a workbench or anything like that.
Is an Average 2 Car Garage Right for You?
If you’re trying to decide what the right size garage for you and your family is, just be careful to think about what your future needs might be as well.
While you might be able to get by without much storage space for now, it’s worth thinking about whether it might become useful later on. If you can add on a few feet of depth, for example, then this will give you some really good options for storage or alternative uses if your needs change in the future.
Final Thoughts
As a final thought, I’ll mention that it’s always good to remember to be creative with whatever space you have available in your garage.
Things like raised shelving on the side walls or well designed overhead storage above where you park your cars can really help to make the most of a garage. For those who have more space in their garage, doing things like building a second floor or sectioning off a separate room can improve a home as a whole.
