Foam blocks are a modern, high-tech, easy-to-process and easy-to-install building material. For the construction of various buildings from foam blocks, including full-fledged garages, you do not need to possess special skills and have a colossal budget at your disposal.
Foam concrete is much cheaper than its closest analogues and competitors. Having carefully studied the proposed instructions, you can completely build a garage from the material in question with your own hands, which will allow you to abandon the services of third-party specialists and save even more.
First of all, people choose foam blocks for their affordable cost. In the second - for light weight. The finished building will weigh much less than, for example, a garage made of the same brick. This allows you to minimize the cost of arranging the foundation. At the same time, foam concrete is quite durable. It will withstand the weight of the car and other garage accessories unambiguously.
One of the important advantages of foam blocks is their low thermal conductivity. This characteristic in the overwhelming majority of cases allows you to refuse to perform work on the thermal insulation of walls.
Ready-made foam concrete blocks are easy to assemble. All work is done in the shortest possible time and does not require the use of special heavy equipment.
However, like any other building material, foam concrete has its drawbacks due to the properties of the foaming agent.
The main drawback is that the blocks do not "breathe". Of course, someone will say that vapor permeability issues are not so important for a garage, but this is far from the case. Condensation starts to form in excessively humid conditions. It settles on almost all surfaces, including the car body. And for the car, such conditions are even more dangerous than if you simply kept it outdoors in rain, snow and other unfavorable weather.
In order to prevent damage to the car and other objects in the room, a foam block garage is necessarily equipped with a ventilation system of the supply and exhaust type. The installation of such a system will entail additional costs, but they are negligible compared to the losses that the lack of ventilation can lead to.
The second drawback is low fire resistance. Of course, foam blocks, like any concrete, are relatively resistant to flame, but there is a limit to everything. If the fire breaks out, the garage can burn completely. The situation is overshadowed by the fact that during combustion, foam blocks release substances that are very harmful to human health.
However, against the background of ease of installation, high performance properties and affordable cost, all of the above disadvantages become insignificant.
Before starting the independent construction of a garage from foam blocks, take the time to draw up a project. Learn the features of your site. You need to establish the type of soil and the depth of the water table. You should be guided by these parameters when choosing the type of concrete base.
The project itself can be drawn in an old-fashioned way, i.e. on paper, or take advantage of the benefits of civilization and do everything on a computer. There are many handy programs out there, for example ArchiCad. Libraries of such programs include many template elements, so that you can "build" a future garage at a convenient scale and at the same time determine how many blocks it will take to complete the work. To do this, you just need to know the dimensions of one building block, the dimensions of the structure and the thickness of the walls.
There are a number of additional factors to consider when sizing your garage. For example, how many cars and what size will be stored in the garage at the same time, whether you need a viewing pit, whether you need a cellar, whether you will install a rack with various fixtures or equip any other kind of workspace.
To store one car, a garage 5-6 m long, about 3.5-4 m wide and about 3 m high is quite enough. For the rest, focus on your needs and capabilities.
In the absence of design skills or good ideas, pay attention to ready-made projects from open sources. Try to find a project that fully suits your conditions.
Layout and foundation
Start marking up. Place pegs made of metal or other suitable material in the corners of the future garage. Pull a strong lace between the pegs along the contour of the future building. Make sure the corners between the ropes are exceptionally straight.
In fact, you need to transfer your garage project to the ground.
Stand where the garage door will be in the future. Imagine that you open the gate and watch to see if nothing is in the way. If there are no problems, continue. If there are interference, you need to try to get rid of them. Otherwise, you will have to look for another place to build a garage.
The best option for a foundation for a block garage is a strip concrete structure. The foundation is poured in a few simple steps.
First step. Dig a trench 80-100 cm deep. Select the specific depth in accordance with the type of soil and other related parameters. In general, a depth of 1 m is sufficient in the vast majority of cases. Make the dimensions of the foundation so that it exceeds the dimensions of the future garage by 10-15 cm on each side.
Step two. Compact the earth in the trench and proceed with the installation of the backfill layers. Cover with a 10-15 cm layer of sand and compact thoroughly. Fill in an 8-10 cm layer of gravel and compact it too.
Step three. Install the formwork. Ordinary boards are suitable for its assembly. You can use ready-made formwork from factory production - there is no difference. Make sure the boards are on the same level. Your task is to get an absolutely flat foundation.
Fourth step. Weld the reinforcement cage. It should be in the form of a grid with cells of 10x10 cm. For the assembly of the frame, it is recommended to use reinforcing bars with a diameter of 14 mm. 12mm rods are also suitable. Lay the reinforcement mesh in the trench.
Fifth step. Prepare concrete. A standard solution is prepared from 1 part of cement (M400-M500), about 3 parts of clean sifted sand and 4-5 parts of aggregate in the form of crushed stone or gravel. Of course, water is added to the solution until a plastic homogeneous mixture is obtained. If you want to save time and effort, order ready-made concrete with delivery.
Sixth step. Pour concrete in one go. Smooth the surface of the foundation and let it dry for 3-5 weeks.
Gate installation
Video - Installation of lifting gates in the garage
First step. Lay the waterproofing around the base. Roofing material is usually used. Lay in a double layer.
Step two. Install the door frame and weld to it rods of 12 mm reinforcement, about 40 cm long. There should be at least 4 such rods for the height of each side of the frame. If possible, calculate the installation of the rods so that they are at the joints of the foam concrete blocks.
Step three. Prime and paint the gate leaves (leaf).
Fourth step. Hang the gate. Make sure they are perfectly level. To check, use the appropriate construction tools - plumb line and level.
Fifth step. Fix the position of the door with wooden braces.
The construction of walls from foam blocks begins from any angle. In most cases, 20 cm is enough in thickness. Therefore, you need to buy foam blocks 20 cm wide and place them along the walls with the long side. This will reduce material consumption and significantly reduce the time spent on construction work.
Additionally, you can buy special corner blocks. Their use will greatly facilitate installation work, because you do not have to deal with the alignment of corners during the masonry process.
Place blocks on cement-sand mortar or special glue. The use of glue is more preferable - this material will provide additional thermal insulation and better adhesion of the elements.
First step. Set up the corners. To do this, use the already iconic pegs and cord.
Second phase. Proceed directly to the laying. Start from any convenient angle. We laid a corner foam block - laid out a row of adjoining walls - laid the next corner block - laid out a row of another wall. After every second row of foam concrete blocks, lay a special reinforcing mesh.
In the process of laying, do not forget to wedge the rods between the foam blocks that you previously welded to the garage door frame.
The most difficult stage of the work under consideration is the installation of a lintel over the gate and the subsequent calculation of the top of the front wall.
Stage three. Weld the frame to the size of the gate. Use a 5 cm corner to make it. Install the frame from the inside of the building close to the wall and secure it with cement mortar.
Install an I-beam over the gate and the erected frame. Lay so that the edges of the beam go into the laying of the foam concrete walls by at least 200 mm.
Fourth stage. Continue to lay the foam blocks.
At the stage of laying out the walls, decide what kind of roof you will build. Garages are most often equipped with pitched roofs. Novice builders are advised to give preference to just such roof structures.
The technology for constructing the roof in question requires that the walls under such a roof slope from the gate to the rear wall of the building. With each meter, reduce the height of the wall by about 5 cm. You can do everything yourself, because foam blocks are extremely easy to process, they can be cut even with an ordinary saw.
First step. Install I-beams across the walls of the building. The length of these beams should be approximately 250 mm longer than the width of the garage walls. Lay the beams themselves at a distance of about 800 mm from each other. Seal the beams into the masonry walls.
Step two. Place 4 cm thick wooden planks on the lower shelves of the fixed beams. Place the planks as close to each other as possible.
Step three. Place roofing felt on the boards. Pour insulation over the roofing material. Slag, expanded clay and other similar materials are suitable.
The roof slope should protrude from the walls by at least 200 mm on each side. This will ensure reliable protection of the walls from atmospheric precipitation.
Fourth step. Pour a concrete screed 20-30 mm thick onto the insulation. Allow the screed to dry and prime it.
Fifth step. Lay roofing material on the screed. Also, waterproofing can be done with bituminous mastic. Glue roofing felt across the roof, starting from the bottom of the ramp. Stick the canvases with an overlap of 10-15 cm. Thanks to the overlap, more effective removal of precipitation from the roof surface will be provided.
Sixth step. Install a visor over the garage door. A huge option of various designs is available on sale, choose to your taste.
Filling the floor
Finally, make the garage floor. The best option is a concrete surface. Wood is hardly a sustainable material in terms of contact with vehicles and vehicles. Wooden flooring can be arranged only in the pedestrian zone.
First step. Thoroughly clean the base and backfill. Add a 15 cm layer of crushed stone first, then a 10 cm layer of sifted sand and finally a 10 cm layer of fine gravel. Each layer of backfill is carefully compacted.
Second phase. Fill the backfill with a layer of concrete screed with a thickness of at least 20 cm. Carefully level the screed and let it dry.
The blocks themselves will take 30-35% of the total construction cost. The largest item of expenditure falls on the arrangement of the foundation and roof. However, all other things being equal, a foam block garage will cost much less than similar buildings from most other popular materials. Follow the recommendations received and very soon you will be able to use your own garage.
Happy work!
Video - DIY foam block garage
Buildings made of foam block products are becoming more common among owners of private houses and motorists. The material is in demand due to its low cost, as well as its strength and reliability in the future. In addition, buildings are erected much faster than brick buildings.
A DIY foam block garage is a must for car owners. This is not only the protection of the vehicle, but also a workshop and storage for spare parts and other equipment. Today there are many schemes by which you can build a house for a car.
Consumable characteristics
Products are made using a special technology, which results in foam. It is thoroughly mixed, and the bubbles in it are distributed throughout the form, forming cells. The workpiece remains in this form until it solidifies completely in the cold. The density level of this building material varies from 200 to 1200 kg per cubic meter.
Hardware stores offer buyers the following assortment:
- D900-1200 - this type has the highest percentage of strength. Ideal for the construction of multi-storey structures. Therefore, its other name is structural concrete.
- The D500-900 is a balanced consumable that will be an excellent option for creating load-bearing structures. Among builders, it bears the name of structural and thermal insulation.
- D200–500 - foam block of this brand keeps heat well and is most often used for thermal insulation of a building. But it is not as durable as previous brands.
Organic substances have not been added to the foam block for a long time. Previously, it included bull's blood or soap root. But since then, progress has gone far ahead, so the main components are cement, sand, special foaming agents and water. Thanks to this combination, the structure is strong and warm.
The foam block differs from aerated concrete in its simplicity of manufacturing technology and ease of processing during construction.
Advantages and disadvantages of the material
The foam block is ideal for building a garage. This is evidenced by its advantages. Buyers make a choice in favor of this consumable for the following reasons:
- Despite its large size, the unit weighs a little. In the construction business, this greatly facilitates the task: it does not take too much effort to move products from one place to another. These criteria are beneficial when laying cement mortar - little is required for blocks. All this affects the speed of construction and time savings. Another significant plus is the possibility of building a garage without helpers.
- The foundation of foam blocks gets along well with any type of soil.
- These products are environmentally friendly. The components in it are natural, even substances for the formation of foam.
- The blocks are highly refractory. In the event of a fire, nothing will happen to them. The same can be said about sharp temperature changes - even cracks do not appear.
- Since the material retains heat well, it does not need to be subjected to thermal insulation measures.
- The foam block is very simple in terms of processing and even cutting. If it becomes necessary to conduct communications or a ventilation system to the garage, this can be done without problems. Even the wiring inside such a wall fits well and conducts electricity.
- Consumable does not let noise from the street. Therefore, it is ideal for laying both exterior and interior walls of a building.
- The material does not transmit and does not accumulate moisture. The owner does not need to worry about mold or rot.
But even this building material has its drawbacks. Professionals distinguish the following:
- The foam block is very popular among the population, which indicates a large number of products. With such volumes, they do not always have time to check the quality.
- Constant contact with water and an ill-conceived ventilation system lead to the destruction of the structure.
To prevent negative consequences, the purchase of a foam block is strongly recommended only in trusted hardware stores. Organizations work with manufacturers that have been on the market for at least a decade. When purchasing material, it is advisable to request quality certificates. And to protect the structure from moisture, it must be insulated.
Buyers often confuse aerated concrete with foam concrete. They are similar in appearance and structure. The only thing that makes them different is that aerated concrete has the same interconnected pores, while in a foam block they are separated and of different sizes. Therefore, the first building material will absorb water falling on it, which does not have the best effect on heat retention.
When choosing a consumable as the main material for the construction of an automobile house, one should remember about its low mechanical strength. Especially it is necessary to focus on the roof and gate. Only wood is suitable as a frame for them. The metal gives too much stress. The product may not withstand and collapse. A monolithic reinforcing belt is required for the roof. If the length of the room is more than 10 meters, then a buttress is taken instead of a belt.
The choice of material for the garage
People who are indirectly familiar with the construction business cannot always distinguish the foam block from the cinder block from the first time. But each of them has its own characteristics that you should pay attention to when building a garage. Foam block masonry is similar in quality to brick, but in terms of money it will come out much cheaper. Cinder block and foam concrete are still similar to each other, but the second option is less expensive than the first.
Walls made of this material have a long service life, so no thorough additional maintenance or major repairs with demolition is required. We can safely say that this consumable will be an excellent solution for placing inside the car and all the accessories and tools necessary for it.
Building design
Any construction or finishing activity cannot be started without developing a project. It will help not only to look at the future building and pay attention to possible errors, but also to calculate the amount of materials and monetary costs. It is worth determining the level of groundwater under the soil. For this, it is advisable to invite a surveyor.
Since now is the age of computer technology, you can not draw a diagram on a Whatman paper, but draw it up with a special program.
At the design stage, the owner needs to determine the purpose of the future structure. Either there will be only a car, or a small workshop with equipment storage will be equipped. Things to think about when planning:
- equipment of an inspection pit for a car;
- arrangement of a cellar for storing preservation and food in the winter;
- equipping the room with shelves for inventory and tools (utility block);
- setting up a table or workbench for small jobs.
After the approval of these nuances, you can start developing the project. It must indicate the type of foundation, its height and wall parameters. The standard scheme looks like this (roughly):
- garage width - three meters;
- height - two and a half meters;
- the optimal building length is five meters.
If the owner does not have time to make his own drawing, he can use the finished one. However, it should make adjustments based on location, water table and soil characteristics.
Number of consumables
Standard blocks are 60x30x20 cm, while the wall thickness varies - 20 cm or 30 cm, depending on the location of the material. In the future, this will affect the operation of the room and the presence of a heating system in it - if it does not matter, then 20 cm will be enough for the garage. If you often spend time in the room, even in winter, the surfaces should be made thicker.
If you take the above parameters of a garage building as an example, you can determine the number of blocks. It looks like this:
- For the longest wall, you will need 30 products for one row (with a foam block length of 60 cm).
- For a garage with a height of 3 meters, 10 rows should be laid.
- With simple arithmetic operations (30x10), a total of 300 blocks are required. However, you should take into account the openings for windows and doors - they will save money.
- If the owner does not conduct heating pipes (with a wall thickness of 20 cm per square meter), then 6 blocks will be needed. As for the openings, they will allow us to reduce the costs of 50 foam blocks. Ultimately, a good garage will require 250 items.
When the time comes to transport the material, you need to be prepared for the fact that chips or scratches may form somewhere.
Arsenal of tools
Special tools will help to reduce the time during the construction of buildings. This list includes:
- The number of foam blocks calculated at the design stage.
- Components for mortar are cement, concrete, sand and gravel.
- Consumables - wood for the roof, formwork, several rolls of roofing material.
- Metal elements - corners and fittings.
- Container for mixing the solution and a regular bucket.
- Trowel, spatula, shovel, rules.
- Welding machine.
- Hammer, screwdriver, hacksaw.
Practical part
The construction of the garage begins with the marking of the territory and its preparation. First you need to clear the area, and then determine where the corners will be. Stakes are installed at the designated places, between which the rope will pass. The tension angles must be straight. For a more accurate result, an axial marking is carried out.
The site for construction is ready - you can start digging the future foundation. Since the foam block weighs a little, for this type of construction it is not necessary to dig a very deep trench. But do not forget about the location of groundwater. If they are at a level of up to 2.5 m, then the tape-type base will be deepened into the ground by half a meter. It should be tight.
If the structure is heaving, then the foundation must be made monolithic. This is explained by the fact that the blocks do not lend themselves to bending. And this leads to cracks and destruction of the garage in the future. A monolithic base will help to avoid this. But he excludes the equipment of an inspection pit in the building.
The owner digs a trench for the foundation, the depth of which reaches 80 cm and the width is 35 (with a block width of 20 cm). The base is carefully tamped down, after which a sand cushion 15 cm thick and a layer of gravel 10 cm are placed on it. Next, the formwork is made and a reinforcing mesh is placed. The platform for pouring the solution is ready.
Observation pit design
The equipment depends on the type of soil and the location of the groundwater table. Under normal conditions (water at a depth of 2 m, dense soil structure), drainage is not necessary. But it will not be superfluous.
In a standard garage, the pit is a couple of meters long, but the depth can be different. There are many criteria for this, but the most important is the growth of the owner of the premises and the height of the car. Most often, the viewing hole reaches 180 cm (50 cm is taken as a reserve).
How to mount the compartment:
- First, a hole is dug with an allowance. It is made for the finishing screed of the floor covering, waterproofing layer and drainage.
- Then a ten-centimeter layer of gravel is placed, a five-centimeter layer of sand, each of which is rammed.
- To make drainage, the owner should dig a 50 cm trench throughout the excavation.
- Geotextiles are placed on the layers. They also need to capture the walls.
- After these procedures, a drainage pipe is installed with a slight slope and gravel padding. Plastic, asbestos, or ceramics are ideal. The structure is covered with clay, and on top with plastic wrap.
The algorithm for the following works is similar to the procedure for creating a foundation: formwork design, reinforcement overlay and grouting.
The surface of the inspection pit should be perfectly flat, without cracks and bulges. If everything is fine with the walls, you can start finishing work. Any material is used for the room: plaster, ceramic tiles and even fiberglass. For the safety of both a person and a car, metal corners 60 cm high are installed on the longest sides so that the wheels do not fall through.
Garage Doors
The gates are not mounted after the walls have been laid, but in front of it. They are fixed in place. Previously, several layers of roofing material must be laid on top of the base.
To make the gate frame stronger, the owner needs to weld the reinforcement - four pieces 40 cm long and one and a half centimeters in diameter, after which they are treated with a primer and paint. Particular attention should be paid to the location of the rods, since they must lie along the seams of the foam block.
The level will help you understand how level the gate is. To fix the structure, timber beams are applied diagonally. To create a reliable foundation, a special reinforced concrete beam is erected above the gate.
Walling
Regardless of the type of room, the construction of walls starts from the corner. Foam blocks are laid in such a way that their long side runs along the wall. They are fixed to construction glue or cement mortar. But experienced builders prefer to use glue: it keeps heat better and is consumed in smaller quantities than cement. But it costs more. Every couple of rows, a reinforcing mesh is applied to the surface.
The rods, which were welded at the stage of gate installation, are covered with concrete. And upon reaching the floor beam, neither them nor the blocks can be moved. If it becomes necessary to adjust the products to the set parameters, then they should be cut.
When it comes to roof-to-roof installation, the back wall blocks need to be slanted. To do this, you will need to remove the excess parts with a hacksaw or a grinder (if the roof is planned to be pitched). For a gable surface, roofing fronts are closed with clapboard. Cutting is already going on the side walls.
A formwork with reinforcement and concrete pouring is being built on the roof. The beams at the base of the roof slab do not need a reinforcing belt. Then the planes should be treated with a thick solution, where the metal mesh is placed and another layer of concrete on top of it. The excess is removed with a trowel or spatula.
The mixture should be like thick sour cream in consistency. Too liquid will not stick, and too thick will crack after a while.
Flooring
After the end of the construction, the owner only needs to equip the floor in the building. Since the load given by the car is very high, the tie must be strong enough. The highest quality and most durable coating will only come from concrete.
The perimeter, which is designated as a pedestrian, is made out with wooden planks. You can safely move along them or put a desktop and a curbstone. But it should be remembered that the wood is treated with an impregnation against mold and insects.
Before the pouring procedure, the surface is prepared for work - leveling, tamping, alternating gravel and sand (each tier is 10 cm). From above, they are covered with concrete, the ideal thickness of which is 30 centimeters or more.
Two-storey building
If the owner has the time and money, he can build a two-story garage. Foam concrete allows you to build a structure due to its advantages. The light weight does not place enormous stress on the foundation. The second floor will hold on tightly (even if an attic area is erected there), because the material is durable. Completely two floors are made in a month.
Having the best characteristics for one-story construction, foam blocks are often used to build a garage. In this case, their advantages (light weight, ease of processing and installation) are viewed in the best possible way, and a garage made of foam blocks will reliably protect your car.
All construction work can be carried out independently, and the technology itself is budgetary. To build a garage from foam blocks, you can completely do with your own drawing, but if a two-story building is planned, then it is advisable to contact the specialists and order the project from them.
Foam block garage with sectional overhead doors
Any construction begins with a plan. It should display basic data:
- Building type (separately or in a common array of garages);
- Purpose (number of transport units, household room);
- Building dimensions (length, width, height);
- Foundation type (strip, columnar or monolithic);
- Wall material - foam blocks.
- Roof parameters (type, slope, single or gable roof);
- Inspection pit. If a viewing ditch is provided in the garage, then it is much more convenient to dig a pit in advance using special equipment.
To independently build a garage from foam blocks with your own hands, you need to start with a whole complex of preparatory processes.
More information about the phased construction of a garage from foam blocks can be seen in the video:
DIY house with a garage made of foam blocks
Calculation of material for the garage
For the construction of garage walls, foam blocks with dimensions of 600 × 300 × 200 mm are used. Before calculating the number of foam concrete blocks, you need to decide on the dimensions of the garage. As a rule, its dimensions are 6 × 5 × 3 meters. To calculate correctly, you need:
- Calculate the length of the walls (6 + 5) × 2 \u003d 22 meters.
- The obtained result is divided by the length of one block, which is 0.6 meters 22: 0.6 \u003d 36.6, rounded up to 37 pieces.
- The number of rows is calculated (the standard garage height of three meters is taken into account). Divide the wall height by the block height 3: 0.3 \u003d 10 rows.
- To completely calculate the number of foam blocks per side, you need to multiply the number of blocks of one row by rows: 10 × 37 \u003d 370 pieces.
- From this amount we subtract the number of blocks that are replaced by gates and windows. When erecting walls 200 mm thick, the number of foam blocks per 1 m 2 will be 6 pieces. For garage openings, about 50 pieces are obtained. It turns out that for the construction of walls with dimensions 6 × 5 × 3
required: 370 - 50 \u003d 320 pieces.
On a note. This calculation is taken as an average, excluding the thickness of the seams and the likely rejects during transportation. It is recommended to add 5% to the calculated result so that you do not have to buy additional foam blocks from another batch, which may differ in size and properties, if necessary.
Calculation of the number of foam blocks
Seat selection
After the development of the project, the acquisition of material, the plan must be transferred to the area. First, they determine and choose a place to build a garage. The best option is when the building is located next to the house, within walking distance.
If this is not possible, then the distance to the exit road must be taken into account so that it is minimal. It is not advisable to build a garage from foam blocks with your own hands in a lowland, as this threatens flooding in the event of flood spring waters. You need to make sure that there are no:
- Power line;
- Gas pipeline;
- Sewer mains;
- Water pipes.
In emergency cases, the repair of these communications will be significantly more difficult if there is a building on this territory.
Layout of the site for the construction of a garage
After you have chosen a place, you need to make a markup for the foundation. This requires a small set of tools:
- A hammer;
- Cord;
- Rods;
- Roulette.
First, we determine the location of one of the corners of the future structure, drive in a small peg. Then we alternately calculate the location of other similar points, drive in the rods and then, for control, we need to check the distance along the diagonals of the resulting rectangle.
A strong cord is pulled over the hammered pegs and you can proceed to the next stage - the preparation and construction of the foundation.
Project development on site
Foundation selection
When installing the foundation for a garage, you first need to know the type of soil, the height of the groundwater at the site of the future construction.
Depending on the soil, a certain type of foundation is chosen:
- Strip foundation. Such a base is the most traditional for garages on solid ground. It can be a foundation deepened to the freezing layer, reinforced with reinforcement.
- Slab foundation. Such a base is buried up to 50 cm and is floating; it is used mainly on clay soils.
- Columnar foundation method. Used in swampy areas. With this option, the floor will be raised above the ground, and the disadvantage of such a structure is that it will not be possible to make a viewing hole in it.
Whatever foundation you choose, the main thing is that it is strong and reliable, so you need to take very seriously the process of constructing this basic foundation.
More details about the construction of a monolithic strip foundation can be seen in the video:
Strip foundation device
Laying the foundation
When arranging the base, regardless of the composition of the soil, you need to adhere to the basic rule - the foundation should be based on solid soil, which is located below the freezing layer.
The exception is peaty and clayey soils: in this case, a slab foundation can be used. Let us consider in more detail the construction of a strip foundation, which is most often used in the construction of garages from foam blocks.
On a note. Such a foundation is more favorable for a garage if it provides for a viewing hole or basement.
Calculation of the solution for the strip foundation
First, you need to dig a ditch around the perimeter of the garage and then measure the width and depth of the ditch. To determine the volume of the strip base, multiply the cross-sectional area by the length of the ditch. Let's say the width and depth of the trench is 40 × 40 cm.
For the calculation, you need to take the formula: V \u003d S × L, where S is the section of the base, L is the length of the entire basis. Substituting the initial data, we get the following result: V \u003d 24 × 0.16 \u003d 3.84 m³.
As a result, we got the volume of concrete solution for the strip foundation 24 meters long. Such calculations are suitable for the foundation of the correct shape, if the cross section is different, then the calculations will be different.
Calculation of material for strip foundation
Tape base device
To mount the foundation, you must first carry out preparatory work, for which:
- At the bottom of the trench, fill in a layer of crushed stone 10-15 cm thick and at the top build a metal frame made of rods and wire with a diameter of at least 6 mm and with a distance of the side of the cell 15-30 cm. This design will give rigidity to the strip base;
- Then you need to make the formwork from the material at hand (boards, plywood, chipboard or flat slate). From the surface of the earth, as a rule, they make it 30 cm high. To create rigidity, spacers, wedges and other clamps are used;
- After the installation of the formwork and reinforcement, the prepared trench is poured with a concrete solution, which is obtained in a concrete mixer. The mixture for the base is prepared in the proportion: one part of cement (grade M 400) and three parts of sand, gravel or seeds;
- It is necessary to fill the strip foundation with concrete at one time, in order to avoid uneven drying and cracking of the concrete.
After pouring a concrete mixture in the formwork, it must be covered with roofing material, thereby protecting it from direct sunlight and allowed to stand for 3-4 weeks.
Construction of strip foundations
Features when erecting walls from a foam block
After the final drying of the cement mortar, they begin to erect the walls, but first you need to install a stationary gate.
If the canvases are lifting, then you need to insert the guide profiles strictly vertically and at a certain distance from each other.
When building a garage from a foam block, certain conditions must be observed:
- It is recommended to make walls 200 mm thick, which is the most economical option;
- To exclude contact of the foam block with water, the bottom row rises by 300 mm (if the foundation is not raised) due to the cinder block or concrete slabs.
- As a rule, garage walls are constructed of D 700-D 600 blocks with a thermal conductivity of 12 to 0.16 m² · K / W, which is 4 times less than that of brickwork.
- It is necessary to observe the vertical and horizontal position of the wall from the first row using a plumb line and level. And at the same time, if you maintain the seams of a certain thickness, then you can easily make your own masonry and erect fairly even walls.
- The foam block has a relatively light weight, about 700 kg / m³, which significantly reduces the load on the foundation. And the strength of the foam blocks allows you to build a building up to 3 meters high.
- The large size of the foam block, combined with the simple processing of the material, makes the installation process faster.
- Foam concrete does not burn.
The disadvantages of such units include increased condensation inside the garage. To prevent this from happening, it is recommended to improve ventilation by installing a forced draft with an electric drive.
Walls made of foam blocks do not withstand conventional fasteners, therefore, special dowels with a PVC nozzle are used.
Attention. Walls made of foam blocks are laid with glue or cement mortar, while maintaining the seams during gluing requires 3-5 mm, and for cement composition - 1 mm. It is recommended to lay a reinforcing mesh through two blocks in a horizontal slot.
Reinforced masonry walls made of foam blocks
Roof device
After the walls have been erected, it remains to install a stable structure from beams for the rafter roof. Beforehand, do not forget to put roofing material under the beams as a waterproofing layer.
The final coating can be of any material (profile sheet, metal, roofing material), but it is desirable that the roof is combined with the roofs of existing buildings.
Garage roof lathing
Installation of overhead gates
The last stage in the construction of the garage is the installation of the gate. Each type of gate has its own advantages and disadvantages. Let's take a closer look at how to install an overhead gate.
Such a gate is a convenient and reliable device for protecting the garage from the entry of unauthorized persons. When opened, they occupy a horizontal position, pushing forward, forming a small canopy over the entrance.
The inner space of the door is filled with polyurethane, which is an excellent thermal insulation material. In such designs, all parts (rollers, brackets, couplings) are made of metal or plastic.
The drive for opening the gate is made by an electric motor through a gearbox, mechanically, by chain or by a universal method. The latter option is used if there are power outages in the region.
Council. Before installing the overhead gates, you need to purchase a set of components ready for assembly, and do the installation yourself.
Open garage door
Installation of sectional overhead doors:
If the garage is not built on its own site, but on the territory of the municipality, then its construction must be carried out in compliance with all the requirements of regulatory enactments, technical conditions and fire safety rules.
This is due to the fact that in the future it would be possible to issue documents for the garage without altering individual elements of the newly created building.
It has become very easy to build a convenient garage for your car. Thanks to modern building materials and rich practical experience, the construction of the structure is carried out in a short period of time.
Why is a foam block garage very popular:
- low cost of foam concrete;
- when erecting a structure, you can avoid the construction of a reinforced foundation due to the low weight of the material;
- the building is so strong that even a heavy car will be protected from bad weather for years;
- cement bricks have a rather low thermal conductivity, so a do-it-yourself garage made of foam blocks will not require additional wall insulation;
- the building material is practical and convenient. The design will get a beautiful shape without the involvement of heavy and expensive equipment.
Planning
In order for a foam block garage to meet safety standards and fully satisfy needs, a project of the object should be drawn up. The size of the future structure, soil type, height of groundwater, climatic conditions are taken into account. Based on the data obtained, you can easily calculate the number of foam blocks and select the required type of foundation.
What a typical project includes:
- The external appearance of the future development.
- Possible ways of finishing the facade.
- The total area of \u200b\u200bthe garage and its number of storeys.
- Space layout.
- Accurate calculations of the building material.
A well-designed project will help to anticipate problem situations and avoid unnecessary overpayments.
For practical purposes, a foam block garage is equipped with a viewing hole, an additional basement and a useful work area on the walls.
Laying the foundation
- If the construction is carried out in an area where the soil is homogeneous, non-porous and dense, a strip base will be sufficient. Low groundwater will not flood the building even in spring. A trench is dug along the perimeter, which is covered with sand, then rubble is laid out. The waterproofing layer is important. After tamping, the interior is reinforced and concreted in one step. It takes time for the tape to fully harden.
- When the construction of the foundation for a garage from foam blocks is carried out on problem soil, a monolithic concrete slab is used. Cement bricks do not tolerate bending loads, therefore, with a slight deformation, the material cracks. To prevent this from happening, a concrete slab is installed in the ground, which "floats" together with the structure as a whole.
- The above-described monolithic foundation for a garage made of foam blocks will not work if there is a viewing hole inside. In this case, a deepened strip base is installed, which is combined with the pile-strip foundation.
Walling
The cementitious material absorbs moisture and can destroy the substrate. As a preventive measure, a red brick basement is being built. At the point of contact with the foundation around the entire perimeter, roofing material is laid in several layers. Only in this way will the basement give reliable protection: the walls will retain their geometric shape and will not undergo harmful destruction under the influence of water.
Wall erection starts from the corners. In order not to check the angle every time, it is recommended to purchase corner cement blocks. After every second row, the masonry is reinforced with a mesh. Gate rods welded to the frame are placed between the foam blocks and fixed with cement mortar.
Particular attention is paid to the installation of a lintel above the gate, because even a slight displacement can lead the entire masonry of the front facade. The welded frame from the corners must exactly match the dimensions of the gate.
For the best coupling, we build a garage from foam blocks with our own hands using a cement-sand mass or a special adhesive. The latter is given more preference, since the building material is very easy to use and shows the best results for bonding forms.
Garage roofing
- The roof of the building can be varied. The most acceptable economy option is a pitched roof covering. In this case, the walls should have a slight slope from the gate structure to the back wall of the building with each meter upward.
- A standard gable roofing also does not require additional overpayments for construction. A mauerlat made of wooden beams is installed on the upper part of the walls. We must not forget about the careful waterproofing finish around the perimeter of the roof base. Moisture should not come into contact with the wood. If you adhere to the building standards of the roofing device, a foam block garage will turn out to be functional and durable.
Quality garage floor
The most costly and time-consuming type of work during construction is floor pouring. So, a solid garage made of foam blocks with your own hands should be with a concrete floor. A cheap coating will not withstand the heavy weight of the vehicle and temperature changes.
Stages of work:
- pour a small layer of gravel onto the cleaned surface, then a layer of sifted sand and gravel. Everything is carefully compacted;
- the finished backfill is poured with strong cement mortar (preferably in one step). The screed is leveled during work. It is imperative to give time for complete hardening, otherwise a garage made of foam blocks with your own hands will receive cracks throughout the floor covering, which will still appear even after spot treatment.
A constructed garage made of foam blocks should be equipped with ventilation, since there is no natural air circulation. Even slightly accumulated condensation can damage the entire property. If you build a supply and exhaust ventilation duct, there will be a natural adjustment of the incoming air flows and the release of polluted air from the room.
DIY two-story garage from foam blocks
When money allows, you can please yourself with a two-story building. The upper room is designed as a personal space. The only drawback will be the ingress of specific odors from the first floor.
It should be remembered that in this case, the construction of the foundation will be more costly. It is also recommended to take a closer look at the option of building with an attic. A small room on top is useful for tools and other important small things. Arrangement of the attic is less expensive, however, useful properties on the face.
Do you need additional insulation?
If a garage made of foam blocks will be operated in harsh climatic conditions, the structure will require additional insulation.
Three-layer combination of protection:
- Fiberglass (Styrofoam) to retain heat.
- Waterproofing film coating (prevents moisture ingress).
- Immediate finishing. Plasterboard is often used as a building material. After fixing, the walls are primed, plastered and finished. The final framing of the premises during construction will give the garage meters a neat look.
How to save money on building a garage from a foam block?
Try to purchase the necessary material in the non-construction season, as the price will be an order of magnitude lower. If the building belongs to an ordinary car owner, it is recommended to abandon the inspection pit. When the walls are neatly laid out, no additional exterior decoration is needed.
With a very small budget, the concrete floor is replaced by a well-tamped dirt floor. Try to stretch the activities over several time steps. In the meantime, you can recuperate and collect money for further construction.
Completing the attic or second floor requires additional investment. For the average car owner, there will be enough usable space on the interior walls.
When building a garage from foam blocks, even an amateur will be a good builder. Each square is five times the size of a brick, which makes it much easier to create even masonry. The work time will also be reduced. The use of adhesives will reduce the interblock joints and make the walls very strong.
It just so happened that the garage is often used not only as a shelter for a car, but also becomes a kind of "men's club".
Here you can put your favorite car in order, discuss pressing problems with friends, and, if necessary, spend the night.
We are no longer talking about such an important function of this structure as storing household items and preservation.
The construction of a garage cannot be approached according to the leftover principle: "he blinded from what was." Only a competent project and correct use of materials will make it a versatile and durable structure.
In recent years, building a garage from foam blocks has become extremely popular among car owners. We will consider this particular design option, from the foundation to the roof.
Why foam blocks?
The answer is simple - it is warm, inexpensive and easy to install. The cost is on average 35-40% lower than the price of red bricks, and the speed of their installation is 3-4 times higher. The low weight of the material gives tangible savings when laying the foundation. Low thermal conductivity allows you to build a warm room, in which it will not be cold even with minimal heating.
Good vapor permeability prevents humid air from stagnating in the garage, saving the car body from the main enemy - corrosion. A sufficiently high strength (35-50 kg / cm2) provides the walls with reliability not only in a one-story, but also in a two-story building with an attic room.
Foundation
Building a garage from a foam block with your own hands begins with laying the foundation.
Two economical options are possible here:
- Lightweight pile-strip foundation.
If your garage will not stand on problematic (swampy and heaving soils), then there is no point in spending money on a deep foundation. 50-60 cm of deepening into the ground, filling a 20-cm sand cushion along the bottom of the trench (with layer-by-layer compaction) and installing a reinforcing cage. That's all you need to do before placing the concrete.
If the soil is dense enough and the walls of the trench do not crumble, concrete can be poured "overshoot" without formwork. It will only be required above "zero" to fill a low grillage (20-30 cm).
A trench for a shallow strip foundation (option with the installation of formwork in the ground) must be dug 20-30 cm wider than the thickness of the wall made of foam blocks. This will create an additional "buffer zone" on the sides of the grillage, which will compensate for the pressure of the frozen soil.
Having poured concrete into the formwork, we give it time to gain strength (1-2 weeks) and then we make waterproofing. To do this, the easiest way is to buy a cold bucket and coat the grillage on three sides (on the sides and on top). A simplified version is laying on top of 1-2 layers of roofing material. The foam block does not actively absorb water (closed cell structure). However, waterproofing the grillage and concrete floor in the garage is a must.
The second version of the foundation (pile-tape) is a little more complicated than the first, but it is suitable for construction on heaving soils. Having dug a trench for a shallow foundation, wells are drilled in it along the perimeter with a depth exceeding the mark of seasonal soil freezing. For such work, manual or is suitable. Borehole diameter - not less than 1/3 of the grillage width.
In each well (they are made in all corners, and under the walls they are drilled with a step of 1-1.2 meters), roofing material is placed, rolled into a pipe or trimmed asbestos-cement pipes. Then 2-3 reinforcing bars are lowered into the holes so that their ends go out into the future concrete grillage.
After that, the work is carried out by analogy with the first option. A sand cushion is poured layer by layer, formwork, reinforcement are placed and poured with concrete.
Wall masonry
It is better to choose foam blocks for a garage with a density of 600-800 kg / m3 (structural and thermal insulation). They are warm and durable enough. We do not need a lower density, since such a material is too fragile.
For masonry, you can buy a foam block (20x30x60 cm). If you want to make the walls warmer, then purchase material 30x40x60 cm in size. The thickness of the walls can be increased by laying the blocks wide side down (30-40 cm thick).
Beginners most often use ordinary cement-sand mortar for masonry. More experienced builders prefer perlite - the optimal material for obtaining a "warm seam".
It is not too expensive and makes the solid masonry equally warm, without cold bridges through the seams. A solution with perlite insulation is prepared in the following proportion:
- 1 part perlite;
- 1 part cement;
- 2 pieces of sand.
Water is added in small portions as you knead until a masonry consistency is reached (thick sour cream). If you didn’t find pure perlite, then buy a dry mortar mixture "thermos".
Even if you have made the surface of the foundation fairly flat, you still need to lay the first row of foam blocks on a 2-3 cm thick layer of mortar. It will allow the block to "find" its place and eliminate the risk of cracks from point loads.
When working with foam concrete, one should not forget about its fragility, therefore, after 2-3 rows, you need to lay a reinforcing mesh made of galvanized steel or plastic.
Having outlined a place for the gate, you need to install them on the foundation, check the horizontal, vertical and secure them with temporary struts.
Suture dressing is an essential element of the technology. It is especially important for foam blocks. Their dimensions are much larger than the dimensions of a standard brick, therefore, without overlapping the seams in adjacent rows and at the corners of the masonry, the wall array will not be solid and monolithic.
After driving the walls under the ceiling, take a break for a couple of days so that the solution gains strength. After this, work is carried out depending on what the garage will be covered with.
If you are building a two-story garage or decide to cover a one-story garage with reinforced concrete panels, then along the upper row of masonry you need to make a reinforced belt of reinforced concrete 15-20 cm high.It will protect fragile foam blocks from crushing by heavy panels and give the structure spatial rigidity.
Floors
Everything is relatively simple here. After removing 15-20 cm of natural soil and leveling the base, it is covered with sand and compacted with a tamper. After that, a thick plastic wrap is laid, bringing its edges 15-20 cm onto the foundation to cut off soil moisture.
For reinforcement, use a conventional masonry mesh (cell 10x10 cm). To create a protective layer of concrete, gravel is placed under it. Filling the first "rough" layer (5-10 cm) and leveling it, the screed is given several days to gain strength. After that, wooden lighthouse strips are placed on the concrete with a step equal to the width of the "trowel", the finishing screed is poured and carefully leveled.
Roof
Three design options are allowed here:
- A pitched roof on wooden beams;
- Gable hip roof;
- Mansard type roof.
If the garage will be used not only for storing the car, but also as a workshop, it is better to stay on the third option. not much more expensive than a low pitched roof, but more profitable from the point of view of ease of use. This is especially true for cooperative garages, where standard dimensions of 3.5x6 meters are clearly not enough to equip a workshop. In addition, a warm garage with an attic can be operated all year round.
Having laid wooden floor beams on the walls, the rafter legs of the attic structure are attached to them. Installation is started from the end walls (back and front). Having collected the two extreme farms, a lighthouse cord is pulled between them and the remaining structures are installed. After that, the crate is filled and slate or metal tiles are laid.
If you are satisfied with a cold garage, then the construction can be completed by filing the ceiling with plywood, edged or tongue-and-groove boards. If we are talking about a warm room, then the roof will have to be given more attention. Ecowool or rolled mineral wool (a layer of at least 10 cm) must be laid in the ceiling on the vapor barrier layer. The walls of the attic will also have to be insulated with one of the specified materials, laying it in the space between the rafter legs and closing it with a vapor barrier film from the inside.
Calculation of the amount of materials for the garage from blocks
A set of materials for a garage with a height of 2.5 and a plan size of 6x3.5 meters includes:
- Sand (for filling the foundation cushion and floor);
- Concrete for foundation, monolithic belt and floor;
- Roofing material or cold bituminous mastic for waterproofing;
- Masonry mortar;
- Armature;
- Foam blocks;
- Masonry mesh;
- Edged board (ceiling filing, floor and roof lathing);
- Floor beams and rafters;
- Insulation;
- Metal tiles;
- Vapor barrier;
- Fasteners;
- Goal.
You can calculate the number of foam blocks per garage by determining the perimeter of the foundation and multiplying it by the thickness and height of the wall. We subtract the area of \u200b\u200bthe gate from the obtained value, multiplied by the thickness of the wall.
In our case, the calculations will look like this:
Perimeter of the garage \u003d 6x2 + 3.5x2 \u003d 19 meters x 2.5 meters (wall height) x 0.3 (wall thickness) \u003d 14.25 m3 of foam blocks. From the resulting volume, you need to subtract the volume of the gate 2.5x2.0 meters x 0.3 m \u003d 1.5 m3. We get 14.25-1.5 \u003d 12.75 m3.
Now we divide this volume by the volume of one block - 0.036 m3 and we get 354 pieces. We give a margin of 15% for waste during cutting and transportation 354x1.15 \u003d 407 pieces. Now it remains for us to determine how much it costs to build a garage from foam blocks, taking into account the current prices of materials (with delivery to the object).
- We need sand 3.8 m3 (filling the foundation cushion) + filling the floor 2.4 m3 \u003d 6.2 m3x800 rubles / m3 \u003d 4960 rubles.
- Concrete M 200 (5.5 m3 at 3500 rubles / m3) \u003d 19 250 rubles)
- Cold bituminous mastic (2 buckets of 18 kg each) - 740 rubles.
- Mortar M100 (flow rate \u003d 0.23 m3 per 1 cubic meter of masonry) x 12.75 m3x 2,400 rubles / m3 \u003d 7038 rubles.
- Rebar 14 mm - 4 100 rubles.
- Masonry mesh 100x100x3mm (2 rolls of 15 m2) \u003d 6 800 rubles.
- Foam blocks 20x30x60 cm (407 pieces at a price of 150 rubles / piece) \u003d 61,050 rubles.
- Edged board 2.1 m3 x 5000 rubles / m3 \u003d 10 500 rubles.
- Beams for floors and rafters 1.26 m3 x 5000 rubles / m3 \u003d 6000 rubles.
- Insulation roll for overlap (mineral wool 10 cm) 1.62 m3x4300 rubles / m3 \u003d 6,966 rubles.
- Vapor barrier 1 roll \u003d 1 350 rubles.
- Metal tile 54 m2 x 290 rubles / m2 \u003d 15 660 rubles.
- Fasteners 4 kg x 125 rubles / kg \u003d 500 rubles.
- Gates (insulated with a wicket) - 34,000 rubles.
In total, the estimated cost of construction is 178,914 rubles.