Concrete floor in garage. How to make a concrete floor in the garage with your own hands. Preparation of concrete solution

The floor in the garage must be durable and resistant to mechanical damage, which are inevitable during the active operation of the car. Therefore, the choice of material is obvious - only concrete will be strong enough for a reliable foundation and further application of protective or decorative coatings. Correctly pouring a concrete floor in a garage with your own hands is not as easy as it might seem at first glance, but it is quite feasible.

Building Basics

Concrete, as a material, has its own set of pros and cons. The main plus is its durability: it is fireproof, does not deteriorate under the influence of water, and it is extremely difficult for it to cause serious mechanical damage. On the other hand, concrete has a serious disadvantage: it easily and quickly absorbs all kinds of oils, on which dust later settles, turning into dirt. To neutralize this minus, various protective coatings are used to avoid persistent contamination.

Correctly pouring the floor in the garage is a process that requires certain knowledge and skills in this area. In case of lack of self-confidence, it is better to invite a specialist who will help with the calculations and proper organization. For a long floor life it is necessary to correctly perform all the work, which is most often divided into the following stages:

To concrete the floor in the garage correctly, you must first complete the necessary preparation.

preliminary work

The performance of preparatory calculations of the floor is required to be carried out together with the observance of all the nuances: the place in which the garage will be located, the condition of the soil, the correct selection and characteristics of materials. All this it is best to entrust to a specialist who will do such a job much better than a person who has not previously dealt with construction. It should also be noted that it will be necessary to organize the drainage of water from the garage in such a way that there are no troubles during its operation.

First of all, you should mark the zero level of the floor. This can be done using a laser, water level or level. For comfortable operation, it is best to do it at the level of the gate. If this is not possible, then a drainage system should be developed. For accurate marking, the zero level of the floor should be marked on all walls.

Next, you should calculate the thickness of the concrete layer and the sealing pad, depending on the weight of the machine. For a car weighing up to a ton, the floor thickness should be about 10 cm, pillows - 15 cm. For cars with a larger weight, this figure should be larger.

In addition, it is required to purchase all the necessary materials in sufficient quantities, and preferably with a small margin of 10% for unforeseen cases and possible problems. Preparatory work should not be taken lightly, as mistakes made at this stage can adversely affect the entire further construction process or spoil the operation of the finished floor.

The main materials required in the work:

To improve the performance of concrete, additional additives are often used to increase the strength of the floor, reduce its cost, or shorten the final setting time. Additives to the traditional composition of concrete are selected depending on the required changes.

Pit preparation

First you need to remove the top layer of soil to a certain height. It depends on the desired characteristics of the floor. If just a concrete floor is planned, then the earth is removed by 25 cm in height, but if an inspection hole is required, then the value is adjusted depending on the individual wishes of the car owner.

The creation of a viewing hole depends on the presence of groundwater in the area and the depth of their occurrence. If this value is less than two meters, then it is better to do with an ordinary concrete floor.

After removing the required amount of soil, the remaining pit is carefully compacted until a dense surface is formed.

Pillow laying

To create a sealing pad, materials such as sand and crushed stone are mainly used. Gravel in this case is used much less frequently, since due to its rounded shape it is much more difficult to achieve sufficient density from it. Sand must be of high quality and carefully sifted.

The ratio of materials is 1: 2, that is, sand should be half as much as concrete. If the preliminary calculations turned out to be erroneous and the pillow is obtained above the required level, then it is worth returning to the pit stage and removing an additional amount of soil. In order to prevent this from happening, it is worth noting on the walls not only the zero floor height, but also the height of the pillow.

The sealing pad is necessary in order to avoid further shrinkage of the soil and the destruction of the concrete layer. If it is planned to lay a viewing hole, then a concrete screed is laid on the bottom of the pit, the solidification process of which coincides with the process of laying sand and gravel. After the screed has hardened, you can begin to install the walls of the pit.

You can level the pillow on your own, but in order to achieve normal density, it is better to use a vibrating platform. It can be rented from some construction companies.

In this case, a high layer density will be ensured, which will significantly extend the life of the floor. It is also worth considering the presence of a damper gap, which is necessary if the garage building has recently been built and has not yet had time to sit down. For its organization, foam is most often used. In some cases, an additional layer of waterproofing is placed on top of the sealing pad.

Slab reinforcement

To avoid rapid cracking of the floor as a result of high loads, the concrete slab is pre-reinforced. For this, rods with a diameter of 6-10 mm are used, which are placed in a grid with a sector size of about 15 cm. The grid sheets overlap each other and are fastened with wire.

To avoid cracking the floor, the reinforcement must be at least 3 cm deep in the concrete. For this, special props should be used, as it should not come into contact with the insulation or cushion.

Pouring concrete

This is the main stage of work that requires a careful approach, since it is difficult to fill the floor in the garage so that it is even and has a uniform layer thickness without sufficient skill. For this, a system of beacons will be used, which are used as long slats, aligned to the zero level of the floor. The distance between them should be about 30 cm.

If pouring the floor in the garage is done on your own, then you will need to rent special equipment:

concrete mixer (2 pcs);
concrete receiver;
submersible vibrator.

The ready-mix receiver allows the solution to be delivered to the center of the room, which facilitates its distribution, and the submersible vibrator levels the concrete layer and removes the air that has got inside.

Since a large thickness of the concrete layer requires an appropriate amount of mortar (about 2.5 cubic meters), mixing it on your own in one day is likely to cause many problems. In this case, you will need the help of several people.

If there are no friends who are ready to help with pouring the floor, and funds are limited, then it is better to use a ready-made solution that does not require kneading. This will be cheaper than hiring a team of workers to mix and level the concrete.

Protective coating

Since pouring the floor in the garage with concrete is a process that does not cause a desire to repeat it, it is worth extending the durability of the floor by applying a special coating. It will avoid the accumulation of dirt resulting from the ingress of oils on it.

The following materials are most often used as a final coating:

Correctly and diligently laid floor in the garage can last for decades without losing functionality or cracking. To do this, the process of its manufacture should be approached thoughtfully, providing for all possible nuances, including the organization of a viewing hole. In this case, the garage can be built for a small amount and personally see the quality of its construction.

When choosing or building a garage, special attention should be paid to the floor. It must be durable to withstand the weight of your car and materials at hand, as well as reliable and moisture resistant.

The concrete floor in the garage is the best option that exists today. Plus, you can do it yourself. Let's see what is needed for this.

The advantages of a concrete floor are obvious, which is why it is preferred:

It has high static load resistance.
It has a durable finish.
It is very resistant to chemical influences, because in the garage you often use various liquids and oils.
The concrete floor is fireproof.
Resists temperature changes.
It will last a long time with proper and careful construction work.

The disadvantages of such a coating are the complexity of the process and dust. You can get rid of the latter by laying floor tiles on top of the concrete. And you can facilitate the process of construction work by carefully studying the recommendations with all the subtleties of preparing the base for the concrete floor and its direct pouring.

Concrete subfloor.

The device of the simplest concrete floor in the garage consists of the following balls:

priming;
crushed stone;
sand;
waterproofing;
warming;
concrete;
metal reinforcement;
tiles (if you want to get rid of dust).

To concrete the floor in the garage, first of all, you need to prepare the base for pouring. To do this, you need to dig a hole around the entire perimeter of the garage with a depth of 25 cm or more. With this procedure, it is very important to remove the fertile layer down to clean soil. So you will avoid the destruction of the material in the future due to germinating rocks.

If an inspection hole is planned in the garage, you need to dig an area sufficient for it and install a metal box in it, which is supplemented with boards from above. The metal box also needs external thermal insulation made of expanded polystyrene.

Next, we equip the formwork for the viewing hole, the upper level of which should lie flush with the future floor of the garage. Also take care of the plastic pipe through which you will later run the electrical cable for lighting into the inspection hole. For the main material for the pit, you can take a brick.

Having prepared the base for the concrete floor, you can proceed to the main measurements.

Zero mark

To create the most correct concrete floor, consisting of layers of different building materials, it is necessary to clearly carry out all measurements. First of all, this concerns the main indicator - the level of the floor. It should be the same at all points in the garage.

Measurements can be made with a laser level, which is much more convenient, and in its absence, with a water level. In the second case, you and your assistant will need to move around the garage and make marks at the right level.

Such marks are applied to all walls of the room. After these points are connected by a straight line, which should be drawn around the entire perimeter of the structure.

Calculation of the thickness of the PGS layers

Insulating layer under the screed.

The average thickness of the layers of material that are involved in the creation of a concrete floor is 25 centimeters, excluding floor tiles (if you wish to lay one, add the required height to the calculations). With this calculation, the thickness of the concrete floor in the garage will be 10 cm, the rubble will take you the same amount, and for sand we allocate 5 cm no less.

Thus, the depth of the excavated pit should be from 25 centimeters or more. According to these calculations, you will be able to purchase the necessary building material to start work.

It is necessary to lay layers of materials gradually: first rubble, and then sand. The concrete layer will be final. For convenience, mark the height of each layer on the walls and control this when performing work.

Bedding materials

When choosing a material for a concrete floor, we recommend stopping at crushed stone. The fact is that rounded gravel will never be compacted to the desired level, and crushed stone will create a reliable fixed layer for you. It is better to take crushed stone of medium and fine fractions in a ratio of 60/40 or 70/30.

Sand must not contain clay, and must be screened before use.

As for cement - a key component of concrete flooring - it is recommended to use durable, for example, the brand of concrete for pouring a floor in a garage should be M200 or M300.

Making a pillow under the concrete floor

It is very important to use a vibrator or rammer when installing a concrete floor in a garage. First of all, it is necessary to compact the soil. After that, crushed stone is poured over the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe floor. However, this should be done in stages: a small layer of a few centimeters, after which it should be tamped, and then we add the next layer of rubble a few centimeters and tamp it again.

Next, pour sand onto the compacted layer of rubble. Mandatory requirement for sand - it must be moistened. We lay sand following the same principle as crushed stone, dividing it into 2-3 portions, carefully tamping each ball. Thus, the necessary pillows are created from crushed stone and sand.

At this stage, you can also start forcing the walls of the inspection pit, if such is provided for by the plan.

The next layers will be hydro- and heat-insulating materials, and after that - concrete pouring using reinforcement. However, first you need to take care of the joints around the perimeter of the floor.

damper clearance

Concrete floor installation.

The concrete floor on the ground is "floating". Walls and floors can sag and rise. How to make a screed to maintain the integrity of the structure? To do this, between the vertical and horizontal ceilings around the entire perimeter, it is necessary to lay a damper tape or thin sheets of foam plastic with a thickness of 10 millimeters.

They should rise above the final floor level. After the excess height is cut off to the level with the flooring.

Waterproofing a concrete floor in a garage

Waterproofing the floor in the garage is mandatory, especially if the groundwater is close to the top layers of the soil. If the groundwater is deep, it will be sufficient to use a polyethylene film of 250 microns or more, in case the water is close to the surface. You can do the waterproofing of the floor in the garage on your own.

To do this, it is necessary to spread the film panels overlapping on the compacted surface of the sand and glue the joints with adhesive tape. The film should protrude above the level of the expected floor around the entire perimeter of the garage. After completion of the floor concreting, the remaining film should be cut off.

Reinforcement

Since the floor made of concrete in the garage must support the weight of your car, it must be reinforced. To do this, you need to purchase a wire mesh with a cell size of 15 centimeters and a material thickness of 7-8 mm. The mesh layers are overlapped on the floor, fixed with clamps.

However, do not rush to lay the mesh directly on the waterproofing. For reinforcement to be of high quality and reliable, it must be inside the concrete layer. Therefore, the grid should be raised to the middle of the thickness of the concrete coating and substitute bricks or other fixators under it over the entire area so that when the floor is poured with concrete, it does not move from the markup.

Floor covering for garage.

If the concrete layer is 10 centimeters, then the mesh must be raised 5-6 centimeters from the waterproofing level. In this case, you will make reliable reinforcement for the floor in your garage.

Installation of beacons

In order for the floor to be even, it is necessary to install beacons ─ straight long strips or metal tubes that are fixed in cement, according to the level marks for pouring the concrete floor, which you previously applied to the walls of the garage.

As a rule, the planks are laid along the long wall of the garage, leading from the wall opposite the gate to the exit. Beacons are fixed on islands of densely mixed solution.

Next, along these slats, using a tool called “rule”, you should level the concrete floor in the motorhome filled with concrete. The width between the slats must be less than the width of the rule. The first bar should be placed 30 centimeters from the garage wall, and the next one - according to the size of your rule.

When building a floor in a private garage, experts recommend making a slight slope from the back of the garage wall towards the gate so that liquids that fall on the floor flow to the exit. The level of such a slope is from 1 to 2 degrees no more.

The next day, when the floor dries, the beacons are removed, and the resulting voids are filled with mortar and rubbed into the level.

Insulated garage floor

Garage insulation will save you 20% of resources in the future. How to carry out the insulation of the concrete floor in the garage?

There are two options:

Insulate the floor before pouring concrete.
Put insulated on a concrete floor.

In the first option, the insulation is placed immediately on the hydraulic material, after which it is necessary to proceed to reinforcement and directly to pouring concrete. As a heater, extruded polystyrene foam with a thickness of 5 to 8 mm showed itself well.

It withstands high loads, resistant to moisture. Sometimes a layer of geotextile is laid on top of the insulation - a special membrane that distributes the load. It is used in the construction of roads.

pouring concrete floor in garage

Concrete floor drawing.

As a rule, concrete grade M250 or M300 is used to fill the floor in the garage. It is strong and durable enough to support the weight of a car. According to the technologies, the concrete floor in the garage should be poured in one approach, that is, in one working day.

It is likely that it is at this stage of the work that you yourself will not be able to cope and you will have to hire a team of 4 or more workers, as well as rent two concrete mixers.

Another way out of the situation is to order a ready-made concrete solution. The tray with the flow of concrete mortar should be directed strictly to the center of the garage. This will allow you to more quickly and conveniently direct the solution to the corners of the structure, level the floor and make a high-quality concrete screed the rule for lighthouses.

Once you have poured the concrete and pre-spread it over the garage area, work it with a submerged concrete vibrator. It must be lowered into the concrete layer in a checkerboard pattern until a “milk” appears on the surface. It will increase the fluidity of the solution, which will now surely fall into all planes, and will also remove bubbles from the composition of the material.

With translational movements, work the rule along the lighthouses, making the floor even and smooth. If pits appear, add mortar and level the surface again.

When the concrete floor dries completely, it can be opened with a protective layer and paint. In addition to painting, the concrete floor can be tiled. In case of cracks or gaps, the repair of such a concrete floor will be facilitated by replacing the tile fragment.

It is extremely rare to use a wooden floor in garages, as it is short-lived and absorbs moisture.

If you want to create an elite designer garage, use porcelain stoneware for the floor. It is quite durable, able to withstand heavy loads, easy to clean and absolutely fireproof. Does not deform with temperature fluctuations.

With proper installation and care, it can be used up to 50 years. This flooring is quite expensive, but it creates an amazing impression.

Curing

Caring for the concrete floor in the garage is possible with your own hands. This is not difficult, but it is very important, because when the concrete dries, water evaporates and cracks appear. To avoid them after pouring the concrete floor in the garage at hot outdoor temperatures, you should close the windows and gates, and cover the floor itself with plastic wrap or burlap.

For a week, the surface of the concrete should be irrigated with water, raising the film beforehand or watering directly over the burlap. For irrigation, use a nozzle with a large number of holes.

Finally, the concrete dries and sets from 7 to 20 days.

Outcome

As you can see, making a concrete floor with your own hands in the garage is quite realistic. The most important thing in this work is the correct calculations and the choice of high-quality material. Before proceeding with the arrangement of the floor in the garage, carefully consider whether you need thermal insulation, a viewing hole and what kind of flooring you will use.

Carefully carry out all the necessary measurements and calculations.

Slowly and gradually carry out construction work, paying attention to compliance with technology. For the main stage ─ pouring the concrete floor ─ get the support of the team, since the concrete hardens quickly and evenly distributes the material around the entire perimeter of the garage in a short time.

Choose a quality material for finishing work on concrete, cover it with paint or lay tiles.

Love to spend time maintaining, repairing and improving your car? Then, for sure, for you, the garage in terms of importance and the total number of hours spent there can quite compete with the house where you live. And you understand for sure that in the garage all the constituent parts must be made at a good level - walls, roof, gates, lighting, ventilation and floor. This is especially true of the latter, which is subject to rather strict requirements for strength and ability to endure dynamic / static loads without destruction. The concrete floor in the garage fully meets such requests.

As mentioned above, the floor in the garage must meet some fairly strict requirements. And, before proceeding to the description of the construction process, we will study them.

High resistance to static loading. What is obvious, the concrete floor in the garage must withstand the weight of the car. Moreover, it is desirable that this resistance be with a “margin”, and the floor can withstand not only an ordinary passenger car, but also a heavy SUV or van. In addition, to the weight of the car you need to add a lot of all the things that can be stored in the garage - spare parts, tools, workbench, shelving and much more.
Coating strength. The concrete floor in the garage should not crumble and collapse when some heavy tool or other metal product falls on it.
Resistance to chemical influences. Maintenance and repair of a car in a garage is inextricably linked with the use of various fuels and lubricants, paints, solvents and other liquids. And, despite all the accuracy of the master, something will definitely spill on the floor. The concrete coating must be resistant to all the above technical fluids - their contact with the surface should not lead to a deterioration in the strength characteristics of the material.
Fire safety. As a rule, all the technical fluids mentioned in the previous paragraph burn well. The concrete floor must be resistant to flames and not lose its strength at high temperatures. In addition, it should not contribute to the spread of fire in the garage.
Resistance to temperature changes. Not all garages have their own heating. But even in those buildings that are heated, a constant room temperature is rarely maintained, regardless of the weather outside. Therefore, the concrete floor must withstand quite serious temperature changes, including transitions from its positive values to negative ones and vice versa.
Possibility of cleaning. A good car owner maintains his garage in order, and it is desirable that the floor be amenable to regular cleaning.
Durability. Like any other part of the building, the floor in the garage should serve its owner for several decades until the moment when repairs or a complete replacement of the coating are needed.

Important! Concrete coating meets all the requirements that apply to that in the garage. In addition to this, one of the positive aspects is the possibility of arranging the coverage on your own, practically without resorting to the services of third parties.

Having decided to pour a concrete floor in your garage, keep in mind that such a coating has its drawbacks.

SNiP 2.03.13-88. Floors. Download file (click on the link to open the PDF file in a new window).

Concrete floor in the garage - the difference between brands of cement

Work on creating a floor in the garage begins with the selection of building materials. Among them, the most important is cement - the main component for creating concrete. And here it is necessary to make a small theoretical digression, which will prevent subsequent confusion and reduce the risk of error when choosing building materials. Consider what brands of concrete / cement are, and whether there is a direct relationship between them.

Portland cement

The characteristics and composition of building materials used both for the construction of industrial buildings and public buildings, as well as for private houses and outbuildings, are quite accurately defined in state standards. In particular, this applies to concrete. Its main characteristic is compressive strength, measured in kilogram-force per square centimeter (or abbreviated kgf / cm 2). It is she who is indicated in the marking of concrete behind the letter "M". With the main subspecies of concrete, differing in compressive strength and scope, you can find below.

Table. Concrete - the main brands.

Concrete grade	Brief description and scope
	Concrete with low strength, but at the same time with a very low price. It is used in preparatory work when pouring better mixtures.
	Strength and cost are slightly higher than the previous brand. Also used in preparation for pouring a monolithic foundation slab or concrete strip and for creating walkways.
	Concrete of this brand is the best combination of price and quality. The M200 is strong enough to fill the floors in the garage under the passenger car.
	Compared to M200, it has increased strength, resistance to precipitation and temperature extremes. Suitable for arranging the floor in the garage for heavy vehicles, as well as for covering buildings located in areas with a high level of groundwater.
	Extra strong concrete with outstanding strength characteristics. M300 is durable and suitable for pouring floors in garages for the heaviest equipment.
	Concrete of these grades is used in the construction of hydraulic and military structures, as well as for creating piles for multi-storey buildings. For an ordinary garage, the strength of the M350 is excessive, it can be used, but financially impractical.

At present, with the use of M400 concrete, various types of structures are being erected - bridges, tunnels, hydraulic engineering, as well as the construction of warehouses, storage facilities, highways and any other facilities that will later be operated under conditions of increased load

Now let's turn our attention to the main component of concrete - cement. It has a similar marking - the letter "M" and a number expressing the compressive strength of the material in kgf / cm 2. The better the brand of cement, the more expensive it is, but at the same time, the stronger it is. Obviously, the compressive strength of the finished concrete mixture depends on the cement used to create it. But at the same time, its ratio with cement and sand should also be taken into account. You can see more accurate data in the image below.

Important! In addition to cement, when buying building materials for a concrete floor in a garage, pay attention to sand and gravel. The first must be clean enough and contain a minimum amount of impurities, pieces of clay or debris. And the crushed stone should have a fraction suitable for these construction works - small or medium.

Any garage owner knows how important a strong and reliable garage floor is. This is explained very simply - the floor has a serious load, which is much more than in residential premises. That is why the arrangement of the concrete floor in the garage must be given maximum attention so that the work is carried out with high quality. About how to properly concrete the floors in the garage, and will be discussed in this article.

It should be noted right away that the arrangement of the viewing hole and the floor is often carried out when pouring the foundation, since in this case the walls do not restrict movement. This option of concreting the floor has a limitation associated with the weather - the concrete hardens for a long time, and at the wrong time precipitation can ruin all the work.

concrete floor requirements

Equipping the floor of concrete, you need to monitor compliance with the requirements that apply to such a coating. If everything is done correctly, then the design will withstand both long-term loads and one-time loads (like a fallen key).

The concrete floor in the garage must meet the following requirements:

High strength. This indicator directly depends on the weight of the car, which will be in the garage. Knowing what loads will fall on the coating, and you need to equip the concrete floor.
Good resistance to aggressive chemicals. The floor of any garage is regularly exposed to fuels and technical fluids, which can seriously damage an unprepared surface.
The presence of a slope. So that the floor of the garage is not affected by moisture, it is necessary to ensure its removal. A sloping concrete floor prevents liquids from stagnation on the surface, and cleaning the garage in this case is much easier.
moisture resistance. Concrete itself does not have very good resistance to moisture, so this quality must be additionally compensated at the stage of arranging the coating.
fire resistance. Every garage contains flammable substances, so the flooring must be fire resistant.
Durability. Arranging a concrete floor takes a lot of time and effort, which indicates the need to create a high-quality structure that can last for decades.

When working, additional structural elements are often used to strengthen it. Ceramic tiles are most often used as a fine floor covering, but sometimes thin paving tiles are installed - this allows not only to increase the strength of the coating, but also improve its visual characteristics.

Materials and tools for concrete floor

To perform concrete flooring in the garage with your own hands, you will need a considerable set of materials and tools. Their list is as follows:

Sand, necessary to create a sand cushion laid on top of the soil;
Expanded clay or medium fractional crushed stone, which seals the base of the concrete structure and provides insulating properties;
Reinforcing mesh for reinforcement and a 12 mm metal bar for installing beacons;
Waterproofing material (roofing material, polyethylene film, etc.), which protects the concrete floor from the effects of groundwater;
Cement, sand and gravel for mixing the solution with which the screed is poured;
Brick from which the walls of the inspection pit are laid out;
Metal corners laid on the edges of the pit;
Self-leveling pourable mixture, which is sometimes used to create a finishing coating (more: "").

The list of tools is quite standard - for self-mixing you will need a concrete mixer, a shovel, as a rule, several different spatulas, a building level and a rammer. Equipping the finishing floor with the help of bulk mixtures, you will need to add a doctor blade and a needle roller to the list of tools.

It is also worth noting that when carrying out some work, the help of specialists may be required - for example, for reinforcement it is worth inviting a professional welder if there are no welding skills.

Arrangement of a viewing hole

With the fact that a viewing hole is a mandatory attribute of any garage, no car owner will argue. With the help of an inspection pit, both preventive and repair work is carried out, so it must be properly equipped.

The sequence of work is as follows:

First, a pit is prepared. It can be done at the stage of arranging the foundation, using special equipment - it will be much easier and faster. However, often the pit is dug out on its own, and this option has a clear advantage - the pit is created after the walls and roof are mounted, so you don’t have to worry about weather changes.
The next stage is the preparation of the bottom of the pit. The soil surface must be compacted using a rammer. Next, the bottom is covered with gravel and rammed, as a result of which a gravel cushion is created about 10 cm thick. In order for the resulting surface to be even, it is necessary to monitor its level, for which, along the perimeter of the pit, with a step of about 80 cm, you need to install stakes with the required height.
When the gravel layer is compacted, sand is poured over it. The thickness of the sand cushion in the compacted state should be approximately 10 cm. After compacting the sand, you can move on.
The next step is the arrangement of waterproofing, which is necessary so that there is no dampness and mold in the garage. As a rule, when arranging the floor in the garage, a thick plastic film is used - its characteristics are sufficient to protect the structure from moisture. Sheet material must be laid in such a way that the overlap on the walls is about 50 cm. Construction tape is used to connect individual sheets of waterproofing.
Next, the walls in the pit are equipped. For this, bricks or concrete mortar are used. In the first case, a reinforcing mesh is laid at the bottom of the pit, and the walls are laid out with bricks and plastered. Using concrete to create walls, you will have to use a reinforcing mesh throughout the area. In addition, when pouring walls with concrete mortar, the mesh is installed in two layers so that the distance between them determines the thickness of the walls (more: "").
After the reinforcement is laid on the floor of the pit, the structure is poured with concrete. To achieve maximum floor strength, you need to add gravel to the concrete solution. The floor of the inspection pit needs to be leveled, but it is not worth achieving a perfectly smooth surface - it is intended exclusively for walking.
When the solution hardens, formwork is mounted near the bottom of the wall. Its height should be about half a meter. Concrete is poured into the free space, and after it hardens, the formwork rises another half a meter and is poured again. The operation is repeated until the walls are completely filled.
The last part of the formwork must be installed in such a way that the level of the wall is equal to the calculated level of the finished floor. To fix the formwork between the walls, spacers must be placed. The formwork at each stage of pouring can only be removed after the solution has completely solidified.
Formwork must also be installed around the pit so that it coincides in height with the level of the finish. Reinforcement is mounted inside the structure, after which the formwork is poured with concrete mortar.
The frozen solution in the area around the pit must be overlaid with a metal corner around the perimeter. It is embedded in the solution, and the edges of the structure are connected by welding.

It takes about a month for concrete to completely solidify, but it is absolutely pointless to wait so long - after pouring the inspection hole, you can immediately begin to equip the main floor.

Preparation of the base for pouring

Before you concrete the floor in the garage, you need to prepare the surface for work. To do this, you will need to remove unnecessary soil and build a sealing pad. The quality of the future floor directly depends on the correct preparation of the surface.

The preparation algorithm looks like this:

The soil is loosened around the inspection hole - after that it will be much easier to remove it and take it out of the garage. After clearing, the surface must be compacted to increase the density of the base.
Next, a gravel layer is poured, the thickness of which is usually in the range of 10-12 cm. Before compacting the base, it is necessary to calculate the height of the floor in advance - the finish coating should be on the same level with the edge of the inspection hole. The gravel is covered from above with expanded clay or medium fractional gravel, after which it is once again rammed.
Next, you need to deal with the arrangement of waterproofing. The material for these purposes is usually rolled roofing material. Sheets are laid with an overlap of at least 10 cm and fixed with construction tape. To connect the sheets, in addition to adhesive tape, you can use a moisture-resistant sealant or the welding method using a gas burner.
When arranging waterproofing, it is necessary to bring it to the walls, by about 25 cm. It is very important to cover the corners of the room with high quality. In the case of roofing felt, this will not be easy - the material is quite hard and does not bend well. The problem is solved with the help of wooden bars, with which sheets of roofing material are pressed against the corners.
A damper tape is glued to the bottom of the wall. Being located a couple of centimeters above the level of the finished floor, it helps to prevent the destruction of the material during temperature changes.
A reinforcing mesh must be laid on top of the waterproofing layer. Steel wire is often used to fix it together, but the best result can be obtained by welding. The grid is attached to the surface with brackets.
Beacons are placed on the grid. When installing them, you need to focus on the height of the viewing hole. Sometimes a metal corner is used as beacons, which lined the edges of the pit.

On this, the preparatory work is completed, and it remains only to wait until the solution under the beacons hardens. It is possible to fix the beacons by welding, and in this case it will be possible to fill the screed immediately after preparation.

Pouring concrete floor

Pouring a concrete screed is an important process that needs to be given no less attention than the previous steps. The correct creation of the screed allows you to achieve maximum strength and acceptable visual qualities of the coating (details: "").

Like all other stages of work, concreting the floor in the garage is carried out according to a certain algorithm.

The sequence of actions for filling is as follows:

First you need to choose the solution that will be filled. The most convenient option is to order a ready-made solution from a company specializing in this. However, this option usually turns out to be less profitable than self-preparation of a concrete solution.
In any case, pouring the mortar over the reinforcing mesh, it must be leveled with a shovel so that it is evenly distributed. When the level of concrete exceeds the height of the beacons, it must be leveled with a rule.
As a rule, the garage has a considerable area, so the filling has to be done in stages. This method is suitable even when pouring a ready-made solution. The floor surface is divided into parts, and each of them is poured separately. It is best to leave the sections conditional, not dividing them with formwork - the presence of seams in the screed is undesirable.
Making your own solution takes much more time and effort. In addition to directly mixing, the concrete will have to be moved independently to the prepared base. The concrete solution is made in a ratio of 1:3:3 (cement, sand and gravel, respectively). Water must be added gradually so that the solution acquires the consistency of sour cream.
The floor screed in the garage must have a thickness of at least 7 cm, so pouring with self-mixing concrete will require a lot of time. It will be much more convenient to work with assistants.
When leveling, it is necessary to periodically stick a shovel into the solution - this is necessary in order to remove the air that appeared in the concrete during mixing. If air is left in the screed, its strength will be significantly reduced.
After pouring the screed, you need to leave it for about a week so that it freezes. After that, it will be possible to safely walk on it and check the quality of the screed. Having found defects, it will be necessary to fill them with a self-leveling mixture. For the same purpose, you can use a self-prepared solution of sand, cement, building glue and special fibers.

It will take at least a month for the concrete to completely harden, after which the garage can be used. To finally complete the work, you need to cut off the protruding edges of the damper tape.

Additional screed processing

It is necessary to use the topping system during the curing of the screed. The ideal time is when the surface has hardened to such a state that the depth of the footprint when walking does not exceed 3 mm, and the screed itself is still wet.

It is at this point that you need to sprinkle the topping on the floor. It is evenly distributed over the entire surface of the floor. After a while, the mixture absorbs the liquid, and after that the floor is rubbed using a special machine. Grouting should be carried out until the mixture is completely connected to the surface of the screed. Similarly, repair the concrete floor in the garage, when required.

Before you concrete the floor in the garage, it is worth understanding some of the nuances that make the operation of the garage even more convenient.

When arranging, you need to pay attention to arranging the exit from the garage. The best solution would be to combine the exit with the garage floor. This section must be done with a slight slope, and when pouring, make reinforcement and hardening means.
If you do not use topping after pouring, then it makes sense to replace it with another coating. Often the garage floor is covered with ordinary floor tiles with a high strength class and good wear resistance.
A fairly popular material for finishing the floor in the garage is ordinary concrete paint. The use of such a coating increases the strength of the screed and improves its visual qualities. The main thing is to choose the right way to paint the concrete floor in the garage in order to reliably protect the floor.
Before laying tiles or applying paint, you need to treat the surface of the floor with a primer and wait until it dries.

Using these tips, you can get the most out of your garage in return.

Conclusion

The floor in the garage must be of sufficient quality and reliable - only in this case, the operation of the garage will be convenient and enjoyable. Properly concreting the floor in the garage takes time and effort, but the good result is worth it. If you approach the work on arranging the floor correctly, gradually performing the necessary operations, then there will be no problems.

Special attention should be paid to the floor. If the surface becomes damp, emits a lot of dust, and cannot withstand the load, this will negatively affect the safety of the car. There are several ways to make a floor in a garage with your own hands, each of which has its own advantages. A concrete screed is considered a classic base, but other floor options are also in demand: earthen, self-leveling, wooden, and even tiled.

How to make an earthen floor

The cheapest floor is earthen. It does not require financial costs, has a very simple device, but at the same time it has low strength and highly absorbs moisture. Such coverage can be done temporarily if the construction budget is very limited. Also, this option is suitable for those who do not often use the garage, and most of the time is on the road.

The process of arranging an earthen floor is very simple:

You can do without clay, but it significantly increases the strength of the floor and provides good protection against moisture.

Concrete floor

Concrete screed is the most popular coating in private garages. Such a floor can withstand very strong and uneven loads, is not afraid of fire, is resistant to various oils, solvents and gasoline, and is durable. Concrete can draw moisture, but the correct arrangement of the floor completely eliminates such risks. Although the amount of work is quite large and will require a lot of time and physical effort, the process itself has a simple technology.

type of concrete floor	Additive Elastoconcrete-A		Vintage strength	Minimum thickness	Entering in operation (temperature 20°±2°C, relative humidity 90-100%)
Monolithic concrete slab	-	+	M200-M350	from 100mm	28 day
Concrete floor screed, with reinforcement	-	+	M200-M350	from 70mm	28 day
Concrete floors - Volumetric topping	+	-/+	M600-M700	from 40mm	7-8 days
Reinforced concrete floors	+	-/+	M500-M550	from 40mm	7-8 days
Reinforced concrete floors	+	-/+	M400-M500	from 40mm	7-8 days
Concrete floors with fiber (fiber-reinforced concrete)	-/+	-/+	M200-M350	from 40mm	28 day
Concrete mosaic floors	-/+	-/+	M500-M550	from 40mm	7-8 days

Construction stages:

production of a viewing hole;
floor level markings;
soil preparation;
backfilling with sand and gravel;
laying waterproofing;
reinforcement;
floor filling.

All work is carried out after the completion of the construction of the garage, but before the start of the interior decoration of the premises.

Step 1. Preparation of the pit

Not a mandatory element of every garage; it is only needed for those who independently repair their car. It should be noted that a pit cannot be made in a site where the groundwater level is 2.5 m. A place for it is usually chosen in the center of the room, departing a certain distance from the entrance.

Having determined the location of the pit, they dig a pit. Its parameters are:

On the ground, mark the boundaries of the pit and begin to dig. During work, you need to ensure that all walls remain as vertical and even as possible. After excavation, the floor is compacted with a rammer, then a thin layer of clay is poured and rammed again. Next, the bottom of the pit is covered with a layer of roofing material, the edges of which lead a little to the walls. A concrete mixture is poured over the roofing material to a height of 7 to 10 cm. The top of the concrete is leveled and left to dry. It is not necessary to cover the pit while the solution dries.

Step 2. Laying the walls

When the pit is hardened enough, you can lay out the walls. For these purposes, red burnt brick and aerated concrete blocks are best suited. Laying is carried out immediately around the entire perimeter; it is impossible to lay each wall separately. So, the first row is laid in level, leaving about 15-20 cm between the walls of the pit and the brick. The protruding mortar is immediately removed with a trowel so that when finishing the pit, it is not necessary to knock down the hardened concrete.

All subsequent rows are laid out with offset vertical seams, which helps to strengthen the walls. To keep the masonry vertical, every 2-3 rows are checked with a level; at a time it is not recommended to build more than 6 rows of bricks. The last row of bricks should be 6-7 cm below the threshold level. Subsequently, a metal corner will be laid on the brick walls, which should not protrude above the floor surface.

Step 3. Pit waterproofing

After two or three days, the walls of the pit can be waterproofed from the outside. Using a dense roller on a long handle, the brick surface is coated with a primer and left to dry. Next, the bituminous mastic is heated, and with the same roller it is applied to the walls in a dense layer. Backfilling with soil of free space behind the walls of the pit is carried out after the mastic has completely dried. The voids should be filled with soil in layers with obligatory tamping, otherwise the earth will sag under the concrete coating and cracks will form.

Step 4. Marking the floor level

The markup is done with a laser or water level, the usual building one is not suitable here. With a laser level, the whole process will take a matter of minutes, but marking with a water level will take more time. For convenience, marking is done at a distance of 1 m from the subfloor, and then transferred to the zero mark. So, first, 1 m is measured from the threshold upwards and a mark is made with a pencil. Then one end of the level is attached to the mark, and the other to the adjacent wall, where the water level in the tube will show the location of the next mark.

Thus, 2-3 marks are left on each of the walls; after that, 102 cm are measured down from the upper beacons and marks are also made with a pencil. It remains only to beat off the marking line with a coated cord, and the zero level is determined.

Step 5. Preparing the base

In the process of building a garage, excess soil and construction debris remain inside the building. All this must be removed, and then additionally remove another layer of earth to a depth of 30 cm. The depth should be the same over the entire area, so all visible irregularities should be cleaned off with a shovel. With the help of a rammer, the soil itself is carefully compacted, then a layer of sand and clay 3-5 cm thick is covered, spilled with water and again taken up by the rammer. The higher the density of the base, the stronger the floor will be.

Step 6. Arrangement of a sand and gravel pad

The thickness of the gravel layer is 10 cm. If the garage is large, it will be difficult to pour a layer of the desired thickness without additional measurements, so you can simplify the task. To do this, wooden pegs of the desired height are driven into the ground, placing them in even rows. Having fallen asleep gravel to this level, you should tamp it well, pull out the pegs and fill the voids with the same gravel.

In a small garage, you can do it differently: in each corner and in the middle of the walls at a level of 10 cm, you need to put a bright mark. This technique will help to quickly fall asleep gravel, without wasting time on measurements. The next layer is sand; it can be fine or coarse-grained, even with an admixture of clay, but without debris and large clods. A sand cushion for greater compaction is spilled with water and rammed again. Finally, the base plane is checked with a large building level or rule to avoid the formation of bumps.

Crushed stone with a diameter of 40-50 mm is poured onto the sand, the thickness of this layer is about 5 cm. The surface is leveled, compacted, covered with a small amount of sand and moistened. They ram again, trying not to leave sharp protrusions. In conclusion, the base is poured with lean concrete, the layer thickness of which is 3 cm. The lean one is kneaded in the following proportion:

1 part cement;
3 parts of sifted sand;
6 parts of small gravel.

This solution has low strength, but it perfectly levels the base under the screed. Concrete is poured onto rubble, leveled over the entire area with a rule and left to dry.

Step 7. Waterproofing the floor

When the concrete dries, it is treated with any primer mixture. Special membranes, roll materials, bituminous mastic and liquid rubber are used as waterproofing. Ruberoid, film, membrane are spread on the floor, and the edges lead to the walls. Cloths are necessarily laid with an overlap of 10 cm. Very often, the roofing material is laid directly on hot mastic, then the canvas is tightly glued to the base and reliably protects the floor from moisture.

Step 8 Reinforcement

For reinforcement, you will need a metal mesh with mesh sizes of 10x10 or 15x15 cm. It is cooked from reinforcement with a section of 5 mm. The grid is laid so that about 5 cm remains between its edges and the walls. The same distance must be left around the perimeter of the viewing hole. In addition, the mesh should be slightly raised above the surface, so plastic or metal supports 2 cm high are placed under the bars.

Step 9 Install Beacons

To make the floor perfectly flat, you need to make a screed along the beacons. Such beacons can be metal corners, a profile, but it is most convenient to use steel pipes of small diameter, for example, 25 mm. To fix the guides, a little solution is kneaded, and the pipes themselves are liberally lubricated with engine oil. Lighthouses should be located in even horizontal rows, the distance between which is 1.2-1.5 m. Heaps of mortar are thrown onto the floor along the wall every 15 cm and the first pipe is laid on them. Using the level, set it horizontally and at the same time level it at the zero mark. When all the guides are installed, you should once again check their horizontal. To do this, the level is placed perpendicular to 2 or 3 lighthouses.

Along the perimeter of the garage, it is necessary to leave small gaps between the screed and the walls 1-2 cm wide and fill them with damper tape. This will help to avoid damage to the coating when shrinking the garage. Now there remains a frame of corners for a viewing hole. A steel corner 50x50 mm is cut into 4 parts according to the size of the pit and welded in the form of a rectangle. The finished frame is primed and dried, and then laid on brick walls. If desired, you can paint the corner with red lead - this will be additional protection against corrosion. Under the weight of the concrete solution, the frame may be slightly deformed; to prevent this from happening, the corners should be strengthened with temporary struts from a bar.

Step 10. Filling the screed

First you need to calculate the approximate volume. To do this, the floor area is multiplied by the height of the screed, which is 5 cm. For example, if the area is 35 square meters, then the screed will require at least 1.75 cubic meters of concrete mix. A solution is being prepared in a ratio of 1: 3, and it is better to take cement grades 400-500, and sand can be replaced with screenings.

The solution should be sufficiently thick and homogeneous, so it should be mixed very carefully. The finished mass is poured between the beacons so that the solution covers them, and then a metal rule is carried out along the pipes and all the excess is pulled together. The rule must be pressed strongly on both sides and driven evenly, then the surface of the screed is simultaneously compacted and leveled.

1-2 days after pouring from the screed, carefully remove the guides. Since the pipes were lubricated with oil, this process will not require much effort. The grooves from the lighthouses are filled with the same solution and the surface is left to dry. To avoid cracking, it is recommended to moisten the floor regularly; you can also cover the surface with wet sawdust and periodically spray them with water. After 10-12 days, the sawdust is swept away, and the floor dries already in the open state. The complete drying of the concrete screed usually takes about 4 weeks.

Prices for various types of screeds and self-leveling floors

Screeds and self-leveling floors

Ceramic tile flooring

This option is quite expensive, since high-quality floor tiles are expensive. But such a floor looks great, is easy to clean, emits very little dust. Tiles must be purchased with a wear resistance class of at least 5, and if there is no heating in the garage, then frost-resistant. Laying is recommended to be done no earlier than 2 years after the construction of the garage, otherwise the coating will deform during shrinkage.

For work you will need:

primer;
tile adhesive;
ceramic tile;
notched trowel;
level;
plastic crosses for seams;
grout.

Step 1. Preparing the base

On a concrete base. If the rough screed has been damaged during operation, it is necessary to repair all the irregularities with cement mortar, clean it of dust and cover it with two layers of primer. High-quality screed is easy enough to prime.

Step 2: Finishing the floor

The adhesive composition is diluted according to the instructions and allowed to brew for 10 minutes. Part of the adhesive is applied to the back of the tile, the rest is applied to the floor with a notched trowel. Apply the tiles to the floor, smooth and gently press. Plastic spacers are inserted between adjacent fragments, which ensure the uniformity of the seams. After leveling, check with a level so that the floor is perfectly flat. Glue should not get on the front side of the ceramics, all accidental splashes and smears are immediately wiped with a rag.

Step 3. Grouting

After laying, you need to wait 3 days and wipe the seams. For this, a special composition based on cement is used. The seams are moistened, and then the working mixture is applied with a rubber narrow spatula. After filling the seam, the excess is removed with a neat sharp movement. When the process is completed, the grout is allowed to set for half an hour, after which the seams are washed with a damp sponge. You can drive into the garage by car after 2 weeks, when the glue is completely dry and the floor acquires the desired strength.

Prices for a range of floor tiles

Floor tile

self-leveling floor

Self-leveling floor is expensive, but the benefits of such a coating fully justify the cost. The self-leveling floor has a service life of at least 40 years, it has a very high strength, is easy to clean, does not burn, and has a perfectly flat surface. Epoxy and polyurethane industrial mixes are best suited for the garage. You can do the installation yourself, because the pouring technology is very simple.

We prepare the surface - we take out all the excess

Step 1. Preparatory work

The rough base is cleaned of dust and everything is sealed. Recesses with a depth of more than 3 cm are also filled with mortar and dried. After that, the floor is treated twice with a primer.

Decorative "chips"

Step 2. Pouring the mixture

The floor solution is prepared exactly according to the instructions, otherwise the quality of the coating will decrease. During operation, the temperature in the garage should not be less than 10 and above 25 degrees. If the room is large, the filling is carried out in stages, dividing the area into several sections. Level the mixture with a spiked roller, carefully removing air bubbles. Drying will take about 20 days, after which the coating is ready for use.

In the course of pouring, we scatter the “chips”. We enjoy the result

Wooden floor

Wood floors in garages are very rare. Despite the ease of installation, low cost and environmental friendliness of the material, such a coating is not popular. Even the densest wood cannot withstand the stress of a car for more than 5 years. In addition, a wooden floor is flammable, and in a garage where gasoline, oil and thinner are stored, this is doubly dangerous. If you still have a desire to floor, the installation technology is simple and straightforward:

the concrete screed is cleaned and primed;
timber for logs is processed and dried;
install logs on concrete in increments of 1.-2 m, fixing with dowels at a distance of 50 cm;
lay intermediate logs every 40 cm;
the wooden frame is covered with waterproofing material;
boards are stuffed perpendicular to the lags.

The boards must be very dense, with a thickness of 40 mm or more, be sure to be dry. To extend the service life, the floor must be primed, treated with a flame retardant and painted.

Wooden floor can be insulated with expanded clay