Concrete flooring has traditionally been considered the most suitable floor for a garage. It is durable, aesthetically pleasing, inexpensive and durable. But how thick should a concrete garage floor be, and what layers should it consist of? Concrete flooring in a garage can be done on our own. But you should strictly adhere to the technology at all stages, from excavation to pouring.

It’s good if you install the floor on a concrete slab: for example, adjacent to a cottage. But more often the garage is on the ground. And this is not a suitable base for the floor. It must be removed to a depth of approximately 25 - 50 cm, to “clean” soil, without organic matter. It turns out to be a shallow pit, which will be filled with bedding: layers of crushed stone and sand.

Zero level

At this stage, it is important to determine the zero level mark and “adjust” the floor level and concrete thickness in the new garage to it. It should not be below the threshold, because you will have to make a drainage system for melt and rain runoff. It is also undesirable for the finished floor to be higher than the threshold: this is an unjustified waste of materials and is simply inconvenient.

The zero level must be “beaten” along the walls of the garage before backfilling. This is done using a level or electronic level: turn on the display horizontal plane at the entrance level to the garage, transfer the resulting lines to the walls. You can use a water level: the measurements will be just as accurate, but it is less convenient to use.

Thickness of concrete floor layers in a garage

Before building a garage floor, you need to calculate the thickness of all layers to purchase materials.

1. Crushed stone or gravel - layer thickness 10 cm.
2. The sand layer must be at least 5 cm.
3. The concrete floor itself: screed, insulation and waterproofing, approximately 10 - 12 cm thick.

The thickness of the screed in the garage can be controlled using markings on the walls of the garage. If the room is wide, then several stakes are placed in the center. Markings of the floor level and layers are applied to them.

Cushion for concrete floor

The sand and gravel cushion must be laid evenly and compacted using a vibrating machine. It is better to buy crushed stone rather than gravel for backfilling. It is easier to compact, and the stability of the floor depends on the quality of the compaction. Buy 70% medium fraction crushed stone. The rest is a fine fraction of crushed stone. If the consumption of crushed stone (gravel) and sand is large, then some of the soil can be poured onto the bottom without organic parts. Sand should be used sifted, without clay inclusions.

Pit in the garage

If you are planning to make a hole, then first of all dig a foundation pit of the required depth and width under it. Concrete the floor of the pit, and then work on a sand and gravel bed throughout the entire garage. When the floor has gained sufficient strength and the backfill is ready, you can remove the brick walls of the pit.

1. Level the bottom of the pit. Compact it manual tamper or vibration platform.
2. Fill and compact crushed stone. This must be done in 2–3 steps in layers of 3–5 cm, since it is impossible to compact the entire volume of crushed stone efficiently. Crushed stone of medium fraction is poured underneath, and fine crushed stone is poured on top. Before compacting, each layer is leveled with a rake, and the level is checked by markings on the walls. Tamping should be carried out until no trace remains of the person’s weight on the surface.
3. Fill and compact sand. It is also poured in several steps, 2-3 cm each. The poured sand is leveled and moistened (shed), and then compacted.
4. If there is a hole, then it’s time to line its walls. They should be slightly higher than the floor level so that water does not collect in the hole.

Damper gap

Despite compaction and other precautions, the concrete floor on the ground must be made “floating”, that is, not rigidly connected to the walls of the building. This will help avoid cracking of the slab. To create a damper gap between the concrete floor slab and the walls of the garage, use a special damper tape (it is sold in hardware stores). You can also lay thin strips of foam plastic (10 mm thick) around the perimeter. The width of such strips should be slightly larger than the width of the slab being formed (15 cm). Excess foam can then be cut off.

Waterproofing garage floor

In the garage, you need to ensure minimal humidity: for the best safety of the car and various things that will be stored there. To do this you will need waterproofing of the floor. The choice of waterproofing option depends on the location groundwater under the garage. If they are far away, then you can limit yourself to plastic film (250 microns) laid on the sand. If the waters come close to the surface, then you need to use waterproofing or similar materials. The thickness of the concrete floor in the garage increases. The waterproofing panels are laid with an overlap of 10 cm and taped with tape. The film should end above the damper tape. It is attached with tape to the wall and trimmed afterwards.

Concrete floor construction options

If the garage is heated, then an insulated floor must be installed. This will give big savings: it will not allow heat to go down. Slab extruded polystyrene foam up to 10 cm thick is used as insulation. Of course, this significantly increases the thickness of the screed in the garage and requires consideration when marking on the walls.

Installation of concrete screed in the garage

Garage floor reinforcement

For reinforcement, a ready-made road mesh for reinforcement is used: a cell with a side of 15 cm, wire thickness 8 mm. This is enough for a garage where cars will be stored. If we are talking about freight transport, then it should be reinforced with a mesh with a mesh size of 20 cm and a wire thickness of 12 mm. The mesh cannot be placed on waterproofing: it must be located in the thickness of the concrete. It is necessary to raise the mesh above the surface by 4-5 cm. For this, special stands are purchased or pieces of brick (halves) are used.

Beacons and slope

A garage floor requires a slope of 1.5 - 2% per linear meter. It should be directed towards the outlet or drain grate. You should think about the slope at the stage of installing beacons. These are long planks along which you can then level the poured concrete. They are sold in aluminum, but you can also use wooden slats, tubes, etc. Beacons are laid on columns of thick mortar, along long wall to the doors. The step of their installation depends on the width of the rule - a wide mop with which the solution is leveled. With a rule width of 1.5 m, the distance between the beacons should be 1.2 - 1.0 m.

Preparation of the solution

M250 concrete is used for the garage floor. It is suitable in terms of strength and frost resistance, even for an unheated room. For a garage of 24 sq.m. (4x6 m) you will need approximately 2.5 cubic meters ready-mixed concrete. Filling must be done in one day. Taking into account the slope and various losses, all 3 cubes of concrete are needed. This is a large quantity that can be provided by two mixers and a team of assistants. Or you can order a mixer to the pouring site. When pouring with a mixer, you will need a receiving tray that will direct the flow of solution to the center of the garage.

Leveling and maintaining concrete

After pouring, you need to treat the concrete with a submersible vibrator. This will make leveling easier and remove air bubbles from the floor. Then, using the rule, the solution is distributed level with the beacons. At the walls, the concrete is leveled with a trowel. You need to do this right away, because then it will no longer be possible to reach the walls.

To get perfect flat surface, a liquid solution is poured on top - 2-3 cm. After a few hours, the concrete will set, and you can grout the floor with a single-rotor trowel or manually. The floor will gain full strength in 3 – 4 weeks. Then it can be treated with toppings or polymer mixtures and painted.

The quality of the floor in the garage determines the climate of the room and, accordingly, the storage conditions of the car. For this reason, the soil is covered with a reinforced concrete screed in compliance with a number of rules that will be discussed.

When should a floor be concreted?

Flooring will have to be done if the garage is built of blocks, bricks or monolithic concrete. In this type, the walls are mounted on a foundation, leaving soil inside the perimeter, which is inconvenient to store a car on:

• The humidity level in the room constantly fluctuates;
• the wheels get dirty;
• in winter the ground will become cold.

Even if you fill the base with crushed stone, comfort will not increase: such a floor is inconvenient to walk on and maintain a vehicle.

You don’t have to think about concreting if you installed a garage during construction slab foundation, which also serves as a floor. Solvent coating is also not useful for metal boxes.

The coating or the entire floor should also be renewed if the concrete is outdated, cracked and has lost its tightness.

Preparing the base

To do concreting on the ground, the base should be prepared:

• Upper fertile layer must be removed if this was not done when preparing the base for the garage foundation.
• When determining the depth of the pit, you need to take into account the thickness of the embankment of sand and crushed stone - this is approximately 15-20 cm, add to this the thickness of the screed itself - 100-150 mm and insulation (at least 50 mm). That is, from the soil base to the floor level is about 30-35 cm.
• After removing the fertile layer, the soil should be compacted with a vibrating plate or hand roller.

Floor composition and installation

In order for the floor to be strong and durable, it is necessary to follow the work technology. Next we present step by step guide, following which everyone will be able to arrange the floor in the garage with their own hands without the involvement of specialists.

The design of a good garage floor is a “pie” of the following layers:

1. Bulk cushion made of sand and crushed stone.
2. Waterproofing.
3. Insulation.
4. Frame ( welded mesh).
5. Concrete screed.

Stage 1: bulk pillow

Under any screed on the ground, it is necessary to install a cushion:

• First, 10-15 cm of crushed stone is poured, which serves as drainage for incoming water,
• Next, sand is laid in a layer of 5-10 cm and thoroughly compacted with a vibrating plate.

If possible, 1 layer of geotextile should be laid between the sand and crushed stone, which will prevent the factions from mixing, which means they will better perform their functions: drainage and water removal, compensation of pressure coming from the soil.

For the convenience of subsequent installation and to obtain the most effective result, sand is arranged thin layer concrete screed low grade solution (M75, M100). The thickness of this fill is about 2-3 cm.

Stage 2: waterproofing

Despite the presence of a drainage layer, a waterproofing device is necessary. Any rolled analogue of roofing material can be used as a material: technoelast, rubemast, stekloizol, etc.

The sheets should be laid overlapping, working out the joints gas burner to achieve absolute tightness. Optimal thickness coating – 2 layers. The rolls should be bent along the perimeter of the pit to the height of the screed to the floor level.

If the groundwater level is low under the garage, roofing felt materials can be replaced with thick plastic film. It will protect concrete from leakage of laitance.

Stage 3: insulation

An insulating layer will help prevent the floor from freezing in winter and maintain a comfortable climate in the garage.

Rigid penoplex is suitable for insulation - it does not dampen, withstands compressive loads, is resistant to chemicals, is not affected by insects, and lasts a long time.

The slabs are laid using 1 layer of waterproofing. The thickness of the mats should be at least 50 mm, more is possible. It is especially important to work out the perimeter of the pit, where the influence of cold soil and air is most intense.

Floor insulation is not always done: if the garage walls are solid with a depth below the freezing level and the foundation is insulated, then this step can be skipped. It is recommended for shallow foundations.

Stage 4: laying the frame

The reinforcement is designed to compensate for the load coming from the vehicle. As you know, concrete does not bend well, so without a frame mesh the floor will become covered with cracks and become unusable.

For reinforcement you will need a welded wire mesh with a diameter of 7-8 mm with a cage side of 10-15 cm. This can be purchased at finished form. Laying the nets must be overlapped by 1 cell, tying the products with wire or clamps for reliability.

In order for the frame to be located in the screed, and not under it, it is necessary to place stones or pre-made concrete cubes 2-3 cm high under it. They must reliably fix the position of the mesh during pouring before the concrete begins to harden.

Some craftsmen prefer to concrete the screed in 2 times: first they lay the first layer, then place the mesh on it, after which they make the final screed. This is not the most convenient and correct method:

• Firstly, the mesh is inconvenient to lay until the underlying concrete sets;
• Secondly, the mesh does not fully adhere to the concrete layer; accordingly, its functional tasks are not realized.

Therefore, the mesh should still be laid on the substrate (cubes) and the monolithic floor should be poured.

Stage 5: preparation and installation of the screed

A team of 2-3 people should work with the screed.

The first step is to set up beacons - slats with the thickness of the future screed layer, taking into account the height of the frame (for example, the projected total thickness of the concrete floor = 10 cm, subtract 3 cm for the substrate under reinforcing mesh and its diameter is 7 mm, multiplied by 2. We get a rail with a thickness of 5-60 mm). The guide beacons are laid in the direction from the far wall of the garage towards the exit, departing from the side wall approximately 1 meter. The distance between the slats is approximately 1 meter. You will also need an additional level rod or long rule to control the evenness of the surface.

Beacons may not be used if the floor area is small. Then a projection of the screed level should be made on the wall for ease of control.

It is necessary to lay a compensation damper tape along the perimeter of the garage along the walls.

Components for the solution:

• Portland cement M400 or M500;
• River clean sand;
• Crushed stone fraction 10-20 mm;
• Water for mixing the solution.

To concrete the floor in a garage, concrete of at least grade M250 is required. To prepare it, you need to take the components in different proportions:

1. For M400 cement, the ratio of cement, sand and crushed stone is 1:2:4;
2. For M500 cement the ratio is 1: 2.5: 4.5.

To increase performance characteristics(strength, chemical resistance, abrasion resistance) plasticizers for concrete can be added to the solution.

The amount of solution must be calculated in advance. For example, for a garage of 4 × 6 meters, we calculate the volume using the standard formula (in meters): 4 × 6 × 0.1 = 2.4 cubic meters. The value should be rounded to whole numbers with the expectation of creating a slope of 1-2% for water flow (it is recommended to do so).

Concrete must be mixed in a concrete mixer. The floor must be concreted at one time (!) to obtain a uniform and strong base. Therefore, you should estimate whether one mixer can cope with the selected volume.

Laying the mortar begins from the far corner of the garage between the slats towards the exit, simultaneously compacting it with vibrators and leveling it. Most best option– supply of concrete with a pump, or in its absence – with buckets, wheelbarrows and shovels.

Stage 7: protection and registration

A garage is a place where the floor is constantly exposed to destructive factors:

• vehicle weight;
• racks with tools and heavy equipment;
• chemical and petroleum solutions.

In such conditions, the concrete should be provided with additional protection. You can do this in several ways:

• Ironing with dry cement can be done in parallel with pouring the screed - the binder is scattered through a sieve onto the laid surface and rubbed thoroughly;
• Impregnation with polymers that fill the porous surface and prevent the absorption of moisture and chemicals;
• Facing with tiles or special rubber coating.

When choosing a cladding method, it should be taken into account that the garage floor must be rough. This is necessary for the wheels to adhere to the base so that the car can stand in one place and not slide around the room. This is safety for both the body and the owner/master when servicing the “iron horse”.

Concrete flooring 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 and specialists, which increases the final cost significantly. Many people are able to cope with this work on their own.

Preparatory stage

In a 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. To construct the foundation, soft layers, including hard rock, are removed. The resulting pit will be the site of a stone-sand “pillow”.

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 sloped and the levels of it and the threshold of the gate coincide: there is no problem of water drainage.
The zero level is marked along the walls: with a level or water level.

What should the layers be like?

The flooring in the garage resembles a Napoleon cake: it also has several layers. To correctly assess the thickness of each of them and the overall thickness, the optimal parameters are taken into account:

1. concrete floor (if the heaviest vehicle is a passenger car) - 10 cm;
2. crushed stone - from 10 cm;
3. sand – from 5 cm.

Plus decorative coating floor. Painting 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 too high, 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 using the marks on 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-sand cushion is required. The necessary procedure is to remove the 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 poured and compacted to avoid subsidence.
To compact it efficiently, they do not fill it all at once, but in layers of three to four centimeters: pour it, level it with a rake, compact it with a tamper or vibrating plate.
To assess the quality of the work, you need to walk around the area: if no traces are visible, the compaction has been done sufficiently. Thus, in parts, crushed stone is compacted, then sand (it must be well moistened).
To ensure a reliable and high-quality concrete floor, experts recommend using 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 solid reinforced concrete slab. Crushed stone is needed medium and fine, in a ratio of two to one.
Sand Any will do, however, it is advisable to sift it to get rid of clay lumps.

Damper

The concrete floor is made in such a way that it is not “tightly” tied 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 sticking to the walls, a buffer is laid along them. It can be damper tape from the store or polystyrene foam cut into centimeter-thick strips, which are easy to make yourself. During pouring, they should protrude above the floor, and subsequently level with the floor. Seams are made during pouring of concrete and after hardening. The joints between the floor and the wall are smoothed with a trowel. The sealant will protect against 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 its spring rise.
If they are far away, you can do without any special measures in this regard: just cover the sand with thick polyethylene. It will prevent water from leaking out of the concrete mixture 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 options, the film is spread with the sheets overlapping each other. Each joint at the ends is reinforced with double-sided tape.
The material is spread so that the edges overlap the walls by at least 10 cm. There they are loosely fixed during work, and after the concrete is poured and it sets, 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 laid overlapping, overlapping 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, the metal can be corroded by corrosion.

Lighthouses

This is the name for the pins arranged along the required level, on which the rule is based. This device in the form of a long strip is needed to accurately level the floor.
You can buy a beacon in a store (aluminum ones are very cheap) or take a direct object: a thick metal rod, a pipe, a wooden fragment. They are arranged by level concrete slab, marked on the walls.
They place beacons from the wall in front of the entrance, towards it. The first one is 25-30 cm from the wall, and then step by step. To guarantee the accuracy of measurements, the installation step is usually 25 cm less rule. The beacons are installed on a mound of alabaster or strong mortar, pressing to the desired level.
To ensure that water that gets into the garage flows out, when installing beacons, a slight slope is made towards the doors (up to 1 cm per meter of length). More concrete will be required, but getting rid of problems with standing water will more than compensate for this.
The next day, the beacons are pulled out and the remaining holes are filled with concrete.

Pouring the floor

As a rule, concrete grades M200-M300 are used for garage floors: they are durable, heat- and frost-resistant. You can buy ready mixture or do it yourself.
Preparing the mixture yourself is a troublesome task and not so economical compared to the cost of finished factory products.
There are expensive brands, for example, polystyrene concrete. This ordinary concrete, to which synthetic granules are added. But it is especially durable, has improved thermal insulation and moisture protection characteristics.
If you decide to do everything yourself, you need to know how to pour the mixture correctly. First, the following components are prepared for its preparation:

• cement;
• sand;
• gravel;
• water.

Take two parts sand for one part gravel. Cement and sand are poured into a container and mixed until smooth. Gravel is added, everything is mixed again, after which water is added. The thoroughly mixed composition is applied to a previously leveled surface.
When working alone, you will need to fill the floor in parts. To prevent cracks from forming between areas poured at different times, the cement liquid protruding upward is removed with a brush.
If concrete is poured into a mixer, a receiving tray that sends the mixture directly to the center will not hurt. From there it spreads into the corners without any problems, and is easy to stretch and level.
The floor can be leveled with a lightweight surface screed (no thicker than three cm) made of cement.

Hardening of concrete

Rapid setting of concrete can cause cracks to appear. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to ensure proper drying conditions.
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.
Fabric is more convenient: it is easier to water, even through a watering can. In the case of film, it is removed before moistening and then spread out again. You need to water carefully, almost spraying water. In any option, the surface should be dark gray, but without puddles.
When the concrete has completely hardened, the floor is floated with an aluminum or wooden trowel.

Insulation

Insulating tiles such as expanded polystyrene or similar material are laid on the waterproofing layer.
There are two options:
a screed is poured over the finished slab;
the insulation is placed immediately under the base slab.
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 a concrete floor in a garage is no different, 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 can withstand significant loads and does not allow water or steam to pass through. To ensure that the floor is reliably isolated from the ground, thin material is laid in two layers, with the seams offset. And so that the insulation itself does not get pressed under the load, geotextiles are laid on it, which distributes the loads.

Inspection hole

Pouring a concrete floor is a convenient reason to equip an inspection hole at the same time. A pit is also dug under it. And if it is supposed to have 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 you can start building walls. This is done after filling the garage with sand and crushed stone cushion.

Installing a concrete floor is not a particularly complicated procedure. Care required correct selection materials and adherence to technology.

Concreting is the easiest way to provide a garage with a durable and reliable floor. Although not complicated, this process requires a fair amount of labor and money. But you don’t need a luxury garage and there’s no point in spending extra money. How to properly fill a garage and how can you save money?

Filling a garage with your own hands

3 stages of concreting the garage floor

1) Ground work

Preparation, in fact, comes down to land work.

Before you start concreting, you need to take a shovel and carefully level the ground. Any unevenness needs to be removed. The smoother the earth's surface, the best result will be achieved in the end. Well-compacted soil is required for concrete pouring. Make sure that the surface does not have any, even the slightest, slope. Otherwise, the car will constantly roll downwards.

Land works

Foundation for pouring - to be or not to be?

Usually, a cushion of sand and crushed stone is not made for garages for passenger cars. She entails additional costs, but brings little real benefit. Even if cracks appear without it, they will not be critical.

If the vehicle is a truck, a base of sand and crushed stone is required. And its thickness should be at least 10 cm. Otherwise, the concrete will very quickly become covered with cracks.

Gravel is poured first, and then sand. The gravel must be compacted well, and the surface of the sand must be carefully leveled. Sometimes a layer of waterproofing is placed on top.

2) Reinforcement

Reinforcement is needed to prevent concrete cracking in the future. For these purposes, a special masonry mesh is best suited. The greater the strength concrete pouring You need the thicker the reinforcement should be. For an average garage, fittings with a diameter of 5 mm are sufficient. A mesh with cells of 240x240 mm is usually used. The greater the load your floor will bear, the smaller the mesh cell should be.

If you have a passenger car, you can get by with one layer of reinforcement.

Reinforcement with masonry mesh

At this stage, beacons are installed. Their role is most often performed by reinforcement, profile or corner. The beacons are leveled using a level. Usually two such guides are enough.

It is better to install beacons so that they do not touch the masonry mesh. During the process of pouring concrete, you will have to walk on the mesh, and the beacons may move if they come into contact with it.

3) Pouring concrete

Pre-fabricated concrete is best suited for concreting garages. Take a concrete grade no lower than M200. For an average garage, a thickness of concrete pouring of 10 cm is enough.

The most convenient way is to order ready-made concrete mortar from a company specializing in this at a specifically designated time. Modern equipment will not only deliver concrete to you, but will also pour it into the place you have prepared.

Making concrete for a garage by hand is a very labor-intensive process, since a garage requires a decent amount of it. Therefore, several people must be involved in its preparation. And it is more difficult to fill with them, since it is necessary to divide the garage into small zones, which are filled in turn.

If you are planning to concrete the floor of the garage, plan to immediately place the concrete and move in to it. Then you won’t have to pay for the concrete mixer twice. And if your neighbor also wants to pour his garage, you can agree with him to do it on the same day, and you will reduce your costs for delivering concrete.

Cheaper together

Perform concrete pouring better company from several people.

As you pour on masonry mesh, you need to carefully distribute the solution over the surface with a shovel.

Pouring process

When the pouring is completed, the surface of the concrete must be carefully leveled using a rule sliding along the beacons. By moving the rule left and right, you can better level the surface of the concrete. This is very painstaking work, but the result will be smooth and smooth surface concrete if the beacons are installed correctly.

In one cycle of left-right movements, the rule is attracted to itself no more than a centimeter. This is the secret to a perfectly flat garage floor.

Fill Alignment

The screed sets quickly, so you need to maintain a certain pace. Professional teams of concrete workers have already developed a certain pace of work and consistency in the concrete pouring process, and your company will have to learn this during work.

The concrete pour hardens within 7 days. After this period, you can park the car in the garage. During this week you will not have to sit idle, but will need to pour concrete twice every day (necessarily in hot weather!). Or, as a last resort, cover it with film to prevent moisture from evaporating.

As you can see, there is nothing complicated in the process of concreting a garage floor, and you can do it yourself. A certain inconvenience is only a large number physical work. But doing all the work yourself allows you to save money and not have to pay a team of concrete workers. So, gather your friends and go!

Ready fill

The concrete floor in the garage is an excellent platform for cars and vehicle repairs indoors. If you enjoy spending time in your garage, it should become your second home. The atmosphere should be conducive to a pleasant pastime during non-working hours. Car enthusiasts are guided by these thoughts when planning beautiful interior, but it is impossible without good flooring. It is its creation that is worth doing first.

Basic requirements for flooring

There are quite strict requirements for the floor in the garage. Before we begin describing the manufacturing process, it is worth discussing them:

1. Excellent resistance to static mechanical loads. The floor should be able to easily support the weight of the vehicle, shelving, workbench and equipment. Moreover, it is necessary to design with a margin so that the durability of the coating is not affected. Surely there will be more than just a car in your garage. From time to time, quite heavy cars will appear there.
2. Impact resistance. Who never loses their tools? And you will periodically fall. Quite heavy metal parts should not damage the floor or collapse.
3. Resistance to chemical reagents. Gasoline, oils, acids and alkalis - all this is not uncommon in the garage. Even the most careful craftsman will have something spill over the course of a few years. Contact with aggressive liquids should not harm the floor.
4. Resistant to temperature changes. The floor should not support combustion or collapse in the cold. Most often, garages are not equipped with heating systems, and this should not be a problem for the flooring.
5. Practicality. Quick cleaning – order every day.
6. Durability. The garage as a whole should serve its owner for more than 20 years. Premature wear of the floor is unacceptable.

All these are the possibilities and advantages of a concrete floor. This is why it is so common in modern garages. Another advantage is the ability to make a garage floor on the ground.

A concrete floor meets all these requirements, but only if it is arranged correctly. Fortunately, with proper skill, you can handle it without the involvement of specialists.

Concrete floor in the garage and its disadvantages

Is installing a concrete garage floor your choice? In this case, be prepared for difficulties. It has several disadvantages:

1. Increased dust formation. This is a known problem in a garage with a concrete floor. Immediately after drying, small particles of the coating begin to rise into the air and settle on objects. It will be unpleasant to be inside, and the car will have to be thoroughly cleaned after a long period of inactivity. The problem is solved by creating additional coverage, for example, made of rubber.
2. Pouring a garage floor with concrete is a rather labor-intensive process. Of course, you can do it yourself, but the work ahead will be long and difficult. Study the process carefully. If you do not have the desire or opportunity to deal with this issue yourself, a team of builders will happily do this for you for a fee.
3. Concrete for garage floors is not the best appearance. Concrete covering can't be called attractive. If it is important for you to create a beautiful interior in your garage, you will have to use additional coating.

If you are ready to put up with these shortcomings, you should start studying manufacturing technology. The most common option consists of 5 layers: compacted soil, gravel, sand cushion, waterproofing, reinforced concrete. Additionally, you can use insulation over the waterproofing and a decorative finishing coating.

Tools

To pour a concrete floor in a garage, you will have to acquire an impressive list of tools. To build a pit and a site for the future floor, you will need a shovel and a wheelbarrow to transport excess soil. You can use an excavator if you have the finances.

Preparation of the base requires good compaction of the layers. To do this you will need a rammer: manual or machine. Here, too, a lot depends on the size of the budget. The second one will cost more, but with the first one it will take you longer to complete the job. To determine the dimensions and quality of the coating as accurately as possible, you will need: a tape measure, levels, thread, pencil, wooden pegs or other taps.

You will need to install wood formwork; you will need tools for woodworking: a hacksaw or jigsaw, a screwdriver or a hammer. A grinder is useful for cutting reinforcing rods.

Pouring the mixture involves using the following tools:

• shovel;
• large metal ruler (rule);
• vibrators to remove bubbles from the mixture;
• water supply hose.

Stock up on all the tools in advance.

Observe safety precautions while working. Remember physical properties liquid mixture for filling. Work in a thick fabric apron and gloves. When using an angle grinder, make sure there are no flammable objects or substances nearby.

How to fill a garage floor

The concrete floor in the garage is made in several stages. Installation in the following order:

• site preparation;
• creating a sand-crushed stone cushion;
• laying hydro- and thermal insulation;
• installation of reinforcing elements;
• filling.

Now in more detail about each stage.

Step 1. Site preparation

Concreting the floor in the garage begins with preparatory work. Remove the layer of turf from the soil. If you are installing a floor in an old garage, the old floors will need to be removed. Then dig a viewing hole if you need one in your garage. A metal box with waterproofing on the outside is suitable as walls. A more advanced option is filling concrete walls: dig a pit for inspection hole, make formwork and fill it with concrete.

Mark the floor using laser level. The measurement results can be recorded on the walls or wooden pegs installed in the ground. Fix the dimensions by pulling the threads between the control points.

Step 2. Laying intermediate layers

Compact the soil special tools, cover it with an even layer of crushed stone. You can level it using a rule. Make a sand cushion on top. The thickness of each layer is 5 cm. The final thickness of the concrete floor in the garage will be about 25 cm including all layers.

Make formwork from wood. WITH outside lay the foam in a layer 5 cm thick. Place on a sand cushion waterproofing layer. You can add insulating material on top.

Step 3. Filling

Cut the steel bars and connect them to each other with wire. Create a full-fledged metal structure covering the entire floor area. Install it on a slight elevation so that it is located exactly in the middle of the concrete layer.

Prepare concrete mixture and fill it in, starting from the center. Distribute the quantity with a shovel, making sure there are no voids. Use a vibrator to remove any air bubbles. How to level a concrete floor in a garage? Only the rule.

Leave the mixture to dry under plastic. The next day, remove the pegs. For next week Moisten the coating a little every day. Wait for the concrete to gain strength before you can use it!

Pouring a concrete floor with a pit in the garage - video