DIY strip foundation for a garage. How to make a foundation for a garage. The most budget option

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Even if you are building a foundation for a garage with your own hands, this can also become a creative process. That is why building a car garage is not always an extremely troublesome task; on the contrary, it is often a very interesting and enjoyable activity.

The beginning of the construction of a car garage is associated with the layout and drawing. And the basis of a garage, as well as any other structure, is the foundation. An incorrectly laid foundation suggests not entirely rosy prospects for the erected structure, including its destruction. That is why it is necessary to understand how important all the details and stages of foundation construction are.

How to pour a foundation for a garage

The initial stage of building a foundation with your own hands is as follows. As already noted, the first period of all construction-related work is the drawing of the structure that you have to build. This document is needed not only to think through and correctly calculate the quantity building materials, but also in order to take into account the geological conditions of the site on which the garage is being built. It should be noted that in order to correctly draw up a building plan, you need to accurately determine the area where the garage is located and clearly understand exactly where to dig a trench and how deep this pit should be. It is these factors that turn out to be the most important and fundamental in construction, as a result of which drawings and projects are always drawn up in advance.

At the initial stage, the position of the garage on the site is also chosen. It is preferable to carry out a soil survey before starting construction. Depending on the data obtained as a result of the research, the type of foundation and the size of its deepening will be selected. If you don’t want to spend time and effort on soil analysis, then you need to determine the depth of the trench in accordance with the foundation of the house, and its width should be at least 40 cm.

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Do-it-yourself monolithic foundation for a garage

Many types of foundations can be chosen for this structure. In theory, builders can decide in favor of almost any type of foundation, but it must be taken into account that the location of the foundation and its dimensions must correspond to the main purpose of the garage - entry into and exit from the garage.
The most popular type of such foundation is monolithic.

It is quite easy in terms of construction, since this process does not involve too serious physical costs.

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DIY strip foundation

First you need to establish the boundaries of the base for the garage. They depend on the size of the garage and its weight, and also on the characteristics of the soil. Most often, the depth of the trench for the foundation for a garage is from 70 to 100 cm. The width can also be increased, because this indicator depends on what materials you intend to build the garage from. Accordingly, the foundation of a garage made of aerated concrete will already be the foundation for a brick garage. The duration of construction activities is determined by the dimensions of the building, and you can make a foundation for a garage with your own hands quite easily.

After all the preparatory work has been completed, it is necessary to begin digging a trench for the foundation. Digging a foundation can be done quickly and easily with your own hands. But a lot also depends on the composition of the soil. So, if there is enough sand in it, then its depth may be less than 70 cm. In this case, if you get to the sand layer, then this will be enough (sometimes this depth is only 30 cm).
When the trench is ready, you need to pour sand and gravel onto the bottom. If there is enough sand in the soil, then you can immediately pour crushed stone. The sand must first be compacted. This is done with water. By pouring it into the sand, you will achieve the best possible result.

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Do-it-yourself formwork and foundation for a garage

Now you can start constructing the formwork. There are 2 methods for carrying out this event: you can purchase it or build it yourself. The first option is best used if the builder does not have the necessary skills and abilities. Any formwork component must be constructed with the highest possible quality, in accordance with the volume of the foundation. Most often, wide boards or boards nailed together are used to construct it. As soon as they are ready, it is necessary to fix the formwork so that there are no distortions or deviations.
After erecting and strengthening the formwork structure, it is necessary to proceed to pouring the foundation for the garage. Before pouring, you need to decide whether additional is needed. This is done to strengthen the base of the garage. In this case, the following can be used for reinforcement:

metal pins;
wire;
reinforcing mesh.

The strip foundation for the garage is poured with a special cement mortar. They need to shed all the gaps formed between the rubble. For the solution you will need:

sand - 3 buckets;
cement - 1 bucket;
water;
plasticizer - 75 g.

First, the cement is mixed. Pour it into the water (1 bucket is enough to start). As soon as you get a uniform mass without lumps, you can add a plasticizer to it. This powder is necessary to make the solution plastic, provided that a small amount of water is used. Next, sand is added; if it becomes difficult to mix, you need to add water. Remember that this solution needs to be poured onto a layer of crushed stone, so it should not be thick. In order to avoid the formation of voids, experts advise pouring crushed stone into the trench in layers. For example, having poured 15 cm, you need to fill this layer with a solution; in this case, you can additionally pierce the crushed stone with a thin pick or thick wire. This is an additional safety net against possible congestion. It’s better to do it the first time, so you can achieve maximum adhesion between the two concrete layers.

On the territory of the Russian Federation, there are two options for the development of events for a car owner. The garage is either built on its own site, or inside a cooperative, which is allocated a certain territory. In the first case it can be used foundation for a garage slab, strip, pile type. In the second option, a floating slab or MZLF is usually used.

Operating features of the garage

A detached garage is preferable to built-in car storage spaces. Designed foundation for a garage taking into account the following nuances:

the building is most often one-story, so even when choosing a heavy wall material, natural tiles prefabricated loads are insignificant
The inspection pit dramatically increases the comfort of using the garage.
there are aggressive environments inside
floors on the ground are preferable
the basement is used for storing vegetables

Therefore, developers choose foundations that allow them to produce a screed without additional costs:

Attention: The prefabricated loads from the weight of the building are not enough to compensate for heaving on clay soil. Therefore, drainage and the use of inert materials (foundation cushion + backfill) are necessary.

The optimal dimensions for a garage are 6 x 4 m, so even when choosing a slab foundation, the construction budget is quite acceptable for an individual developer. The cheapest option is traditionally considered to be a pile-screw grillage.

Manufacturing technology

Before you build foundation for a garage on the site or inside the garage cooperative, it is necessary to find out the structure of the soil and the depth of the groundwater level. To do this, it is not necessary to order a comprehensive survey; a couple of pits to a depth of 1.5 - 2.5 m are enough (without a basement, with an underground vegetable storage, respectively). The marking of the axes is standard, even if the project includes a basement or inspection pit, you can do without renting earth-moving equipment.

Caisson slab

Ordinary slab foundation does not allow installing an inspection hole inside the garage, so coffered structures designed for such operating conditions are used. If necessary, you can make an underground vegetable storage facility with access to an inspection hole.

Under construction foundation for a garage caisson slab step by step:

On coarse, sandy, gravelly soils there is no need for additional reinforcement of the base. On heaving soils(clay, sandy loam, loam, silty sand) an underlying layer is required:

sand 40 cm at low groundwater level with layer-by-layer compaction
crushed stone 40 cm on wet soil, also compacted with a vibrating plate every 15 cm of inert material

A drainage system is integrated into the underlying layer, capable of draining the perched water that inevitably accumulates inside non-metallic materials with high drainage properties.

Attention: It is advisable to fill each element of the coffered slab in one go; the time between laying the mixture should not exceed 1.5 - 2 hours.

MZLF foundation

A non-recessed or shallow-recessed tape also allows you to make floors on the ground with a minimum construction budget. To do this, the inside of the MZLF is filled with sand, waterproofing is laid (hydroglass insulation or polyethylene), and along the perimeter the floor along the ground is cut off from the tape with damper tape.

Monolithic tape foundation for a garage has a maximum resource, is cast in one step using the following technology:

After removing the shields, the concrete surfaces of the MZLF are processed waterproofing materials. Usually the tape is primed, then coated with bitumen or polymer mastic, and covered with Bikrost.

Attention: On heaving soils, the garage MZLF must be insulated under the sole, the floor on the ground, and the blind area. This building is operated with intermittent heating or no heating at all. Therefore, all structures immersed in the ground are insulated.

The prefabricated tape is constructed from FBS blocks mounted on the underlying layer or FL cushions. The construction technology differs from the previous case:

Please note: The garage is classified as light buildings with a single or gable roof, so an armored belt is not needed here. Laying walls or installing a frame building begins in blocks.

Pile grillage for garage

Indications for pile grillages for a garage are slopes, swampy, peat, bulk soils, high groundwater level, other complex geology, and topography of the building area. The piles pass through unstable layers and rest exclusively on soils with high design resistance. The building does not sag over time and maintains a stable geometry. The main design nuances are:

the grillage should be below the ground surface or at the same level with it
unlike MZLF tape, the base of the grillage does not have contact with the ground (minimum 7 cm gap), therefore sheet material is mounted on the sides underground to prevent soil from falling into this gap during operation
monolithic technology for manufacturing a grillage using the heads of bored/screw piles is preferable

The order of operations when constructing a grillage on drilled piles is as follows:

The grillage is poured using standard technology, the connection of horizontal beams with vertical piles is provided by reinforcing bars.

The technology of a pile-screw grillage is much simpler:

Pull-out swelling loads do not affect screw piles, so there is no need to insulate the blind area or carry out drainage. If the project includes a cellar or inspection pit, these structures are insulated along the outer edges, since for them, swelling of the soil is fraught with destruction.

Attention: After concrete has gained strength, you can pour the floor over the ground, make a hole or cellar inside the perimeter of the garage. Cutting off the screed with a damper tape around the perimeter is mandatory, since the grillage beams do not rest on the ground.

Columnar garage foundation

It is possible to obtain a solid economic effect at the zero-cycle stage when using a columnar-grillage foundation for a garage only if the following conditions are met:

soils with high design resistance
no height differences of more than 1 m
GWL below 1 m from the base of the pillars
use of low grillage

The technology consists of stages:

Attention: It makes no sense to insulate the foundation, since on heaving soils it will inevitably topple over or be squeezed out to the surface.

The technological gap between the grillage and the ground is protected sheet materials from the sides using standard technology. A cellar or pit for car inspection can be integrated into the ground floors (floating screed separated from the grillage beams by a damper).

Thus, an individual developer can choose any foundation option depending on the geology, topography, and operational features of the garage. The given nuances will help to avoid mistakes and rationally link the minimum possible construction budget with the maximum construction resource.

Any person who has worked at least once in his life can build a foundation for a garage with his own hands. construction work and has a rough idea of how to handle tools.

The feasibility of such a garage construction is indisputable, because it provides a lot of advantages, and the relatively lightweight type of structure allows you not to have to worry too much about calculations. Weak arguments in favor of not wasting time on building a foundation for a garage are outweighed by the undeniable advantages of this type of construction: reliability and security.

Why is it worth building a foundation?

A garage with a foundation will last much longer

The only argument against this type of foundation is the labor intensity and time costs, which are no different from conventional work to ensure stability through additional strengthening.

To create a foundation for a garage, the master must also conduct a soil study, calculate the necessary building materials and deliver them to their destination, take care of the safety of the foundation, select its type and the construction process.

The strip base is one of the most popular

If the purpose of the structure being built is the safety of the car, then it makes sense to build it only if a long warranty period is provided and the reliability of the shelter is guaranteed.

Without a foundation, no building can be as reliable as possible. In difficult weather conditions, an improperly equipped garage will inevitably undergo deformation and can damage the car that is so dear to the heart of any motorist. But, if you build a garage according to all the rules, then it can easily become an additional utility room, a workshop, and a reliable shelter for your favorite vehicle. Making the garage foundation correctly means:

provide yourself with an inspection hole to troubleshoot minor problems and diagnose;
make the choice of material for the construction of the upper part unlimited;
aggressive environments that corrode metal are practically absent inside;
weather conditions do not in any way affect the internal microclimate;
the garage is additionally used as a basement or storage room;
You can make floors on the ground from the remnants of the base material.

A prudent owner will always find the opportunity to allocate some funds to ensure additional reliability, because he understands that increasing it means reducing repair costs.

How to make a foundation for a garage with your own hands is a simple science, but small investments in time will help you save in the future not only on motorhome repairs, but also on car repairs.

Soil diagnostics and foundation type selection

When building a foundation for a garage, experts strongly recommend assessing the type of soil and the area on which the building will be built. The soil is of great importance not only for the type of foundation, its deepening and finishing of the pit, but also in order to decide on building materials.

Soil moisture is an important parameter

During the construction of any building, measures are taken to determine the characteristic features of the terrain and soil. A preliminary assessment always allows you to make right choice and provide the desired reliability. For each type of soil, there are certain selection criteria that allow you to quickly and efficiently make such an assessment without errors.

Determining soil moisture will also make it possible to decide whether there is a need to create drainage system when building a strip foundation for a garage with your own hands. Experts advise:

get by on rocky ground without first digging a trench;
in clay and gravel, on the contrary, dig a recess under the frost line, otherwise groundwater will destroy the foundation under the garage;
penetration into sandy soil will require no more than a meter;
you can build on peat bogs only by removing the soil to the mineral base of the soil;
in any case, you need to use special formulas for calculating the foundation, which allow you to determine the required depth as accurately as possible.

The type of foundation for a garage is not a fundamental question due to the relative ease of construction, but when deciding how to make a foundation for a garage, you should remember three axioms: the massiveness of the building is determined by the width of the foundation, the dimensions are the length along the perimeter, the depth is the type of soil on which the building is built, stability on difficult terrain - additional configurations.

Selecting a base type

In areas with difficult terrain, give preference to a pile foundation

In order to correctly mark the foundation for a garage, you need to decide in advance what type of foundation will be built.

The simplicity of such a construction as a motorhome does not imply any special difficulties, unless the construction is carried out on small area, which has additional terrain difficulties.

But where such complexities are necessary, they must be done under the supervision of a specialist and provided for normal reliability with additional configurations that are not always within the capabilities of an incompetent person.

The best choice for a motorhome is strip foundation for the garage. Its relative simplicity and guaranteed durability make it the basis of choice more often than others.

There is another type that has become widespread when constructing structures in garage cooperatives - a floating foundation. Installing a floating foundation with your own hands is somewhat more expensive and requires a lot of effort, but this type of foundation can withstand any load and is not afraid of any natural conditions.

A floating foundation can be configured in 3 types:

prefabricated or monolithic lattice;
ordinary;
reinforced at the edges with metal, solid.

A floating foundation is suitable even for unstable soils

A floating foundation is not afraid of any ground vibrations and is used not only because of its reliability, but also where the construction site is relatively limited (in garage cooperatives). The simplest strip foundation for a garage is made of rubble concrete.

Rubble stone and the cement from which it is built significantly simplify the production technology and make it possible to practically not wait for the base to dry, as happens when a concrete foundation is built. The cheapest, traditionally, is considered to be a pile-screw grillage.

The foundation for the garage must be poured within one day, so it is necessary to prepare all the necessary work: make calculations, purchase building materials, dig a trench and prepare the necessary equipment and tools.

Stages of foundation construction

The cheapest would be a base made from old tires.

The answers to the question of how to make a foundation for a garage on your own depend not only on the type of foundation chosen, but also on the building material preferred by the developer. The set of necessary raw materials and a number of tools are laid out in approximately the same way.

When building a concrete foundation, the problem of how to properly pour it in one day in order to wait for it to dry at the same time is easily solved by purchasing ready-made concrete. Then you won’t have to solve the problem with a concrete mixer if you don’t have one, and waste time measuring and stirring the mixture.

The foundation is poured into several layers of concrete

The foundation is poured with concrete in the same way as other foundation buildings. Any foundation construction begins by filling in a safety cushion of sand and crushed stone.

Layers of sand and crushed stone are laid sequentially, approximately 10 cm thick and alternated so that the crushed stone is on top. Knowing how to fill the foundation for a garage with concrete, developers prepare formwork or reinforcement, which is installed in the already prepared pad.

The formwork is built slightly larger than the required dimensions; its purpose is to keep the concrete from sliding. The fittings are installed strictly according to the dimensions of the building.

To align the corners, additional correction of already cut iron rods will be required, so it would be nice to have a metal saw on hand.

Foundation construction standards require the use of high-quality raw materials, because the durability of the rest of the building depends on the strength of this structure, so it is recommended to use good quality concrete.

Some sources claim that you can use concrete of not very high grades for a garage, but it is better to play it safe and invest a little more money so that the strength of the building is not in doubt.

Any foundation made well and reliable will last for decades, if you take into account all the necessary components, use high-quality materials and work conscientiously.

How to lay the foundation correctly

To strengthen the foundation strip, wooden panels, which can be made from any wood, are supported with reliable supports, providing them with maximum stability, after which reinforcement is made. Iron reinforcement provides a reinforcing frame to the structure being built and ensures a high degree of reliability. For more information about the correct construction of the frame, watch this video:

The next stage is pouring concrete, which is usually done using improvised means, leveling with shovels, and trying to ensure that the composition lies evenly.

For foundations made of rubble and cement, there are certain subtleties on how to strengthen the foundation being built, if necessary.

Then comes one of the most important stages in areas where there is high soil moisture, groundwater or high rainfall. The same applies to buildings located close to water.

The foundation is waterproofed using drilled holes in a certain sequence or drainage pipes. Waterproofing with pipes is done during the pouring process, and drainage holes can be drilled after the concrete has dried.

The concrete strip, if it protrudes from under the wall of the motorhome, will require additional protection in the form of a flashing directly on the ledge or a canopy protruding from the roof, which will protect the foundation from natural precipitation.

After pouring is completed, it is necessary to strengthen the foundation by filling the distance between the concrete and the soil with sand and gravel.

Pile grillage for the garage - affordable and reliable

In conditions of difficult terrain, piles are the most acceptable foundation option

Pile grillage is established if the developer is radically unlucky with natural conditions. It can be used on marshy soils and peat bogs, on talus soils and slopes, where they did not bother to conduct preliminary reconnaissance for the ongoing development, and even where high level groundwater. Any difficult geological conditions become the basis for the successful use of pile grillage.

Installation of this type of foundation requires that it does not come into contact with the ground, so insulating material is used between the grillage and the soil. It is installed on bored or screw piles preferably with a monolithic top and requires special equipment to build. But this type of construction is guaranteed to withstand any complexity of the natural terrain. To learn how to make a pile foundation for a garage, watch this video:

If the size of the piles is small, for a standard garage 4 by 6 m, then holes in the ground can be made with a hand drill, but insulation made of roofing felt or polymer material must be placed inside the hole.

The most budget option

Foam blocks are cheap and light weight

The most budget option for building a garage foundation is a foam block foundation. The relative cheapness of the new building material and its undoubted advantages - light weight, excellent thermal insulation properties, verified and regular geometric shape make the material in demand and used in the last few years.

The use of a foam block foundation is especially important in cases where it is necessary to reduce the construction budget or quickly carry out construction using the same new and lightweight modern building materials. To learn how to build a foam block foundation, watch this video:

It also has its drawbacks - when it burns, it releases hazardous substances, and after a fire it cannot be repaired, and to prevent condensation from collecting on it, additional waterproofing must be done. The choice of material remains with the developer, and there is no need to give particularly strong advice here.

The construction of a garage must, in any case, be carried out with a foundation, because solid foundation provides undeniable advantages that cannot be ignored. The wide range of building materials offered and low-cost construction options will allow you to make a motorhome a protected and convenient building structure.

Price good car, which can be damaged by natural conditions, or an unreliably equipped structure, far exceeds the costs that will help make the motorhome guaranteed to be stable.

The construction of the foundation of any structure with a recessed part is quite expensive. In the private sector, in order to reduce costs, the construction of a box for a personal car is usually carried out on its own, on the 1st floor, and blocks of cellular concrete are purchased as material for the walls. This allows us to somewhat simplify the technology, reduce the load on the foundation and complete the work in a short time.

Everything stated below should be considered as a guide only. Set out step-by-step instruction How to build a foundation is a general recommendation for carrying out work for the reason that in one article it will not be possible to take into account the specifics of a particular site (characteristics of the soil, its saturation with moisture, a garage is placed on a slope or on a flat segment of terrain, etc.). It is also important what the car owner’s plans and ideas are – whether he needs a basement (inspection hole), whether he has the desire and ability to carry out additional measures (for example, draining the territory) or not.

Types of bases

1. Slab.

It is also called floating. This type of garage foundation is considered the most reliable, since the load is distributed evenly over the entire base area. However, even taking into account the small depth of installation, installation costs are very significant. Plus to this is the complexity of the calculations. Such a foundation is used extremely rarely, in cases where the garage is being built on problematic soils - swampy terrain, high groundwater levels, severe heaving of the soil.

2. Columnar (pile).

The only difference is that in the first case, when performing all operations independently, metal or asbestos cement pipes, which are placed according to any chosen scheme, but to a sufficient depth. When installing a pile foundation, you will need at least 1 assistant, although the work technology is somewhat simpler. You can make such a base in a day, and you won’t have to wait for the solution to harden. The construction of walls, for example, a garage made of foam blocks, begins immediately. Here, a lot depends on the degree of elevation of the support frame above the ground, as well as what and how the grillage is made from.

3. Tape.

This type of garage foundation is the most common. The tape is mounted monolithic or prefabricated, from separate blocks. In addition, it differs in its depth. Which scheme to choose for the foundation for a garage with your own hands?

A significant disadvantage of the block design is the complicated installation technology. Firstly, you will have to make the strapping correctly, and secondly, high-quality reinforcement. And most importantly – which one is suitable for you to choose? fake diamond? After all, no instruction can take into account all the nuances. For example, a common mistake is that when building a garage from cinder blocks, they are also used for the foundation. Lightweight concrete, despite its strength, is characterized by some fragility, and even small movements of the soil can lead to destruction of the material.

A poured base as a garage foundation is more acceptable. Taking into account the low weight, the optimal scheme is a shallow-depth tape. For a garage made of foam blocks or other lightweight structure, you don’t need more. The DIY construction technology is so simple that even a person without practical skills can handle this work. You just need to study the relevant instructions and guides on thematic sites and take into account the recommendations.

This engineering solution is also suitable for cases where it is planned to build a garage with a slight slope. Those who try to do everything only with their own hands prefer this foundation to any other. That's where we'll stop.

How to fill the base correctly?

It is assumed that the garage plan has been drawn up, the depth and width of the trench have been determined, the area has been cleared, its layout and markings have been carried out. The volume and order of these activities is easy to determine for yourself.

1. Excavation work.

Many instructions give such recommendations on the depth of filling the tape - approximately 40–50 cm. But this does not take into account the “cushion”, the thickness of which after compacting the bulk materials should be at least 20 cm. Therefore, the depth of the trench under the foundation is 65 (±5 ) cm. As for the width, it is chosen arbitrarily. Before pouring the solution, you will have to install the formwork. It is necessary to focus on the dimensions of the purchased blocks and take into account that the width of the base tape should be slightly larger than that of the stones (about 10 cm on each side of the masonry). Plus - free space, since the frame panels will have to be strengthened with spacers.

In case of insufficiently dense soil, the area of support of the foundation on the soil is artificially increased. With your own hands, for example, this is how it is done. The width of the trench is taken to be slightly larger, and a screed is pre-installed. And the formwork is already being placed on it. But in this case, the depth of the foundation will have to be increased by the thickness of the concrete pour.

2. "Pillow".

It's easy to do. The bottom of the trench is compacted as much as possible. If possible, it is advisable to add clay and compact it as well. Next is coarse sand, with the expectation that after compaction its layer will be at least 100 mm thick. Crushed stone of small fractions is poured onto it to the same level. This “cushion” for the foundation is a kind of shock absorber that compensates for soil movements.

3. Formwork.

This form of mortar is mounted in different ways. Shields are made from boards, chipboard, FSF. There are many options. The height of the formwork is made slightly greater than the depth of pouring the foundation. For a foundation that is decided to be built from blocks, it is better to install a permanent frame made of Penoplex. You can buy ready-made forms or assemble formwork from individual slabs.

In any case, the inside of the structure should be lined with P/E film (thick). Even if the formwork is installed tightly, without cracks, moisture will be absorbed into the wood. The result is uneven concrete structure and a decrease in the strength of the garage foundation.

4. Reinforcement.

It is not difficult to make a reinforcing frame for concrete, but there are a number of nuances.

The corresponding parameters should be less than the width and depth of the foundation pouring. The reinforcement should not be less than 50 mm relative to the tape cut. If the stone crumbles, then metal corrosion cannot be avoided. Consequently, the structure is artificially raised by 5 cm. There are special plastic glasses on sale for this purpose.
It is better to knit by hand rather than by welding.
It is necessary to choose the correct cell size. The frame must simultaneously provide both the strength of the base and ease of working with the solution.

You only need to take metal fittings. Composite rods are much cheaper, but their use has a number of limitations. Plastic is clearly not suitable for strengthening the foundation strip for a garage (as well as any other foundation), no matter what manufacturers and sellers claim.

It is carried out evenly along the entire length of the formwork.

1. The work must be planned so that it can be completed in one day, without putting it off until tomorrow. Taking into account the depth and width of the fill, this is not difficult to do.

2. Fine crushed stone should be used as a filler for the concrete mixture. After pouring, the solution will have to be compacted, expelling air and excess water from it. The garage tape does not have any great parameters, but it is quite problematic to compact concrete with coarse filler yourself, especially manually and efficiently.

3. If the start of construction of the garage coincided with cold weather, you should not forcefully dry the tape - the solution should strengthen naturally. Only then will the foundation gain its design strength.

Before starting work, we need to determine the type of soil. This will help you choose the best type of foundation, taking into account the land available on the site.

Clay soil. This type can swell and shrink when frozen. Which, in turn, can lead to the formation of cracks, first in the foundation, and then in the walls of the garage. With this soil, it is necessary that the depth of the foundation be greater than the freezing depth.
Rocky soil. This type is considered the most reliable and durable. It does not shrink, does not sag and does not freeze. But he is quite difficult to work with. It is almost impossible to make a trench in it, so the garage can be installed directly on the ground surface, previously leveled.
Gravel soil. Its characteristics are similar to rock - it will not erode or shrink. But, regardless of the depth of freezing, the foundation should be laid at a depth of at least fifty centimeters.
Loam or sandy loam. This is a mixture of clay and sand. It already freezes quite strongly - up to two meters, so it is necessary that the depth of the foundation be appropriate. Here everything depends on the climate in certain regions. For example, in central Russia, the depth of the foundation should be approximately one and a half meters.
Sandy soil. This type is the most optimal for laying the foundation. It freezes slightly and does not shrink. Among other things, it allows water to pass through perfectly, and also, under the influence of load, becomes significantly compacted. And the coarser the sand, the greater the load can be.
Silt, fine sand, peat bogs. But these types are completely unsuitable for any buildings. If water gets into them, quicksand may occur. The only way out is to use a backfill of coarse sand, which must be poured into the trench and watered.

Preparatory stage

First of all, we mark the future structure. Naturally, we assume that you have already chosen the place in advance. We take external parameters as markings, this includes the width of the future walls of the building.

On average, the width of the trench should be approximately forty to fifty centimeters, and its depth 70-100 centimeters.

It is necessary to measure the angles carefully, since even the slightest error in the calculations of the base with subsequent brick laying will be very difficult to correct.

Drive pins into each corner and connect them with fishing line or thin rope; you can also use other similar material at hand. We make the second contour with markings inward based on the width of the garage walls, most often it is one and a half bricks. Thus, along the perimeter of the building we should get two connected contours.

Building a foundation for a garage with your own hands step by step

Step 1 We dig a trench.

We have already determined the perimeter of the future garage, and now we need to dig a trench between the stretched ropes. You can do it yourself with a shovel or hire a tractor with a narrow bucket. We will assume that our garage will be one-story and for it a trench two to two and a half shovels deep will be enough for us.

Now the dug trench must be thoroughly compacted. Gravel, crushed stone or even simple sand are suitable for this.

Step 2 Strapping.

It is necessary in order to hold the entire base in a single structure and prevent it from breaking under load.

On each side of the trench along its entire length we make boxes from reinforcement. The width of the box should be 10-15 centimeters less than the width of the trench itself. In principle, you can either make the boxes yourself in advance, or buy ready-made ones in the store. You can, of course, do them right in the trench. There is only one small nuance - boxes tied together with wire are much more resistant to stress than welded ones, which can begin to burst at the joints.

And again, take your time Special attention corners, because it is necessary that all the reinforcement along the entire contour runs as a single solid structure.

Step 3 Concreting.

Now you need to pour the concrete. To do this, we make a standard solution: mix cement with 1/3 sand and add 1/5 gravel.

The most the best option It would be nice to immediately fill in all the necessary solution, but finances do not always allow this. In this case, we need to quickly fill the layers so that the new layer of solution lies on top of the old one, which has not yet hardened. In this way, it will be possible to avoid so-called cold seams, due to which subsidence may occur in the future under the influence of loads.

The foundation must be laid only before the construction of the garage. If you leave a finished base for a long period of time, it can settle and dry out. As a rule, the foundation is ready within two to three weeks. It all depends on climatic conditions, the thickness of the base itself, etc. And if you leave it for a long time, then repairs may be required or it will simply become unusable.