Garage - a closed room, specially designed for parking, repair, ensuring the safety of cars, motorcycles. The options for covering the floor in the garage are very different - the modern variety of building materials allows you to choose the most suitable, depending on the operating conditions, the area of the room, the number of cars placed in it, the design of the space.
Increased requirements are imposed on the garage flooring:
strength - it should not deform under the weight of even the largest car, withstand the fall of heavy objects, tools, and not deteriorate when exposed to gasoline, other similar compounds;
wear resistance - floors should not be “wiped” through during operation;
durability - the material is selected so that it does not have to be replaced every two to four years;
maintainability - accidental damage, if they nevertheless appeared, should be easily repaired without large monetary, time costs, severe damage to the appearance.
The main types of coatings - their advantages, disadvantages
To cover the floor in the garage, a wide range of building materials is used - both traditional and modern. Sometimes the coating, as such, is completely absent. Gender performed:
earthen;
concrete, including painted;
wooden;
bulk;
from ceramic tile;
from polymeric materials;
from a tile for the sidewalk;
from marble;
from PVC modules;
made of rubber tiles.
Concrete floor
Concrete is a traditional, very budgetary coating. It is durable, can withstand the weight of even heavy vehicles. On the concrete surface, as a result of frost heaving, cracks can form, and when heavy metal tools fall, potholes. Usually they do not cause much trouble to motorists.
The increased formation of dust settling on the car itself, all horizontal surfaces - this is the main drawback. Any chemical contaminants are instantly absorbed into the concrete, form an unaesthetic kind of stain, often causing an unpleasant, difficult to remove odor.
Painted concrete floor
Concrete has many disadvantages, which are solved by coating with sealants, special paints.Such a foundation looks good, it is relatively cheap, the paint is easily applied by hand, using an airbrush, a wide brush, and a roller.
When a garage is intended for two or more cars, each parking space is separated by a straight line, painted in a different color.
Wooden floor
A floor from a natural tree - is most environmentally friendly, does not accumulate dust, does not emit harmful substances. Covering floors with boards is cheap enough if you do not use particularly valuable breeds.
Hard forms are best suited:
oak;
larch;
ash;
beech;
maple.
So that the floor does not deform, it is made of the most dry boards that do not have falling knots, cracks, or frizzes. Material is taken with a small margin - up to 10-15%. The main disadvantage of such floors is their fragility. Damaged boards in four to six years will have to be replaced with new ones. To increase their service life for a couple of years, insecticidal, antifungal, fire-retardant impregnations, varnishes, paints are used.
Wood processing by any compounds is carried out before laying, the coating is applied in two or three layers.
Bulk floor
Bulk coating is concrete “ennobled” with modern compounds. These mixtures are usually performed in two components - from hardener and polymer resins. The base is made with a thickness of at least 6-10 mm, it comes out very smooth, wear-resistant. It is not afraid of the most severe frosts and blows with heavy objects.
A bulk or polyester floor is not only as practical as possible, but also looks beautiful, since it has no seams. It is made matte or glossy, painted in various colors. In addition to monophonic options, coatings with simple or intricate patterns, 3D drawings are popular. The last option comes out the most expensive.
Ceramic floor
Finishing the garage is permissible with ceramic floor tiles. It is chosen as strong as possible, of high quality, laid on a concrete base.Which tile is suitable:
porcelain stoneware - made of clay with granite or marble chips, a small amount of other additives. In terms of strength, frost resistance, resistance to chemicals, the material is practically not inferior to natural stone;
clinker tile is a ceramic material fired at the highest temperatures. The material is shockproof, frost-resistant, does not crack;
floor tiles for outdoor use - suitable for installation inside the garage, has frost resistance, durability.
To avoid injuries in the event of an accidental fall, it is advisable to purchase a tile with an anti-slip effect - textured.
Earthen floor
The cheapest option for a garage floor is to make it from the ground. This method is used when there is absolutely no time or the opportunity to arrange it differently. There is no need to cover such a floor, but it is necessary to completely remove all construction debris, remove the fertile layer (this is 15-50 cm) so that insects do not multiply, and there is no smell of rotting organic matter. The "clean" soil is carefully compacted, layer by layer adding gravel, crushed stone, clay.
Such a floor is done quickly, almost for free, but a lot of dust is formed on it. The surface itself is very cold, almost at any time of the year, the soil will have to be periodically sprinkled, and in rainy weather there will be dirt and slush.
Polymer floor
The flooring with polymers looks aesthetically pleasing, does not accumulate a lot of dust, has a uniform, even surface, with accurate use it can last more than 40-50 years.
Other advantages:
small thickness;
vibration resistance;
good thermal insulation;
excellent waterproofing properties;
resistance to chemicals;
easy care (washing with water);
resistance to frost, sudden changes in temperature and humidity;
fire safety.
There are only two minuses: it’s not possible to make such a coating inexpensively, and in order to repair it, you will have to carefully select the appropriate shade.
The composition of the polymer floor is:
polyurethane;
"Liquid glass" or epoxy;
methyl methacrylate;
acrylic cement.
Based on paving slabs
Paving slabs of various sizes and shapes look great both in the garage and in the surrounding area. It is not perfectly smooth, because the risk of injury is minimal. This surface is swept with a broom, washed with water. It is unable to spoil gasoline, other fuel and lubricants. The thickness of the tile is about eight cm, the price is affordable, the sizes and colors are almost any. For laying the material does not require any special knowledge, skills. If polymers are present in the material, the coating will be as moisture resistant as possible.
To check the quality of the tile, take two elements, rubbing lightly against each other. If the details are scratched, cement dust is formed, it is better not to use such a material, but to look for a better one.
Rubber flooring
The material is made of crumb rubber mixed with adhesives, modifying substances, dyes. The product does not deform under the weight of the car; it comes out durable, ideal for a garage.
Benefits:
impact resistance;
elasticity, resilience;
the coating does not accumulate condensation, as it “breathes”;
fire safety;
environmental friendliness;
high soundproof properties;
excellent thermal insulation.
The disadvantages include the high complexity of installation work, for which it is better to hire a specialist.
The rubber coating is produced in the form of:
modular tiles - multicolored patterns are laid out from it, since the color scheme, various forms are offered. It is not difficult to repair such a floor, but the material is acquired with a margin of about 10%;
rugs - solid or cellular. Products are easily washed under running water; it is permissible to stack them in front of the entrance;
rolls - are issued with cord reinforcement with a thickness of 3-10 and more mm.The material is durable, available in various colors, but it is quickly worn away with poor-quality styling, the presence of poorly glued spots. Repair is expensive, time consuming;
liquid rubber - sold as a dry or ready-to-pour mixture. In the finished, applied form is a seamless, completely uniform coating. It serves a relatively long time, but is unstable to shock loads.
Modular PVC Flooring
Polyvinyl chloride is one of the most advanced materials sold in the form of modules of various sizes, colors. Differs in durability, chemical resistance, resistance to frost. PVC - the coating is not slippery, even if water is spilled on it (for example, when washing a car), other liquids. Polyvinyl chloride perfectly absorbs vibration, is resistant to physical damage, increased loads.
PVC plates are easy to install, since all parts are equipped with fasteners, locks, assembled without glue, like a designer. If necessary, the floor is easy to dismantle, disassemble into components to assemble elsewhere.
How to prepare the floor for finishing
Preparation for finishing, that is, coating with paint, wood, ceramic tiles, polymers, etc. is the most important stage in the manufacture of the floor. When calculating the overall design, it is important to consider what maximum load will be produced on the surface. Since the garage usually stands directly on the ground, the mobility of the latter should be minimal, the level of groundwater occurrence is from four meters.
The main stages of creation:
project of the entire structure;
marking a suitable floor level;
the device of the inspection pit or basement;
ramming, leveling the ground;
creation of a pillow from crushed stone, sand, concrete;
hydro and thermal insulation;
reinforcement, installation of "beacons";
screed;
topcoat.
DIY garage floor
The "rough" floor in the garage is carried out at the stage of the beginning of the construction of the structure, but after the construction of the walls.Finishing - much later, when the walls and ceilings are already decorated, there is a full roof. A correctly made floor “pie” consists of several layers: base, litter, waterproofing, thermal insulation, cement screed, interlayer, and finish coating.
The underlying layer is necessary so that the load on the soil is uniform. Its thickness is six to eight cm, the material is sand, gravel, gravel. The screed evens out the “rough” surface, its thickness is about 40-50 mm, if there are pipes or other communications in the floor, the layer above them should be at least 25 mm. As a layer, sand, concrete, bitumen, cement mortar, various options for thermal insulation, waterproofing materials are used. The thickness of this layer is 10-60 mm. Then proceed to finishing with any selected material.
First, the base for the screed is prepared, which is a carefully compacted layer with a thickness of more than 15-20 cm from gravel or sand. After waterproofing is made of dense polyethylene, roofing felt. The edges of the insulating materials should slightly “go” to the walls. Next, put a 6-12-cm layer of insulation (if it is assumed that the garage will be heated) of expanded polystyrene, another similar material. The strength of the concrete floor is achieved using a metal reinforcing mesh, significantly reinforcing the structure, protecting it from cracking.
The next step is to prepare the mixture for pouring. To do this, you need one part of cement and three to five parts of sand, the amount of which depends on its brand. It is permissible to use ready-made factory building mixtures containing fiberglass and plasticizers. For self-mixing the solution, it is advisable to use special mixers.
The permissible slope of the screed is no more than two percent (up to two cm per meter of length), while the lowest point is located at the grate or gate.Compensation gaps are made along the walls, poles and other protruding parts, this is especially important in spacious garage rooms (more than 40-60 sq. M.). Gaps are created in the process of performing the screed using a dilatation tape or profile.
Before the start of pouring, marking is made using metal columns driven into the ground. They mark the height of the proposed screed, using the construction level. Ready semi-liquid solution is poured onto the base, evenly distributed over its entire area.
The work is carried out very quickly, until the composition froze - at a time. The average layer thickness is 35-75 mm, with the installation of underfloor heating - a little more. Full hardening takes place in five to seven days to avoid cracking, the screed is moistened every 9-11 hours. If a specialized self-leveling material was used, its curing time is usually within 20-30 hours.
The concrete floor is usually ground, but not very much - the surface is left slightly rough, for better adhesion to the wheels of the machines.
Laying wooden floors with insulation
If you decide to make a garage floor of wood, first the foundation is prepared - garbage collection, screed, sand and gravel cushion device, use of self-leveling mortar, insulation using ecowool. When it is planned to install concrete, brick bases, it is necessary to take into account exactly where the machine will be - the distance between the individual columns is no more than a meter. On a concrete base, supports are not placed, but lags are immediately laid.
When installing a wooden floor, it is important to observe the following rules:
all lumber before laying is processed with protective compounds that prevent mold, rot, fire, etc .;
lags must be installed strictly horizontally, perpendicular to the route of entry of the car into the garage;
compensation gaps are left between the wood flooring and the wall.Their width is one and a half to two cm, so that with sudden changes in air humidity, lumber does not deform;
a gap of three to four cm is made between the wall and the lags .;
floorboards are fixed in the direction of movement of the car in the garage;
stacked boards should have a moisture content of not more than 10-12%;
the area below the floor must be well ventilated.
How to install:
the first step is the processing of logs and boards with protective agents, their thorough drying in the open air, the sun;
then the roofing material is cut into narrow strips, they are fastened to the ends of the boards, logs, places of direct contact with concrete;
lags are placed ribbed on a sand base, they are laid on supports made of timber, located along the walls, fixed with a galvanized tape;
empty places are covered with sand, compacted, carefully leveled;
floorboards are laid and nailed across the lag - you need to do this from the edges of the inspection hole to the walls of the garage;
if necessary, all wooden details are filed - it is advisable to do this work in a respirator, goggles;
freshly laid boards are varnished or painted to protect the wood from external influences.
Painted or varnished floors should not be too slippery.
The choice of laying ceramic tiles with your own hands
Before starting work, the base is prepared, after which the tile itself is laid, the formed seams are grouted, the protective coatings are laid. The laying process is carried out in the absence of drafts, without using any heating devices, at a temperature of + 12 ... + 23 degrees. Saving on materials is unacceptable - ordinary tiles that feel good in the kitchen, in the bathroom, quickly crack under the wheels of the car, and with the advent of cold weather they risk detaching from the concrete plane.
The following materials and tools will be required:
frost-resistant tile adhesive;
deeply penetrating primer;
notched trowel;
rubber spatula;
building level;
ceramic tile - it is taken with a margin of about 10-12%;
special crosses made of plastic to create even seams;
acrylic sealant or grout.
The base for laying tile materials is made as even as possible, without any bulges, cavities, cracks. Alignment of large defects is carried out using cement mortar, before this, a compensating tape is glued along the perimeter of the walls, then they are aligned.
Tile laying is done after a deep penetration primer is applied - it is applied in two or three layers. When the soil is dry, the first row of tiles is laid. This is permissible to do across the garage space, along it or diagonally. The glue is applied with a notched trowel on a small area of the floor, then on the tile surface, each detail is laid, gently pressing, periodically checking the level (it is permissible to use a laser or just pull the thread over the floor). To achieve maximum coating strength, each new row is laid with an offset so that the middle of the tile falls on the joint in the previous row. Contact with the adhesive on the “front” sides of the parts is unacceptable, but if this happens, the surface is thoroughly wiped with a damp cloth before the solution dries.
The last step is grouting. To do this, polymer grouting compounds that are resistant to high humidity, the effects of chemistry are used. Before grouting, the adhesive must dry for three days. The grout mixture is diluted, applied with a rubber spatula to the joints. The material hardens for about 40 minutes - during this time all excess grout must be removed. It will take 48 hours to solidify. It is not necessary to apply a protective coating, but it will keep the tile intact if a heavy object falls on it.
Conclusion
A lot of cars, motorcycles, other similar equipment “sleep” in the garage and winter, because the floor in it is made as durable as possible,especially if the car is large. Creating a suitable finish with your own hands is within the power of everyone who has the right tools, quality materials. For the design of vast spaces, multi-level garages, specialists with sufficient experience are usually invited.
Garage - a closed room, specially designed for parking, repair, ensuring the safety of cars, motorcycles. The options for covering the floor in the garage are very different - the modern variety of building materials allows you to choose the most suitable, depending on the operating conditions, the area of the room, the number of cars placed in it, the design of the space.
Content
Features of the garage floor
Increased requirements are imposed on the garage flooring:
The main types of coatings - their advantages, disadvantages
To cover the floor in the garage, a wide range of building materials is used - both traditional and modern. Sometimes the coating, as such, is completely absent. Gender performed:
Concrete floor
Concrete is a traditional, very budgetary coating. It is durable, can withstand the weight of even heavy vehicles. On the concrete surface, as a result of frost heaving, cracks can form, and when heavy metal tools fall, potholes. Usually they do not cause much trouble to motorists.
The increased formation of dust settling on the car itself, all horizontal surfaces - this is the main drawback. Any chemical contaminants are instantly absorbed into the concrete, form an unaesthetic kind of stain, often causing an unpleasant, difficult to remove odor.
Painted concrete floor
Concrete has many disadvantages, which are solved by coating with sealants, special paints.Such a foundation looks good, it is relatively cheap, the paint is easily applied by hand, using an airbrush, a wide brush, and a roller.
Wooden floor
A floor from a natural tree - is most environmentally friendly, does not accumulate dust, does not emit harmful substances. Covering floors with boards is cheap enough if you do not use particularly valuable breeds.
Hard forms are best suited:
So that the floor does not deform, it is made of the most dry boards that do not have falling knots, cracks, or frizzes. Material is taken with a small margin - up to 10-15%. The main disadvantage of such floors is their fragility. Damaged boards in four to six years will have to be replaced with new ones. To increase their service life for a couple of years, insecticidal, antifungal, fire-retardant impregnations, varnishes, paints are used.
Bulk floor
Bulk coating is concrete “ennobled” with modern compounds. These mixtures are usually performed in two components - from hardener and polymer resins. The base is made with a thickness of at least 6-10 mm, it comes out very smooth, wear-resistant. It is not afraid of the most severe frosts and blows with heavy objects.
A bulk or polyester floor is not only as practical as possible, but also looks beautiful, since it has no seams. It is made matte or glossy, painted in various colors. In addition to monophonic options, coatings with simple or intricate patterns, 3D drawings are popular. The last option comes out the most expensive.
Ceramic floor
Finishing the garage is permissible with ceramic floor tiles. It is chosen as strong as possible, of high quality, laid on a concrete base.Which tile is suitable:
Earthen floor
The cheapest option for a garage floor is to make it from the ground. This method is used when there is absolutely no time or the opportunity to arrange it differently. There is no need to cover such a floor, but it is necessary to completely remove all construction debris, remove the fertile layer (this is 15-50 cm) so that insects do not multiply, and there is no smell of rotting organic matter. The "clean" soil is carefully compacted, layer by layer adding gravel, crushed stone, clay.
Such a floor is done quickly, almost for free, but a lot of dust is formed on it. The surface itself is very cold, almost at any time of the year, the soil will have to be periodically sprinkled, and in rainy weather there will be dirt and slush.
Polymer floor
The flooring with polymers looks aesthetically pleasing, does not accumulate a lot of dust, has a uniform, even surface, with accurate use it can last more than 40-50 years.
Other advantages:
There are only two minuses: it’s not possible to make such a coating inexpensively, and in order to repair it, you will have to carefully select the appropriate shade.
The composition of the polymer floor is:
Based on paving slabs
Paving slabs of various sizes and shapes look great both in the garage and in the surrounding area. It is not perfectly smooth, because the risk of injury is minimal. This surface is swept with a broom, washed with water. It is unable to spoil gasoline, other fuel and lubricants. The thickness of the tile is about eight cm, the price is affordable, the sizes and colors are almost any. For laying the material does not require any special knowledge, skills. If polymers are present in the material, the coating will be as moisture resistant as possible.
Rubber flooring
The material is made of crumb rubber mixed with adhesives, modifying substances, dyes. The product does not deform under the weight of the car; it comes out durable, ideal for a garage.
Benefits:
The disadvantages include the high complexity of installation work, for which it is better to hire a specialist.
The rubber coating is produced in the form of:
Modular PVC Flooring
Polyvinyl chloride is one of the most advanced materials sold in the form of modules of various sizes, colors. Differs in durability, chemical resistance, resistance to frost. PVC - the coating is not slippery, even if water is spilled on it (for example, when washing a car), other liquids. Polyvinyl chloride perfectly absorbs vibration, is resistant to physical damage, increased loads.
PVC plates are easy to install, since all parts are equipped with fasteners, locks, assembled without glue, like a designer. If necessary, the floor is easy to dismantle, disassemble into components to assemble elsewhere.
How to prepare the floor for finishing
Preparation for finishing, that is, coating with paint, wood, ceramic tiles, polymers, etc. is the most important stage in the manufacture of the floor. When calculating the overall design, it is important to consider what maximum load will be produced on the surface. Since the garage usually stands directly on the ground, the mobility of the latter should be minimal, the level of groundwater occurrence is from four meters.
The main stages of creation:
DIY garage floor
The "rough" floor in the garage is carried out at the stage of the beginning of the construction of the structure, but after the construction of the walls.Finishing - much later, when the walls and ceilings are already decorated, there is a full roof. A correctly made floor “pie” consists of several layers: base, litter, waterproofing, thermal insulation, cement screed, interlayer, and finish coating.
The underlying layer is necessary so that the load on the soil is uniform. Its thickness is six to eight cm, the material is sand, gravel, gravel. The screed evens out the “rough” surface, its thickness is about 40-50 mm, if there are pipes or other communications in the floor, the layer above them should be at least 25 mm. As a layer, sand, concrete, bitumen, cement mortar, various options for thermal insulation, waterproofing materials are used. The thickness of this layer is 10-60 mm. Then proceed to finishing with any selected material.
Laying procedure, concrete floor pouring technology
First, the base for the screed is prepared, which is a carefully compacted layer with a thickness of more than 15-20 cm from gravel or sand. After waterproofing is made of dense polyethylene, roofing felt. The edges of the insulating materials should slightly “go” to the walls. Next, put a 6-12-cm layer of insulation (if it is assumed that the garage will be heated) of expanded polystyrene, another similar material. The strength of the concrete floor is achieved using a metal reinforcing mesh, significantly reinforcing the structure, protecting it from cracking.
The next step is to prepare the mixture for pouring. To do this, you need one part of cement and three to five parts of sand, the amount of which depends on its brand. It is permissible to use ready-made factory building mixtures containing fiberglass and plasticizers. For self-mixing the solution, it is advisable to use special mixers.
The permissible slope of the screed is no more than two percent (up to two cm per meter of length), while the lowest point is located at the grate or gate.Compensation gaps are made along the walls, poles and other protruding parts, this is especially important in spacious garage rooms (more than 40-60 sq. M.). Gaps are created in the process of performing the screed using a dilatation tape or profile.
Before the start of pouring, marking is made using metal columns driven into the ground. They mark the height of the proposed screed, using the construction level. Ready semi-liquid solution is poured onto the base, evenly distributed over its entire area.
The work is carried out very quickly, until the composition froze - at a time. The average layer thickness is 35-75 mm, with the installation of underfloor heating - a little more. Full hardening takes place in five to seven days to avoid cracking, the screed is moistened every 9-11 hours. If a specialized self-leveling material was used, its curing time is usually within 20-30 hours.
Laying wooden floors with insulation
If you decide to make a garage floor of wood, first the foundation is prepared - garbage collection, screed, sand and gravel cushion device, use of self-leveling mortar, insulation using ecowool. When it is planned to install concrete, brick bases, it is necessary to take into account exactly where the machine will be - the distance between the individual columns is no more than a meter. On a concrete base, supports are not placed, but lags are immediately laid.
When installing a wooden floor, it is important to observe the following rules:
How to install:
The choice of laying ceramic tiles with your own hands
Before starting work, the base is prepared, after which the tile itself is laid, the formed seams are grouted, the protective coatings are laid. The laying process is carried out in the absence of drafts, without using any heating devices, at a temperature of + 12 ... + 23 degrees. Saving on materials is unacceptable - ordinary tiles that feel good in the kitchen, in the bathroom, quickly crack under the wheels of the car, and with the advent of cold weather they risk detaching from the concrete plane.
The following materials and tools will be required:
The base for laying tile materials is made as even as possible, without any bulges, cavities, cracks. Alignment of large defects is carried out using cement mortar, before this, a compensating tape is glued along the perimeter of the walls, then they are aligned.
Tile laying is done after a deep penetration primer is applied - it is applied in two or three layers. When the soil is dry, the first row of tiles is laid. This is permissible to do across the garage space, along it or diagonally. The glue is applied with a notched trowel on a small area of the floor, then on the tile surface, each detail is laid, gently pressing, periodically checking the level (it is permissible to use a laser or just pull the thread over the floor). To achieve maximum coating strength, each new row is laid with an offset so that the middle of the tile falls on the joint in the previous row. Contact with the adhesive on the “front” sides of the parts is unacceptable, but if this happens, the surface is thoroughly wiped with a damp cloth before the solution dries.
The last step is grouting. To do this, polymer grouting compounds that are resistant to high humidity, the effects of chemistry are used. Before grouting, the adhesive must dry for three days. The grout mixture is diluted, applied with a rubber spatula to the joints. The material hardens for about 40 minutes - during this time all excess grout must be removed. It will take 48 hours to solidify. It is not necessary to apply a protective coating, but it will keep the tile intact if a heavy object falls on it.
Conclusion
A lot of cars, motorcycles, other similar equipment “sleep” in the garage and winter, because the floor in it is made as durable as possible,especially if the car is large. Creating a suitable finish with your own hands is within the power of everyone who has the right tools, quality materials. For the design of vast spaces, multi-level garages, specialists with sufficient experience are usually invited.