How to pour clean floors in a garage building with concrete with your own hands is known to professional builders, craftsmen with a capital letter. But they are in no hurry to reveal secrets, to make them public. Meanwhile, there are no particular difficulties in this, only scrupulous observance of technology, the use of high-quality materials and a minimum of tools will be required.
Motorists planning a concrete floor in the garage want to understand what are its advantages and disadvantages, unlike latex or wood. Such a coating is arranged in open areas, ramps, it is suitable for parking lots and closed insulated boxes.
The advantages of a concrete floor are as follows:
- durability;
- low cost;
- universality;
- ease of manufacture.
On a completely frozen floor that has gained strength, you can safely put a motorcycle, a car - it will withstand the weight, will not crumble or deteriorate.
Necessary tools and materials
To make a concrete floor, you will need simple, common tools. To prepare the mixture, you will need a concrete mixer - a special installation with an electric drive. It is not recommended to use manual labor for 2 reasons: it will take more time, and significant efforts will be required to evenly distribute the components in the mixture, in addition, the full amount of work will have to be divided into small portions equal to the batch capacity.
You will also need a trowel - this is a special device for leveling the concrete mixture; level, as well as a few shovels. The materials that are needed to make the floor are easy to buy at a hardware store: cement, crushed stone and sand. For greater strength, it does not hurt to use reinforcement - mesh or ready-made frames.
Choice of concrete pavement
An important criterion for choosing a future concrete coating is the brand. The strength of the floor, durability and proportions of the components will depend on it. The correct selection of the composition of the mixture, taking into account the requirements for the manufactured plate, is half the success.
An important point is related to the foundation itself: the floor will be laid on the ground or on top of the existing, “old” coating. It is likely that excavation of the topsoil (in the first case) and a mandatory crushed stone preparation will be required.
To get started, you need markings: what will be the thickness of the floor, where to draw lines on the walls indicating the upper edge of the future coating. The composition of the "pie" that immediately precedes the concrete floor is as follows: a layer of sand without clay impurities, not river (up to 5 centimeters), on top of it - crushed stone (about 10 centimeters). And at the end, a monolithic slab with a thickness of at least 10 centimeters will lie.
Passenger
For a small car, a small car, the determining factor is the thickness of the crushed stone layer and concrete - about 100 millimeters each. It’s not bad if the top edge of the finished coating is flush with the ground level outside the gate so that a threshold does not form: it’s more convenient to use the garage, drive in and out.
Wire meshes with a diameter of 5-6 millimeters are suitable as reinforcement - this will increase the strength of the structure.
Freight
For a minibus, a truck, the requirements for the base are tougher: the thickness of crushed stone and slab is doubled, and reinforcing bars or welded rolled mesh with a diameter of 1-12 millimeters are used as a frame. Accordingly, the brand of cement should be used not lower than M400.
Preparatory work
Preparation includes excavation or removal of the old floor (earthen, wood). The main guidelines at this stage will be the following requirements: work carefully, in accordance with the predetermined thicknesses of the bed / floor layers, be sure to use a level.
It is extremely undesirable to “hack”: the flaws made at the initial stage will require adjustments at the subsequent ones. For example, an error in the calculation of the coating, careless digging will cause overconsumption of concrete, the need to level the clean floor mark by increasing the amount of the mixture.
Level markup
Includes the removal of lines on the walls, the installation of high-altitude beacons that facilitate the work. The ideal option is marking with a level, but the use of a level - laser or water - is also suitable as a compromise. The task is to balance the bubble exactly in the middle, which means that the planned surface (line) is horizontal.
To make it easier for yourself, the risks are performed with a bright marker, which will be visible against the background of the wall. It is permissible to pull a thin cord (for example, white) over the driven nails.
Soil preparation
It consists in cleaning from pollution (spills of oil, debris), excavation of the top layer of soil and deepening to the required, predetermined level. The roots of plants, trees, grass, any foreign inclusions are also removed. They will remain under the coating, may begin to destroy it and will not allow you to do a job with good quality.
The root system of flowers is able to break through such dense structures as concrete and asphalt, so it is very important to completely get rid of their presence.
Backfilling of sand and gravel cushion
In fact, the layers of gravel and sand are not mixed, like components in cooking, but are laid alternately on the ground. It is recommended to level the "floor" of the mini-pit, in order to carefully and accurately distribute the components of the pillow. Sometimes it is advised to soak and compact the sand in order to increase the density of the layer, to fill all the voids at the bottom of the pit.
Regarding crushed stone: professionals prefer to use more than one fraction, but a mixed one - up to 2/3 of the medium, the rest - fine. Such proportions will provide the required rigidity of the layer so that it does not “play”, and the individual particles lie tightly against each other. Crushed stone is also rammed with a manual or mechanized rammer. On top of it, waterproofing is arranged.
Waterproofing
Modern technologies allow the use of cheap and effective methods to ensure waterproofing of the future coating, eliminating its contact with the soil and aquifers. For example, ordinary plastic film used for greenhouses and hotbeds. There are also more "serious" compounds - polymeric and bitumen-based. They need to be applied to the finished preparation, wait for it to dry, and then proceed to the next stage - laying the reinforcement cage.
Reinforcement
Opinions regarding the need to reinforce concrete with steel rods or mesh differ: on the one hand, such a step increases the strength of the slab, on the other hand, it increases the cost of work. By itself, concrete tolerates distributed and point compressive loads well, but with a sharp pressure drop it can burst.
The reinforcement in the body of the slab perceives external influences and allows them to be dispersed over the entire plane of the structure. The mesh and frames are used to strengthen the floor, increase its strength, reliability. In this case, the metal is laid with a small gap (not close) to form a protective layer of concrete (usually 2-3 centimeters).
Pouring concrete
The components have been purchased, everything is ready for concreting and flooring. It remains to decide on the methods of implementation: mix the solution manually or with a concrete mixer. The latter option will improve the quality of concrete, increase labor productivity. It is not necessary to buy a new unit for this, it can be rented.
Do not forget about the ratio of concrete components - crushed stone, sand and cement, as well as the amount of water added.
The liquid mixture fits better, but its brand will be lower, the rigid one is more difficult to work with, but the plate will come out strong and reliable. As a compromise, it is possible to purchase a ready mix at a concrete mixing plant - it will be produced and delivered directly to the site, in the required quantity and with the required quality. It is highly desirable, for a good filling of voids, to use a vibrator or a vibrating screed.
Layer thickness calculation
The thickness of the layers, the choice of brand of cement and the calculation of the components of the mixture depend on the load on the future foundation. For an ordinary garage in which a bicycle or motorcycle will stand, it is one, for a passenger car - another, for a truck - a third. Approximately the thickness of the plate for a small car is selected within 100 millimeters, for a car of greater weight - 2 times thicker. A layer of rubble is approximately equal to this value, sand - about 5 centimeters.
Installation of beacons
Lighthouses are needed not only at sea, but also in construction: they determine the marks and boundaries of the laid concrete layer. Markers are set in height, marking the upper edge of the future slab, as well as along the edges, if pouring is done in several stages. Their color and material are chosen so that they can be seen well against the gray background of cement.
Filling the screed
The screed is made of cement-sand mortar and refers to additional work. Most often, it is done to level the surface or before installing an insulating layer.
Problems often encountered
There are a number of questions that beginners should pay attention to in order to help them avoid mistakes:
- Settling of floor areas. Most likely, voids formed in the preparation, or it itself was not done carefully enough.
- Cracks (mesh fine or deep). The technology was violated: the choice of the water-cement ratio was incorrect, the load was applied before the mixture had set (28 days), the work was carried out at low temperatures.
A garage is a welcome purchase for a car enthusiast. To use this place conveniently, you need to take care of the finish and the base for installing the car. Filling the floor in the garage with concrete is the best way out, since a variety of effects on the surface are possible here.
The floor experiences mechanical loads, must withstand a large mass, not be damaged when a heavy tool falls, and retain its properties during temperature changes.
Estimation of cost and labor intensity
Pouring a concrete floor in a garage looks attractive on a number of criteria. Among them:
- the ability to use any cement, reducing costs. Grade 400 is considered optimal, but pouring with mortar using 300 is also available if the garage is heated or there are no significant temperature fluctuations in the region in summer and winter;
- if the floor in the garage is poured with concrete over the floor slabs - this option for creating a coating will allow you to complete the work quickly and with minimal investment;
- it is not recommended to use brand 500 cement for screeding if the garage freezes through. This variety has two weaknesses: it gradually collapses under the influence of moisture and has a rather modest resource of freezing-thawing number;
- pouring the floor in the garage with concrete must be carried out on a prepared base.
Before deciding to create a screed, you should carefully examine all the factors that will affect the coating. These include rising groundwater, freezing and swelling soils, and shallow foundations.
To neutralize specific problems, it is worth taking measures depending on the conditions of the current situation. However, the standard way that you can pour a concrete floor in a garage is suitable for most users.
Foundation preparation
In order to neutralize the effect of moisture from the soil as a result of the vertical capillary movement of water, to guarantee the stability of the base, to provide thermal damping and to obtain an even distribution of the load on the ground, it is necessary to create a multi-layer cushion. For this:
- the soil is removed to a depth of about 30 cm. This can be omitted if the floor level rise is not critical, for example, it is planned to equalize the height of the lower shelf of the gate and stop using the ramps to enter the garage;
- using a vibrating plate, the soil surface is carefully rammed. Before starting this process, tree roots, debris should be removed;
- backfilling of the first layer of the pillow is done. For it, gravel of medium and fine fractions is used. Tampering is carried out with a vibrating plate;
- the final layer is sand. Its thickness can reach 100 mm, the recommended minimum is 50 mm. After filling the sand, its surface is carefully leveled, intensively spilled with water, and compacted with a vibrating plate.
The tool does not need to be purchased. The vibrating plate can be rented, but its use is highly recommended. Careful preparation of the base is part of the answer to the question of how to properly fill the floor in the garage with concrete.
markup
The answer to the question of how to level a concrete floor in a garage is different from the options for residential or public buildings. It is necessary to create a mandatory slope of the surface in the direction of the drain zone or simply in the direction of the gate. Knowing how to fill the floor in the garage with concrete with a slope - you can achieve dryness, the absence of mold and other troubles.
Work is carried out after the base spilled with water dries out and there is no dirt. In the warm season, this takes from 1 to 2 days. The marking for the concrete floor in the garage is as follows:
- using a laser level, mark the level trajectories along the walls;
- in the corners, as well as in the areas where hatches, inspection pits and other objects are located, pegs are driven in. This should be done as close to the wall as possible so that they do not interfere with the installation of waterproofing;
- to achieve a normalized slope of 2%, the height of the pegs varies. At the lowest point of the surface, according to the plan, their height should correspond to the mark of the laser level and be 50-70 mm above the base. The height of the pegs at the highest point is calculated according to the rule: 15-20 mm are added for each meter of distance. For example, in a garage 6 meters long, the pegs farthest from the bottom point will be 12 cm higher than the nearest ones;
- a thread is stretched crosswise between the corner pegs. It will serve as a kind of beacon for leveling the surface.
If the configuration of the cultivated area is complex, there are hatches to the basement, a viewing hole - you can drive in additional pegs. It is necessary to carefully calculate their height depending on the distance from the reference point with the lowest level. A thread is also stretched between additional pegs.
After the markings are made and the thread beacons are stretched, it becomes clearer how to properly fill the floor in the garage with concrete. Before the production of the following work, the twine - lighthouses are removed.
Waterproofing and insulation
Eating one part of the answer to the question of how to make a concrete floor in a garage is to create waterproofing. At facilities where heating is carried out in winter, insulation under the screed is required. This is not done to prevent the garage from cooling down, but to lessen the impact of the temperature difference on the concrete. The work is carried out as follows:
- a roll waterproofer is spread on the base. Its type depends on the financial capabilities of the owner, acceptable results are achieved even with the use of inexpensive roofing material or glassine. Dense thick polyethylene film is also acceptable;
- laying is overlapped, each next strip overlaps the previous one by 10-15 cm;
- seams are sealed according to the rules for working with a specific roll material. A wide adhesive tape is used for a polyethylene film, bitumen-containing waterproofing agents are processed with a building hair dryer for fusion in the overlap zone;
- waterproofing should be 10-15 cm on the walls, a similar exit height is made in the area of \u200b\u200bthe hatch or the contour of the viewing hole.
Laying insulation in heated garages is done in a way convenient for the worker. You can use foam, mineral wool or slabs. To increase the life of the floor as a whole, the insulation is covered with another layer of waterproofing made of polyethylene film.
If you need a better result, use a one-sided permeable membrane, which must pass steam from the insulation to the screed. But such a solution is generally more expensive.
Reinforcement
Sometimes the question is asked how to make a concrete floor in a garage without reinforcement. The answer sounds simple: a standard technique, a thick layer of screed. But this is inefficient in terms of cost and labor intensity. You will have to spend a huge amount of mortar, make damper seams with a grinder. Therefore, a reinforced screed is preferable.
A chain-link can be used to strengthen the screed. But for good results and ease of work, it will need to be laid with a stretch, with a compensation gap to waterproofing, which is inconvenient to do on the basis of a sand and gravel cushion.
The screed is reinforced with a metal mesh, the mesh size of which is 50 mm. It is laid on top of the waterproofing and placed with an expansion gap of at least 30% of the total thickness of the future concrete coating.
Solution preparation
You can fill the screed with an ordinary cement-sand mixture. Preparing it is quite simple. To do this, cement grade 400 is mixed with sifted building sand in a ratio of 1: 3 (cement-sand). In the case of using a lower grade, for example 300, the amount of sand is reduced to a ratio of 1:4 and even 1:5. The plasticizer of the solution is milk of lime, which should be about 10% of the amount of cement.
Many people solve the issue of finishing coating is radically simple. Ceramic tiles are laid on a concrete screed in the garage, if there is no danger of a constant fall of the tool. Shows good results, but the cost of the solution is high. It is rational to use rubber plates.
Everyone can fantasize and implement ideas, because there is already a strong and durable floor, the task of the finish coating is only to reduce the amount of dust and extend the life of the base.
A concrete floor is deservedly recognized as one of the best for a garage. The simplest solution is a concrete slab. However, it requires the involvement of a crane, specialists, which increases the final cost at times. Many people can do this job on their own.
Preparatory stage
In the garage, concrete can also be laid on the ground. But before you concrete the floor in the garage, you need to evaluate its density and reliability. Almost always, the required parameters are rare, so ordinary soil is not suitable as a base. For the construction of the foundation, soft layers, up to the rocky firmament, are removed. The resulting pit will be the place of the stone-sand "cushion".
Zero level
How to find out the depth of the pit? It depends on the so-called "zero" floor level.
It is better if the floor is sloping, and the levels of it and the threshold of the gate are the same: there is no problem of water drainage.
The zero level is marked along the walls: with a level or water level.
What should be the layers?
The flooring in the garage resembles a Napoleon cake: it also has several layers. In order to correctly assess the thickness of each of them and the total, the optimal parameters are taken into account:
- concrete floor (if the heaviest transport is a passenger car) - 10 cm;
- crushed stone - from 10 cm;
- sand - from 5 cm.
Plus decorative flooring. Coloring or impregnation does not add anything, other types require an increase in their thickness. That is, the thickness of the concrete floor in the garage will be 25 cm plus the coating.
If such figures seem overestimated, and the consumption of materials turns out to be exorbitant, you can add a couple of centimeters of dense soil to the bottom and compact it well.
It is convenient to check the thickness of the layers by the marks applied to the walls.
bedding, pillow
Almost always, the soil is not strong enough to serve as a foundation, so the creation of a crushed stone or gravel and sand cushion is required. The necessary procedure is the removal of a soft layer down to clean soil, that is, to a depth of at least 15 cm. At the same time, organic matter and microorganisms are removed. The mixture is filled up, in order to avoid subsidence it is compacted.
In order to compact with high quality, they do not fall asleep all at once, but in layers of three to four centimeters: poured, leveled with a rake, compacted with a rammer or vibrating plate.
To assess the quality of work, you need to walk around the site: if no traces are visible, the tamping is done enough. Thus, in parts, crushed stone is rammed, then sand (it must be well moistened).
In order for the concrete floor to be reliable and of high quality, experts recommend taking crushed stone instead of gravel. Gravel has smooth edges, so compacting it properly is very difficult, almost impossible. As a result, the layer will not be stable, and destruction threatens even a solid reinforced concrete slab. Crushed stone is needed medium and small, in a ratio of two to one.
Any sand will do, but it is advisable to sift it to get rid of clay lumps.
Damper
The concrete floor is made in such a way that it was not tied “tightly” to the walls of the garage. Therefore, if the walls or floor move up and down, this does not affect the integrity of the structure.
To prevent concrete from clinging to the walls, a buffer is laid along them. It can be damper tape from the store or foam cut into centimeter-thick strips, which are easy to make yourself. At the time of pouring, they should protrude above the floor, and subsequently be leveled with the floor. The seams are performed during the pouring of concrete and after hardening. The joints between the floor and the wall are leveled with a grater. Sealant will protect from contamination.
Waterproofing
When making a concrete floor in a garage with your own hands, the material for these purposes is chosen based on the proximity of groundwater and the height of their spring rise.
If they are far away, you can do without special measures in this regard: it is enough to cover the sand with dense polyethylene. It will prevent water from leaking out of the concrete mix so that the concrete does not crumble.
If groundwater comes close, more serious waterproofing is required - such as waterproofing (an expensive option) or budget analogues.
In both versions, the film is spread with overlapping sheets of each other. Each joint at the ends is reinforced with double-sided tape.
The material is spread out so that the edges overlap the walls by at least 10 cm. There they are loosely fixed for the duration of work, and after pouring the concrete and setting it, they are cut off.
Reinforcement
Since the impact on the floor is expected to be serious, this step is mandatory.
A reinforcing wire mesh is mounted on top of the insulation: for private buildings with a diameter of up to 8 mm and with cells up to 15 cm. Its sheets are overlapped into one cell and fastened with plastic or wire.
But it is not laid directly on the layer, but in concrete, approximately in the middle of the layer, that is, to a depth of at least 3 cm. If laid directly on the film, corrosion can corrode the metal.
lighthouses
This is the name of the pins, arranged at the desired level, on which the rule is based. This device in the form of a long bar is needed to accurately level the floor.
The lighthouse can be bought at the store (aluminum ones are very cheap) or you can take a direct object: a thick metal rod, a pipe, a wooden fragment. They are placed according to the level of the concrete slab marked on the walls.
They put beacons from the wall in front of the entrance, towards it. The first - 25-30 cm from the wall, and then step by step. In order to guarantee the accuracy of measurements, the installation step is usually 25 cm less than the rule. Beacons are installed on a hill of alabaster or a strong solution, pressing in to the desired level.
In order for the water that has entered the garage to flow out, when installing the beacons, a slight slope is made to the doors (up to 1 cm per meter of length). More concrete will be needed, but getting rid of problems with standing water more than compensates for this.
The next day, the beacons are pulled out, the remaining holes are filled with concrete.
Filling the floor
As a rule, they use concrete for the floor in the garage of grades M200-M300: they are durable, heat and frost resistant. You can buy a ready mix or make your own.
Self-preparation of the mixture is troublesome and not so economical compared to the cost of finished factory products.
There are expensive brands, for example, polystyrene concrete. This is ordinary concrete, in which synthetic granules are added. But it is especially durable, has improved characteristics for thermal insulation and protection against moisture.
If you decide to do everything yourself, you need to know how to properly pour the mixture. First, the following components are prepared for its preparation:
- cement;
- sand;
- gravel;
- water.
Two parts of sand are taken for one part of gravel. Cement and sand are poured into a container, mixed until smooth. Gravel is added, everything is mixed again, after which water is added. Carefully mixed composition is applied to a previously leveled surface.
When working alone, the floor will need to be poured in parts. So that cracks do not form between the areas poured at different times, the cement liquid protruding upward is removed with a brush.
If the concrete is poured into the mixer, the receiving tray will not interfere, sending the mixture directly to the center. From there, it is distributed without problems in the corners, it is easy to stretch and level it.
You can level the floor with a lightweight surface screed (not thicker than three cm) made of cement.
Curing of concrete
Rapid setting of concrete can cause cracking. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to ensure the correct drying mode.
If the air temperature is low, you need to close the doors and curtain the window. In case of heat, the concrete is covered with a wet cloth such as burlap or polyethylene, and the floor is wetted daily for a week.
The fabric is more convenient: it is easier to water it, even through a watering can. In the case of the film, it is removed before moistening, and then spread again. You need to water gently, almost spraying water. In any case, the surface should be dark gray, but without puddles.
When the concrete has completely hardened, the floor is rubbed with an aluminum or wooden float.
Warming
A thermal insulation tile such as expanded polystyrene or similar material is laid on the waterproofing layer.
There are two options:
a screed is poured over the finished slab;
the insulation is laid directly under the base plate.
In the second method, the insulation is attached to the waterproofing, and a reinforcing mesh is mounted on it. At other stages, the construction of the concrete floor in the garage does not differ, only when calculating the depth of the pit, you need to add the thickness of the insulation.
A good choice for insulation is extruded polystyrene foam. It withstands significant loads, does not pass water or steam. In order for the floor to be reliably isolated from the ground, the material of small thickness is laid in two layers, with offset seams. And so that the insulation itself does not sag from the loads, geotextiles are laid on it, which distributes the loads.
viewing hole
Pouring a concrete floor is a convenient occasion to equip a viewing hole at the same time. A pit is also dug under it. And if it is supposed to be with brick walls, the floor is poured immediately. This way you can save time and effort: while the owner is filling up at the top, the concrete in the pit will become so strong that it will be possible to start building walls. This is done after backfilling a sand-gravel cushion in the garage.
The arrangement of the concrete floor is not a particularly complicated procedure. It requires care, proper selection of materials and adherence to technology.
Each motorist considers the garage to be his second home, besides, the car “lives” in it. Also in this room, care and maintenance of an iron friend is carried out. You can buy a garage, or you can build it yourself. Special requirements apply to the floor of this room. The durability and reliability of the premises and the condition of the car depend on how to fill the floor in the garage. It is not necessary to order the manufacture of the floor from professionals - with the help of our instructions, you can do it completely with your own hands.
What are the requirements for garage floors
The floor in the garage must meet certain requirements. There are several types of floors. But each of them must be resistant to various auto-chemical products, must be highly resistant to various kinds of mechanical damage and stress, and have high surface strength. Also, the floors in the garage must be reliably protected from fires, as well as from moisture. In addition, the design should be as simple and inexpensive as possible, while being very durable.
Floor types
These requirements are best met by only a few options. So, you can use floors made of concrete, structures based on ceramics or porcelain stoneware, and pouring options based on polymeric materials have also shown themselves to be excellent. It should be said that there are also wooden floors. However, they poorly meet the requirements.
The most popular and easiest to arrange are concrete floors. Such a concrete coating is strong, durable and is considered the benchmark for a garage floor.
How is the garage floor or stages of work
Often such buildings are erected directly on the ground. This is reflected in the flooring process. When planning to fill floors, it is necessary to take into account the levels of groundwater location. A safe level is 4-5 m. In this case, the soil should not move.
Naturally, flooring should be started when the building has walls and a roof. This is the only way to guarantee high quality and reliability of the result. The floor implies a large amount of work, and all work is divided into several main stages:
- We equip the pit;
- We mark the levels;
- Clearing and ramming the soil;
- We lay a pillow based on a mixture of crushed stone and sand;
- We equip the waterproofing layer;
- Reinforcement of the future floor;
- Directly concreting the floor in the garage.
It is necessary to replace that at the stage of creating a project, as well as during construction, two very important nuances should be considered. Not only depends on these nuances whether the building will be reliable and durable. Based on this, one or the other floor system will be selected. The first and most important point is the presence of a viewing hole, and the presence of a basement also seriously affects the design. Different technologies for arranging garage floors provide for both the presence of both the first and second, and their absence.
Inspection hole in the garage
Before pouring the floor in the garage, it is important to build a viewing hole. Perhaps for some it is not important, however, for those car owners who prefer to repair cars with their own hands, nothing will work without this very pit.
A hole cannot be dug where the groundwater level is 2.5 m. In this case, you can get away with installing a drainage system, or even completely abandon this idea.
It is more correct to start work on a viewing hole with digging a pit. As for the size, they can be absolutely anything. Most often these are standard sizes. So, the pit is up to 80 cm wide, and the height of the motorist and an additional 30 cm in depth. As for the length, it is better to make it longer than the length of the car by about 1 m. An additional 50 cm is added to all dimensions - this is done for more convenient brick laying, as well as for laying waterproofing materials.
When the pit is completely ready, it's time to move on to the process of compacting the soil layer. In order for everything to go quickly and efficiently at this stage, clay is poured into the pit with a thin layer, and then it is rammed with a log with handles. The surface of the floors in the pit will not be affected by any loads - so you should not compact too much. Then roofing material is placed on the bottom and finally they proceed to concrete pouring. At the same time, the screed is made of a small thickness - about 10 cm. This is the simplest concrete floor in the garage, or more precisely, in the pit for car maintenance.
After the screed dries, the stage of building walls begins. You can use either brick or aerated concrete blocks. It is important to lay the wall so that the upper border does not reach the floor border. It is very important.
After that, when everything is dry, it's time to start waterproofing work. The surface of the walls of the newly created pit is treated with a soil solution, and after drying, a bitumen-based mastic is applied there. Despite the fact that this is the simplest protection, it is also quite reliable. After the mastic dries, the voids that form between the pit and the soil of the base of the garage must be covered with soil and compacted.
Marking work
Before a concrete floor is created in the garage, the surface must be marked out. Zero levels are marked first. To do this, use a laser or water level. Experts recommend laser. The device is installed in the center of the room, and then a line is marked along the beam. If there is only water, then everything is more complicated here.
At the first stage, 150 cm from the threshold are measured and the measurement is marked on the wall. Further, using the water level, a mark is also placed on the other wall. At one end, the device must be attached to the mark, and at the other end, the level is applied to the opposite wall. The level must be moved up and down. It is important that the position of the device coincides with the marks on the other side. If everything is done correctly, the mark is made on the second side. This rather complicated operation is performed on each wall.
Further, from the marks made, they measure 152 cm down and mark again. Then the points are connected with a special building colored cord, it is pulled and then released. As a result of these actions, the line on the walls is clearly visible. This is nothing but the zero level of the concrete floor in the garage.
Clearing and tamping
When the marking is over, it's time to start removing and clearing the construction site. First, dust and debris are removed. And then the top layer of soil of 40 cm is removed. Again, you will have to work with a log and compact the soil. It is recommended to ram tightly enough.
To do this, a layer of clay with sand is poured, then all this is wetted with water and the process can begin. Naturally, the log is not an effective tool. Professionals recommend using vibrating plates. As a result of the work, a dense surface should be obtained.
We lay the pillow
All structures on the ground, like concrete floors in the garage, are a few words of different materials. After leveling and compacting the soil, a layer of gravel 10 cm thick is poured. Next, compaction is required again. The result is a fairly dense coating.
The next step is to fill in the sand. It is better not to make the layer larger than gravel. Then - again tamping to maximum density. In the process, the layer is recommended to be watered.
To get perfectly level concrete floors in the garage, it is recommended to use a spirit level to control and pour water on the surface.
When the sand is over, it's time to move on to the rubble. In the organization of floors, crushed stone with a fraction of up to 50 mm is widely used. The layer thickness should be up to 5 cm. Naturally, after backfilling, the tamping stage is again. Here it is important to carry out the work in such a way that there are no sharp edges of rubble on the surface.
Waterproofing
The safety of body parts is completely dependent on humidity. If moisture inside the garage is easily removed by ventilation, then nothing prevents moisture that can penetrate through the concrete floor in the garage. For reliable protection, waterproofing is recommended.
Sometimes insulation materials are placed under the concrete screed. This provides additional reliability, and the car is stored more carefully. These are the so-called floating floors. Naturally, these structures do their job well, but as a result, the strength of the floor can seriously suffer. Waterproofing is able to provide maximum protection against moisture, and the strength will not suffer.
A layer of waterproofing material is laid immediately on the "skinny" concrete, which was previously treated with a soil solution. As for waterproofing materials, you can use various mastics based on bitumen and various polymers, roofing felt or roofing material is also suitable.
The most inexpensive, but effective material is ordinary polyethylene film. It is simply laid on the ground with an overlap, and then the floor in the garage is poured with a cement mixture.
Reinforcement: an important stage
At this stage, the floor is given strength using a special mesh. The cell has a size of 5 mm. The grid can also be made independently. It spreads over the entire surface. Fiberglass can also be used as a reinforcing material, which should be added to the concrete mix.
Preparing the mixture
It is recommended to mix in special proportions. They vary depending on the brand of cement. Unfortunately, there is no standard approach to the preparation of mixtures. For example, for M-400 cements, the proportions will be 1 to 3. It is also possible to fill the floor in a garage based on M-300. With this concrete, strong and reliable floors are obtained.
concreting
The finished solution is poured onto the working base. The thickness of the screed can be made different depending on the situation. Most often, the thickness of the screed is from 30 to 70 mm.
A rule is used for alignment. This is a special long rail. It is manually pulled over the freshly poured solution. This process is better to start from the far wall, and it should end at the entrance.
This process must be completed in one step. This is the only way to hope for maximum strength. In order to avoid cracking, it is recommended to regularly water the floor surface with water. The screed will harden in a week. However, in some cases the curing process takes longer.
Now the floor is ready. Some motorists additionally lay tiles or paint the surface with paint. Knowing how to concrete the floor in the garage, you can do this work yourself. It doesn't require much effort or expense.
The most common flooring in a garage is a concrete floor. A garage is a special space that not only stores a car, but also repairs and maintains it. Motorists tend to equip the garage with special shelves for storing tools and materials, which provides convenience during work. What is needed to make this room comfortable, practical and usable? Initially, you need to make sure that a concrete floor is made in the garage, the pouring of which will allow all subsequent landscaping and work to be carried out.
Stages of pouring concrete floor in the garage
It is strictly forbidden to fill the floor with concrete if the groundwater is high and the floor is under a large slope. In general, do-it-yourself installation is not troublesome, and for this you need to follow the phased work. Experts do not recommend pouring concrete if there is not even a minimum skill base.
Filling the floor with concrete in the garage includes several steps that must be followed exactly
Stages include:
- Foundation preparation;
- Removal of loose soil;
- Creation of a recess;
- laying gravel pad;
- Installation of a layer of river sand;
- Laying waterproofing;
- Laying reinforcement with concrete;
- Installation of insulation and subsequent screed.
If you plan to use the garage year-round and conduct heating, then you need to lay thermal insulation. For this, polystyrene or any other porous materials are suitable. The concrete screed is poured only after all the preliminary work has been completed and the beacons are set. Be sure to take into account the features of the garage and, if the car is subsequently washed, then you need to arrange a steeper slope to the gate. Often, right in the garage, special grooves are equipped to drain water into the street and into specially designated hatches.
Recommendations of specialists for organizing floor screed in the garage
The best option for pouring the floor is spring or autumn. In winter, it is strictly forbidden to carry out all work with concrete, as it does not harden, but freezes. In the summer, it is also not the most suitable, since if the evaporation is too strong, cracks may occur, which, of course, will spoil the appearance of the coating and its quality. It is not easy to make the concrete floor in the garage correctly, but it is possible, and for this it is not enough that the screed will simply be poured, since special nuances must be taken into account.
Nuances:
- Permissible floor slope;
- The temperature at which work can be carried out;
- It is necessary to correctly calculate the materials.
To concrete the floor in the garage, you need a special brand of concrete - M400 or M500. To mix the solution, you need to take sand, and dry and water. If imported concrete is used, then it is better to deliver it after the preparatory work has been carried out.
Concreting must be carried out with compaction, which will prevent the formation of bubbles.
Only if the floor is laid as competently as possible, you can not worry about the service life of the coating and its performance properties for a long time. Some are in a hurry to exclude such a moment as laying a heat-insulating layer in the garage, however, it is necessary in any case, and especially if the room is used in winter and it is heated. As the most suitable insulation, extruded polystyrene is perfect. It is not able to absorb moisture and does not grow moldy.
Due to the reinforcement of the screed, its strength is increased, since under mechanical action, the reinforcement will take on the load. As for the slope, let's say a slight bevel towards the doors so that water or snow stuck on the wheels (during thawing) does not accumulate in the room. As soon as the concrete has completely hardened, it is necessary to carry out the processing of the upper layer, by rubbing in additives to increase hardness and strength. This mixture can be purchased at any store selling building and finishing materials. They are called topping systems, and they contain a plasticizer, pigment and filler.
How to make a quality concrete floor in the garage
At the preparatory stage, it is required to remove the upper bulk soil to a level that is dense and cannot be pushed through with a bayonet shovel. It must be carefully tamped and sprinkled with clay so that the surface is smooth and even.
If you follow the instructions correctly, you can pour the concrete floor in the garage yourself
Filling the floor with concrete:
- It is necessary to follow the instructions;
- It is strictly forbidden to deviate from the technology;
- The drying time must be maintained to prevent swelling of the canvas and the formation of cracks.
Next, a gravel cushion is laid, the thickness of which should be 30-80 cm, it is also compacted and rolled. Then sand is poured 10 cm thick. In order not to deviate from the permissible thickness of each layer, special marks should be made on the dug hole. This will make it much easier to navigate. So that during subsequent operation there is no penetration of dampness from the ground into the room, it is necessary to lay a layer of waterproofing, for which you can use plastic wrap or hydrostekloizol.
The device is carried out with an overlap on the walls of 10-15 cm. The insulation is fixed with a stapler or nails.
Reinforcement with mesh is very important, it will allow you to park the car and at the same time maintain the integrity of the coating without punching. Concrete can be mixed independently or we fill in a ready-made, specially ordered composition. The final pouring of the floor with a concrete composition should be carried out exclusively according to the technology so that the beacons level the floor level. The top layer should be filled with a thickness of 40 cm, if the total height of the base in the room is 150 cm. Then it is dried and the composition is applied again to strengthen. It is he who will be facing and decorating the coating.
What brand of concrete is needed for the floor in the garage
Before pouring concrete, you need the right choice of mixture and its proper preparation. It's not too hard to do the calculations. As a rule, a working mixture is used, which includes cement and sand in certain proportions. Before deciding which proportions to choose, you need to know what kind of cement the floor will be filled with.
You can get acquainted with various brands of concrete and choose the best option in specialized stores.
For example, if:
- It is planned to choose Portland cement marking M400, then you need to choose a ratio in the proportion of 1-3;
- M500 - a proportion of 1-4 is suitable;
- M600 - 1-5.
It is quite possible to make changes to the structure, depending on what the conditions in the room will be. When deciding which concrete to use for arranging the floor in the garage, you need to pay attention to the mixture of sand concrete, which is taken dry and manufactured using modern technologies.
It is imperative to add a plasticizer and fiber to the composition, due to which it is possible to make an even and durable coating without defects.
The volumetric proportion of concrete for laying the floor in the garage can be from sand, crushed stone, water, cement in a ratio of 2-4-1-1. Water should be clean, sand of medium fraction, and gravel only large, rock, fraction 20-40, and cement is suitable for grades M300 / M400. The M300 is very rarely used.
Concrete flooring in the garage (video)
The arrangement of the floor in the garage is quite possible without contacting specialists, if you correctly select the materials, knead and do not violate the stages of the work. Be sure to remember that the concrete floor dries for a very long time, and it is strictly forbidden to use it until it is completely hardened, as the integrity of the coating and its evenness will be violated.
