To build a strong and reliable garage from blocks with your own hands, you need to decide on the type of material. The construction itself has undeniable advantages and is implemented in the shortest possible time. Wall blocks are an affordable and cost-effective material, but what should you choose to build a garage?

When choosing concrete wall blocks, you can count on a cheaper cost compared to brick, that is, such construction is more economical. A block measuring 390*190*190 mm replaces five one-and-a-half silicate bricks 250*120*88 mm. If we turn to red ceramic bricks, the savings become even more significant. With identical dimensions, its price is several times higher than that of sand-lime brick.

Most blocks are produced with technological voids, which reduces their weight and reduces the load on the supporting base. Depending on what kind of garage project is to be implemented, simpler solutions can be used during installation.

For construction from light blocks you can mix B7.5 class concrete yourself using recycled crushed stone. This will be more economical compared to purchasing ready-made concrete and paying for delivery to the work site with a mixer.

The master has the right to choose any block based on its technical characteristics.

If desired, you can build:

• garage made of foam blocks with your own hands, video;
• you can build a garage from cinder blocks with your own hands;
• garage made of gas silicate blocks, etc.

Practical experience

In practice, sawdust concrete is an excellent material for building a detached garage. Firstly, this is a more accessible material, based on financial costs.

If you compare the cost of one module, you can see the following price range:

• sand concrete with sawdust 390*190*190 – 55 r/piece;
• aerated concrete/gas silicate 200*300*600 – 90 RUR/piece;
• expanded clay concrete 390*190*190 – 52 r/piece;
• foam block 390*190*190 – 49 r/piece;
• sawdust concrete 390*190*190 – 47 r/piece.

Use of gas silicate or foam concrete blocks

The material is very light, warm and fits perfectly for the construction of low-rise buildings and works effectively in combination with brickwork. However, the majority of garages are cold rooms and are not heated, so the benefits of high thermal insulation lose relevance. Other block types – sawdust concrete, expanded clay concrete - also have decent thermal insulation properties, but are stronger.

When choosing a gate, you should pay attention to products with a wicket. This is more convenient than monolithic doors and eliminates the need for an additional entrance

Other features of the use of the material are revealed as follows:

• aerated block and foam block have a porous structure, which forces finishing to be carried out in the near future after completion of construction;
• when constructing a garage from blocks, reinforcement will be required for each third or fourth row of masonry;
• It is possible to use special glue, but this is relevant for warm, heated rooms where it is necessary to reduce cold bridges. If the garage is cold, cold bridges are not so important;
• An armored belt needs to be installed on top of the walls. Laying ceiling beams (on a gable roof) or rafters (on a single-pitch roof) on a gas block/foam block is impossible. Such a point load may cause the module to collapse. You will need a Mauerlat;
• problems may arise when arranging the gate fasteners. The craftsman will have to use reinforced “strapping”, otherwise the shutters will become loose over time and require repair, especially if they are made of thick sheet steel;
• Often in such garages, in the place where the gate will be fixed, brick pillars are laid at the laying stage, but this is just unnecessary trouble that can be avoided.

Using other block types

If you build from cinder blocks or build a garage from expanded clay concrete blocks with your own hands, some points inherent in cellular concrete disappear by themselves. In most cases, you can refuse to use masonry mesh, since the material is durable. In practice, you can neglect the construction of the armored belt by resorting to a little trick.

The essence of the construction trick is as follows:

• the slot block is laid with the holes down, and the solution for the next row is placed on the solid part;
• in order not to mount an armored belt and not to build formwork, the top row is laid out with the holes facing up;
• voids are filled with crushed stone and high-strength cement-sand mortar;
• the result is a concreted structure;
• for reinforcement, you can lay a masonry mesh along the top row and make a cement screed.

The top row will become solid and will support the weight of the future roof. If necessary, the Mauerlat is securely attached to such blocks. In an identical way, you can strengthen the part of the structure where the gate will be fixed.

Sand is used for construction. Its volume is calculated taking into account the filling of the foundation and the filling of the floor.

Attention to the base

Whatever modules are chosen for construction, it is best if the base (the first 4-5 rows) is made of solid red brick. Such manipulations will allow you to “kick out zero,” as masons say. If the craftsman’s skills are developed in a different direction, you can set the formwork to the required height and pour concrete.

• a waterproofing layer is laid on top of the base;
• the simplest, time-tested insulation is roofing felt;
• the material is cut into strips and overlapped by 15 cm;
• It is recommended to build a blind area around the foundation, otherwise in five years the garage may crack.

A word about exterior decoration

It’s good to at least plaster any block, protecting the walls. It is better to finish a garage built from gas silicate blocks with your own hands (as well as from a foam block) right away. Sand cement and expanded clay are more resistant to frost and dampness, so such a building will easily stand for several years without finishing.

DIY foam block garage

It is advisable to use a foam block when it is necessary to attach a warm garage to an already in use facility.

Any construction work begins with laying the foundation. If the soil is stable and not heaving, there is no point in spending money on deep foundation. All that is required is no more than 60 cm of penetration into the ground, filling and compacting a 20 cm sand cushion, and installation of a reinforcement frame.

If the soil is dense, the solution can be laid spontaneously, without formwork; it will only be needed to fill a 20-30 cm grillage. The trench is dug 20 cm wider than the thickness of the wall, which subsequently compensates for soil pressure.

The foundation must be reinforced

The master may prefer one of the following options:

• lightweight pile-strip foundation;
• shallow belt base on a sand cushion.

When the option is chosen and concrete is poured, the base must gain strength - which will take about 14 days. Next, waterproofing is applied (roofing felt or bitumen mastic coating).

• Having dug a trench under a shallow foundation, wells are drilled around the perimeter - at each angle and under the walls in increments of 1.2 m;
• the depth of the wells must exceed the mark of seasonal soil freezing, the diameter must be at least 1/3 of the width of the grillage;
• for work you can use a hand or motor drill;
• three steel rods are placed in each hole, the ends of which should go into the grillage and a piece of roofing felt rolled into a pipe;
• further progress of work is subject to general principles.

Wall masonry

For the construction of a garage, it is optimal to use a module of 20*30*60 cm, with a density of 600-800 kg/m³. For masonry, it is advisable to use a cement-sand mortar with the addition of perlite, which will create a “warm joint”.

The solution is mixed like this:

• sand – 2 hours;
• perlite – 1 hour;
• cement – ​​1 hour;
• water - the volume is adjusted on site. The solution should reach the consistency of thick sour cream.

Further sequence of actions:

• The first row is laid out on a solution of 2-3 cm, which will allow the modules to “find their place” and eliminate the risk of cracking from point loads;
• every third row is placed with a reinforcing mesh made of fiberglass or galvanized steel;
• the gates are installed with temporary struts, according to the outline after checking the vertical and horizontal;
• the technology uses ligation of seams, otherwise the structure will not be strong;
• Having driven the walls under the ceilings and installed an armored belt, work should be interrupted for 48 hours so that the solution gains strength;
• further work is carried out based on what the structure will be covered with, such as floors, roofs (attic, lean-to on wooden beams, hipped gable).

Estimated construction costs will be 180 tr.. To optimize costs, it is recommended to calculate the number of blocks.

How to build a garage from foam blocks with your own hands is shown in the video:

Having optimal characteristics for low-rise construction, foam concrete blocks are often used to build a garage. In this case, their advantages (lightness, ability to remove internal moisture, ease of processing and installation) are best demonstrated; walls made of this material protect the car well at any time of the year. All construction work is easy to do with your own hands; the technology is considered low-cost. When laying out a simple building, your own drawing is enough; if you want to arrange two floors and supply utilities, you should order a project from specialists.

Nuances taken into account when designing: soil parameters, the need for an inspection hole, the number of cars to be placed, the presence of additional functions. The minimum width is 4 m with an opening of 3, the recommended length is 6, the height varies between 2.5-3. The inspection hole is planned taking into account the future location of the machine, its optimal width is 90 cm with a depth of no more than 1.9 m. Operating features include high vapor permeability, the block is not placed on the ground, the walls are covered with plaster or siding. With the correct pie design (the permeability of external materials cannot be higher than internal ones), the car is reliably protected from corrosion.

Calculation of foam blocks for a garage

The work begins with drawing up a detailed project, taking into account the number and size of windows, the location of gates and other doors, and the need for openings for communications. The number of elements depends on the masonry scheme - when installed, their width is 1.5 more than their height. As an example: for 10 rows of a solid garage with a wall thickness of 20 cm, 34 blocks will be needed. When placing them on the wider side, the number of rows will increase to 15, products – to 510 pcs. 1 m3 of standard size includes 27.78 pieces, 1 pallet - 40, it is easy to calculate the total volume.

It is more difficult to build a box for two cars; in this case, two design options are possible: with two doors or one, the second is most often elongated, it is chosen when there is limited space (cars are installed one after the other). If desired, it can be combined with a utility room or a canopy. The required number of foam blocks is found in a similar way. Due to the fragility of products during transportation and unloading, it is worth purchasing them with a 5-10% reserve.

Choosing a foundation, what should be considered before marking

Foam concrete blocks do not exert a significant weight load, but due to their low tensile strength, it is recommended to place them on a stable and monolithic base; interrupting the tape along the perimeter is unacceptable; the entrance to the garage is organized with a slight rise. It is advisable to evaluate the ease of entry at the stage of drawing up the drawing: there should be no trees, fences or other buildings near the gate. The final option depends on the soil parameters and the need for an inspection hole:

• On stable and dense soils with a groundwater depth below 2 m, a shallow depth tape of 40-70 cm is sufficient.
• In heaving areas, it is recommended to build a garage on a floating monolithic slab; filling a hole in this case is impossible.
• If you want to build a basement on unstable soils, choose a recessed strip foundation or a pile foundation with a reliable reinforced concrete grillage.

The first option is considered optimal in terms of budget and labor costs; such a foundation is easy to build with your own hands. When laying a strip foundation, you should dig a trench 70 cm deep and 20-30 cm wider than the future wall, carefully compact its bottom, successively fill and compact 10-15 cm of sand and 7-10 crushed stone, install formwork and reinforced frame and fill it with concrete strength grade not lower than M200.

The main requirement is the creation of a single monolith; the solution is poured in 1 day, without the formation of seams. It is allowed to begin the next stage of construction no earlier than after 3 weeks.

Step-by-step instructions for construction, nuances of technology

The standard guide includes the following steps:

1. Analysis of soil conditions, design, marking and leveling of the site.

2. Excavation work.

3. Laying the foundation and strengthening the concrete.

4. Waterproofing the upper edge of the base (tape or plinth row) using rolled building materials, the longer their service life, the better. The protective layer is placed between layers of cement-sand mortar mixed in a ratio of 1:3.

5. Laying foam blocks. It is advisable to place all rows except the first on a thin layer of construction adhesive, mixed in strict accordance with the instructions. If the geometry of the blocks does not allow this, then in order to save money, a mixture with a similar thermal conductivity coefficient is mixed independently; the recommended proportions include 1 part cement, 1 polystyrene foam granules and 3 sand. In comparison with the load-bearing walls of residential buildings, the need for reinforcement is minimal (with the exception of two-story garages); to ensure reliability, it is enough to lay a metal mesh in the solution every 2-3 rows.

6. Arranging a beam over the garage opening. The entrance must be wide (at least 3 m); a reliable jumper is required to hold the blocks. Usually it is welded from two corners and transverse strips of metal and fixed with an extension of at least 20 cm onto the foam blocks of the walls. To extend its service life, it is treated with anti-corrosion primers. To fix the ceiling, the same masonry composition is used as for other wall products. Read about the types of reinforced concrete lintels in.

7. Construction of the roof: single-, double-slope or mansard type. The first type is the easiest to build: a wooden beam is placed on top of a row of foam blocks covered with waterproofing, to which the rafter system is tied. Lathing is placed on the beams, after which the roof is covered with slate, metal tiles or soft rolled materials. Important nuances of the technology include the use at this stage of well-seasoned and dry wood, treated with fire retardants and antiseptics.

8. Arrangement of floors. The simplest option is a concrete screed; to do this, about 15 cm of top soil is removed from inside the garage, the entire space is carefully compacted and filled with sand and crushed stone, and a film is spread over the entire area, extending onto the walls, to prevent moisture from seeping out from the concrete. The structure is reinforced with mesh; to create a flat surface, it is recommended to use construction beacons, which are subsequently removed. Particular attention is paid to the quality of the top layer; due to abrasion by tires, to extend the service life, intensively used floors should be treated with reinforcing compounds or iron plated.

9. Wall finishing: plastering or covering with ventilated siding.

During the laying process, foam concrete blocks are corrected immediately, a rubber hammer is used for tapping, and level control is carried out on each row. Complex external finishing is not required - plastering is enough, but in order to avoid moisture accumulation it is important to leave ventilation holes; forced exhaust is considered the ideal option.

Another way to save money is to avoid the inspection hole; this will shorten the time needed to build a garage made of foam blocks with your own hands and eliminate the risk of filling it with ground moisture. Additional doors are required if you want to use the building not only for cars, but also as a household one. In regions with heavy rainfall, it is recommended to install a drain to drain moisture from the roofs away from the foundation.

Cost of foam blocks

Prices for factory-quality masonry products directly depend on the brand:

If you want to calculate how much it costs to build a garage from foam blocks, they focus on the average price - 14,000 rubles/m2; when implementing a complex two-story project, financial investments increase due to the laying of an armored belt. The given prices for building materials do not include the costs of transportation and unloading; when erecting in remote areas, they should be discussed in advance.

Construction of a garage

• Brick garage - from 16,000 rub/m2
• Foam-gas-concrete garage - from 11,000 rub/m2
• Frame garage - from 8000 rub/m2
• Garage made of profiled timber - from 12,000 rub/m2
• Garage made of laminated veneer lumber - from 16,000 rub/m2
• Garage made of rounded logs - from 13,000 rub/m2
• Garage made of reinforced concrete slabs - from 24,000 rub/m2
• Metal garage (LSTC/corrugated sheeting) - from 5,500 rub/m2

Construction of a canopy

• Carport made of polycarbonate on iron poles - from RUB 3,300/m2
• Cantilever carport - from 4700 RUR/m2
• Forged carport - from 5100 RUR/m2
• Carport made of corrugated sheets - from 4000 rub/m2
• Carport made of metal tiles - from 4100 rub/m2
• Carport made of wood - Individually

Roofing works

Prices for garage foundations

• Strip foundation (height 60cm - thickness 30cm) - from 3000 rub/m.p.
• Strip foundation (height 80cm - thickness 40cm) - from 4350 rub/m.p.
• Monolithic slab (height 20cm) - from 3500 rub/m2
• Monolithic slab (height 30cm) - from 4360 rub/m2

Cost of one screw pile with screwing and concreting

• pile thickness 89 mm. + height 1.5m - 3,000 rub.
• pile thickness 89 mm. + height 2.5m - 3,200 rub.
• pile thickness 89 mm. + height 3m - 3,300 rub.
• pile thickness 108 mm. + height 1.5m - 3,100 rub.
• pile thickness 108 mm. + height 2.5m - 3,400 rub.
• pile thickness 108 mm. + height 3m - 3,500 rub.

Electrical installation work

Finishing work

• Installation of an electrical kit inside the garage - from RUB 10,000.
• Production of garage concrete floors - from RUB 25,000.
• Replacement. Manufacturing of wooden floors - from RUB 20,000.
• Interior decoration of the garage with dry eurolining - 800 rubles. per m2
• Manufacturing of metal gates with a wicket and painting - from RUB 30,000.
• Set of overhead sectional doors + installation - from RUB 45,000.
• Cosmetic repairs inside the garage - from 1500 rubles. per m2

For most car owners, the garage is a second home, since this room is not only reliable protection for the car, but also a workshop and a warehouse for auto parts. You can build a garage from different materials, which directly depends on the size of the wallet and the needs of its future owner. In addition to the usual brick and wood, you can use materials such as gas and foam concrete.

Performance properties of the material

In the production of foam concrete, cement and foam created in a special way are used. By stirring the solution, the bubbles are gradually distributed throughout the mass, creating cells. The liquid mass is poured into molds, after which it naturally cools and hardens.

Depending on the strength required of the material, its density level varies between 200–1200 kg/m3, which is reflected in the grade of the finished product.

Foam block is a lightweight but durable material

Foam concrete is produced in the following grades:

• D900–1200 - has maximum strength characteristics, used in high-rise construction; called structural concrete;
• D500–900 - characterized by impeccable balance, suitable for the construction of load-bearing foundations of a building; called structural and thermal insulation;
• D200–500 - due to low thermal conductivity, it is used as a thermal insulation material, while the strength level also reaches minimum values.

In the 19th century, the organic foaming agent was ox blood or soap root.

The composition of foam concrete, also called foam block, currently includes cement, sand, foaming agent and water. Thanks to this modern material, low-rise buildings are now quickly erected and insulated.

Unlike aerated concrete, foam block is highly popular among builders, which is explained by the simplified process of manufacturing a unit of product.

It is very easy to build a foam block garage

Characteristics of the advantages and disadvantages of foam block as a building material

The fundamental criteria when choosing foam concrete for the construction of a garage are:

1. Light weight with significant dimensions. This makes it easier to transport material around the construction site, significantly reduces the consumption of cement for masonry and reduces the time for building a room. You can even cope with the work alone. Foam blocks do not impose any special requirements on the level of soil stability.
2. Environmental friendliness of the product. It is caused by a simple composition of sand, cement and a foaming agent.
3. Impeccable fire safety, resistance to temperature changes.
4. Does not require additional insulation.
5. It lends itself well to mechanical changes, so all communications can be easily laid inside such a wall.
6. Good sound insulation allows the use of foam concrete for masonry of internal and external walls.
7. Low water absorption protects the material from rot and mold.

A small number of negative qualities of foam blocks cannot cover the listed advantages, but information about them will help to avoid the negative consequences of building a garage.

A garage made of foam blocks can be of any size

The main disadvantages include:

1. A decrease in the quality of the material in the event of violations of production technology, which can be seen by frequent breaks and crumbling of the product.
2. Destruction of the structure as a result of constant exposure to moisture and insufficient ventilation of the room.

To avoid negative consequences, you should purchase foam blocks only from market-reputable manufacturers. To protect against moisture, it will be enough to create a heat-insulating façade.

It is often possible to confuse foam concrete with aerated concrete due to their external similarity and cellular structure. The only distinguishing feature is that aerated concrete has identical connected pores, while in a foam block they are separated and of different sizes. In this case, in the first option, a large absorption of moisture is inevitable, which reduces thermal insulation.

When choosing a foam block as the main material for constructing a garage, it is important to remember its low mechanical strength, which requires special attention when installing the roof and gates. Under lightweight foam concrete, such structures are only suitable for wood, since foam block walls simply cannot withstand metal products. The roof structure may require a monolithic reinforced belt, and if the length of the room is more than 10 m, a buttress.

You can quickly build a garage from foam blocks with your own hands

Foam block, cinder block and brick - what to build from

When looking at a foam block and a cinder block, many will not be able to find external differences, but the individual characteristics of each of them will make their use in construction, as well as in the construction of a garage, different. The quality of foam block masonry will be similar to a brick wall, despite the fact that the cost of the first option will be much cheaper. If you compare cinder block and foam concrete, the quality characteristics are approximately the same, but you will have to purchase modern material made from foam concrete at a price higher than traditional cinder block.

When studying the operational data, we can safely talk about the long service life of foam blocks, which will never require any major repair work throughout the entire period of use of the garage. For fans of modern energy-efficient technologies, a foam block structure will be an excellent option that ensures impeccable heat retention.

The technology of laying brick, cinder block and foam block is similar

Project preparation is an important stage in garage construction

When starting to work on any construction project, you should decide on the future project, which will allow you to plan the consumption of materials and the entire budget as a whole. An important aspect is the characteristics of the soil and the passage of groundwater. This information will help determine the design of the foundation.

You can create a garage project in a specialized computer program, but if you do it yourself, it provides more opportunities for planning according to individual requests.

The garage layout can be very arbitrary

At the same stage, it is necessary to decide on the purpose of the garage - whether it will only store a car or whether the room can function for other purposes. Main selection criteria:

• the presence of an inspection hole;
• the need to have a basement for canned products and vegetables for the winter;
• installation of racks for inventory and tools;
• the possibility of equipping the work area in the form of a table or workbench.

The garage project can be as detailed as possible

Taking these requirements into account, you can begin designing, where the first question will be determining the type and parameters of the foundation and the height of the walls. For standard designs the following indicative values ​​apply:

• the width of the garage can reach 3–3.5 m;
• it will be no more than 3 m in height;
• the length of the room is about 4.5–6 m.

Even if we take a ready-made project or drawing as a basis, it is necessary to adjust it taking into account the construction site, in particular, the depth of water, and the soil structure.

The schematic image can be presented from several angles

How much material is needed to build a garage?

Traditionally, blocks have dimensions of 600x300x200 mm, while the walls can be either 200 mm thick or, if turned over, 300 mm. The determining factor when choosing thickness is the presence of heating - for a cold garage 200 mm is enough, and a warm one requires at least 300 mm. When the project is completely ready, you can begin detailed calculations of the number of blocks according to the diagram below (a 4x5x3 m garage is taken as an example):

1. Calculation of the length of the walls along the entire perimeter of the room and the number of foam blocks per row: (4+5)x2/0.6, where 0.6 is the length of the block. The result is 30 pieces.
2. Determining the number of rows with a garage height of 3 m and a product height of 0.3 m. Everything is simple here: the height of the room is divided by the height of the block and the result is 3/0.3 = 10 rows.
3. In total, according to preliminary data, 30 × 10 = 300 blocks will be needed for the entire garage, but it must be taken into account that due to door and window openings, material consumption will be reduced.
4. Deduction of the amount of materials at the locations of gates, doors, windows. When building a garage without heating, the wall thickness is 200 mm per 1 sq.m. the consumption will be about 6 foam blocks. All that remains is to measure the area of ​​all openings. With standard designs, the savings will be about 50 blocks, but to build a 4x5x3 garage you will need 300–50=250 blocks.

This calculation scheme applies to any garage boxes.

During transportation of foam concrete, minor defects in the material are possible, for example, chipped corners, cracking due to improper loading. In addition, the thickness of the seam during laying may differ significantly from the standard one. In order to have enough blocks for the entire garage, it is recommended to purchase 5% more material than calculated.

Foam blocks have standard sizes

What tools will you need for the job?

Construction of a garage will be completed much faster if all the necessary materials and tools are at hand:

Turnkey foam block garage: detailed construction instructions

Building a garage yourself will not only help you save money on hiring workers, but will also guarantee high-quality installation. All work is carried out in several stages, each of which has its own characteristics.

Site preparation, foundation laying

At the marking stage, everything begins with determining the location of the corners of the room where pegs are dug in, and a rope is pulled between them so that the tension angle is strictly 90 degrees. A simpler and more accurate option is to carry out axial markings. With the same length of string, we can confidently talk about maintaining the angle.

As you complete the marking, you should stand at the location of the future gate. It is important to make sure that they can be opened and closed without difficulty. If there is no obstacle, we move on to the next stage - installing the foundation.

The markings should be made as evenly as possible

Due to the light weight of the foam block, at first glance, the garage does not require a buried heavy foundation. However, when choosing its type, you should take into account the soil characteristics of the garage site. Thus, the relevance of a strip foundation with a height of 0.5 m will be justified in the case of groundwater up to 2.5 m deep, as well as in the presence of homogeneous and dense soil.

If the soil is heaving, then you cannot do without a monolithic foundation. This choice is quite simple to explain - the blocks cannot be bent, which leads to cracking of the material and destruction of the building as a whole. The monolithic structure is able to smoothly adapt to the behavior of the soil.

A monolithic foundation is not suitable for a garage with an inspection hole; here it would be more appropriate to install a buried strip or combined strip-pile foundation.

On heaving soils it is better to equip a monolithic foundation

Let us consider the action of installing the foundation using the example of a strip structure to a depth of 0.8 m:

If there is an inspection hole in the project, you can begin its installation already at the stage of concrete hardening.

How to make a viewing hole correctly

The inspection pit must be installed taking into account the flow of groundwater. So, at a depth of 2.5 m or more, the need for a drainage system disappears; with closer waters, you will have to stop at this stage.

Below is a detailed description of the option for creating a viewing hole with drainage. The length of the pit for a standard car is usually 2 m, but the depth can vary depending on some factors, among which the main one is the height of the car mechanic. On average, the depth will be about 1800 mm, taking into account the vehicle’s ground clearance of 120–175 mm and an additional 300 mm.

Sequence of installation of the inspection pit:

1. Digging a hole with an allowance for depth for the final floor screed, waterproofing, and drainage system.

   When digging an inspection hole, you need to take into account the insulation layer

2. At the bottom of the pit, a layer of gravel of 100 mm and sand of 50 mm is laid with alternate compaction.
3. To create drainage, trenches are dug throughout the pit to a depth of 500 mm.
4. Geotextiles are laid on the bottom. It is recommended to roll 800 mm of material onto the wall.

   The bottom of the inspection hole must be covered with geotextiles

5. Then the drainage pipe is installed with preliminary gravel filling of the bottom of the pit by 50 mm. A perforated plastic or asbestos-cement or even ceramic pipe is suitable for the job. It is important to lay the pipe with a slight slope - a slope of 1 cm will be enough for each meter of the product.
6. The installed pipe is filled with gravel (height up to 200 mm) and covered with geotextiles. The drainage system is ready.
7. Clay is placed on top of the entire structure, which also needs to be compacted.
8. The next stage is the layout of roll waterproofing made of roofing felt or polyethylene.
9. Next, the formwork is constructed, the reinforcing belt is laid and the structure is poured with concrete. If desired, to increase water resistance, you can add any of the special products like “Dehydrol” or “Betonoprava”.
10. As soon as the screed has dried, laying the waterproofing layer should be repeated.

    The bottom of the inspection pit must be concreted

11. If the groundwater is located high relative to the ground, all the walls of the pit are coated with clay.
12. The walls of the observation room can be built from brick or in the form of monolithic concrete with preliminary waterproofing and formwork.
13. Then the walls are waterproofed, which is connected to the floor waterproofing layer. The coating should be complete without joints, cracks or protruding edges.
14. Now you can pour the concrete, and after it dries, all surfaces of the pit are finished. The walls can be either plastered or decorated with tiles or fiberglass.

    The walls of the inspection pit can be decorated with any material or shelves can be arranged on them

15. To protect against the unexpected failure of the car into a hole, a safety rail is mounted on top of it. To do this, a 60 mm metal corner will be sufficient, from which the frame will be welded according to the parameters of the pit. The metal parts are filled with concrete on top.

Garage door installation

Before you start laying the walls, you need to install gates that will be partially fixed in the walls themselves. Previously, roofing material is laid on top of the foundation in several layers as waterproofing.

To strengthen the gate frame, reinforcement is welded on each side - 4 pieces 40 cm long and 12 mm in diameter. It is important to ensure that the rods lie on the seams of the foam block. Before installing the door frame, the fittings are primed and painted.

Most often, swing gates are installed in garages.

When attaching the gate, you should be armed with a plumb line and level to accurately measure its position. In order to fix the structure, wooden blocks can be placed diagonally. To create a reliable foundation, a special beam is built above the gate. It is very simple to make from a metal frame filled with concrete. Here it is important to correctly determine the length of the beam. So, add at least 200 mm to the total length of the doorway on each side.

For a garage made of foam blocks, you can also use overhead gates

A good option would be to install a ready-made beam as an I-beam. In this case, the work is simplified, you just need to make a metal corner of 50x50 mm in dimensions suitable for the gate, and fasten it so that it fits snugly against the wall inside the room. Cement is poured over the corner, after which the I-beam is mounted.

When constructing the second floor of the garage in the future, an armored belt should be laid around the entire perimeter of the room, which will become a reliable support for the floor slabs and roof structure. Considering the features of a garage made of foam blocks, it is important to comply with this requirement.

Features of wall construction

Laying the walls of any room, regardless of its purpose, begins at the corner. The blocks are placed so that their long side runs along the wall. Installation of foam blocks is carried out using special glue or cement mortar. When comparing these two products, we can say that the glue has better thermal insulation properties; in addition, it is consumed much more economically. The only advantage of the cement-sand composition is its low cost.

A string is stretched along pre-set corners, along which the walls are installed. Every 2 rows, reinforcement is performed by laying a special mesh or other reinforcing material.

For laying foam blocks, you can use a special cement mortar

The rods welded to the gate frame must be embedded in the interblock seams. Once the masonry reaches the floor beam, under no circumstances should the blocks be moved in the row. To adjust the material to the appropriate parameters without breaking the suture ligament, it is enough to trim the block.

When planning to install a pitched roof, it is necessary to lay the foam blocks at an angle to the rear wall (approximately 5 cm per meter).

Creating a slope under a pitched roof is not difficult - just cut off the excess foam concrete with a hacksaw. If the roof is gable, then you should think about options for covering the roof gables. Any lightweight material, such as lining, is suitable for the job.

A formwork 30 cm high is created along the entire perimeter by laying a reinforcing metal frame followed by concreting. When using beams at the base of the roofing floor, the need for a powerful armored belt disappears, and then formwork may also not be installed. In this case, the wall is covered with a thick layer of mortar, on top of which reinforcement is attached and again a layer of cement. All excess material is removed with a trowel. The composition must have a homogeneous structure, it is not recommended that it be very liquid, then it will simply flow down the walls, but a very thick solution is fraught with inevitable cracking of the wall in the near future.

The roof of a garage is usually made by laying a concrete slab covered with roofing felt, but this technology cannot be used when building with foam blocks. Walls made of foam concrete are very fragile and may not withstand the load of the slab. Below is an example of a single-pitch roof structure based on an I-beam:

All that remains is the installation of the canopy, which you can handle yourself - just make a metal corner, fix polycarbonate or any roofing material you like on top of it.

A gable roof is more practical

Floor installation

As soon as the installation of the inspection pit, walls and roof is completed, all that remains is to lay the floor in the garage. Since the load from the car on the screed is very high, the structure must be of maximum strength. The best option in this case would be a concrete base.

Where a pedestrian zone is planned, installation of boards is allowed. Wooden flooring will also fit well in the work area, where tables and machines can be placed. Wood is considered a more comfortable material than concrete flooring.

Before you start pouring concrete, the surface is prepared - the ground area is leveled and compacted, then crushed stone 10–15 cm, sand 5–10 cm, gravel 5–10 cm are poured. Finishing layer - the concrete base is poured with a thickness of 20 cm or more .

And finally, all that remains is the finishing work and installation of communication systems.

The ideal floor for a garage made of foam blocks is concrete

Two-story garage made of foam blocks: dreams or reality

The construction of a second floor in a garage based on this material is quite possible due to the unique properties of foam concrete products:

1. The lightweight structure of the foam block allows for minimal load on the garage foundation, which significantly reduces costs and time when constructing a bulky foundation.
2. The high-strength material is ideal for constructing a garage box up to two stories high with an attic.
3. Good thermal insulation will not only keep you warm in cold winters, but will also save your budget on heating the room.
4. Completing the work is not particularly difficult, so the construction of a garage can be completed within a month.
5. The presence of foam blocks on the market at reasonable prices makes the material budget-friendly.

Foam blocks are so light that building a two-story garage is not difficult.

When building a garage, about 1/3 of the total budget is spent on purchasing foam blocks; most of the money is spent on creating a foundation and roofing structure. Despite this, this material is the most suitable for constructing a garage.

Foam concrete is a material often used in the construction industry due to its positive properties. When choosing the “golden mean” between the quality and cost of materials, preference is given to foam blocks.

Why foam block?

Foam concrete is characterized by a large number of advantages, but it is impossible to do without disadvantages. The material is attracted by its amazing technical and operational capabilities, as well as its relatively low cost. In addition, there are a lot of projects for building a garage from foam blocks with your own hands.

Advantages

• Increased strength. The strength indicator is measured by the level of compression, which for a given material varies between 3.5 and 5 MPa. Thus, foam concrete can be used in the construction of buildings three floors high.
• Thermal insulation. In terms of thermal conductivity, the foam block can be compared to wood. At the same time, it demonstrates much better performance than clay brick. In other words, a thin wall made of foam concrete conducts the same small amount of heat as a thicker brick wall.
• Soundproofing. Foam blocks consist of many pores that are filled with air. Thanks to this, the soundproofing properties of the material are significantly increased.
• Foam concrete blocks have different densities(depending on the manufacturer). On average, this figure ranges from 400-1600 kg/m2 - slightly more than the density of wood. The low rate makes it possible to reduce the cost of storing the material, and also significantly simplifies working with it.
• Moisture resistance. The minimum number of open pores in the structure of the material ensures its moisture resistance. For example, high-quality foam blocks made to standard specifications can float for at least a week.
• Freeze resistance. Foam concrete is not afraid of low temperatures, thanks to the small pores in its structure through which water moves when it freezes. The properties of the building material are fully preserved even in extreme cold.
• Fire resistance. One of the key positive features of the block is its resistance to combustion. The material can prevent fire for 8 hours, while the released substances do not belong to the toxic category.
• Homogeneous structure. Compared to other building materials, such as ceramic bricks, reinforced concrete, etc., foam concrete has a homogeneous structure and consists of small pores throughout its thickness. Thus, the material can be processed in any convenient way - using a saw, drill, etc., without fear for its condition.

Some features of the material can be both positive and negative at the same time. The disadvantages of foam blocks are significantly inferior to the advantages, but we should not forget about them.

Flaws

• Airtightness. Speaking about the resistance of foam concrete blocks to moisture, we must not forget that their dense, homogeneous structure and solidity will prevent the penetration of air. This property prevents foam blocks from “breathing”.
• Slow Durability. Compared to other building materials, foam concrete gains strength at a slower pace, although its hardening does not stop after 5, 10 years, etc. Manufacturers are not interested in maintaining the foam block to the required level of strength, since this requires additional funds.
• Low quality. The demand for the material has given rise to many small manufacturers who strive to sell as many products as possible and are not too concerned about its quality.
• Shrinkage. The material is characterized by a shrinkage process, which occurs intensively during the first month after installation.

Garage design and calculation of materials

Design is the first stage of construction of any building. First you need to determine soil structure and its features, find out the depth at which groundwater flows during each season. These indicators determine the overall design of the garage, as well as the appropriate type of foundation.

There are many special programs for design, which are quite easy to master. They allow you to make the most accurate calculation of the materials required for the construction of a garage. To do this, you just need to set the desired wall thickness and the parameters of one block.

The beauty of developing a project yourself is that you can bring any idea to life.

Before creating a project, you need to determine all the functions of the future garage. In addition to its main purpose, it can serve as a food storage, basement, etc. Inspection pits and work areas are also located in garages. These points influence the size of the building, the height of the walls, and the foundation. The Internet is full of designed garage projects, but you can use them if they match specific features soil and groundwater.

Construction stages

Construction of a garage made of foam blocks includes several stages:

1. Marking the territory.
2. Foundation installation.
3. Construction of walls and installation of gates.
4. Roof installation.
5. Floor installation.

Territory marking

Marking the territory takes a small amount of time. In the corners of the required territory, stakes are driven in, the thickness of which is at least 5 cm. Next, a cord is pulled between the stakes, and the threads should form a right angle - 90°. Site marking is a display of a previously created project on the ground.

Upon completion of the marking, it is necessary to determine the location of the gate and make sure that surrounding objects do not interfere with its opening.

Foundation installation

It has been repeatedly mentioned before that the soil has a key influence on the type of foundation. Foam concrete walls are relatively light, so they do not need a bulky, heavy foundation. If in the territory of the future garage the soil has a uniform and dense structure, and groundwater flows at a depth of more than 2 meters, then you can limit yourself to a simple strip foundation (reinforced concrete contour), the depth of which is no more than half a meter.

If the soil is not so ideal and there is a risk of periodic shifts, then it is best to use a concrete slab as a foundation. When the soil moves, walls made of foam blocks will not be subject to load.
A monolithic foundation is suitable only if the garage design does not provide for a basement or inspection hole. In this case, you can install a strip foundation located much deeper or resort to using a pile-strip foundation. Its peculiarity is that the main emphasis of the walls is on a solid strip foundation, and with the help of buried piles the structure adheres to dense layers of soil.

Construction of walls and installation of gates

The gates must be installed before the foam concrete walls are erected, since in the future they will need to be partially embedded in the walls. Reinforcing bars are first welded to the gate (length - 40 cm), at least four pieces on each side. It is desirable that the rods coincide with the joints of the blocks. The gates are also treated with primer and paint. During the installation process, you need to carefully monitor the level position of the gate using a level, plumb line, and braces.

Video about the technology of building a garage from foam blocks:

The process of building walls should begin from the corners of the garage. The optimal wall width is approx. 20 cm, for this you need to select the appropriate blocks. Each block will be positioned lengthwise, since this construction technique uses less material. To save yourself from carefully measuring corners during the laying process, you can acquire special corner foam blocks. A standard solution consisting of cement and sand or adhesive for foam concrete. The glue has additional advantages, as it is used economically and has thermal insulation properties.

After installing the corner blocks, you can begin building the walls, having first stretched the cord between the corners. To strengthen the walls, a special mesh of reinforcement is used, which is installed every two rows of building materials.

The most labor-intensive stage in the process of building walls is laying foam blocks in the area that is located above the garage door. At this stage it is necessary to install the jumper. It is required to make a frame that matches the size of the garage door. The frame is installed from the inside of the garage using cement mortar and leans directly against the foam concrete wall. Next, the beam in the form of an I-beam is mounted on the top of the frame and gate. It is installed so that the edges go deeper into the walls by at least 20 cm.

Roof installation

A single-pitch or gable roof is ideal for a foam concrete structure. A pitched roof is the simplest and cheapest option. To install it, beams resting on foam concrete walls are used. The bevel angle varies within 25-60°. In order to protect the walls from rain and snow, you need to use beams that protrude beyond the structure by approximately 40 cm. In this case, you need to maintain a distance between the beams - about 80 cm. Empty areas between beams should be filled with bricks. Boards are laid quite tightly on top of the beams, and then roofing felt, insulating material and roofing are spread.

Floor installation

The garage floor must be especially stable, since under the enormous pressure of the car, collapses, shrinkage and other defects are possible. The best option is concrete, which is the top layer. Under it, layers of gravel, sand and crushed stone are carefully compacted in order of priority, the thickness of the concrete is 20 cm or more.

Room ventilation

Ventilation must be present in the garage. Usually they resort to three methods: mechanical, natural and combined.

• Mechanical ventilation is carried out using an exhaust system operating on the basis of a fan, as well as supply ventilation.
• Natural ventilation of the room is ensured by installing grilles on the side of the gate, through which air from the street passes. This is the cheapest method, but in terms of efficiency, preference is given to mechanical ventilation.
• Combined ventilation - using the first and second methods simultaneously.

Insulation of the garage

Insulating a garage means an insulating structure that is installed on the walls, roof and gates. Preference should be given to inexpensive insulation materials for walls such as polystyrene foam, etc. For insulation, a wall is mounted on which the material is attached.

To insulate the roof, a wooden frame is nailed to the rafters, designed to hold the insulating material. Gates are most often hung warm cloth.