The garage is a creative workshop of real men. Most representatives of the stronger sex have a car that needs to be monitored and repaired in time. To repair work under the car, do not lie on your back, everyone can independently equip their garage with the so-called viewing hole. How to make this device correctly and what is needed for this we will consider in more detail in our article.
Having your own viewing hole for motorists is a big plus. Without extra costs and at any time of the day, it is possible to carry out minor repairs or maintenance of your car without leaving home. Of course, it is correct to plan the construction of a viewing hole before the construction of the garage itself, but often they are already created on the basis of a finished building. Before proceeding with construction activities, it is necessary, on the basis of measurements, to make a project of the future garage fixture. Professionals in this business give many answers to the question: how to mark a viewing hole in a garage? The dimensions of the inspection pit should ideally correspond to certain parameters. You can rely on the dimensions of your particular car, if the structure is intended purely for the repair of one car. But still, it is worth thinking about the fact that over time you can change the car, and it will be of completely different dimensions, and the garage will remain the same. Therefore, it is recommended to add a margin of about 1 meter to the dimensions of the car, this will make the workplace even more convenient.
The length of the viewing hole is most often 4-5 meters, plus a margin. Such dimensions allow you to have enough space for the implementation of repair efforts.
The width of the structure varies depending on the distance between the wheels of the machine. For passenger models, the standard is approximately 80 cm.
The depth of the pit is usually determined by the growth of the owner. But this does not mean that it should be very deep or vice versa. It is still better to find a middle ground, relying on previous sizes. Determination of the dimensions of the inspection pit implies the further production of a drawing, which in the process is implemented by the stage of digging a pit.
One of the most voluminous and demanding efforts is the stage of excavation in the manufacture of a viewing hole in the garage with your own hands. To dig a standard-sized hole, you need to excavate about 10 cubic meters of earth. Usually, the marking of the future structure is marked with pegs. The dug out bottom is checked building level, which allows you to determine whether the surface of the earth is evenly excavated. A properly dug pit, in compliance with all dimensions, is considered the key to future functionality, reliability and convenience of the inspection pit design in your garage.
Before you start working on the floor and walls of the garage pit, you should check all the measurements again. It is recommended that the top of the pit be slightly wider than the bottom.
Most often, the floor of the inspection pit is poured with concrete. This process must be carried out in two stages: first fill in half, then another one. Previously, the floor is prepared for concrete pouring in this way: 5-6 cm of sand is poured onto the ground, which is compacted by hand.
When concreting the floor, reinforcement or fine mesh is used, which provide durability and reliability to the concrete coating.
Do-it-yourself manufacturing features of the walls of the inspection pit depend on the material chosen for work. For the construction of walls, one of two common materials is usually chosen: brick or monolithic concrete.
To build a pit for a garage, you need to prepare the following tools and materials:
1. Saw, bayonet shovel, level, wire cutters, square, hammer, bolt cutter, etc.
2. Nails, concrete, lumber for formwork, reinforcing mesh, gravel, etc.
We dig a hole in size, as described above, and fill in the concrete floor. After the concrete has completely dried, the stage of work on the formwork begins. In advance, you need to think about shelves for tools and improvised materials. Formwork is usually assembled from boards or other wood materials. When the formwork structure is fully assembled, it is cemented with a layer of approximately 40 cm. It is recommended to add a metal mesh to each layer.
When all the finishing work has been done with the walls, then a mortgage frame is justified from above, the main function of which is considered to be insurance of the wheel from falling into the pit.
The peculiarity of the inspection pit made of concrete lies in the correct implementation of the stages of work with the solution itself, on which the strength and durability of the structure depend.
Remember, in order to avoid unpleasant inconsistencies and hassle, you need to prepare in advance the draft of your viewing hole for the garage.
Similar to the first option, the first process of building a brick garage pit is to fill the floor. When the floor is ready, you can start working directly on the walls themselves. Features of a viewing hole made of bricks are following points work.
When planning, it is worth choosing in advance the location of niches for tools, etc. It is better that such recesses are located on the sides of the building. When laying out the walls, you can choose the thickness - a whole or ½ brick. When preparing a solution, beginners are advised to add liquid soap, as it prolongs the setting time, which is very beneficial for the work of inexperienced builders.
When laying bricks, it is important that everything is neat and even. To do this, use a stretched cord, with which they check the verticality.
As practice shows, the upper rows of bricks lend themselves to rapid destruction. Therefore, they need to be protected with metal corners.
The presence of a viewing hole in the garage is, of course, very convenient and so on, but it is also very dangerous for the equipment itself. If you miss such important point as a waterproofing of this design, the room will be damp and damp, and this is a direct road to corrosion and other negative aspects.
Do-it-yourself waterproofing and insulation of a viewing hole in a garage are considered quite controversial even among professional craftsmen. And the thing is that different types of materials are used to create waterproofing:
Waterproofing works can be conditionally divided into primary and secondary.
The primary stage includes the following processes:
1. The first layer under concrete should be covered with gravel about 15 cm.
3. The initial protection of the walls, before the waterproofing coating, requires surface treatment with greasy clay.
Secondary waterproofing, which is also the main one, consists in using materials suitable for deepening.
The first type is bituminous materials. They are usually produced by manufacturers in specially formed rolls. The use of bitumen requires the additional use of the desired brand of solvents. Bituminous materials such as roofing material, euroroofing material, rubemast are considered popular.
The second is polymeric membranes. The service life of this type is practically unlimited. Waterproofing membranes are single-layer and multi-layer. They are very resistant to physical and chemical influences. One important point is that this is a rather expensive material.
Penetrating materials are renowned for their maximum resistance to moisture penetration. Special lubricants must be applied to a wet surface. Due to their properties, they penetrate tightly deep into and are firmly clogged.
The most commonly used material for waterproofing is considered liquid rubber. It is very convenient to use and can be used under various temperature conditions. In addition, this is a very profitable product: only 2 mm of liquid rubber almost completely compensates for four layers of bituminous materials.
The work on waterproofing the inspection pit must be carried out in several steps. It should be borne in mind that each layer of materials used for waterproofing, one way or another, takes away from your garage structure, albeit minimal, but space. Therefore, it is very important to make the dimensions of the dug hole with a margin, taking into account all processes. Installation of waterproofing directly depends on the selected materials.
As for the insulation of the inspection hole, many say that the best option This is a heated garage. But if this is not an option and you need to choose some kind of material, then it is best to take it - polystyrene foam.
If there is an inspection hole in the garage room, it is very important that it be closed during non-working hours. To do this, the owner needs to take care of additional equipment in the viewing hole. The roof of the inspection pit, even with waterproofing in the recess, still protects the car from possible high humidity.
A controversial issue regarding the equipment of the inspection pit is lighting. Some motorists say that this is a necessity, others believe that a simple carrying with a light bulb is enough. Remember the voltage of 220 V when used in a viewing hole is a threat to life. For such rooms use special lamps.
The presence of a viewing hole automatically makes the car owner's garage multifunctional and convenient.
For detailed information on the design and construction of a viewing hole with your own hands, we suggest watching the video:
A properly equipped garage pit allows you to carry out an independent inspection or minor car repairs without contacting a service station. By creating comfortable conditions for work, we must not forget about the safety standards of the design and equipment of the pit.
First of all, at the site of the arrangement of the inspection hole, it is necessary to find out the level of groundwater. If it is at around 2.5 m from the soil level, then it is better to forget about the idea of arranging a pit. Water will constantly accumulate at the bottom and no measures will help save the bottom of the car from corrosion. It is better to install a flyover structure on the street near the garage to inspect the car.
Before marking for digging, trenches are determined with the size of the pit.
In this case, they are usually guided by the following data:
When constructing inspection pits at service stations, they are primarily guided by the principle of the universality of this object, and therefore the dimensions there are somewhat different. So, for example, for the post of STO RUUK, where they produce cars, pit dimensions 1000x5500x1800 mm (width, length, height). Moreover, for service stations, the height is indicated not to the floor level, but to the surface on which they must stand during the repair. In workshops, these work surfaces are not always flush with the floor.
If a pit is being built for servicing trucks, then its dimensions change somewhat. For large cars various models very different distance between the wheels. Therefore, the width of the base of their own transport is taken as the basis. The pit must be made narrower than this characteristic by 30–40 cm. If the width of the inspection pit turns out to be less, then it will be problematic or impossible to get to all the necessary truck components.
When a pit is needed to inspect both a truck and a passenger car, its width is averaged. With a width of 120 cm for one car and 80 cm for the other, the desired size is 1 m.
Before correctly marking the boundaries of the trench being dug under the pit, it is necessary to first determine the building material of its future walls. If it is planned to build bricks with a width of ½ brick, then the thickness of these walls will be about 12 cm (for this material different brands dimensions are different) and in this case, 24 cm are added to the dimensions of the pit. The values \u200b\u200bobtained will be the length and width of the trench. When laying in 1 brick is supposed, then, accordingly, the thickness of the walls will be approximately 24 cm, and 40 cm are added to the length and width of the pit. If it is planned to concrete the walls, then their thickness is assumed to be 20 cm (this is quite enough), and to the dimensions add 40 cm.
On the floor of the garage, we mark it with pegs or draw a trench rectangle. Then, based on the quality of the stability of the soil being dug, we make an approximate indent from the intended perimeter to form the slope of the trench walls without losing the size of the future pit.
They dig a trench with their own hands, because its proportions are rather small. At the same time, an allowance is made to a depth of 20–25 cm. The floor and walls are carefully leveled - this will greatly simplify further operations.
Before digging a trench, it is imperative to choose a place for storing soil, because part of the earth will later be needed when filling the gap between the walls of the trench and the viewing hole. The standard volume of such earthworks is usually 9 m 3. When calling transport for the removal of soil, it must be taken into account that loosened soil has a volume of 20-25% more than that of a trench.
Do-it-yourself waterproofing of the inspection pit should be provided. A budget option is to use oily clay, which is mixed with waste petroleum oils. Modern options:
Immediately before concreting the floor, its base must be prepared:
After that, concreting is performed. After the floor has completely hardened, it is necessary to lay another 1 layer of waterproofing and finish the finish (after the erection and finishing of the walls).
If you plan to make walls of concrete or brick, then you can make it yourself or order a special frame to prevent dangerous rides into the pit:
Such a "clip" will additionally strengthen the corners of the walls. If it is supposed to be poured with concrete, then the part is installed inside the formwork. After waterproofing the walls with your own hands, they can be strengthened with a chain-link mesh. We make a formwork for concreting and install it 3 cm from the wall. At the same time, we provide for the device of niches for tools and cylindrical ones for lamps. We reinforce their ceiling with reinforcement rods with a diameter of 8–10 mm. After concreting, work is suspended for 1 week. Then we backfill the soil with our own hands, and after another 2 weeks we remove the formwork.
According to safety regulations, it is permissible to use only low-voltage portable and stationary lamps for lighting the pit. Workshops typically use 36V fixtures with a built-in transformer to step down the 220/36V voltage. You can also use fixtures or carriers with 12V and 24V lamps connected to step-down transformers or a battery.
The lid for the pit is assembled from boards (can be composite). It will protect the car owner from falling, and the car body from moisture condensing in the inspection hole.
viewing hole in the garage it helps out many motorists, with the help of it you can carry out minor repairs and maintenance, make a detailed inspection of the lower part of the car, diagnose undercarriage. But in order to properly make a hole, it is necessary to fulfill certain conditions, to follow a certain order of work.
If the inspection pit (SP) is not done according to the rules, it will be inconvenient to use, it can be flooded with water, and it is unlikely to last long. In the article we will consider what criteria should be followed when creating a SA, the procedure, necessary materials, tool, existing construction technology.
Any structure always begins with calculations, before proceeding with digging a pit, it is necessary to determine in advance:
It should be said that it is easier to make a SA when there is no garage, and it is only in the project, especially in cases where groundwater is at a depth higher underground than 2.5 m, since in this case drainage works. If the water runs too high under the finished garage, you may have to abandon the viewing hole, since drainage will be very problematic.
So let's start with the dimensions:
In general, builders always try to dig a little deeper - to reduce the depth quite easily with the help of stands, laying an additional layer of material at the bottom. But it is difficult to deepen the pit, since it is necessary to destroy the lower layer, re-lay out the floor, carry out hydro and thermal insulation.
With your own hands, you can make a pit of various designs:
The pit is always dug with a margin not only in depth, but also in width and height, since it is necessary to expect that all surfaces will be reinforced with concrete or brick, waterproofing will have to be done, ideally it would be nice to provide for thermal insulation.
Having made a drawing of a hole, you can start digging it, but if a concrete floor has already been laid out in the garage, it will have to be cut and partially removed, for this you will need a circular saw with stone discs, a jackhammer, in extreme cases, you can use a perforator with a chisel. The future pit is marked with chalk, a corner is used to create straight lines.
When digging a hole of the required size, we use a building indicator or a plumb line, it is necessary that the walls are even, and the earth should be taken out immediately outside the garage. Then we are closely engaged in the floor in the pit of the garage, at the bottom we create a pillow support:
Concrete can be made from various components and in different proportions, the most classic composition of the mixture is three parts building sand and one part dry cement. A layer of waterproofing is laid out on top of the concrete, all sorts of options are also possible here, there are several recipes. After the waterproofing layer, it will not be superfluous to take care of thermal insulation; sheet foam is usually used for this purpose. Then the whole structure is re-poured with concrete (layer 15-20 mm), after laying it is necessary that the solution is thoroughly dry.
When forming the side surfaces of the SA, clay is applied to the walls with the first layer, then a polyethylene film is fixed on it, and roofing material is spread. As in the version with the floor, a waterproofing coating is also provided here, the material can be single-layer or multi-layer polymer plates, bitumen, liquid rubber, mineral mixtures and so on. If thermal insulation is needed, we lay foam, it is important to carefully process all joints and seams during hydro- and thermal insulation, it is necessary to ensure tightness. When laying walls with concrete, it is necessary:
If lighting is provided in the pit, care must be taken to lay internal wiring, the wires should be hidden in the corrugation, and they are usually fixed to a reinforced mesh before pouring with concrete (for example, with plastic ties). The solution is not poured all at once, but in several stages from the bottom up in sections of 0.3-0.4 m, each layer must be allowed to dry (concreting can take from two to three days). Also, the walls can be laid out of brick, but here a slightly different technology is already required.
Before laying out the walls with bricks, in the same way as when working with concrete, side surfaces first smeared with red clay, polyethylene film, roofing material, hydro- and thermal insulation layer. Laying is carried out subject to the following conditions:
When laying out a brick pit, one must not forget about niches; for convenience, formwork can be built (but not necessary). Immediately after the work is done, it is impossible to use the pit, it is necessary to wait about five days for the mortar to set well and dry out, and the masonry to settle.
Waterproofing protection is a very important component of the inspection hole, especially when the groundwater runs high enough in the ground. At high humidity:
In order for the inspection pit to serve for a long time, it is necessary to make the waterproofing of the pit in the garage very high quality, to use materials that could provide waterproof protection for many years. As waterproofing materials are usually used:
If the groundwater runs high enough, even high-quality waterproofing does not guarantee reliable protection against moisture, only a well-executed drainage system with water drainage into a natural or artificial reservoir will help here.
To competently make a hole in accordance with all the rules, it is not enough just to dig a foundation pit, strengthen the walls and floor, it is also necessary:
An even more “advanced” option is to make a cellar in a viewing hole, in which case it will be possible to store pickles for the winter, fresh vegetables in the garage.
If there is already an inspection hole in the garage, the cellar is made separately, at the other end of the room or next to it, usually it is located at a small distance from the wall, about half a meter, and unlike the CL, it has slightly different dimensions:
The dimensions of the cellar may differ from the above dimensions, it all depends on the size of the garage itself. In this building, a hermetic manhole cover must be provided, ladder(it is better to make it out of wood). The cellar should include:
The vegetable pit is supplemented with electricity and thermal insulation at will; before construction, it is important to foresee two points:
As in the case of creating a SA for the cellar, we also first dig a foundation pit, then:
The standard wall thickness is one and a half bricks, for strength and better waterproofing we coat the masonry with bituminous mortar. The walls of the pit must be very strong, because the car can be placed anywhere in the garage, and it is undesirable to leave it for storage in a viewing hole.
The ceiling in the cellar is made in the form of a vault, in order to hold the ceiling bricks during construction, they are laid out on a plank template. top cellars can be made of concrete, as long as it is strong, and the hole is usually made in the middle. AT vegetable pit the ceiling is often insulated, foam and expanded clay are used as materials to fix the insulation layer, it is poured with hot bitumen. Also, glass wool, sawdust with cement are used for insulation, thermal insulation can not be used in mild and warm climates.
In the cellar, it is necessary to make shelves for food supplies, containers for storing vegetables. Shelves are usually made of boards and beams, the ventilation of the room is mainly provided by natural ventilation. Forced ventilation provides air circulation more efficiently, but also requires more significant financial costs. Usually for forced exhaust an electric fan is used, it is mounted directly in the ventilation pipe.
In a fairly cold climate, thermal insulation in the garage is of considerable importance; adding a thermal insulation layer allows you to save on heating and provide a more comfortable indoor temperature. As thermal insulation material mainly used extruded foam, polystyrene, also helps to keep warm expanded clay pillow.
Typically, the foam is laid on top of the vapor barrier film, then poured with concrete. Expanded clay is laid on the bottom of the inspection hole, playing the role of not only a heater, but also a stabilizer of the floor of the building.
The inspection hole in the garage can have a different location, placed both in the center and closer to the edge. Being in the center is convenient if the garage is narrow enough, and it does not have or at least a minimum of workbenches, tables, other furniture, there is no separate room. When in garage conditions a small auto repair shop has been organized, it is more convenient to move the pit to one edge, but in such a way that a car can safely and freely enter it. The cellar can be located anywhere, of course, if there is no viewing hole in the garage. When a pit is available, it is advisable to place the cellar at the end of the garage room, behind the SA.
A water drainage system is necessary in case of a high level of groundwater, high soil moisture. Drainage can be done different scheme, but there are basic rules for its construction:
To prevent damage to the drainage system, a sand and gravel cushion is laid from below in the trench with a layer of about 10 cm, then the pipeline is covered with a geotextile film. A ravine can serve as a drainage well, if there are no natural recesses near the garage, any suitable container must be used, observing the conditions:
A sand and gravel cushion is also made on top of the drainage pipes, the soil should be compacted over the drainage carefully, trying not to damage the pipeline, water from the garage should be drained to a distance of at least 5 meters.
Lamps in the inspection pit provide comfortable working conditions, as lighting devices are usually used:
36-volt lighting fixtures are the most popular auto repair fixtures, usually waterproof and safe to use. Quite often, 220 Volt lamps are also installed in the garage, since they do not require a step-down transformer, but here you have to take care of reliable grounding, and it is necessary to work with such lamps, observing safety precautions.
Rechargeable lighting they are quite expensive, difficult to repair, but sometimes you can’t do without them, for example, if there is no stationary power supply in the garage. As an option, you can arrange the transfer by taking a voltage of 12 V from a car battery, but in this case the light will be rather dim.
The cover covering the pit can be made of various materials:
It can also be made from composite materials. The two most important qualities pit shelters - strength and low weight, the structure should be easily moved away and withstand the weight of a person. If the car is often or for a long time left in the pit, it is advisable to make a tight cover, for example, from a forty board / bars, in this case, moisture will practically not settle on the bottom of the car.
The wooden shield should be sanded, impregnated with varnish, and the metal sanded and painted, such a frame will last a long time, will not rust or rot. For ease of removal and installation, the cover should be supplemented with one or two handles; a folding mechanism can also be provided in the design.
The type of ventilation largely depends on the size of the garage, for large enough garage structures you can limit yourself to natural ventilation, for small rooms forced ventilation is necessary. The exhaust opening is almost always made from above, near the ceiling, in the room it is closed with a metal or plastic grill, forced ventilation installed below, no higher than 0.5 m from the floor.
They try to make an exhaust hole for natural ventilation on the leeward side, usually it is protected from rain and snow by a garage roof from the outside. Power for the electric fan is taken from the local power supply or battery, the direction of movement of the blades is selected empirically.
The number of tools used when digging a viewing hole depends on the complexity of the installation, at least you will need:
If you need to heat up the bitumen, you will need a gas burner, it is easier and faster to prepare a cement mortar with a concrete mixer. Also additionally most often required:
If you have to dismantle the concrete floor, you can not do without a concrete cutter, a jackhammer or a powerful puncher. When cutting concrete slab it should be taken into account that under the layer of concrete there is steel reinforcement(at a depth of approximately 50-100 mm), it will have to be cut with a circular saw.
Almost any normally equipped inspection pit will require concrete, it can be:
Also for the manufacture of walls and floors will need:
If a drainage system is provided, PVC pipes, fittings, possibly a reservoir for a manhole will be needed. To give an aesthetic appearance the viewing hole outside can be decorated with tiles or other decorative materials.
The service life of the SA to a large extent depends on the quality of the materials used, the accuracy of the workers, the thoroughness of the waterproofing, and compliance with all construction rules. A well-made inspection pit will last for more than a dozen years, it will be very useful when carrying out repairs, car maintenance, for example, with its help it is very convenient to change the oil in the engine, gearbox, and repair the chassis.
A garage with a pit is the dream of every car enthusiast. An inspection hole allows you to save on car repairs, oil changes and other work related to the bottom or suspension of a car. But for many, such pleasure remains only a dream. In this article, we will try to prove that this is not such a difficult task, and anyone can do it.
Before you make a viewing hole in the garage with your own hands, you need to make several calculations and measurements.
Actually initial stage it would be desirable to find out how deep underground waters lie. Arrangement of a viewing hole in the garage obliges the presence of a depth of groundwater at least 2.5 meters deep. If the water area chosen for the garage is located higher, then it is better to abandon the conceived idea. If you don't want to call special services to measure the depth of the waters, you can ask the neighboring garage owners how they are doing with the pits.
Depending on the information received about groundwater, it is necessary to plan the waterproofing of the inspection pit. Some car enthusiasts refuse it milestone, referring to the fact that the groundwater is too deep and does not rise as high. However, the geological situation can change at any time. Besides recent times seasons of the year suit us with such surprises, when in one day a monthly or even an annual rainfall can fall. In such situations, anything can happen. Therefore, ignore the waterproofing basement or pits in the garage is stupid.
Given the climatic conditions and the presence of low temperatures in winter time, the garage pit can be additionally insulated. by the most the best option for these purposes, foam is considered. It is not afraid of moisture and does not lend itself to the processes of mold or suppuration. It is necessary to insulate the excavated pit from the outside, that is, the foam layer should be located between the wall of the pit and the earthen clod. Expanded polystyrene must be protected from wet ground with a layer of waterproofing.
The correct arrangement of a viewing hole in the garage cannot do without ventilation. The ventilation system will play a very important role for the car, tools and things stored in the garage, as well as the car enthusiast himself. In favor of this point are the following problems that can be solved with the help of properly thought out and executed ventilation:
General ventilation implies the presence of two pipes that have access from the garage to the street. One of the pipes transports Fresh air from the outside and distributes it throughout the main room and the viewing hole. For such manipulations in the pipe there is a tee with an entrance - exit to the garage - exit to the pit. The second pipe provides exhaust air to the outside from both rooms. Its lower edge is located at the very top of the pit and takes away dirty air from there, under the ceiling of the garage there is a second hole in the pipe, where all the “flavors” of its floor part go. Outside, the exhaust air is thrown out through the upper edge of the pipe, which rises 50 cm above the roof level. The entrance and exit of the ventilation pipe should be located on opposite walls of the garage.
Autonomous ventilation of inspection pits is used extremely rarely. To organize it, it is necessary to carry out two pipes under the walls of the garage or bring them to the roof. The inlet pipe should be located at the bottom of the pit, and the outlet pipe should be at its top. The outer edge of the inlet pipe must be placed at a level of 50 cm above the ground and protected with a special grate. The street part of the outlet pipe must be raised 2-2.5 m above the ground and covered with a metal tip in the form of an umbrella. Such a device will protect the pipe from the penetration of additional moisture and dirt into it.
A prerequisite for arranging high-quality ventilation is to check it at the final stages. In order to test ventilation system, it is enough to bring a lit match, candle or lighter to its outlet. In this case, the flame of fire should go inside the pipe, as if it were being sucked in there. If you bring the light to the inlet, then a stream of air should blow on the flame - perhaps the fire will even go out.
Niches will be a very convenient device for a car enthusiast - at any time you can put something in them for work or store frequently used things or tools in them. Their location should be taken into account when developing a sketch and erecting walls. To equip such recesses, metal boxes or temporary wooden models are often used, which are subsequently concreted.
When planning lighting, the following nuances must be considered:
Important! If you take into account all the above tips, then as a result you won’t have to finish or redo anything. After all, repairing a viewing hole in a garage or dismantling it is not an easy task, and even much more effort and nerves can be spent on it than on the construction of a new structure.
If the groundwater is very deep, then you can make a pit with your own hands from brick or foam blocks. If the soil under the garage is characterized by high humidity, then it is best to fill it with concrete. The fact is that concrete is not afraid of moisture, but rather grows stronger under its influence. For concrete pouring it is necessary to additionally reinforce the wall.
Here is a list of all the materials that you may need to equip the pit with your own hands:
2. Crushed stone;
3. gravel;
4. Cement;
5. Beam 30x30 or 40x40;
6. Board 25mm or plywood 10x15 (for formwork);
7. Board 40-45mm processed (to cover the pit);
8. Reinforcing bar 6x8 (for reinforcement);
9. Dense polyethylene, roofing material, butyl rubber or aquaizol (for waterproofing);
10. Corner 50x50 (for fencing the pit and fixing its perimeter);
11. Wire 1.5x2 (for tying reinforced mesh);
12. plastic pipe 100mm (ventilation);
13. Brick, foam blocks or cement (for building walls).
Before digging a hole, it is necessary to determine its parameters and apply markings to the surface of the earth or floor.
When marking, it should be borne in mind that in a built-in garage with a floor screed, drawing is much easier than in the absence of a garage. On bare ground, you can use pegs or four beacons driven into the ground around the entire perimeter, on which a rope is stretched, forming the shape and dimensions of the future ditch.
In the case of a built garage, another problem arises - digging a foundation pit in it is much more difficult than on an open piece of land. In this situation, it is impossible to use the services of technology - you will have to do everything yourself. In addition, it would be desirable to enlist outside help, since in addition to digging, it will also be necessary to take out open ground. Such work will take much more time and effort. It is better not to take the excavated earth far away, since it will still be needed to bury the opening between the lined and soil edge of the pit.
1. As a rule, the width of the pit directly depends on the distance between the wheels of the car - it should be 20 cm less than this distance;
2. It is necessary to take into account the fact that perhaps someday there will be another car in the garage, therefore it is advisable to take the average width - often it is 80-85cm;
3. The length of the pit also depends on the length of the car, but both smaller and larger sizes can be used (many make the pit a meter longer than the car, and some who do not have large space, on the contrary, they shorten the pit - then the car has to be driven either in front or in the back);
4. The depth of the pothole is calculated based on the height of the garage owner - it is advisable to add 10-15cm to his full height.
When calculating the dimensions of the pit in the garage, you must also take into account the gap for laying walls and pouring the floor. If you plan to lay brick walls or pour concrete, then it is advisable to increase the pit by another 25-30 cm. If it is decided to lay them out of gas blocks, then in addition you need to throw another 40cm. Filling the floor will also steal about 20cm of height. The presence of waterproofing implies the addition of 15-17cm.
1. We dig a ditch.
2. Rom a trench for ventilation (if a stand-alone system is to be used).
3. We tamp the floor. This process consists of several stages. First, carefully tamp a layer of earth, then pour a five-centimeter layer of crushed stone or gravel on it and also tamp it well. We add another five-centimeter layer to the compacted layer of crushed stone. With the last ball we make a layer of sand 5 cm. Some experts prefer to repeat all the layers again, while others manage in one go.
4. Waterproofing. We cover the bottom and walls of the pit with waterproofing material, the pieces of which are overlapped by 15-20 cm. If we use roofing material, then we process the joints with mastic, if polyethylene or other materials, then we seal the joints with double-sided tape. On the upper edges of the pit, we fix the waterproofing with something heavy.
5. We carry out installation of ventilation.
6. Install the reinforced mesh on the floor. Before placing the reinforced mesh on the floor, we cover it with insulation. If the foam was not planned to be used, then we fix the grid at a level of 5-7 cm.
7. Fill the floor. It is desirable to concrete the floor with cement grade M-400. We maintain the proportions of sand, crushed stone and cement in accordance with 2: 2: 1. It is advisable to use a concrete mixer, if it is not there, it is better to add a plasticizer to the solution, liquid glass or liquid soap. If we use insulation, then we make a layer of concrete about 5 cm, if we do not use it, then at least 10-12 cm.
8. We pause until the concrete sets. Depending on the weather conditions have to wait a week or two.
9. We build walls, not forgetting about openings for lighting and niches.
10. We lay a corner on the wall frame made. It can be attached using mortgages welded to it (if it was decided to lay out a brick) or long studs (if the wall was made of concrete).
11. We fill the opening between the ground and the walls of the inspection hole with a mixture of clay and soil, carefully tamping all the layers.
12. We make a floor screed.
13. We build a cover for the pit.
If it was decided to build walls of brick or other blocks, then stepping back from the soil layer 10-12cm, you need to start laying. For the accuracy of erection, you can pull the threads that will serve as a level. In the process, it is desirable to reinforce the masonry every couple of rows. Ventilation pipes must be laid. The masonry mortar is prepared from sand and cement in a ratio of one to three.
If the walls will be erected from concrete, then before pouring them, it is necessary to equip the formwork and install the reinforcing mesh. For the manufacture of formwork, you can use boards or plywood (it does not let the mortar through, and thanks to it the walls are smoother). It is best to support the plywood from the inside and outside with bars so that under the weight of the solution it does not bend and deform the wall. Exactly in the middle between the plywood, you need to place the reinforcement grid. It is recommended to pour the solution at a time. It will be possible to remove the formwork after the concrete has completely dried (from a week to two).
We hope to familiarize ourselves with detailed instruction and having examined all the photos given in this article, it will become much clearer to you how to make a viewing hole in the garage with your own hands. Do not forget if you bought a ready-made garage.
Own garage with a viewing hole is the dream of any car owner. So why not bring it to life with your own hands? After all, a garage pit will provide access to important parts of the car, which will allow you to perform inspection and repair work without contacting the car service masters.
Garage pit - the main assistant of a motorist. It allows you to perform diagnostics, maintenance and small, and even overhaul car on your own.
It is worth remembering that the viewing hole is an increased source of moisture. So, the most important task in its construction is waterproofing.
A damp viewing hole will quickly nullify the microclimate in the garage, which will inevitably lead to the appearance of rust and mold.
The dampness coming from the inspection hole drastically reduces the comfort of being in the garage, especially in the cold season. And this is already dangerous to health, so the pit must be kept perfectly dry: oil drips or puddles of water are not allowed.
Before carrying out any major activities in the garage, you must:
Based on reliable geodetic data, as well as the requirements of building codes, it will be possible to make a technically competent and economically sound decision.
Attention: when planning a viewing hole, it is imperative to provide material for closing during downtime. This will eliminate the effect of excessive moisture on the bottom and lower part of the car body.
It is reasonable to place an inspection hole not in the middle, but closer to one of the side walls and in the depths of the garage. The already small area of a cramped or narrow room, of course, should not be reduced. But it would hardly be advisable to build an inspection pit less than 2 m long.
The optimal depth is taken equal to the average human height (170-180 cm) in total with a small margin of 15-20 cm to increase the viewing angle of the bottom of the car.
The main requirements for entering the inspection pit are safety and ergonomics. If the garage is short, but wide enough, the entrance to the viewing hole can be made side.
The width of the garage pit directly depends on the size of the room and, of course, the dimensions of the car. In private garages, this value is assumed to be 70–80 cm for cars and 110–120 cm for trucks and minibuses.
Attention: it is better to take the depth of the inspection hole with some margin. At the bottom of the structure, it is always possible to equip an elevation, which will ensure the convenience of performing certain technical operations, while the passage under the machine placed on the pit will not be embarrassed by anything. In addition, special niches and recesses should be provided on the walls of the pit, in which it will be possible to fold tools or car parts.
It is necessary to choose materials for waterproofing and insulation of a viewing hole at the planning stage. This will allow you to correctly calculate the parameters of the structure and make a decision on its interior decoration.
As a waterproofing for a garage viewing hole, you can use:
Waterproofing the garage pit must be carried out in conjunction with thermal insulation measures. The latter allow to reduce heat leakage through the floor and walls of the structure, as well as to minimize the amount of condensate formed due to temperature differences.
Extruded foam and expanded clay are excellent for thermal insulation of the inspection pit. The first is laid on the waterproofing of the walls of the structure and covered vapor barrier film, after which the concrete screed is poured.
Expanded clay is filled with sand and gravel cushion, equipped at the bottom of the pit. A vapor barrier is installed on the rammed pillow, after which the floor is poured or laid.
Attention: if the groundwater level is less than 2.5 m, it is necessary to organize a drainage system with drainage outside the garage.
The presence of a lighting system in the inspection pit is prerequisite comfortable and safe work. Lighting equipment should have low power and it needs reliable protection from moisture and mechanical damage.
In the garage pit you can install:
One of the most popular solutions are lamps. daylight 36 V in a protected waterproof case. They are consume a small amount of electricity, which is beneficial for long lighting periods. The same can be said about LEDs, the use of which provides a high level of electrical safety.
When lighting an inspection pit with equipment operating under a voltage of 220 V, it is necessary to carry out a hidden laying of electrical wiring with mandatory waterproofing of the latter, and close the lamps with shades with a grill; all metal elements ground systems from a single circuit, brought outside the garage.
Battery-powered lamps are rarely used to illuminate inspection pits due to the high cost, as well as the difficulty of repairing or replacing damaged elements. However, if it is impossible to equip stationary lighting, such equipment is the most suitable solution.
Attention: sockets and switches cannot be installed in the inspection hole. For the convenience of performing certain types of work, it is recommended to equip a garage pit with a portable lamp with a special housing (with a carrying handle, a stand for stationary installation and a hook or clip for hanging) on a protected electrical cord at least 4 m long.
As for the ventilation of the garage pit, in most cases it is left natural.
Forced air exchange is advisable to organize in tight spaces where exhaust gases quickly accumulate, as well as in garages installed in areas with a high level of groundwater.
Ventilation in the garage is equipped in the following way:
Attention: to increase the intensity of air exchange, the exhaust outlet of the garage ventilation can be equipped with a fan of small or medium power, powered by a switchboard or battery.
The garage pit should be located in such a way that it is possible to park the car on it at a certain angle. This will facilitate access to certain parts of the machine, as well as simplify the performance of many technical operations. The length of the structure depends on the length of the machine (including a margin of 1 m).
A thorough approach to the matter during the construction of a garage pit will help nothing more than a preliminary calculation of its parameters. And it is performed based on the size of the machine, but with some margin in case the latter is changed in the future. For example, if the length of the Opel Kadett is almost 4 m, then the length of the Scoda Octavia is 4.6 m.
Let's take an average value of 4.5 m and get that, taking into account a margin of 1 m, the length of the inspection pit will be 5.5 m.
The depth of the structure should be taken in accordance with the growth of the garage owner. With an average of 175–185 cm, the normal depth of the inspection hole for work will be at least 195 cm, and the width sufficient for free movement and performance of technical operations will be at least 0.8 m. viewing hole parameters:
You can transfer the obtained dimensions to paper using an axonometric projection or a flat image.
In the second case, two drawings will be needed - for the projections of the structure on the vertical and horizontal planes.
When creating a drawing of an inspection pit, it is necessary to take into account the thickness of the hydro-, heat- and vapor barrier, as well as the concrete screed. This will allow you to more accurately determine the amount of earthworks.
Attention: if the garage is used only for storing the car, it is more convenient to place the inspection hole in the center of the room. In the event that, in combination, the room is used as a mini-workshop or storage room, it is better to move the central axis of the structure closer to one of the walls. With the car put on the pit in such a garage, there will be enough space for passage and work at the workbench.
Having approved construction project, you can start purchasing materials. In order not to waste time, it is worth preparing in parallel the tool that will be needed in the process. It doesn't hurt to include in the list of necessary:
In search of forces and means to implement the project, one should not forget about the impressive list of building materials. It includes:
Attention: the amount of building materials is accepted depending on the size of the pit with a 2–10% margin.
To implement the construction plan, the first step is to free the territory. Everything superfluous from the garage will have to be removed for a while, as well as prepare a site outside the premises for storing land.
The next steps will be:
Attention: if necessary, the walls of the excavation can be temporarily reinforced with wooden beams. It is advisable to take the earth obtained in the process of digging a trench outside the premises so as not to clutter it up. In the process of preparing the pit, you need to work in warm clothes, because as the pit deepens, the humidity level will increase, and the temperature in the garage will also decrease.
No tricks will save the viewing hole from flooding in the event of groundwater rising or heavy rainfall, and the garage itself from dampness, fungus and mold, if you do not pay due attention to water drainage. This can be done only with the help of a drainage system: it will provide protection against the penetration of rainwater and soil moisture under the inner perimeter of the room.
To install a drainage system, you will need drainage pipes wrapped with geotextile, as well as a pipe segment PVC diameter 100 mm and connecting elements.
The length of the drainage will correspond to the outer perimeter of a separate garage building. The output of the system is arranged at a distance of at least 5 m from the garage. It is highly desirable that the drain be carried out into a nearby ravine or other natural depression in the soil.
If there is none on the site, the drainage outlet will need to be brought into a special container, which must be buried at least 20 cm below the drainage level and equipped with a pump for pumping water with a float.
The drainage must be equipped with a manhole, in the role of which you can use a vertically installed and connected to the drainage perimeter pvc pipe. The upper end of the latter is closed with a protective cover.
Installation of the drainage system is carried out in several stages:
With the installation of drainage, the weakest point in the garage waterproofing system - the sole of its foundation - will be reliably protected from water penetration from outside the structure. As a result, the requirements for moisture protection of the inspection pit will decrease.
Attention: from above, the drainage can be covered with soil, turf or concrete screed(the choice is at the discretion of the owner of the garage). It is better to install a plastic water drainage tank, since it will last much longer than a metal one, and use the drainage drain to irrigate the garden, provided that they do not fall into it chemical substances used in car care.
With the waterproofing of the pit, the main construction begins. This problem is solved in several steps:
If the hydro and vapor barrier of the pit is ready, it's time to proceed directly to the construction. To do this, you need to prepare in advance construction site, tools and materials necessary for the preparation of concrete, insulation and reinforcement of the screed.
Construction begins with floor screed. Its filling is carried out according to the following method:
Attention: pouring rough concrete and reinforced screed must be done in 1 step. Therefore, for work you will need at least 2, and preferably 3 pairs of hands. Draft concrete before warming must be allowed to dry completely, which will take at least 3 days. The same period is necessary for the upper reinforced screed in order to be able to walk freely on it during the construction of the walls of the inspection pit.
The walls of the inspection pit can be made of both brick and concrete. In the second case, before starting work, you will have to install the formwork. For this, a cut board or plywood and wooden beams are suitable. In addition, it is desirable to reinforce the walls of the inspection pit with a mesh of steel wire or reinforcement.
At this stage, it is necessary to deal with the laying of electrical wiring, which, according to electrical safety requirements, must be hidden. To do this, you need to hide the wire in the corrugation, stretch it along the surface of the walls and bring it to the installation points of the lamps, and then fix it on the reinforcing mesh, for example, using plastic ties.
The walls are poured in tiers of 30–40 cm in height. In the process of pouring the walls, the mortar should be carefully tamped with a crowbar or a bayonet shovel - this will remove air from the concrete. Before pouring each subsequent tier, it is necessary to let the previous one dry, for which you will need to wait about 2-3 days.
When building brick walls, the thickness of the masonry is taken equal to the width of the latter. Masonry is carried out in a checkerboard pattern with the obligatory binding of corners and careful grouting. At the final stage of the construction of the walls, care must be taken to ensure that the latter protrude above the floor screed in the garage room by at least 5 cm. This will eliminate the possibility of slipping into the pit foreign objects or accidental arrival by the wheel of a car when placing on a pit.
After installation brick walls it is necessary to wrap the hydro- and vapor barrier inside the structure and backfill the soil with outside walls. In this case, the soil should be carefully compacted.
Attention: when laying brick walls or pouring them out of concrete, one must not forget about auxiliary niches. In order to make them in concrete walls, you will definitely need to build formwork liners of the appropriate size from the boards. When working with bricks, there is no need for such liners, but with them it will be much more convenient to lay bricks around a niche. Upon completion of pouring the concrete walls of the inspection pit, the formwork can be removed no earlier than after 6-7 days. Brickwork can be considered ready for further work in 4–5 days.
Even before the start of pouring or laying the walls of the inspection pit, it is necessary to prepare a mortgage frame. She will crown the side of the structure - the latter is set up a little higher than the garage floor or flush with the latter.
For the manufacture of the frame, you will need a pre-stocked steel corner, a circular saw with cutting discs for metal and a welding machine with electrodes.
The size of the frame is selected according to the inner or outer perimeter of the walls - the corner must stand as required by the cover sheet. By the way, if it is planned to equip the inspection hole with one, the frame must be turned downward at an angle.
fixation metal structure best done with anchors or dowels, for which you will have to make appropriate holes in concrete or brick, as well as in metal. Finally, so that the frame does not rust during the operation of the garage pit, it must be sanded, primed and painted before installation.
Various materials can be used to make the pit cover. For example, you can make it sectional from metal frames covered with steel mesh, or in the form of a wooden shield from edged boards with a thickness of 35 mm or more.
It should be remembered that the thinner the canvas, the easier it is to lift it, so you should not take too thick a tree or shields with a heavy frame.
You can make a cover for a viewing hole in the following way:
Attention: when closing the pit, the outer edge of the lid sheet is in contact with the mortgage frame. Therefore, often the structure is additionally sheathed along the edges with steel or plastic tape. The thickness of such a sheathing will have to be taken into account even before cutting the canvas, and to fix it in advance, buy special fasteners. By the way, the lid can be equipped with special mechanisms that will allow partial opening of the inspection hole.
Building a viewing hole in the garage is not an easy task. Therefore, their solution should be started, thoroughly prepared and, preferably, in consultation with those who have experience in such work. Competent planning, as well as attention to the issues of thermal and waterproofing of the premises, antiseptic finishes and electrification will ensure comfortable operation of the cellar and will expand the amount of home food stock. At proper organization work on the construction of a viewing pit should take no more than 10 days, while the construction of a cellar may take about a month with a medium density schedule.
