It’s no secret that we highly value cars in today’s society. To some people, cars can symbolize status or wealth, while to others cars are just a way to get from point A to point B.
Regardless of how you perceive vehicles in a societal standard, it’s not a debate to say that cars can be precious assets. Often, people shell out thousands of dollars for vehicles, and it’s essential to properly store and protect such expensive equipment.
Most typical American families have multiple vehicles. And many times, a cramped 1-car or 2-car garage won’t be able to cut it for the level of comfort and convenience many of us want when it comes to our vehicle storage.
That’s where many people choose the better option of a 3 car garage so they can have enough available space for any needs they may have.
For 3-car garages, the average dimensions are 32 feet wide by 22 feet deep. However, it can range from anywhere 30 x 20 feet, to 60 x 30 feet. In the metric system, this comes out to an average of 9.75 meters wide by 6.7 meters deep, with a range of 9.15 x 6.1 meters to 18.3 x 9.15 meters.
The main benefit of a 3-car garage is that, unlike a 1-car or 2-car garage, it is not usually built to meet only the minimum dimensions. This way, they allow an increased amount of comfortable space for your cars.
But in addition to that, this extra space allows for more than just the storage of your vehicles.
Minimum Size For A 3-Car Garage
3 car garages have a minimum size – this is the lowest it can fall to before it’s not really a 3-car garage anymore. Below that, it would just be a more spacious 2 car garage.
Keep in mind that not all cars are equal in size. This should go without saying. But it’s important to remember that a garage that can fit three small, compact sedans might not be able to fit three larger pickups.
Not all 3 car garages have the same dimensions. That’s why it is important to evaluate the size you are needing for your garage to ensure it can meet your expectations.
Since 3 car garages aren’t exceptionally common, they are usually built not to the minimum specifications. This is done so that there is still wiggle room and comfortable space available in the garage for your vehicles.
What’s The Smallest A 3 Car Garage Can Be?
The minimum dimensions of a 3-car garage are pretty set at 20 feet deep by 30 feet wide – this comes out to 6.7 meters deep by 9.75 meters wide.
This is truly the smallest a 3-car garage can be without essentially becoming just a 2-car garage.
However, if you do opt for the minimum size of a 3-car garage, you most likely won’t have adequate room for larger vehicles. 20 feet by 30 feet can usually only comfortably hold smaller cars like compact sedans.
If you have larger vehicles, you should note that you will need to invest in more square footage than what the minimum size of a 3-car garage can offer.
What Size Should My 3-Car Garage Be?
It’s important to evaluate your needs when deciding on the size of your 3-car garage.
You will need to take into account the number of vehicles you have, as well as their respective sizes. Another factor is your potential cars – if you are considering swapping your sedan for a large SUV in the future, it is a good idea to plan your garage with this in consideration.
Assessing the size of your vehicles is important to ensure that you have the proper 3-car garage dimensions to hold them.
Check out the table below to find the range of average sizes for different types of vehicles. Remember your vehicle size may differ from the given averages.
| Length (feet) | Width (feet) | Height (feet) | |
| Compact Cars, Sedans | 14 -16 | 6 – 7 | 5 – 6 |
| Larger Cars, Luxury Cars | 16 – 18 | 6 – 7 | 4 – 5 |
| SUVs, Trucks, Vans | 16 – 19 | 6 – 7 | 5 – 6 |
In addition to space for the vehicles you will be keeping inside the garage, don’t forget about the additional room you’ll need for opening and closing car doors, items you may want to store in your garage, and any extra wiggle room.
As far as opening your car doors, you will need at least three to four feet. You’ll also need extra space in front of and behind your vehicles. This is especially important if you need to access the hood of your car or its trunk with the garage door closed.
Perhaps you also want to use a portion of your garage for storage. This is a very common use for garages.
In this case, it’s worthwhile to explore some space-saving options when storing items in your garage. This can include installing shelving or hooks so you can hang items from the walls or ceiling.
Common 3-Car Garage Dimensions
Most 3-car garages aren’t made to be the minimum size. On average, 3 car garages are 32 feet wide by 22 feet deep (9.75 by 6.7 meters) or 34 by 24 feet (10.4 by 7.3 meters).
Below are some common sizes for 3-car garages.
| Feet (W x D) | Meters (W x D) |
| 30 x 20 | 9.1 x 6.1 |
| 32 x 22 | 9.75 x 6.7 |
| 34 x 24 | 10.4 x 7.3 |
| 36 x 25 | 11 x 7.6 |
| 38 x 26 | 11.6 x 7.9 |
| 40 x 30 | 12.2 x 9.1 |
| 60 x 30 | 18.3 x 9.1 |
3 car garages are considered oversized when they are 40 feet (12.2 meters) wide or over. If you own bigger vehicles or are wanting some additional space in your garage, a bigger option would be more suitable for your needs.
These oversized 3-car garages have dimensions typically of either 40 feet wide by 30 feet deep (12.2 x 9.1 cm), or 60 feet wide by 30 feet deep (18.3 x 9.1 cm).
These larger garage sizes are what can hold vehicles like pickups and SUVs. It can also give you additional room for storage.
Garage depths usually cap out at 30 feet (9.1 meters). Past that point, it is usually not needed to have increased depth – it won’t provide much more of a benefit.
What About Garage Height?
The height of a 3-car garage is usually consistent with that of a 1-car or 2-car garage, sitting at 7 to 8 feet (2.1 to 2.4 meters).
Usually, you don’t need to be too concerned about the height unless you have taller vehicles, like a truck with a lift kit.
Depending on the style or build of the house the garage is accompanying, the height can be taller, but garage heights do not usually fall under this standard amount of 7 to 8 feet.
Garage Doors For Your 3 Car Garage
When it comes to 3 car garages, it is rare to see three separate garage doors. It is also extremely unlikely to have a single 3-car door, as there is a need for a support post between this distance.
Typically, 3-car garages have a single-car door with another double-car door.
It’s useful with this to use the single car door for smaller vehicles, and the double car door for larger vehicles. With the double car door, there is the added convenience of the shared space through the doorway. This also can provide additional room for opening/closing car doors.
Utilizing The Space Successfully
An important part of a garage is deciding how you are going to use the space.
It’s vital to take into account the size of your vehicles when deciding on dimensions for your 3-car garage.
In addition to using a garage to protect and shelter your vehicles, it is also common to use garage space for more than just cars.
For example, if you have just two cars, opting for a 3 car garage is an easy way to make sure both your vehicles can sit comfortably with extra room to spare.
This extra room to spare can be used for all the things you need space for that you don’t have available inside your actual home.
Additional Uses For Your 3-Car Garage
Typically, the main reason for a garage is to hold vehicles and provide your cars with protection and safety.
But many times there are more than just cars inside the four walls of a garage. Part of your garage can actually be used for more than just storing vehicles.
Garages can provide you with extra space that your home may be lacking.
Think about anything you might want to use some additional room for – do you need somewhere to keep oversized items such as fishing poles? What about needing space for doing things like refinishing furniture?
You can use the extra space in your garage for things like;
- Storage for anything like oversized freezers or refrigerators, boxes or containers, lawn equipment, snow blowers, sporting equipment, power tools, or bicycles.
- Room for indulging in hobbies such as crafting, woodworking, painting, etc.
- Extra hang-out space for a Friday night.
- Or even things like building your own home gym.
Of course, it’s up to you how you use your space, and the possibilities are endless. But a viable solution to add some square footage of usable space to your property is right here in your garage.
Choosing A 3 Car Garage
In conclusion, a 3 car garage may be less common in today’s world but it has amazing benefits as far as increased space.
Of course, you can use a 3 car garage for just that – keeping 3 cars in it. Or, if you own less than 3 cars, the additional space can really be a lifesaver for other needs you may have.
Understanding the dimensions of your 3-car garage is vital to ensure that you can actually use it for what you intended it for. You definitely want to be sure that whatever vehicles you own will be able to fit in your garage, whether it be a tiny sedan or a larger SUV.
In addition to just cars, it’s important to know if you’ll be needing any additional room in your garage. Maybe you just need extra storage space for a few boxes, or perhaps you need ample area for a home gym.
No matter what purpose you plan to give your 3-car garage, ensure that you know what dimensions you’ll be needing.
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