You creep forward, eyes glued to the hood, guessing how much room is left between your bumper and the back wall. Pull in too far and you’re out of the car checking for scrapes, dings, and dents. Stop too short and the garage door won’t close. Maybe the garage space is limited, the vehicle is big, or the car costs more than you like to say out loud. So how can you park in your garage without hitting the back wall?
Use a parking aid that tells you when to stop before you hit the wall. Ideas range from a DIY tennis ball on a string to a parking block, parking mat, stop sign, or laser, but the simplest fix is a parking sensor like the STKR Garage Parking Sensor.
Below, I’ll walk through how each one works, what it’s like to install and live with, and where it falls short. Then we’ll cover a few extra precautions for keeping your bumper and your drywall in one piece.
The Best Parking Aid Choice: STKR Garage Parking Sensor
The STKR Garage Parking Sensor allows you to park easily and stop in the same spot every time!
The sensor works by using a three-light system that signals different info to the driver in real time. The green “approach light” signifies that it is safe for the driver to keep moving. The yellow “slow down” light tells the driver that they are approaching the sensor so they should reduce their speed. Lastly, the red “stoplight” indicates that the car is in the desired parking spot so the driver should stop the car. It is very intuitive as it replicates the same responses as a stoplight on the road. Any driver can understand the concept and respond appropriately.
This sensor system is incredibly easy to install. All you have to do is mount it in your garage using the velcro and double-sided tape it comes with, or hang it on a nail. Easy Peasy. No needing a ladder to mount a tennis ball or laser on the ceiling, and no trip hazards on the garage floor. Plus, it can be mounted to whatever is in front of your car, workbench, toolbox, freezer, etc. Put the small round sensor at bumper height with a clear path to your car. It sends out ultrasonic pulses in a cone, so shelves or bins sticking into that cone can confuse it.
After your sensor is mounted, you’ll want to park your car in the desired “stop zone.” Once you do this, go over to your sensor and press the “set distance” button. Once you press this button, the STKR Garage Parking Sensor will memorize your car's location so that every time you reach that point, the red stoplight will light up and signal you to stop. You can set that stop zone anywhere from 6 inches to 6 feet from the sensor.
It runs on four AA batteries, or you can plug it into a standard USB wall charger with a USB-A to USB-C cable. Batteries and the cable are not included. It won’t stop the car for you, so your foot still does the stopping.
If you’d like to see this garage parking sensor for yourself, check out our video, where we demonstrate its features as well as its advantages over other parking aids:
STKR Concepts Garage Parking Sensor: Pros and Cons
PROS:
- Very easy install. No need to mount anything to your ceiling.
- Unlike many of the examples below it is not in the way when it is not in use.
- Affordable
- Battery and plug-in option for power
- Very quick calibration and intuitive to use
- Works if you pull your car in forward or back your car into the garage
CONS:
- Some reviews state the double-sided mounting tape failed in extreme heat. STKR has since added a hang hole so you can mount it with a small nail instead.
- It watches the distance in front of your car, not your side mirrors (see the side sensor below).
A Narrow Garage Parking Aid: The STKR Side Parking Sensor
In a narrow garage, a side mirror can catch the door frame on the way in or out. The STKR Adjustable Garage Side Parking Sensor clips onto most standard garage door rails and watches the side of your car instead of the front. You set the warning distance anywhere from 4 inches to 2 feet, and the Side Parking Sensor gives you the same green, yellow, and red lights, plus a siren when it turns red, because you aren’t always looking at the door frame. Some people buy two, one for each side of the opening.
Budget Parking Aid Option: Use a Tennis Ball
This is the classic, inexpensive DIY method you may have heard of before. Below I’ve listed the items you’ll need to acquire in order to do this:
- Tennis ball
- Measuring tape
- Sharpie (to mark the location of your measurement)
- Thin cord
- Eye hook
- Drill
- Drill bits
- Scissors
- (Your Time and Labor)
Next, we’ll go through the steps.
Attach Your Tennis Ball to the Cord
To do this, you’ll safely drill a small hole through one side of your tennis ball and out of the other. Next, run the cord all the way through the tennis ball. Once it comes out the other end, knot the cord a couple of times to ensure the tennis ball won’t fall off the cord.
Pull Into Your “Safe Spot”
Next, you’ll pull into your garage and park your car in the “safe spot” where you would like it to go.
Take Some Measurements
Measure from the back wall of your garage to the center of your front windshield and from the side of your garage to the same point on your front windshield.
After you’ve taken these measurements, use a sharpie to mark the point where these two measurements intersect on the garage ceiling. This is where the eye hook will go.
This can be difficult as your car will be in the way. Some try to simply place a ladder next to the car and lean over the car to try and locate the correct spot for the ball to hang. Be careful. Many have fallen onto their car. The end result for this cheap parking solution can be injury and damage to your car!
Hang Up Your Cord
Next, drive your car out of the garage.
Put an eye hook into the ceiling in the location you marked. Hang your cord with the tennis ball from the hook. Make sure the cord is just long enough so that the tennis ball touches your front windshield.
Once your cord is in the right place and it is the right length, cut it and tie it off to the hook.
Try Out Your New Parking Aid
Now it’s time to try out your new parking aid!
Firstly, you’ll want to pull into your garage. Keep driving until the tennis ball rests on your front windshield. Then, voila! Now you’ll be able to perfectly park your car without hitting the back wall!
Make Your Tennis Ball Retractable
Now you have an effective way to stop your car, but you also have a tennis ball hanging from your ceiling. It is annoying and simply in the way of other garage activities when the car is not parked.
Some creative individuals have come up with a way to make your tennis ball retractable, so it will only hang down when you need it to.
If you’d like to learn how to do this, check out this informative video by Tanner Nilsen. He explains how to attach your cord to the garage door so that the tennis ball will go down every time you enter your garage but will retract up to the roof whenever your garage door is shut. Complicated but effective. However, the tennis ball is only out of the way if the garage door is closed. If you like to work in your garage with the garage door open, you will have a tennis ball hanging in your way. Check it out.
Garage Tennis Ball Parking: Pros and Cons
PROS:
- Affordable
CONS:
- Difficult ceiling installation
- Tennis ball is ALWAYS hanging in the way when the car is not parked
- Only effective for one car. If you want to park a different car in the garage, or back the car in, the tennis ball will not be in the correct spot.
Other Parking Aid Options
The Parking Block
Parking blocks are another simple parking aid option.
A parking block is a raised plastic bar that you can put on the floor of your garage. This raised bump allows you to drive your vehicle up to it until your tires hit it. The driver should stop when the tires touch the block. This is exactly how a parking block works in a typical parking lot.
While these are effective for parking, they can be a tripping hazard, so make sure to watch where you are walking! Also, most need to be glued or stuck to the floor so your car doesn’t push it out of the way (or a kid moves it without telling you). A few reviewers have mentioned that the adhesive is very sticky so it is hard to get off the floor if you ever need to move or remove the parking block. Another drawback is that this parking aid relies on your ability to ‘feel’ the parking block through your vehicle rather than see it. That can make it very easy to overshoot and bump something.
To apply the parking block to your garage floor, simply pull your car into its safe spot and mark the floor where your front tire hits. Next, back out and install the parking block onto your garage floor. Often the block comes with a double-sided adhesive that you can fasten it with. Some require glue. Some even suggest you use concrete anchors and fasten it to the garage floor.
Garage Parking Block: Pros and Cons
PROS:
- Mid-price point
CONS:
- Trip hazard in the garage at all times
- Must be glued or otherwise attached to the garage floor
The Parking Mat
A parking mat is very similar to the parking block. In fact, a parking mat is a flat rectangular device with a big bump on one side and a smaller one on the other. Like the block mentioned above, you have to use your sense of feel as you start pulling your car onto this device.
As you pull your car onto it you pass over the smaller bump which gives you some heads up that you are about to seat the tire in between the two bumps. This gives you a chance to slow down even more as you approach the final parking spot.
To use a parking mat, all you have to do is install the mat on your garage floor where you want your front tire to stop. Then when you hit the bump on the mat, you know that you’ve parked perfectly.
Most mats are tough and some are resistant to a variety of chemical solvents, so if anything spills onto it from your car or any other source, it will still be in great shape.
Some mats include a reflective strip at the top, which is highly visible, so it will help you see the mat more easily while you are parking.
Garage Parking Mat: Pros and Cons
PROS:
- Mid-price point
CONS:
- Trip hazard on the garage floor at all times.
- Although you don’t have to glue it to the garage floor because the weight of the car on the mat prevents it from sliding, if you don’t, someone could move it without the driver knowing. This could result in hitting something if the parking mat is not in the correct location.
The Parking Stop Sign
Putting a stop sign into your garage is easy since it doesn’t require installation as it’s just a large stop sign on a tiny pole. However, this parking aid takes up floor space and has often been called flimsy and unstable by reviewers.
Some models have a strong, weighted base that keeps the sign in place and makes it more stable than your typical parking stop sign.
Some stop signs include a light that will flash when you hit it to warn you that you must stop (as if the sign being pushed by your car wasn’t enough of a signal to stop your vehicle). When you see the stop sign move from your car hitting it, or the LED light up, stop. Although the flexible fiberglass pole may not dent your car through use, it will likely leave marks and blemishes in your paint after long term use.
Some also come with an adjustable body so you can change its height to make it the perfect size for your parking needs.
Garage Parking Stop Sign: Pros and Cons
PROS:
- Easy installation
CONS:
- Always on the garage floor and could be in the way when the car is not parked
- Will likely damage the paint on your front bumper after long term use
The Parking Laser
Laser parking sensors are cool and effective but can be dangerous for your eyes. So, make sure you don’t stare into the light! This is especially concerning if you have children who may not know better than to look into it.
Parking lasers are usually motion activated so the parking assistant turns on automatically when you drive into your garage, then shuts itself off after a short time without motion. They will turn on with the motion of a car, pet, or human. So, once again, just be cautious of the laser safety concerns.
Once activated, this parking aid produces lasers that you aim to hit a certain part of your hood or dashboard. Memorize the spot on your car and keep driving into the garage until the lasers hit the predetermined spot on your car. When the laser hits the correct location, you know that you are in your safe parking spot.
Parking lasers can be used in one or two-car garages. A Dual Laser Parking Assistant is one option that can be installed on a garage ceiling that can help park two different cars.
You may be wondering, “what happens if there is a power outage?” Many lasers can also run on a battery, so if your power goes out, you’ll still be able to park safely!
To install the laser, you will need the necessary mounting hardware, a ladder, a drill, drill bits, screwdriver, tape measure, drywall anchors, and screws. Find a good location on the ceiling to mount the laser.
After it is mounted, you will need to park your car in the desired spot. You will then need to once again use your ladder to access the laser mounted on the ceiling. Now aim the laser at a spot you can see from the driver's seat, and memorize. This may take several trips up and down the ladder and in and out of the driver’s seat.
When you finally have the correct setup, put your ladder and tools away and test your accuracy. It may take a little practice to pull your car in the garage in the correct orientation (left or right) to align the laser dot with your memorized spot.
Garage Laser Parking Aids: Pros and Cons
PROS:
- Who doesn’t think lasers are cool?
CONS:
- Not safe to look directly into the laser. Could be a concern with children and pets.
- Difficult ceiling installation and setup
- It is only accurate for one vehicle. Won’t aid the driver if he or she is backing in.
- May take practice pulling your car into the garage and aligning the laser dot with the memorized spot on your car.
What Else Can I Do to Avoid Hitting the Back Wall?
If you really want to avoid hitting your back wall, or other items that may be in your garage, there are some additional precautions you can take. Listed below are five supplementary things you can do (in addition to getting the STKR parking aid) that will help you avoid hitting the back wall of your garage.
Add Better Lighting
Having good lighting in your garage is an indirect way to help you avoid hitting the back wall. Often, garages are dimly lit, making it harder for you to see what you are doing.
Besides parking aids, we also make garage lighting. Two of our products are built for the garage, the Multi-Point Illumination (MPI) System and the TRiLIGHT 2.0, and both screw into a light socket like a standard bulb, so no technical know-how is needed.
MPI System
Unlike traditional lights that only create one point of light, the MPI creates five!
It comes with one main hub light and four smaller pods. The five lights are very bright, collectively producing 10,000 lumens (if you’re wondering how much light your space needs, see how many lumens you need for a 2 car garage). Each of the four pods sits on its own 9.5 ft cord, allowing you to have lighting in every part of your garage.
This system is very easy to install, so you won’t need to hire an electrician. All you have to do is screw the main light into an existing light bulb fixture and install the four pods using ceiling plates, which are included with your purchase.
This light system is activated via advanced motion-sensing technology. It is very adjustable, so the sensitivity can be turned down in smaller garages and up in larger garages. At its maximum, it is able to detect movements up to 20 ft (6.1 m) away! If you’d prefer, you also have the option to hook the system up to a traditional light switch instead.
A useful feature of the MPI is that it is compatible with a security camera. You can hook your security camera up to the MPI’s built-in USB port. If anyone is sneaking around, the MPI’s motion sensor will illuminate the garage, making it easy for your security camera to catch them on film without having to go into night mode.
TRiLIGHT 2.0
The TRiLIGHT 2.0 is a bright LED light that will help you brighten up your garage. It produces 5,000 lumens but uses a fraction of the power of a 60-watt bulb, so it’ll provide you with bright light without skyrocketing your energy bill! For a brightness reference, see how many lumens you need for a work light.
Like the MPI System, the TRiLIGHT 2.0 is very easy to install. All you have to do is screw it into an existing light bulb fixture.
Also, like the MPI, the TRiLIGHT 2.0 includes motion sensing, so the light comes on when you pull in. If you’d rather have a normal light, switch the motion off and it works from your wall switch like any ceiling light.
The TRiLIGHT 2.0 includes three adjustable LED heads so you can direct the light where you need it the most, like down onto the floor in front of your bumper.
Get Wall Bumpers
Having wall bumpers is a great way to safeguard your car and your walls. Wall bumpers are typically made from some type of soft plastic, gel or silicone that will absorb the shock of an accidental door tap.
This is ideal for the sides of the garage as they help protect the wall from getting hit by a car door. This will help you not have to fix the drywall later and help minimize door ding mishaps.
You simply attach the long rectangular wall bumpers to the garage wall at the height that is ideal for your specific car. Some vehicle doors have a curve to them so you will definitely want to put the car in place and with the door gently opened near the drywall you can make marks where to install the bumper. You don’t want to end up with it too high or too low because you thought that’s where the door would hit.
While this may not help the back of your garage and isn’t really a parking aid, it does still add a small layer of protection to help prevent your car and garage from getting any dings, dents, or scratches.
Practice Makes Perfect
Sometimes you may be hitting the back wall of your garage simply because you haven’t practiced enough. If you’ve recently moved into a new home, it may take some time for you to get used to your garage’s layout. Or, maybe you’ve just gotten a new car that’s larger than your previous vehicle.
Either way, a combination of practice and a parking aid will have you parking flawlessly in no time! For a step-by-step routine, see how to park in your garage perfectly.
Ask Someone for Help
It never hurts to ask someone for help when parking. You can ask a number of people to help you park in your garage, including a friend, spouse, neighbor, or even a random pedestrian (ok maybe not the last one).
While this method is helpful, someone won’t always be available to assist you, so this should be an additional method you use in conjunction with your primary parking aid.
Install Convex Mirrors
Often convex mirrors are used on the road to help drivers go safely around blind corners. But they can also be used to help you park safely in your garage.
If you choose to do this, simply pick up some convex mirrors from your local hardware store and then install them in your garage's blind spots. These are a great tool to be used in combination with another parking aid on the list.
Conclusion
To park in your garage without hitting the back wall, use a parking aid. Some of the best parking aids include:
- STKR Garage Parking Sensor
- A tennis ball
- Parking block
- Parking mat
- Parking stop sign
- Parking laser
If you’d like to take some additional precautions, you can:
- Improve the lighting in your garage
- Get wall bumpers
- Practice your parking
- Ask someone for help
- Install convex mirrors
Scrapes, dings, and dents usually come down to a few inches you can’t see from the driver’s seat. A tennis ball or a mat will cover those inches on a budget, as long as you don’t mind it hanging from the ceiling or sitting on the floor. If you want something that stays out of the way and doesn’t need a ladder, the STKR Garage Parking Sensor is the one I’d put on the wall, and if your mirrors are the tight spot, add the Side Parking Sensor at the door. Here’s to pulling in without that sinking feeling.
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