Pouring the garage floor can be done in different ways. The concrete floor attracts with its strength, comparative cheapness and the possibility of making it by hand. For many car enthusiasts, the garage becomes a second home, and therefore the issue of arranging this room is taken seriously.

A garage floor is subject to specific conditions that distinguish it from similar flooring in other areas. In addition to the standard requirements for any floor covering (strength, moisture resistance, durability, environmental friendliness, fire safety), the garage floor is exposed to specific influences:

1. Significant mechanical load caused by the mass of the vehicle has both static (when the vehicle is standing) and dynamic (when the vehicle is moving) character.
2. Local mechanical loads when installing a jack and other mechanisms.
3. Mechanical shock caused by dropping heavy objects and tools, often with sharp edges and corners.
4. Chemical influences arise when such rather aggressive substances as gasoline, diesel fuel, engine oil, coolant, solvents, etc., are often spilled onto the floor, as well as the influence of exhaust gases.

As a rule, high design requirements are not put forward for garage flooring, but the reliability parameters should be at their best. The floor in the garage is concrete, in general, satisfies the basic requirements, and therefore is popular in garage construction.

There are problems that still arise during the operation of a concrete pavement. As a result of the dynamic load when the vehicle is moving, a significant dust content arises, caused by the constant peeling of particles of concrete components from the surface. Oil and gasoline stains on the concrete surface form stains that not only spoil the appearance of the floor, but also violate fire safety standards. In addition, these substances, when absorbed into concrete, destroy it and cause unpleasant and harmful fumes, especially at elevated temperatures. These problems necessitate a particularly careful approach to pouring and the use of the necessary additives and protective coatings.

Concrete floors in the garage are made on the basis of a sand-cement mixture. The most common recipe for the composition: cement grade not lower than M400 (1 part), river sand (3 parts) and crushed fine crushed stone (3 parts). All this is thoroughly mixed with water until it becomes thick sour cream. The concrete floor screed ensures that the most important requirements are met, but to create a truly durable and reliable garage floor, it is necessary to provide waterproofing from the bottom (protection from groundwater and precipitation) and a protective cover from above (from peeling, dusting and impregnation with chemically active liquids).

Surface protection can be provided in several ways. Such means are often used: polyurethane or epoxy composition, special paint for concrete. Such a coating should not give a sliding effect for humans and automobile wheels, which is ensured by the required surface roughness.

Modern materials will help provide the necessary protection. One of the popular options is a topping system. This dry mix contains cement, plasticizers, pigments and aggregates that provide mechanical and chemical enhanced properties. A mortar prepared from this mixture is applied over the concrete screed until it hardens completely. This hardening coating reliably adheres to the concrete fill and creates a reliable protective layer. It is important, after 4-5 hours of exposure, to carry out the final grouting of the layer using a special paddle tool.

Required tool

When making a concrete floor in a garage, prepare the following tool:

• grinder for cutting reinforcement;
• construction mixer;
• vibrator or bayonet shovel;
• shovel shovel;
• Master OK;
• putty knife;
• rule;
• hammer;
• hacksaw;
• pliers;
• roulette;
• construction level;
• metal ruler;
• container for solution preparation;
• measuring bucket.

Pouring concrete floor

In order to properly fill the floor in the garage with concrete, it is necessary to perform several mandatory measures for waterproofing and strengthening the screed. If necessary, you can think about floor insulation.

How to fill the floor in the garage with concrete, in the garage the arrangement of the concrete floor is carried out as follows:

1. Removal of soil over the entire floor area to a depth of 40 cm. The surface is well compacted.
2. Screed cushion formation. For this purpose, a layer of fine gravel 15-20 cm thick and a layer of sand 10-15 cm thick are filled in. If there is a desire to insulate the floor in the garage, then instead of gravel, you can use expanded clay or slag.
3. Laying waterproofing. Roofing material or polyethylene film of increased thickness is laid on top of the pillow. The material is laid with an overlap of at least 20 cm.
4. Installation of a reinforcing layer. On the waterproofing layer, it is necessary to lay a reinforcing layer in the form of a mesh of steel reinforcement with a diameter of 12-16 mm. If the garage has a large area or is intended for a heavy car, then the reinforcement is carried out in 2 layers. At the intersection, the reinforcing rods are tied together with steel wire.
5. Installation of the bounding formwork. The limiter in the form of a board of the required width is installed around the perimeter of the garage, and also limits the inspection pit.
6. Installation of beacons. In order to fill the garage floor with a level floor, it is recommended to use beacons, the tops of which form the surface of the concrete screed. Such beacons can be made of wood or metal, and are fixed strictly vertically over the entire floor area in increments of 50-60 cm. The imaginary surface along the tops of the lighthouse is checked using a building level. The surface can be strictly horizontal or with a given slight slope.
7. Preparation and mixing of concrete solution. It is important to ensure that the ingredients are mixed evenly, and therefore it is recommended to use a construction mixer if pouring is done manually, without using a concrete mixer.
8. Pouring a rough concrete floor. The mortar is evenly distributed with a shovel over the entire floor area, compacted, and then leveled using a metal rule. Leveling the surface is done along the tops of the beacons. The thickness of the concrete layer is about 12-20 cm. Compaction of the mass is carried out using a vibrator, and in its absence, using a bayonet shovel. Filling the entire area in 1 pass is very difficult due to the significant volume of the solution. To simplify the task, concrete is poured in sections, which are limited by temporary mobile formwork from a board of the required width. The poured sub-floor is cured for 10 days to dry and cure.
9. Filling the finishing layer. The previous reinforced concrete layer is considered a sub-floor. On top of it, a finishing cement screed is poured. It refines the look and redistributes the load. A screed is made from a mixture of cement and sand in a ratio of 1: 3 with a thickness of 4-6 cm. The above-described reinforcing topping system can be used as the final coating.
10. Formation of a protective coating. If you want to increase the reliability of the garage floor, you can pour a protective layer of epoxy or polyurethane composition over the concrete screed. The manufacture of such protection is carried out strictly in accordance with the instructions for the material.

Concrete flooring in a garage is widespread among car enthusiasts. satisfies all the requirements quite well. It can be covered with protective layers to increase its reliability. Any person can make such a floor, but certain rules must be followed.

How to fill a garage floor with concrete in a garage updated: November 15, 2016 by the author: Artyom

How to fill clean floors in a garage building with concrete with your own hands is known to professional builders, craftsmen with a capital letter. But they are in no hurry to reveal secrets, to make them public. Meanwhile, there are no particular difficulties in this, only scrupulous adherence to technology, the use of high-quality materials and a minimum of tools are required.

Car enthusiasts planning a concrete garage floor want to understand what its advantages and disadvantages are, as opposed to latex or wood. Such a covering is arranged in open areas, ramps, it is suitable for parking lots and closed insulated boxes.

The advantages of a concrete floor are as follows:

• durability;
• low cost;
• versatility;
• ease of manufacture.

You can safely put a motorcycle or a car on a completely frozen floor that has gained strength - it will withstand the weight, will not crumble or deteriorate.

Required tools and materials

To make a concrete floor, you need simple, common tools. To prepare the mixture, you will need a concrete mixer - a special installation with an electric drive. It is not recommended to use manual labor for 2 reasons: it will take more time, and significant efforts will be required to evenly distribute the components in the mixture, besides, the full amount of work will have to be divided into small portions equal to the batch capacity.

You will also need a trowel - this is a special device for leveling concrete mix; level, as well as a few shovels. The materials that are needed for the manufacture of the floor are easy to buy in a hardware store: cement, crushed stone and sand. For greater strength, it does not hurt to use reinforcement - meshes or ready-made frames.

Choice of concrete pavement

An important criterion for choosing a future concrete coating is the brand. The strength of the floor, durability and proportions of the components will depend on it. The correct selection of the composition of the mixture, taking into account the requirements for the board being produced, is half the success.

An important point is connected with the base itself: the floor will be arranged on the ground or on top of the existing, "old" coating. Probably, it will be necessary to excavate the top layer of the soil (in the first case) and the obligatory device for crushed stone preparation.

To get started, you need a markup: what will be the thickness of the floor, where to apply lines on the walls that indicate the upper edge of the future coating. The composition of the "cake" immediately preceding the concrete floor is as follows: a layer of sand without clay admixtures, not river (up to 5 centimeters), on top of it - rubble (about 10 centimeters). And already at the end, a monolithic slab with a thickness of at least 10 centimeters will lie.

Passenger

For a small car, a small car, the determining factor is the thickness of crushed stone and concrete - about 100 millimeters each. It is not bad if the upper edge of the finished coating is flush with the ground level behind the gate, so that a sill does not form: it is more convenient to use the garage, drive in and out.

Wire meshes with a diameter of 5-6 millimeters are suitable as reinforcement - this will increase the strength of the structure.

Freight

For a minibus, a truck, the requirements for the base are tougher: the thickness of crushed stone and slabs is doubled, and reinforcing bars or welded mesh made of rolled products with a diameter of 1-12 millimeters are used as a frame. Accordingly, the grade of cement should be used at least M400.

Preparatory work

Preparation includes excavation or removal of old flooring (earthen, wood). The main guidelines at this stage will be the following requirements: work carefully, in accordance with the predetermined thicknesses of the backfill / floor layers, be sure to use a level.

It is highly undesirable to "bluff": the flaws made at the initial stage will require correction at the subsequent ones. For example, an error in calculating the coverage, careless digging will cause an overconsumption of concrete, the need to level the level of the finished floor by increasing the amount of mixture.

Level markup

It includes the removal of lines on the walls, the installation of high-rise beacons that facilitate the work. The ideal option is to mark with a level, but as a compromise, use a level - laser or water level - is also suitable. The challenge is to balance the bubble exactly in the middle, which means that the planned surface (line) is horizontal.

To make it easier for yourself, the risks are performed with a bright marker, which will be noticeable against the background of the wall. It is permissible to pull a thin cord (for example, white) over the hammered nails.

Soil preparation

It consists in cleaning from contaminants (oil spills, debris), removing the top layer of the soil and deepening to the required, predetermined level. The roots of plants, trees, grass, any foreign inclusions are also removed. They will remain under the cover, may start to erode and prevent the job from being done with good quality.

The root system of colors is capable of penetrating dense structures such as concrete and asphalt, so it is very important to completely eliminate their presence.

Backfilling of sand and gravel cushion

In fact, layers of gravel and sand do not mix, like ingredients in cooking, but are stacked alternately on the ground. It is recommended to level the “floor” of the mini-pit in order to distribute the pillow components accurately and accurately. Sometimes it is advised to soak and compact the sand in order to increase the density of the layer, to fill in all the voids at the bottom of the pit.

Regarding crushed stone: professionals prefer to use not one fraction, but a mixed one - up to 2/3 of the average, the rest is small. Such proportions will provide the required stiffness of the layer so that it does not "play", and the individual particles fit tightly to each other. Crushed stone is also rammed by manual or mechanized ramming. Waterproofing is arranged on top of it.

Waterproofing

Modern technologies make it possible to use cheap and effective methods to ensure waterproofing of the future coating, excluding its contact with the ground and aquifers. For example, conventional plastic sheeting used in greenhouses and greenhouses. There are also more "serious" compositions - polymeric and based on bitumen. They need to be applied to the finished preparation, wait for drying, and then proceed to the next stage - laying the reinforcement cage.

Reinforcement

Opinions differ regarding the need to reinforce concrete with steel rods or mesh: on the one hand, such a step increases the strength of the slab, on the other, it increases the cost of work. By itself, concrete tolerates well distributed and point compression loads, but with a sharp drop in pressure it can burst.

The reinforcement in the body of the slab perceives external influences and allows them to be dispersed over the entire plane of the structure. Mesh and frames are used to strengthen the floor, increase its strength and reliability. In this case, the metal is laid with a small gap (not close), so that a protective layer of concrete is formed (usually 2-3 centimeters).

Pouring concrete

The components have been purchased, everything is ready for concreting and flooring. It remains to decide on the methods of implementation: to mix the solution manually sludge using a concrete mixer. The latter option will improve the quality of concrete and increase labor productivity. It is not at all necessary to buy a new unit for this, it can be rented.

Do not forget about the ratio of concrete components - crushed stone, sand and cement, as well as the amount of added water.

The liquid mixture fits better, but its brand will be lower, the stiffer is more difficult to work with, but the plate will come out strong and reliable. As a compromise, it is possible to buy a ready-made mixture at a concrete mixing plant - it will be manufactured and delivered directly to the facility, in the required quantity and with the required quality. It is highly advisable to use a vibrator or vibrating screed for good filling of voids.

Calculation of layer thickness

The thickness of the layers, the choice of the brand of cement and the calculation of the components of the mixture depend on the load on the future base. For an ordinary garage, in which there will be a bicycle or motorcycle, it is one, for a car - another, for a truck - a third. Roughly, the thickness of the slab for a small car is selected within 100 millimeters, for a car of greater weight - 2 times thicker. The crushed stone layer is approximately equal to this value, the sand - about 5 centimeters.

Installation of beacons

Lighthouses are needed not only at sea, but also in construction: they determine the marks and boundaries of the concrete layer to be laid. Markers are placed in height, marking the upper edge of the future slab, as well as along the edges, if the filling is done in several stages. Their color and material are chosen so that they can be clearly seen against the gray background of the cement.

Filling the screed

The screed is made of cement-sand mortar and belongs to additional work. Most often it is done to level the surface or in front of the device of the insulating layer.

Frequently encountered problems

There are a number of questions that beginners should pay attention to in order to help them avoid mistakes:

1. Subsidence of floor areas. Most likely, voids have formed in the preparation or the preparation itself has not been performed thoroughly enough.
2. Cracks (mesh shallow or deep). The technology is violated: the choice of the water-cement ratio is incorrect, the load was applied before the setting of the mixture (28 days), the work was carried out at negative temperatures.

3 / 5 ( 2 voices)

The dream of any vehicle owner living in a multi-storey building or private house is to have his own garage, which you can buy or build yourself on a special project. When thinking about building a space for your own car, provide the necessary quality garage floor.

You can, of course, try to get a reinforced concrete slab and install it using a truck crane. This finished product can be used for a garage floor. However, this is a costly undertaking. We recommend pouring concrete into the garage floor yourself, following the recommendations given in the article.

There are concrete floors in premises of various purposes: from garages to commercial and industrial facilities

Advantages of a concrete base

Concrete is the best material for pouring the foundation of a garage. It is superior in many respects to wood paving, compacted earth, compacted gravel and has the following positive characteristics:

• significant strength;
• resistance to aggressive compounds, gasoline, oil, chemicals;
• extended operating period;
• ease of maintaining cleanliness;
• resistance to abrasion factors;
• resistance to moisture.

Knowing which brand of concrete to fill the floor in the vehicle storage room, you can create a high-quality base in the building for parking your car.

Concrete selection

Concrete is a versatile compound designed for. When deciding which grade of concrete is best suited for these purposes, be guided by the strength indicator, which is decisive regardless of the grade and classification of concrete.

Concrete is considered the most versatile material in construction.

The best option for filling the floor is the use of concretes marked M100, M150 or M200, which have the required strength.

Let's consider in more detail concrete compositions of various brands:

• The M100 mixture has established itself as a good preliminary basis for installing the foundation, performing reinforcement work. It is also used for pouring insulated substrates, shaping the surface of sidewalks, and laying curbs.
• M150 concrete is suitable for pouring a car park and is used for the construction of fences. The mortar is popular because it has a low price and allows you to make foundations in garages where passenger cars are stored that do not create significant loads on the floors.
• M200, a medium strength mortar, is the best option for filling garage floors. Such a base is distinguished by a long period of operation, capable of withstanding the loads from most vehicles.
• The composition of the M250 brand has a high increased resistance to atmospheric factors, is not affected by precipitation, closely located aquifers. It is used in the formation of sites for heavy vehicles and is capable of absorbing significant forces.
• The M300 solution, which is not susceptible to temperature extremes and high humidity, has improved performance characteristics. Abrasion resistance, the ability to take significant loads allows it to be used to cover roads and, if financial resources are available, for the construction of parking lots for heavy equipment.

Concrete floor is the type of base that can withstand high loads and is optimal for arranging a garage

• Concrete mixtures M350, M400 from an economic point of view, it is advisable to use when forming a garage floor. They have excess strength, which exceeds the mass of the vehicle by a large margin.

It is necessary to decide what composition is needed to perform concrete work, taking into account the mass of the vehicle and the weight of the additional equipment that will be placed in the room.

Expert Opinion: Garage Floor Concrete

Most often, the M150 and M200 brands are used for pouring concrete in the garage. M200 grade concrete has average strength values. If you need a floor for heavy vehicles, it is better to use concrete M250 and M300. Concrete of higher grades has better performance, however, it makes no sense to spend more money on the purchase of M350 and M400 concrete components for the floor.

Dmitry Orlov

Pouring process

The technological process provides for the following stages of work:

• preparatory measures to form the basis for the screed;
• assembly and installation of the reinforcement cage;
• preparation of the mixture used for the floor;
• installation of beacons;
• pouring concrete composition;
• foundation planning;
• surface care.

Let us consider in more detail all the stages of work, we will figure out how to fill in high-quality foundations of premises intended for storing vehicles.

Before pouring the floor in the garage with concrete, it is necessary to equip a high-quality foundation, for which a number of preparatory work is being carried out

Basis preparation work

A well-prepared base affects the final result of concrete work. Its preparation involves the performance of a number of soil preparation operations. Produce them in the following sequence:

• Remove any remaining floor covering.
• Make an indentation in the soil about 25-30 centimeters, corresponding to the size of the bayonet of the shovel.
• Fill the cavity with sand-crushed stone or a gravel-based mixture up to 10 centimeters thick.
• Compact, plan the array to prevent shrinkage.
• Install the waterproofing coating using layers of roofing material, hydroglass or plastic foil, having a thickness of 0.2 mm, located with an overlap of 10 centimeters.
• Insulate the base by placing a tile-type insulation on the waterproofing material, having a thickness of up to 10 centimeters. For these purposes, polystyrene foam obtained by extrusion is well suited.

Manufacturing and installation of a reinforcing cage

Even at the design stage of the garage, they think over what kind of floor there will be. Sometimes they are left with earthen or asphalt crumb is compacted. But most often it is made concrete. In this case, the floor is strong, durable and moisture resistant. But all these parameters will be only in the case of the correct technology for pouring the screed. The article will focus on how to properly fill the floor in the garage and process it to increase the operational life.

• high strength. High loads will constantly be placed on the floor - the weight of the car itself, racks with spare parts, tools, etc.;
• immunity to chemicals. When repairing a car, situations often arise associated with leakage of brake fluid, oil or gasoline;
• moisture resistance. In summer, after rain, a lot of water drains from the car, but especially a lot of moisture will be in the garage in winter, when snow sticks to the doorstep of the car and begins to melt in the garage.

Advantages and disadvantages of a concrete floor in a garage

The main advantages are strength, durability and affordable price. It is these three factors that play a decisive role in choosing a sub-floor in a garage. It has several disadvantages.

• The floor in the garage is subject to intense abrasion, especially if the car drives into it every day. This causes abrasion and the formation of gray cement dust, which settles on objects that have been in the garage for a long time.
• A concrete floor that is not treated with a protective coating has a porous structure. If you spill a liquid with a pungent smell on it, it will quickly be absorbed and the room will not be able to ventilate for a long time.
• The process of concreting the floor itself is very laborious and time-consuming. It is impossible to do it efficiently for one person. But all these shortcomings are fixable, you just need to find an assistant and stock up on special means.

DIY concrete floor step by step guide

The works will be divided into:

• preparatory stage;
• reinforcement;
• concreting;
• finishing.

For each stage of work, it is advisable to use only high-quality materials and special equipment that can be rented.

In pursuit of cheapness, the strength characteristics of the base may be severely affected, which will lead to cracks, abrasion and require repairs ahead of time.

Preparatory work

Advice: it is recommended to immediately provide a heat-insulating floor layer. Even if the garage is not heated today, such a need may arise at any moment, and it will no longer be possible to insulate the floor. In addition, the insulated floor is not subject to seasonal temperature fluctuations, which means that the coating will last longer.

• First of all, they dig a pit over the entire area of ​​the garage to a depth of 0.5-1 m. Rubble is poured into it, which acts as a drainage, and leveled. The layer must be at least 40 cm.

• Above there is a sand cushion of river or quarry sand with a layer of 20 cm. It must be well leveled and compacted. You can use water from a hose with a spray, but it is better to use a vibrating plate. After it, you can walk on the sand like on a solid surface, without falling through.
• The sand should not only be compacted, but also horizontally leveled using a long rule. If necessary, the surface is given the desired angle of inclination. But we must strive so that the difference in height does not exceed 2 cm along the entire length of the floor.
• There is such a thing as capillary rise of water. That is, an unprotected concrete base can be damaged by water from below. Therefore, a waterproofing layer must be made before pouring. To do this, use plastic wrap, roofing felt or any other roll material with absolute moisture resistance. It is laid over the entire surface of the base with overlapping strips 15 cm on top of each other and with the same allowance on the walls.
• The waterproofing material is laid neatly, it should lie flat, not forming folds or dents. The margin left on the edge must be higher than the finishing height of the concrete floor in the garage. So that it does not interfere with concreting, it is recommended to fix it to the wall.

Advice: many do not attach importance to the insulation of the garage, since they do not plan to heat it. But there are times when the car needs to be repaired during the cold season, then it will be very difficult and expensive to warm up the room. Having insulated the walls, roof and floor, the garage can be quickly warmed up at any time and work comfortably inside. In addition, even without heating, a car in a heated garage in winter does not freeze like it does on the street and always starts easily.

• Heat-insulating material is laid on top of the waterproofing. The cheapest is polystyrene, but it can be gnawed by mice. It is best to use extruded polystyrene foam, for example, penoplex with a tongue / groove system. Plates 2.5-5 cm thick are laid tightly to each other, but with a gap of 2 cm from the walls.

Reinforcement and preparation of screed mortar

• Even a passenger car is heavy, so the concrete floor must be properly reinforced. If the concrete floor is made by hand, then it is better to take a ready-made reinforcing mesh with cells. If there is honey agaric of knitting reinforcement, then you can buy fiberglass and knit it yourself.

• The mesh of the finished mesh should be 10 x 10 cm or 15 x 15 and a wire diameter of at least 6 mm. It must be positioned so that when pouring it is located in the middle of the concrete mass. If it drops below, then the strength of the base will suffer and the likelihood of cracking will arise. And if higher, then it may soon become naked and appear outward. For this, special fixing props are sold; they can be replaced with bricks or pieces of concrete. The reinforcement must be firmly on the supports and not fall off during pouring. This requirement is universal and is also put forward when arranging a concrete floor in a private house with your own hands.
• To prepare concrete in the quantities required for pouring the floor in the garage, you will need a concrete mixer. The process is simple, the main thing is to choose the right proportions. To obtain a mixture of good quality, you need to purchase cement of the M400 brand, or even better M500 and mix it with ASG in a ratio of 1: 3. First, cement and ASM are poured into the concrete mixer and mixed, water is gradually added. Its volume is added individually and can vary with each batch. The solution is stirred for several minutes, adding water if necessary.
• You can do it easier and buy a ready-made mixture, the exact amount of water that you need to add is already indicated on the package. This guarantees a high-quality mortar and a long service life of the resulting base. This is due not only to the carefully calibrated ratio of the components, but also to the addition of plasticizers and fiber to the composition.

Diy concrete floor screed

• Next, install the guides for pouring the concrete floor in the garage. Smooth wooden bars or metal rectangular pipes are suitable for this. It is recommended to place them in the direction of the garage exit. To drain excess water from the floor, you need to make a small angle of inclination of about 1-2 degrees per 1 m.
• If the base is prepared correctly, has a flat surface and the required height, then the guides are simply laid. In the future, they are removed from the screed, and the resulting grooves are filled with mortar and leveled.
• If the base is uneven or too low, the guides will have to be additionally set. To raise the height, they put the right amount of cement mortar under them and wait for it to completely harden. In this case, the guides already remain in the screed and are not removed during finishing.

Tip: at the stage of laying the guides, you should also take care of the expansion gaps around the perimeter of the floor. It is best to use penoplex 5 cm thick, cut into strips, the width of which is equal to the height of the screed.

• Work with ready-mixed concrete is carried out quickly, since the mortar sets very quickly. Pouring begins from one of the far corners. The solution is poured immediately to the desired height (which depends on the expected loads and can be from 30 to 80 cm). For greater strength, it is necessary to remove all air bubbles; from the available tools, it is most convenient to use a shovel, which is stuck into the freshly poured solution with quick bayonet movements.

Leveling the concrete screed

• Before you level the concrete floor with your own hands, you need to make sure that all the guides are completely covered with mortar.
• To align, you need a long rule that will immediately fit 2 or 3 guides. It can be a regular wooden lath, as long as it is flat. With its help, they begin to make forward movements from the highest point towards the slope.

• Often, in the process, pits are found, they should be immediately filled with a solution and leveled again. Ideally, you need to achieve an absolute solidity of the coating without sagging. This can be done only by completing all the work at one time. Here it must be borne in mind that in 4-5 hours the solution will set and further alignment will be impossible. With a large floor area in the garage, it will be more convenient to order a mixer with concrete than to knead the solution yourself

Achieve maximum strength when concrete is hardened

• Moisturize 2 times a day... When the concrete mixture hardens, moisture evaporates from the surface very quickly, which leads to the appearance of cracks. Water will evaporate especially quickly if the garage has not yet been built and the sun's rays are shining on the floor, or from the wind, which happens during drafts. It is enough to moisten the screed surface in the morning and in the evening with water from a hose or a watering can to prevent further cracking.

DIY concrete floor video

Advice: it is not always possible to moisten the floor so often, in this case it is recommended to use special membrane compounds. When applied to the surface with a roller or spray, a thin coating is created that prevents intense evaporation of moisture. It must be used a couple of hours after pouring.

• Protect from direct sunlight and strong wind... When the top layer has set, it is recommended to cover the entire area with a film. It will not only save the concrete floor from the sun and drafts, but also protect it from accidental ingress of dirt. You can remove it in a week.

How to sand a concrete floor with your own hands

They grind not only the old concrete floor, but also the new screed. Leveling the surface allows you to prepare it for further finishing.

• Smoothness is achieved by grinding, so chips are less likely to form on it. Acquiring additional strength, the concrete floor is more economical in operation, cracks are less likely to form on it. In addition, the moisture resistance of the concrete floor is increased, which is especially important for the garage.

Advice: if the concrete floor in the garage was poured for a long time and cracked and began to crumble from moisture that got into its pores, it should be repaired. In this case, sanding will remove the damaged top layer; it will be enough to apply a protective compound over it.

• Particularly good for grinding is a concrete screed, which contains fine crushed stone. When using sand or ASM, the density can be too high or too low. In the first case, it will be difficult to grind, and in the second, the strength will decrease.

There are two ways to grind a concrete floor - wet and dry. The tools are the same, but the complexity and cost are different.

• Wet way... It is most often used in public places when marble or granite chips are added to the concrete mix. This is a great way to create a beautiful mosaic floor. But during work, a lot of dirt is formed, which makes it difficult to visually control the quality of the resulting surface.
• Dry method... It is most convenient if you plan to grind the garage floor with your own hands. During processing, a lot of cement dust is generated, therefore, special grinding equipment is equipped with a vacuum cleaner. In this case, all possible irregularities are immediately visible.

Advice: in some cases, it is impractical to purchase expensive equipment for working in the garage. If it is not possible to rent it, you can use a regular grinder with a diamond-coated bowl. The abrasive disc should be small in order not to overload the gearbox.

Stages of work on grinding a concrete floor

• Grinding the concrete floor in the garage can be started one week after pouring it. At first, it is allowed to make only one pass, during which the top layer is removed, in which the greatest amount of cement milk is removed. Removing it, the most durable layers will remain. And the final grinding is performed only after the complete maturation of the concrete - after 30 days.
• If the concrete floor in the garage was poured long ago and areas with erosion elements have formed on it, you will need to grind it until they disappear completely. For this, it is most convenient to use an abrasive for a 40 unit grinder.

• After the initial sanding, it is recommended to fill the entire floor area with a special reinforcing impregnation. Uni increase the durability of the concrete floor, which is especially important for the garage. The composition has a liquid consistency, so it is convenient to pour and level it over the surface with a roller with a long handle. The porous structure of concrete will absorb it quite actively, so you will have to repeat the procedure several times until the composition forms a film on the surface. The entire floor must be well saturated so that no dry areas remain. It is left to freeze.
• At the end, a final grinding is carried out using an abrasive with a grain size of up to 300 units. The resulting floor will be smooth and durable.
• Most often, in garages, floors are not covered with finishing materials, so you can additionally protect the floor by polishing. For this, the same polishing machine is used, only the abrasive is installed on it from 1500 to 3000 units. This is a fairly long-term work, but it turns out to be a perfectly smooth, almost glossy surface with high moisture-resistant qualities.

• Usually, in this way, they polish the concrete floor in the house with their own hands. Since it becomes immune to chemical reagents and is easy to clean.

Concrete floor repair by grinding

Pouring a new screed in an old garage is often very difficult. It is already filled with a lot of things, wardrobes, etc. It will take too much time and effort. Therefore, you can only make repairs to that part of the floor that remains open and requires replacement.

• Most often, during long-term operation with heavy equipment, the concrete pavement cracks, the reinforcement is exposed, or potholes appear.
• Along the edges of the pot, cuts are made with a grinder to a depth of 2-3 cm with a special diamond disc designed for cutting natural stone. The hole is cleaned with a perforator, removing all the old concrete to the cut.
• Next, carefully remove all the debris and the resulting dust with a damp cloth. After drying, the surface is treated with a penetrating primer. Then the concrete solution is diluted. If the volume of work is small, then it is convenient to buy a pre-packaged mixture for repairs, to which you only need to add water. The prepared area is filled with it and leveled with a spatula.

• The butt of the composition did not grab, with a long rule, the repaired section is leveled with the floor so that it does not protrude and does not have a depression. And they leave it to freeze.
• For such a small job, it doesn't make sense to use a special sander. It is enough to change the disc on the grinder with the desired size of abrasive and grind it by hand.
• In conclusion, it should be covered with the same protective material or compound with which the entire floor in the garage is treated.

Advice: even if there is a small crack on the floor, it is important to have it repaired in time. To do this, it is expanded with a grinder with a diamond disc to a width of 8-10 cm. It is also cleaned of concrete dust and primed with the desired solution. As a repair mixture, it is necessary to choose the composition that includes quartz sand, and not river sand. But you should not rush to grind, as a rule, the mixture settles slightly in such cases and after a while you have to add it at the floor level. At the end of the work, they are sanded and coated with a protective compound.

How to paint a concrete floor

The concrete floor is painted with one purpose - to increase the service life. Although this also affects the appearance. It will be pleasant for the owner to be in a beautiful and modern garage, and, therefore, to monitor his condition too. Modern protective paints for concrete surfaces protect them from chemical agents and mechanical wear. Most often, polyurethane, epoxy and alkyd enamels and paints are used.

• Epoxy paint for a concrete floor in a garage is more preferable. It has a two-component composition, therefore it requires preparation before application. After drying, it forms a very durable thin layer that is highly resistant to aggressive compounds, waterproofing characteristics and high wear resistance.
• Alkyd paints although they are ready-to-use and do not require mixing, a couple of layers of primer must be applied before painting. The concrete floor with an alkyd coating will be moisture resistant and durable.
• Polyurethane enamel creates a durable glossy surface that is easy to clean. It is also sold in the form of a two-component composition, which is mixed before use. Its main disadvantage is considered to be a very long period of complete drying, which is almost 2 weeks. True, you can walk on it in a few days, but driving into cars is not recommended.

What kind of flooring to choose for a garage

The material that is used for finishing the floor in the garage must be moisture-resistant, wear-resistant and not react with chemical compounds.

• If you want to make the garage beautiful and close the gray concrete floor, then it is best to choose a clinker or porcelain stoneware tiles... When buying, you need to pay attention to its surface, it should be rough and non-slip. This is an absolutely frost-resistant material that is not afraid of moisture. In case of cracking of individual elements, they can be replaced without complex repairs to the entire floor covering. In addition, if the base is uneven, it is easy to level it with tiles and cement-based glue. The disadvantages include only the high price.

• Some owners choose to bed linoleum do it yourself on the concrete floor in the garage. This can be done easily and quickly even for one person. This material, of course, has high moisture-resistant qualities and is easy to clean, and modern commercial types have high wear resistance.
• But here you have to be careful and consult the sellers. The fact is that even industrial linoleum classes, such as 41 or 43, can harden and break at low temperatures. An alternative can be a rubber-based material, for example, relin.

• Another feature of linoleum is that it is slippery. During repairs of the car, it can slip, therefore it is recommended to attach a non-slip material in the places where the wheels of the car will be located.

If you want to convert an old garage into recreation rooms, then it is worth laying laminate on the concrete floor with your own hands. This is easy to do, the main thing is that the surface is absolutely smooth. For this, it is most convenient to use a self-leveling floor layer, which does not require setting guides and reinforcement.

• A substrate is placed on top. Given the specifics of the premises and the lack of a full-fledged foundation with a basement, it is best to use foil isolon for this. It is laid over the entire floor area with small indents from the walls, with the foil side up.
• Since the garage was most likely unheated, the easiest way is to install a roll-type electric underfloor heating rather than centralized heating.
• If you are confident that the optimal temperature and humidity will always be maintained in the garage, then you can choose 31, 32 or 33 classes of laminate. In case of doubt, it is better to purchase a special moisture-resistant laminate designed for rooms with high humidity.
• It is laid on the floor, also with an indent from the walls of 2 cm, and the strips are fastened together, tightly inserting the spike into the groove. At the end of the work, a plinth is installed around the perimeter.

A garage is a welcome purchase for a car enthusiast. To use this place conveniently, you need to take care of the finish and the base for installing the car. Pouring concrete into the garage floor is the best solution, as there are many possible effects on the surface.

The floor is subjected to mechanical stress, must withstand a large mass, not be damaged when a heavy tool falls, and retain its properties with changes in temperature.

Estimation of cost and labor intensity

Pouring a concrete garage floor looks attractive in a number of ways. Among them:

1. the ability to use any cement, reducing costs. The 400 grade is considered optimal, but filling is also available with a solution using 300, if the garage is heated or there are no significant temperature fluctuations in the region in summer and winter;
2. if the floor in the garage is poured with concrete over floor slabs - this option for creating a coating will allow you to finish the work quickly and with minimal investment;
3. it is not recommended to use grade 500 cement for the screed if the garage freezes over. This variety has two weaknesses: it gradually collapses under the influence of moisture and has a rather modest resource of the number of freezing-thawing;
4. pouring the floor in the garage with concrete must be carried out on a prepared base.

Before deciding to create a screed, you should carefully investigate all the factors that will affect the coating. These include rising groundwater, freezing and swelling soils, and shallow foundations.

To neutralize specific problems, it is worth taking measures depending on the conditions of the current situation. However, the standard way you can pour a concrete floor in a garage is fine for most users.

Preparation of the base

To neutralize the effect of moisture from the soil as a result of the vertical capillary movement of water, to guarantee the stability of the base, to provide temperature damping and to obtain an even distribution of the load on the soil - it is necessary to create a multi-layer cushion. For this:

• remove soil to a depth of about 30 cm.This can be omitted if the rise of the floor level is not critical, for example, it is planned to equalize the height of the lower shelf of the gate and stop using ramps to drive into the garage;
• with the help of a vibrating plate, the soil surface is thoroughly rammed. Before starting this process, you should remove the roots of trees, debris;
• the backfill of the first layer of the pillow is done. For it, gravel of medium and fine fractions is used. Tamping is performed with a vibrating plate;
• the final layer is sand. Its thickness can reach 100 mm, the recommended minimum is 50 mm. After filling the sand, its surface is carefully leveled, intensively spilled with water, compaction is carried out with a vibrating plate.

The tool does not have to be purchased. The vibrating plate can be rented, but its use is highly recommended. Thorough preparation of the base is part of the answer to the question of how to properly fill the floor in the garage with concrete.

Markup

The answer to the question of how to level a concrete floor in a garage is different from options for residential or public spaces. It is necessary to create a mandatory slope of the surface in the direction of the drainage zone or simply in the direction of the gate. Knowing how to fill the floor in the garage with concrete with a slope - you can achieve dryness, the absence of mold and other troubles.

Work is carried out after the base spilled with water dries out and there is no dirt. In the warm season, this takes from 1 to 2 days. The markings for the concrete floor in the garage are as follows:

• using a laser level, mark the trajectories of the level along the walls;
• in the corners, as well as in the areas where hatches, inspection holes and other objects are located, pegs are driven in. This should be done as close to the wall as possible so that they do not interfere with the installation of waterproofing;
• to achieve a standardized slope of 2%, the height of the pegs is varied. At the lowest point of the surface according to the plan, their height should correspond to the mark of the laser level and be 50-70 mm above the base. The height of the pegs at the highest point is calculated according to the rule: for each meter of distance, 15-20 mm are added. For example, in a garage 6 meters long, the pegs farthest from the bottom point will be 12 cm higher than the nearest ones;
• the thread is stretched crosswise between the corner pegs. It will serve as a kind of beacon for leveling the surface.

If the configuration of the cultivated area is complex, there are hatches in the basement, a viewing hole - you can drive in additional pegs. Their height must be carefully calculated in relation to the distance from the lowest level anchor point. The thread is also pulled between the additional pegs.

After the markings are made and the beacons made of threads are stretched, it becomes clearer how to properly fill the floor in the garage with concrete. Before the production of the following works, twine - beacons are removed.

Waterproofing and insulation

One part of the answer to the question of how to make a concrete floor in a garage is to create waterproofing. At sites where heating is carried out in winter, insulation under the screed is required. This is not done to prevent the garage from cooling down, but to reduce the impact of temperature differences on the concrete. The work is carried out as follows:

• a roll-up waterproofer is spread on the base. Its type depends on the financial capabilities of the owner, acceptable results are achieved even when using inexpensive roofing material or glassine. Thick thick plastic wrap is also acceptable;
• laying is done with an overlap, each next strip is on the previous one by 10-15 cm;
• sealing of seams is carried out according to the rules for working with a specific roll material. For polyethylene film, a wide adhesive tape is used, bitumen-containing waterproofers are processed with a construction hairdryer for fusion in the overlap zone;
• the waterproofing should be 10-15 cm on the walls, a similar exit height is made in the area of ​​the hatch or the contour of the inspection pit.

Insulation laying in heated garages is done in a convenient way for the contractor. You can use foam, mineral wool or boards. To increase the life of the floor as a whole, the insulation is covered with another layer of waterproofing made of polyethylene film.

If you need a better result, they use a one-sided permeable membrane, which must pass steam from the insulation to the screed. But such a solution is generally more expensive.

Reinforcement

Sometimes the question is asked how to make a concrete floor in a garage without reinforcement. The answer sounds simple: a standard technique, a thick layer of screed. But this is ineffective in terms of cost and labor intensity. You will have to spend a huge amount of mortar, make damper seams with a grinder. Therefore, a reinforced screed is preferable.

A chain-link can be used to strengthen the screed. But for good results and convenience of work, it will need to be laid with a stretch, with a compensation gap to waterproofing, which is inconvenient to do on the basis of a sand and gravel cushion.

The screed is reinforced with a metal mesh, the mesh size of which is 50 mm. It is laid on top of the waterproofing and placed with an expansion gap of at least 30% of the total thickness of the future concrete pavement.

Solution preparation

You can fill the screed with an ordinary cement-sand mixture. Cooking is quite simple. For this, cement grade 400 is mixed with sifted building sand in a ratio of 1: 3 (cement-sand). In the case of using a lower grade, for example 300, the amount of sand is reduced to a ratio of 1: 4 and even 1: 5. The plasticizer of the solution is milk of lime, which should make up about 10% of the amount of cement.

A lot of people decide the issue of the topcoat in a fundamentally simple way. Ceramic tiles are laid on the concrete screed in the garage, if there is no danger of a constant fall of the tool. It shows good results, but the cost of the solution is high. Use rubber plates wisely.

Everyone can fantasize and implement ideas, because there is already a strong and durable floor, the task of the finishing coat is only to reduce the amount of dust and extend the life of the base.