What types of flooring are there for a garage pit? Inspection hole in the garage: how to make it? Manufacturing technology of the inspection pit

Every car owner sooner or later faces minor repairs to his vehicle. A routine check of a car's technical condition can turn into hours of waiting. Having your own inspection hole in the garage, which you can make yourself, will save money and time.

Functions and necessity of a viewing and vegetable pit in the garage

The need for an inspection pit in the garage is obvious, since in cases of oil changes, minor repairs to the bottom of the body or a routine inspection, you have to set aside several hours to travel to a service station and pay for expensive service.

The pit for technical inspection of a car can also be used as a cellar or vegetable storage. For this purpose, niches and shelves are constructed inside it.

The condition for high-quality use of an inspection pit as a technical structure and a place for storing products is compliance with all construction standards and the presence of reliable waterproofing of the floor and walls.

Even this simple design requires careful planning of actions. An important point is to determine the quality of the soil and the level groundwater. The most suitable foundation for such structures is clay soil. Its peculiarity is that it does not allow moisture to pass through, which means it can become a kind of waterproofing layer.

If there is a large accumulation of groundwater and a high level of its location, the inspection pit is additionally equipped with a drainage system for drainage excess moisture, as well as submersible pumps so that the room can be quickly drained.

Step-by-step guide to making a viewing hole

You can install the inspection pit yourself. There is nothing complicated about this if you follow the detailed instructions.

How to determine size

To calculate the area of ​​the future inspection pit, you need to take into account the thickness of the walls and base. For such calculations, it is necessary to remember the geometry course and resort to a simple formula that determines the area - S = ah, where a is the length, h is the width of the pit. Inspection hole in finished form will have dimensions of 75x185x300 cm. The thickness of the concrete walls and floor, as a rule, is about 10 cm. The calculations will be as follows: 0.85x3 = 2.55 m² - this is the area of ​​the pit for the inspection pit.

Comfortable work in the inspection pit is created by a correctly calculated space, namely, its parameters should be convenient for the build of the person in it. Typically, the width of the pit is built in the range from 70 to 75 cm. This width is enough for you to move freely inside. The same distance between the walls makes the observation structure convenient for a passenger car to enter.

The pit may be wider if the inspection pit is intended for large vehicles or trucks. Distance between internal parties The wheels of such vehicles are much larger (from 80 to 90 cm).

The inspection pit is arranged in such a way that the walls are slightly narrower towards the floor. Schematically, in cross-section, its design resembles an inverted trapezoid. This shape provides convenient access to tools in niches and free movement.

The length of the inspection hole is selected based on the size of the garage. If the space of the room allows, then a staircase can be provided in the pit. To do this, the length of the pit is increased by 100–120 cm.

Depth of the pit “with reserve” for installing the floor

The height of the pit is at least 170–180 cm. These dimensions are relative, since the depth is made in accordance with the height of the car owner. While in the inspection hole, a person should not touch the bottom of the car with his head.

For additional safety of the car and its owner, the inspection hole is equipped with metal limiters. They usually consist of four pillars fixed at the corners of a niche. They rise 10–15 cm above it. Sometimes for technical inspection, not four pillars, but two metal corners are used. They are fastened against each other along the edges of the length of the pit.

The depth should be 25–30 cm greater than the owner’s height. With such a distance from the base to the body, the arms will not get tired quickly, as this makes it possible for them to be in a bent position.

Materials and tools

Most often, concrete, wood, metal or brick are used for manufacturing.

To calculate the required amount of concrete, you must use a formula that determines the volume. To do this, you need to multiply the length, width and height of the wall. Similar calculations are carried out for the floor.

If brick is used in the construction of the pit, then, knowing its parameters, it is easy to calculate the required amount of this material in pieces. The dimensions of the red brick are 250x120x60 mm.

When building a viewing hole, you cannot do without the following tools:

• shovel and bayonet shovel;
• buckets for excavated earth and concrete mixture;
• trowels;
• welding machine;
• hacksaws.

The following materials are also required:

• bricks;
• cement, sand, crushed stone;
• M200 concrete for the base;
• boards with a section of 400x50 mm;
• reinforcing bars;
• metal corner 50 mm wide;
• waterproofing material.

Instructions for making an inspection pit from bricks, boards, concrete and iron

All work must be done in a strict sequence of steps:

1. Before making a hole in the garage, you need to mark the area. After the pit has been dug, its bottom can be covered with a raised floor or constructed comfortable stands. If the soil is unstable, it must be strengthened with boards and spacers. Remember that loosened earth is 25–30% larger in volume than the dimensions of the pit. It should not be removed immediately, since part of the soil will be needed to compact the space between the pit wall and the brickwork (concrete, metal sheet, boards). Another part of the earth will be needed to level the floor throughout the garage.
2. At the stage of forming the pit, it is necessary to take care of equipping niches in the walls. They are comfortable to hold lighting, tools, materials. It is recommended to place niches at elbow height. You don't have to bend over for the tool.
3. When the pit is dug, it is necessary to level and compress its bottom. For this, a tamper is used, which can be constructed using self-tapping screws, thick (100 to 150 mm in diameter) and thin timber (for the handle). To do this, attach a thin one to the end of one side of a thick beam. The design will resemble the letter “T”, with the striking part at its base. Pour medium-sized gravel onto the prepared surface and compact it.
4. Then you need to prepare concrete mixture for filling the floor. To make the base more durable, it must be reinforced with metal mesh or rods. The dimensions of the cells in the metal frame should not exceed 15 cm. The grating should not be allowed to touch the bottom of the pit.
5. Pour concrete, completely covering metal carcass. It will take from 7 to 21 days for the mixture to harden. It depends on the air temperature.
6. When the concrete has completely hardened, you can begin building walls in the inspection pit.

Features of installation of partitions depend on the material used.

Concrete inspection pit

Before pouring the mixture, it is necessary to make formwork. The best way to do this is to use OSB boards. This material does not allow the poured mixture to pass through and does not deform over time. The plates are fastened together using boards and screws so that the distance between them is at least 15 cm.

To maintain shape wooden structure it must be secured with spacers. Gaps in the joints of the slabs should be absent or minimal. A reinforcing mesh should be installed inside the finished formwork.

There is an option for pouring concrete with one-sided formwork. To do this, it is necessary to cover the walls of the pit with waterproofing material. Next, OSB boards are installed along the inner perimeter of the pit. A metal mesh is placed between them and the waterproofing. Concrete is poured inside this structure.

Brick inspection pit

A waterproofing sheet is placed in the finished pit. It should completely cover the floor and walls. The canvas must be laid with an overlap. To prevent the edges of the material from lifting up, they are pressed down with boards. A half-brick masonry is made on top of the waterproofing. When the wall reaches a height of 135 cm, you can make niches and then continue laying to the top edge of the pit. On the last row It is recommended to install a metal frame from a corner, and it should be welded in such a way that one shelf on each side is parallel to the floor. Thick boards will be laid on it to cover the pit. Next, they pour the concrete floor in the garage.

Inspection pit made of metal sheets (caisson)

This design resembles a large box. During its manufacture, the sheets must be joined by continuous welding. The finished structure must be carefully treated with anti-corrosion coatings. The box should be equipped with fasteners. They are welded metal corners that rest 100–150 cm into the ground. They are attached to the body on four sides. They will hold the box in place. If this is not done, the entire structure will simply float when the groundwater level rises.

Inspection pit made of wooden planks

Wood without proper treatment quickly rots. Therefore, the material must be impregnated with special antifungal substances and additionally waterproofed. It is better to take thick boards for walls. The material is installed horizontally. Spacers are secured along the edges of the narrow sides of the inspection hole.

Waterproofing device

This process is carried out both before the construction of the structure (external insulation) and after its construction (internal insulation).

If the garage is located on an area with a low groundwater level, then many owners are in no hurry to insulate inspection hole from moisture. However, the hydrological situation of any area changes every year, so it is recommended to take care of insulation at the construction stage. For this purpose, special films or membranes are used, for example, butyl rubber, aquaizol. They need to be laid in a pit. The edges of the material should be laid with an overlap of 10–15 cm. To obtain a sealed seam at the overlap, use double-sided tape.

When installing a film or membrane, it is important not to damage its integrity. Otherwise, moisture from the soil will enter the hole.

The laid waterproofing layer is melted using a blowtorch. As a result, the film straightens, fitting more tightly to the walls and bottom of the inspection pit.

Do-it-yourself internal waterproofing of an inspection pit in a garage involves treating the surface of the finished inspection structure with liquid substances, which, when dry, form a dense water-repellent layer. The composition for treating swimming pools has proven itself well. It is applied with a thick, wide brush, and when it hardens, the substance forms a waterproof material resembling rubber. For greater reliability, more than two layers should be applied.

Insulating material can be applied using a spray gun

There is another way of internal insulation from moisture - this is the use of special cement-based primers, which tend to be deeply absorbed into the applied material. This effect is achieved thanks to the polymer particles that are in the mixture. They block capillaries that allow moisture to penetrate through the base material.

How to close a finished inspection hole

A covered inspection hole will not only protect the car from accidental failure, but will also serve as an additional waterproofing layer. In the absence of a cover, evaporated moisture settles on the lower parts of the car body, thereby creating favorable conditions for the formation of metal corrosion. To avoid such problems, the inspection hole is covered. For this purpose, sheets of metal or boards are used.

Wood is a relatively inexpensive and lightweight material. If necessary, the boards are easy to replace. They are selected from hard woods, such as oak and larch. Before use, the boards are coated with antifungal impregnations and antiseptic substances. They are placed in the openings of metal corners fixed at the top of the inspection hole. The thickness of each board must be more than 40 mm.

Using metal is less convenient, since this material is heavy, expensive, and not resistant to corrosion. During use, its surface bends.

Video: DIY inspection hole in the garage

Step-by-step guide to building an insulated vegetable pit

The construction of a vegetable pit has its own characteristics.

Drawing

For a vegetable pit, both the presence of waterproofing and depth are important.

The place for storing vegetables must be below the freezing point. Otherwise, the point of storing food is lost, since it will be spoiled by low temperatures.

The freezing point depends on the region where the garage is located, for example, Vin the northern regions the ground freezes up to 150 cm. Taking this fact into account, you should dig a pit with a depth of at least 190 cm. From 10 to 15 cm must be allocated for the drainage layer under the base, another 10 cm is required to install the ceiling. 170–175 cm remains for placing shelves, racks and niches for vegetables and lighting. The depth also depends on the height of the owner.

Option with optimal sizes for this building

The optimal width of the pit for vegetables is 150 cm. This size allows you to optimally place shelves and racks, while a person will not be constrained in movement inside the pit. To select the length, you need to follow the rule - the pit should not reach closer than 50 cm to the walls of the garage.

Required materials and tools

To make a vegetable pit in the garage you will need the following materials:

• waterproofing sheet;
• reinforcing bars;
• sand;
• gravel;
• boards for formwork;
• metal corners;
• wire;
• bricks, metal sheets, boards or concrete M 250.

When building this structure, you cannot do without the following tools:

• bayonet and shovel;
• concrete mixers;
• containers for concrete mixture and water;
• blowtorch;
• double-sided tape;
• screwdriver.

Calculations of materials for the construction of a vegetable pit are similar to the inspection pit.

Manufacturing instructions

Having prepared everything necessary tools and materials, you can start building a vegetable pit:

1. It is necessary to mark out the area for the pit. This can be conveniently done using a stretched cord and pegs.
2. When the markup is ready, you can start earthworks. When determining the dimensions of the future pit, you should take into account the thickness of the walls and floor in accordance with the selected material for construction.
3. The walls and floor must be covered with a layer of bitumen. This procedure is required if the groundwater level is quite high. Bitumen will serve as an additional waterproofing layer.
4. Now it's time to build the foundation. To do this, you will need to level the surface of the bottom of the pit, then pour in sand and distribute it evenly. After this, compress this layer to a thickness of 10 cm. Place gravel on top of the sand cushion, which also needs to be compacted.
5. The concrete base must be reinforced with metal rods. For this you need rods with a diameter of 8–10 mm. The intersections of the rods must be secured with wire. The result should be a metal lattice with cells no larger than 15 cm. This frame must be installed at a distance of 5 cm from the day of the pit. It is convenient to use fragments of bricks for this..
6. Having installed the mesh, you can begin pouring concrete. It should be taken into account that the mixture must completely cover the metal frame with a layer of at least 10 cm. Leave for 14 days to harden.
7. After the specified period, waterproofing work is carried out. Then they begin to build the walls of the structure. For greater masonry strength, it is necessary to lay reinforcing material (mesh or wire) under each row of bricks. Continue building the walls up to the level of the garage floor.

   Ventilation pipes help long-term storage vegetables

8. From metal corner make a frame. The dimensions must match the top edge of the pit. Install this frame on top of the cellar. It will serve as the basis for installing ceiling boards. The top of the cellar can be left as is, but to create a more permanent structure, work with concrete will be required. The installed boards will serve as the basis for creating concrete ceiling. To do this, it is necessary to carry out all the actions with the reinforcing lattice and pouring concrete. A place for a hatch should also be provided. Inside the pit, you should support the top with logs. They will serve as temporary supports until the concrete mixture hardens. You also need to provide a hole in the ceiling of the pit for installation ventilation pipe. You can use any material for this. The most convenient option would be to use a plastic or asbestos-cement pipe.

Waterproofing device

The issue of insulating the inner surface of the cellar from moisture should be treated with particular care. This is important, since the slightest hole in the waterproofing will become a source of dampness and cause spoilage of vegetables.

You can proceed to this stage only if the concrete is completely dry. You will need a waterproofing sheet or aquaizol. This material must be used to cover the walls and floor of the vegetable pit. The canvas must be laid with an overlap of at least 15 cm. The joints are secured using a blowtorch or double-sided tape. All actions with the lamp should be carried out very carefully so as not to damage the canvas, otherwise moisture will get inside the vegetable pit. The same materials cover the outer part of the ceiling of the pit.

How to insulate a cellar in a garage

Solving the issue of insulating a cellar in a garage is as important as installing waterproofing. The insulation will help maintain a stable temperature inside the pit. For this you can use mineral wool or polystyrene foam.

To install foam panels, you will need plastic umbrella dowels. The installation process is as follows:

1. Using a drill or hammer drill, five holes are drilled in the plate attached to the wall (in the corners and in the middle of the material).
2. Plastic dowels are driven into them and screws are screwed into them.
3. The joints of the slabs are filled with polyurethane foam.

In the northern regions, where the air temperature drops below 25–30ºС, it is also necessary to insulate the ceiling of the vegetable pit. To prevent the foam from crumbling over time, you can cover it with any finishing material. This will create an additional thermal insulation effect.

Video: how to make a dry pit, cellar, basement in a garage of the required width

Make an observation room in the garage or vegetable pit It’s not at all difficult to do it yourself. It is enough to listen to the recommendations of specialists and follow step by step instructions. If desired, these two rooms can be combined.

To make it easier for a good owner to carry out preventive maintenance and repairs, the garage is usually equipped with an inspection hole. This is not surprising - the mentality of most of our men is such that almost every car enthusiast prefers to monitor the condition of the car himself, and, if necessary, to repair it. Having invested in such arrangement of the garage once, in the future you can save a decent amount on after-sales service, since it will be possible to carry out such simple but necessary procedures as changing the oil or coating the bottom with an anti-corrosion compound, as well as a number of other works related to the underbody or suspension of the car.

However, it must immediately be noted that optimal location An inspection pit is considered to be a place under a canopy next to the garage, or in the garage, but next to the area intended for parking the car, since wet vapors accumulating between the bottom of the car and the bottom of the pit often contribute to the activation of corrosion processes. But, as you know, most often space in the garage is limited, so the inspection hole is installed in the middle part of the room. Based on this circumstance, we will further consider how an inspection hole can be made in a garage with your own hands, with the provision of reliable waterproofing, ventilation and the use of various materials for the construction of walls.

When and how to plan the construction of an inspection pit?

The best option would be to build a pit before the construction of the garage walls begins, in the place planned for it, in parallel with the creation of the foundation and floor. It is clear that in a ready-made building you may encounter a number of restrictions that significantly complicate the work.

For example, the same pit laid in an open space can be dug quickly and accurately using special equipment. In a finished garage, you will have to dig it exclusively by hand, and this work is quite labor-intensive, since you will have to not only loosen it, but also remove several cubes of soil with enough great depth, and then also organize its removal from the garage and further removal from the territory.

When planning to dig a pit, it is recommended to obtain information in advance about the location of groundwater at the construction site in order to protect the building from its penetration into the pit, otherwise it will become unsuitable for work, and over time it will begin to collapse. In this case, you will have to “save” the garage, bring soil and dig a hole. Therefore, it is best to think through all the nuances of its arrangement in advance and obtain all the information necessary for this, otherwise the work may be done in vain.

Materials for constructing a pit

To build a viewing hole, you will need quite a lot of different materials, which need to be purchased with a small supply. Usually professional builders It is advised to increase their number by 10÷15%.

So, to create a full-fledged inspection hole, you may need the following materials:

• Sand, gravel or crushed stone. Sand and gravel are necessary for masonry or filler mortar, and to create a cushion at the bottom of the pit, in addition to these materials, crushed stone will be required. Cement is required for mixing all types of mortars.
• with a cross section of 30×30 or 40×40 mm, 25 mm boards or plywood 10÷15 mm thick - for the manufacture of formwork, and well-processed boards 40÷45 mm thick - for the pit cover.
• Reinforcing rod with a diameter of 6÷8 mm for knitting a reinforcing grid when strengthening walls and floors.
• Waterproofing materials – dense polyethylene film, roofing felt and mastic. More modern materials can be used for waterproofing, but they have a higher price.
• Metal corner measuring 50x50 mm to secure the perimeter of the pit at floor level. Often a corner is also used to make a wheel guard.
• Steel wire with a cross-section of 1.5÷2 mm - for twisting the reinforcing mesh.
• Plastic pipes with a diameter of 100 mm - for arranging the ventilation system of the pit.
• Brick or foam blocks, if you plan to build pit walls from them.

Determining the dimensions of the inspection hole

Work on planning and arranging an inspection pit usually begins with determining its dimensions. It is recommended to immediately record all parameters for further drawing up a project in which it is necessary to show the location of the hole in the garage, its width, length and depth. These values ​​primarily depend on the base of the car, that is, the distance between the wheels along the length and width of the car, as well as on the height of the garage owner. Correct determination of these parameters is important for ensuring safety, comfortable work, and ease of parking the car in the garage.

• The width of the pit should be 300÷350 mm larger than the intended size of the inspection hole, and its finished width should be 200 mm less than the distance between the wheels of the car on the same axle (with the measurement between the inner surfaces of the tires). At the same time, the pit should be comfortable for a person to be inside. When planning an inspection pit, you should not take exact dimensions between the wheels of a specific passenger car, since you may want to replace it with a new one over time. Therefore, it is recommended to take the average distance for various options car.

The generally accepted, most convenient pit parameter is a width of 800÷850 mm.

• The length of the pit can be different, and this depends on the wishes of the car owner, taking into account, of course, the length of the garage space. The standard length of the pit should be equal to the length of the car plus 1000 mm, but in some cases it is necessary to make it smaller. Therefore, this parameter can vary from 2000 to 6000 mm.

When making calculations, you also need to take into account the space for descending into the pit when the car is parked in the garage. The descent must be equipped with an extension or step ladder. Usually selected ladder, since it takes up significantly less space.

copper cable

• The depth of the hole is determined by the height of the garage owner. It should be such that a person, standing at the bottom, can freely reach any mechanism of the car that goes to its lower part and requires maintenance or repair.

It should be noted that it will be better if the pit is dug a little deeper than required, since the required depth can be compensated by raising the floor, increasing its thickness. Usually the depth of the pit is equal to the height of the owner plus 100÷200 mm and is approximately 1800÷1900 mm.

In addition to the above parameters, when digging a pit, you need to take into account the distance for waterproofing, laying or filling the walls, as well as for backfilling clay around the inspection hole, a layer of which will become an additional waterproofing. If the walls are laid out of brick or filled with concrete, then the pit should be increased in width in each direction by 120÷150 mm, for gas silicate blocks by 200 mm, for arranging a concrete floor the depth should be increased by 200 mm. If a drainage or waterproofing layer is installed around the pit, the pit will increase in width by another 150÷170 mm.

As mentioned above, it is necessary to obtain information about the depth of groundwater. These data must be indicated in the report, which is given after surveying the site before constructing the garage.

The groundwater level plays a role important role in the construction of any building, be it a residential building or a garage. If it extends higher than 2500 mm, then it will be difficult to dig an inspection hole in the garage or make a cellar under the house, since they will fill with water, even if high-quality waterproofing is done.

In some cases, there is a way out - to avoid this unpleasant situation, a drainage system is installed around the perimeter of the entire pit to the height of its walls and underneath, which will help drain water into the sewer well.

Provided the groundwater is located below the level indicated above, there are no restrictions on the construction of an inspection pit.

Almost always, when installing a viewing hole, garage owners prefer to make niches in its walls, placing them in the upper or middle part of the side walls.

The depth and width of such “windows” must be calculated in such a way that it is convenient to put a tool in them during work, from small to fairly large. These niches must also be calculated and included in the construction plan.

Work on creating an inspection hole in the garage yourself

Marking the inspection hole and digging a pit

The marking of the inspection pit is carried out in different ways, since it can be installed in a ready-made garage or before its construction.

Illustration
	It is easier to mark the location of the inspection pit in an already built room with a finished floor, but it will be more difficult to equip it. If you plan to make an inspection hole in an already built garage in which the floor is covered concrete screed, then marking is quite simple - measure the required distance from the walls, make marks and draw the outline of the future pit. But here it is necessary to take into account that the distance between the walls of the future pit and the garage must be at least 1000 mm.
	When the marking is completed, the most difficult stages of the work will begin. If the garage floor is wooden, then removing the covering is naturally easier: following the markings, the boards are simply cut out and removed. It is much more difficult to get rid of a well-made screed, since it will need to be removed down to the ground. To do this you will need a jackhammer or at least a hammer drill and a grinder with a metal disc. First, the concrete is broken according to the markings, and then the rods of the reinforcing structure are cut out using a grinder.
	In any case, the foundation pit for the inspection hole in the finished garage will have to be dug manually, since no digging equipment will be able to get into the room. This stage of work can be called the most labor-intensive, since usually the standard pit size is 1800x1100x6000 mm, which is almost 12 cubic meters of earth. It is quite difficult to extract such a volume of soil alone, so it is best to have two or three assistants.
	The duration of this stage of excavation will depend on the activity of workers and the composition of the soil. For work, you will need bayonet and shovel shovels, buckets for lifting soil from the depths, and a wheelbarrow for removing it from the territory of the constructed or future garage. It should be noted that for difficult clay or rocky soils, a pick or crowbar may also be required.
	When determining the place where the soil will be transported, it is necessary to take into account that in a loosened state it will occupy 20–25% more space than it occupied in compacted form. The only obvious advantage of this method of constructing an inspection pit is that it will not get wet in the rain during the digging of the pit, which means that work can be carried out at any time, without much regard for the prevailing weather.
	If this excavation of a pit for an inspection hole is carried out in a still open area, then in this case it will be more difficult to carry out markings with high accuracy, but it is much easier to carry out excavation work, since specialized equipment can be used. The disadvantage of this method of digging a pit is that the hole will still have to be leveled by hand, and also that it will not be protected by a roof. If it suddenly rains, especially if it rains for a long time, then after it you will have to wait a long time for the soil to dry out before continuing work, and sometimes even resort to pumping out the water using a drainage pump. Therefore, in case of a sudden change in weather, it is necessary to prepare in advance material or devices (for example, wooden boards covered with film), which can be used to cover the pit on top, thereby protecting it from water ingress.
	If clay layers are discovered during the digging process, it is recommended not to transport this soil far, but to leave it close to the garage or dump it next to the pit, since clay is best suited for filling the external cavities around the walls of the pit.
	Next, you should immediately think about ventilation. If it is discharged through a wall or passes under the garage foundation, then a trench is dug for the ventilation pipes.

Planning and arrangement of ventilation of the inspection pit

Despite the measures taken to protect the pit from moisture, over time, one way or another, an unpleasant smell of mustiness, gasoline and used engine oil may appear in it, so installing ventilation in it is simply mandatory. It is equipped according to the same principle as the basement ventilation system.

Illustration	Brief description of the operation performed
	Installation work ventilation ducts are usually provided at the stage of digging a pit. The ventilation system can be common for the inspection pit and the garage, or it can be carried out individually for each of these rooms.
	The presented illustration diagram shows the principle of an integrated ventilation system. Air enters the inspection pit and the garage room through one supply pipe (item 1), which branches into two pipes - straight for the garage (item 2) and descending downwards for the inspection pit (item 3). The air also exits through one exhaust pipe (item 4), passing through the roof to the street and raised at least 500 mm above the roofing of the garage. This pipe also has two openings: one of them is located in the upper part of the wall of the inspection pit (item 6), and the other ventilation window is located under the garage ceiling (item 5) on opposite wall from the inlet. It must be said that such a scheme can be called the optimal option, working effectively and not leading to unnecessary costs.
	If you plan to make a separate ventilation system for the inspection pit, then both openings are located on one of its sides or on opposite walls. In this case, the pipes can be led out onto the street not through the roof, but under the wall of the garage, through the foundation.
	The supply pipe rises approximately 500 mm above the ground and is closed on top with a protective grille or a special “pass-through” cover. The exhaust duct rises 2000÷2500 mm above ground level, and a metal umbrella is attached to this pipe on top to prevent moisture and dirt from getting into it during wind and precipitation.
	It would be optimal to embed the supply pipe into the ground from the outside of the inspection hole, and draw its lower edge with a pipe through the thickness of the wall in its lower part. However, if space allows, the pipes can be left in the garage. In this case, they are mounted, fixed to the wall and discharged through the ceiling and roof of the building.
	If the channels are located on one wall of the inspection pit, then the supply pipe is lowered to the floor, and the hole for it is arranged at a distance of 100–150 mm from it and must be covered with a protective grille. Hole exhaust duct mounted 200÷250 mm below the upper edge of the inspection hole. Ventilation pipes are embedded in the brickwork (or filled with concrete - if the walls of the pit are monolithic). From inside the inspection pit they look like windows.
	For laying ventilation ducts, it is optimal to use plastic sewer pipes with a diameter of 100 mm. They are mounted on top of a waterproofing sheet laid around masonry walls or concrete formwork.
	After the work on the ventilation is completely completed and the ends of the pipes are embedded in the walls of the pit, it is necessary to test the system for performance. The test itself is not difficult. It is necessary to carry the lit candle first to the hood - its flame should clearly deviate towards the exhaust duct. Then they check at the supply opening, where the spark plug may even go out under strong air pressure. If the tests passed with this result, then the ventilation system is equipped correctly and is fully operational.

Arrangement of the floor and walls of the inspection pit

Now, having understood in general terms the issues of ventilation of the inspection pit, let’s return to general construction work - in the dug pit it’s time to work on the floor and walls.

Illustration	Brief description of the operation performed
	Having dug a pit, the soil at its bottom must be compacted very well using a hand tamper. After this, gravel or small crushed stone is poured into the bottom of the pit and compacted again. In the compacted state, the thickness of this layer should be at least 100 mm. The next layer, 50 mm thick, is filled with sand and compacted, then the sand “cushion” is covered with another five-centimeter layer of gravel. Some builders limit themselves to two layers of backfill - 100 mm sand and 100 mm gravel, which should also be compacted. Most often, the thickness of the layers and their sequence depends on the soil moisture at the bottom of the pit.
	The next step is to cover the bottom and walls of the pit with waterproofing material. For this, dense polyethylene, roofing felt or one of the modern waterproofing membranes can be used. If roofing felt sheets are used, they are laid overlapping one on top of the other by 120÷150 mm. And this strip of mutual overlap is missed bitumen mastic, since the waterproofing layer must be sealed.
	The material is wrapped around the edges of the pit and secured with a load of stones or pipes. However, you should not tighten it too much: the sheets should be positioned freely, since a screed will be poured at the bottom of the pit, which will inevitably pull the sheets down. Next, ventilation pipes are laid, as mentioned above.
	The next step is to strengthen the entire bottom of the pit with a reinforced screed. To do this, a lattice is knitted from reinforcement with a diameter of 6÷7 mm using wire, which rises above the compacted rubble by 50÷70 mm - it can be installed on fragments of bricks, since their height is 60 mm. If it is necessary to make the screed thicker, formwork is installed around the perimeter of the pit for pouring concrete.
	The screed mortar is made from sand, gravel (fine crushed stone) and cement in proportions of 2: 4: 1 (more precisely, 1.9: 3.7: 1), assuming that M-400 grade cement is used. Typically, concrete mortar for pouring a floor is prepared in a concrete mixer, then it turns out homogeneous and is easier to work with.
	If the solution is mixed by hand, it is recommended to add one of the plasticizers or liquid soap to it. Some masters recommend adding to the solution liquid glass, at the rate of 250 grams per 5 liters of concrete. This additive is recommended if increased soil moisture was found in the lower part of the pit during excavation.
	The floor is filled with ready-made mortar so that the concrete layer above the reinforcement grid is at least 40÷60 mm. Poured concrete can be leveled well using the rule. Thus, the screed will have to be done in two stages - first, most of the floor area is poured, and when it sets and you can stand on its surface, the work is completed. The screed should dry and gain primary strength for 3–4 days. Only after this time has passed can further work be carried out. During the period of initial maturation, it is recommended to moisten the concrete surface with water daily - this will make the screed more solid and stronger.
	The construction of walls can be made from different materials- they can be derived from piece material- bricks or blocks, or made monolithic, that is, poured from concrete. Further actions depend on which method is chosen. When choosing a method for constructing walls made of brick or gas silicate blocks, the masonry is made along the perimeter of the concrete floor, reinforcing it after 2-3 rows with a wire mesh. There should be a gap of 100÷120 mm between the walls covered with waterproofing and brick, which will later be filled with soil mixed with clay and then compacted.
	Masonry can be done in half or quarter bricks. The solution for it is made from sifted sand and cement, taken in a ratio of 1:3. If you choose red brick for work, then before building the wall, it is recommended to soak it in water for 15-30 minutes so that it does not absorb moisture from the solution and the solution dries out naturally. To ensure the evenness of the masonry, a stretched rope is used as a guide, and when performing it, it is necessary to check the horizontal and vertical positions using a building level.
	In addition, niches are immediately planned and formed for convenient placement of tools when performing repair work. To do this, a brick in a certain place is moved outward by ½ of its thickness, or a metal box is embedded in the brickwork, which can extend beyond the thickness of the wall, creating a deep enough niche for tools or installation of lamps.
	After the walls are raised, sheets of waterproofing material are wrapped on them, leaving free space between them and the ground walls of the pit. The next step is to gradually fill the resulting gap with clay mixed with soil, while every 150÷200 mm of the filled mixture is moistened and thoroughly compacted.
	If you plan to build concrete walls, then you need to build formwork for them. It can also be installed in different ways. In the first option, it is bent from the walls of the pit waterproofing film and folded onto the cemented floor. Along the perimeter of the pit, a formwork wall made of boards or plywood (OSB) with a thickness of at least 10 mm is installed. Then, a film is lifted onto the wooden walls; here it is necessary to prevent concrete from flowing out through the cracks formed between the boards.
	Next, a reinforcement grid with cells 150×150 mm is mounted along the waterproofed outer surface of the formwork. You can use ready-made mesh cards, or tie them from reinforcing rods with a diameter of 7–8 mm, securing them together with twisted wire.
	It should be noted here that when choosing this option for constructing walls, the reinforcement of floors under the screed, and then its arrangement, can be carried out simultaneously with the reinforcement of future walls. In this case, first of all, the floor is poured, and then the second, inner wall of the formwork is installed, which can be made of plywood (OSB sheets) or boards.
	Thanks to plywood (OSB) formwork, the walls will be guaranteed to be smooth, and concrete will not leak in large quantities between the joints. In order for the concrete to be evenly distributed inside the formwork, it is not necessary to raise its inner wall immediately to the top. Filling is usually carried out in tiers. To begin with, it is enough to erect formwork with a height of 500–700 mm around the entire perimeter, and strengthen the opposite walls with spacers in order to avoid their deformation under the weight of the raw mortar.
	Then, concrete solution is poured into the formwork. After this tier has set, another superstructure of the inner wall of the formwork is erected, which in turn is also filled with concrete. And so it continues until the very top edge.
	In the second option, the waterproofing film remains on the walls, and along it, with an indentation of 50÷70 mm, a reinforcement grid is mounted, that is, the pit wall covered with waterproofing acts as the outer side of the formwork. After this, the first tier of the inner wall of the formwork is erected along the entire perimeter of the pit, which is filled with mortar. Then it is built up and filled again, and so the work continues to the top. Formwork can be removed no earlier than two weeks after the last concrete pouring. The disadvantage of this manufacturing option is higher consumption concrete mortar.
	To form niches for tools, a reinforced recess is made in the wall and closed on the outside with plywood, that is, concrete will be poured into the formwork around the recess without getting inside. After the concrete has hardened, the formwork is removed and the niche is filled with concrete mortar. In this case, a metal box can also be used to arrange niches. It is fixed to the reinforcing grid using welding or wire, depending on the thickness of the steel sheet used to make the box.
	Poured reinforced concrete walls must be left to dry and gain strength for about two weeks. After this, the formwork is removed. If you plan to decorate the walls, for example, with ceramic tiles, then the concrete is left to mature for another one and a half to two weeks. However, most often the walls remain concrete, and in this case it is recommended to cover them with a special deep-penetrating hardening primer. Such compositions penetrate into the thickness of concrete, filling all its pores and microcracks, protecting it from moisture, preventing dust, erosion and destruction.
	In addition, after pouring and leveling the concrete in the formwork along the top of the walls, it is recommended to fasten metal corners along their edges to studs (150÷200 mm long). The studs are immersed in the solution through holes drilled in the corners, and so that they do not pull it down with them, metal strips are placed perpendicularly under the edging from the corner, the edges of which will lie on top of the walls of the formwork.
	The corners will serve as a limiter for the pit, a stand for laying boards covering the pit, as well as a wheel guard that will prevent wheels from getting into a dangerous area. In order for this element framing the pit to perform its functions, it must be raised above the level of the main surface of the garage floor by approximately 50÷70 mm.
	After removing the formwork, the gap between the constructed and the ground wall, if any, is filled. To do this, the mixture of clay and soil, after filling it into the space between the walls, is well compacted and reinforced, since the floor screed will be placed on top of it.
	The design and material of the ladder for descending into the pit may be different. But no matter which option is chosen, securely fastening this element to the wall and floor is prerequisite.
	To cover the inspection hole from above, ordinary individual boards or assembled into panels are most often used. There are more interesting options, for example, when the boards are loosely fastened together with a strong waterproof rope. This approach is convenient in all respects - such a “mobile” lid quickly rolls up and unfolds in the frame from a corner, so you don’t have to select and lay each of the boards separately.

There are special requirements for garage floors

It is important that the coating is durable, wear-resistant, and not afraid of exposure to fuels and lubricants or other aggressive technical fluids. Detailed information on how to do it correctly and what coating to choose for it can be obtained in a special article on our portal.

As a “bonus”, below is a calculator that will help you quickly and accurately determine the required amount of concrete of grade M300 strength for pouring a garage floor. In the options of this mini-application it is possible to take into account the amount of mortar that is required if the walls of the pit are also poured from concrete.

If we are talking only about a hole, without taking into account the garage floor (for example, the screed has already been poured earlier), then in the first group of value entry fields you can specify not the length and width of the garage, but the corresponding parameters of the hole itself. In this case, the calculation will be made only for the screed on the floor of the pit, which will be required in any case.

You can also take into account the entrance ramp in the calculations, if it is also planned to be concrete - when you select this calculation path, additional fields for entering the relevant data will open.

The final result will be given, first of all, in the total volume of concrete solution - this is convenient if it is ordered from a specialized enterprise. And for those who are going to make the solution themselves, the quantity is given necessary ingredients. Moreover, it will be shown both in weight and volumetric measurements, since various trade organizations can sell, for example, sand or gravel both by weight and by cubic meters.

Your own garage with an inspection hole is the dream of any car owner. So why not bring it to life with your own hands? After all, the garage pit will provide access to important nodes car, which will allow you to perform technical inspection and renovation work without contacting car service specialists.

Why is an inspection hole needed and what should it be like?

Garage pit - chief assistant car enthusiast. It allows you to perform diagnostics, maintenance and minor, and even major renovation car yourself.

It is worth remembering that the inspection pit is an increased source of humidity. This means that the most important task during its construction is waterproofing.

A damp inspection hole will quickly reduce the microclimate in the garage, which will certainly lead to the appearance of rust and mold.

Dampness coming from the inspection hole sharply reduces comfort when staying 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 capital measures in the garage, you must:

• study the soil characteristics under the garage structure and establish the depth of groundwater;
• assess the condition of the foundation.

Based on reliable geodetic data, as well as requirements building codes, it will be possible to make a technically competent and economically sound decision.

Attention: when planning an inspection pit, be sure to provide material for closing during downtime. This will prevent the underbody and lower part of the car from being exposed to excessive moisture.

Dimensions

It is reasonable to place the inspection hole not in the middle, but closer to one of the side walls and in the depths of the garage. Of course, it’s not worth reducing the already small area of ​​a cramped or narrow room. But building a viewing hole less than 2 m long is unlikely to be advisable.

The optimal depth is assumed to be 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 inspection pit can be made from the 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 car garages, this value is taken to be 70–80 cm for passenger 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, you can always arrange an elevation, which will ensure the convenience of performing individual technical operations, while the passage under the machine placed on the pit will not be constrained by anything. In addition, it is worthwhile to provide special niches and recesses on the walls of the pit in which tools or car parts can be stored.

Features of waterproofing and thermal insulation of a garage pit

It is necessary to select materials for waterproofing and insulating the inspection pit at the planning stage. This will allow you to correctly calculate the parameters of the structure and make a decision on its interior decoration.

Waterproofing materials

The following can be used as waterproofing for a garage inspection pit:

• bituminous materials (roofing felt and its varieties, bitumen resin; service life 10–15 years);

• polymer geotextiles (single- and multi-layer polymer membranes on a self-adhesive basis; service life is at least 50 years);

• penetrating compounds (dry mineral or mineral-organic mixtures diluted with water immediately before use; service life is equal to the service life of the surfaces being treated);

• fatty clay in combination with petroleum products (in combination with modern materials, fatty clay will increase the operational period of the main waterproofing);

• liquid rubber (emulsion containing latex, polymers and stabilizing substances; service life is about 25 years);

Waterproofing a garage pit must be carried out in conjunction with thermal insulation measures. The latter make it possible to reduce heat leakage through the floor and walls of the structure, as well as to minimize the amount of condensation formed due to temperature changes.

Thermal insulation measures

Extruded foam and expanded clay are excellent for thermal insulation of the inspection pit. The first one 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 used to fill the sand and gravel cushion at the bottom of the pit. A vapor barrier is installed on the compacted pad, 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 premises.

Lighting and ventilation of the inspection pit

The presence of a lighting system in the inspection pit is a prerequisite for comfortable and safe work. Lighting equipment should have low power and need reliable protection from moisture and mechanical damage.

In the garage pit you can install:

• lamps with voltage up to 36 V (fluorescent lamps);
• low-voltage lamps with a voltage of 12 V (LED lamps);
• lamps with a voltage of 220 V in a waterproof design (not lower than IP54);
• battery-powered lamps with a sealed housing.

One of the most popular solutions are lamps daylight 36 V in a protected waterproof housing. They consume a small amount of electricity, which is beneficial when long periods lighting. 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 install hidden electrical wiring with mandatory waterproofing, and cover the lamps with shades with grilles; All metal elements The system should be grounded from a single circuit connected outside the garage.

Battery-powered lamps are rarely used to illuminate inspection holes due to high cost, as well as the difficulty of repairing or replacing damaged elements. However, if it is impossible to install stationary lighting, such equipment is the most suitable solution.

Attention: sockets and switches must not be installed in the inspection hole. For ease of execution individual species work, it is recommended to equip the garage pit with a portable lamp with a special housing (with a handle for carrying, a stand for permanent installation and a hook or clamp for hanging) on ​​a protected electrical cord length of at least 4 m.

As for garage pit ventilation, in most cases it is left natural.

It is advisable to organize forced air exchange in tight spaces where exhaust gases quickly accumulate, as well as in garages located in areas with high level groundwater.

Ventilation in the garage is arranged in the following way:

1. An exhaust vent with protection from wind blowing and rainwater ingress is installed under the garage ceiling on the leeward side.
2. The inlet opening is made at a distance of no more than 50 cm from the floor, preferably closer to the inspection hole, on the windward side.
3. The exhaust and supply ventilation openings are covered with a metal or plastic grille.

Attention: to increase the intensity of air exchange, the exhaust vent of the garage ventilation can be equipped with a small or medium power fan powered by distribution panel or battery.

We build an inspection hole in the garage with our own hands (with drawings)

The garage pit must be located in such a way that it is possible to place the car on it at a certain angle. This will make it easier to access certain components 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 (taking into account a margin of 1 m).

Project

Nothing more than a preliminary calculation of its parameters will help you approach the matter thoroughly when building a garage pit. And it is carried out based on the size of the machine, but with some reserve in case the latter is changed in the future. For example, if the length of the Opel Kadett is almost 4 m, then the Scoda Octavia is 4.6 m.

Let’s take the average value of 4.5 m and find that, taking into account a reserve of 1 m, the length of the inspection hole will be 5.5 m.

The depth of the structure should be taken in accordance with the height of the garage owner. With an average of 175–185 cm, the normal working depth of the inspection hole will be at least 195 cm, and the width sufficient for free movement and technical operations will be at least 0.8 m. For good measure, let’s take the last value equal to 1 m and get the basic inspection hole parameters:

• length 5.5 m;
• width 1 m;
• height 1.95 m.

You can transfer the obtained dimensions onto paper using an axonometric projection or a flat image.

In the second case, two drawings will be needed - for projections of the structure onto 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-, thermal and vapor barrier, as well as the concrete screed. This will allow you to more accurately determine the volume of excavation work.

Attention: if the garage is used only for storing a car, it is more convenient to place the inspection hole in the center of the room. If the room is also 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. When the car is parked in a pit, such a garage will have enough space to walk through and work at the workbench.

Preparing tools and collecting materials

Having approved construction project, you can start purchasing materials. In order not to waste time, it is worth preparing in parallel the tools that will be needed during the work process. It wouldn’t hurt to include in your list of essentials:

• construction tape, marker, knife;
• pickaxe, crowbar, shovel and bayonet shovel;
• building level;
• concrete mixer;
• welding machine;
• powerful hammer drill or chipper;
• concrete cutter;
• hammer, pliers and a set of screwdrivers;
• circular saw with metal cutting wheels;
• construction trowel;
• electric drill with a mixer for mixing the solution;
• buckets and water containers, building mixtures and solution.
• container for heating bitumen;
• burner for sizing roofing felt;
• shaft for laying bitumen;
• trowel for leveling concrete surfaces.

In your search for the strength and means to implement a project, you should not forget about the impressive list of building materials. It includes:

• cement, sand and crushed stone or gravel (for the production of cement mortar, concrete and sealing pad);
• expanded clay and/or gravel (as a stabilizing and heat-insulating cushion under the floor screed);
• insulation (extruded foam);
• surface waterproofing (penetrating composition for treating concrete surfaces);
• drainage pipe;
• reinforcement with a diameter of 10–12 cm (for reinforcing the floor of the inspection pit);
• boards, wooden blocks, nails and wire (for formwork construction);
• brick (in the case of building walls using the brickwork method)
• vapor barrier film (to prevent the accumulation of condensation on the walls and floor of the inspection pit);
• steel corner 20*20 mm (for framing the upper perimeter of the inspection pit);
• boards and beams treated with antiseptic and waterproof paint (for making a cover for the inspection pit);
• rolled roofing felt;
• bitumen resin (mastic).

Attention: the amount of building materials is taken depending on the size of the hole with a 2–10% margin.

Garage floor removal and excavation work

To implement the construction plan, the first step is to clear the territory. Everything unnecessary will have to be removed from the garage for a while, and an area outside the premises will have to be prepared for storing earth.

The order of subsequent actions will be as follows:

1. The outlines of the inspection hole are drawn on the garage floor using chalk, a corner and a rule.
2. The resulting rectangle increases by 10–15 cm on each side, which is necessary for the convenience of excavation work.
3. Using the lines obtained this time, the floor is dismantled.
4. If the garage floor is made of concrete, you will first have to work with a concrete cutter, and also get acquainted with the capabilities of the chipper found for this case (in extreme cases, a hammer drill high power, armed with a chisel).
5. When working with reinforced concrete, you need to remember about reinforcement. In a standard reinforced concrete slab, it is located at a depth of 5 to 10 cm. The metal skeleton of the concrete screed must be carefully cut with a circular saw, for which you will first need to expand the cutting area with a hammer drill or chipper.
6. After removing the concrete layer with reinforcement, all that remains is to remove the remaining screed.
7. The dismantled concrete floor opened access to the soil under the garage, in which it was necessary to dig a pit 195–200 cm deep, 115 cm wide and 5.5–5.6 m long.
8. When performing excavation work, you should regularly monitor the vertical level of the pit walls and the depth of the pit, and also make sure that there is no water in the pit, and that its walls do not crumble as they deepen.

Attention: if necessary, the walls of the pit can be temporarily strengthened with wooden beams. It is advisable to take the soil obtained during the digging of a trench outside the premises so as not to clutter it up. In the process of preparing a pit, you need to work in warm clothes, because as the hole deepens, the humidity level will increase and the temperature in the garage will decrease.

Waterproofing a garage pit: important points

No amount of tricks will save the inspection hole from flooding in the event of rising groundwater or heavy rainfall, or the garage itself from dampness, mildew and mold, if you do not pay due attention to water drainage. This can only be done with the help of a drainage system: it will provide protection from the penetration of rainwater and soil moisture under the internal perimeter of the room.

Self-installation of drainage

To install the drainage system you will need drainage pipes, wrapped in geotextile, as well as a piece of PVC pipe with a diameter of 100 mm and connecting elements.

The length of the drainage will correspond to the outer perimeter of a separate garage building. The system outlet is located 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 taken out into a special container, which must be buried at least 20 cm below the drainage level and equipped with a pump for pumping out water with a float.

Drainage must be equipped 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:

1. Around the garage structure, at a distance of up to 0.5 m, a trench is dug with a depth equal to the depth of the garage foundation and a width of up to 0.5 cm.
2. A 10 cm cushion of sand and gravel is placed at the bottom of the drainage ditch (to protect the system from destruction under the influence of soil pressure).
3. The sand cushion is covered with geotextile film.
4. Drainage pipes are laid in the trench and connected into a closed system with output to a tank or natural depression in the area.
5. The drainage is covered with a cushion of a mixture of sand and crushed stone (gravel), which during the process must be carefully but carefully compacted (so as not to damage the pipe).

With the installation of drainage the most weakness in the garage waterproofing system, the base 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 be reduced.

Attention: the top of the drainage can be covered with soil, turf or concrete screed (the choice is at the discretion of the garage owner). It is better to install a plastic container for water drainage, since it will last much longer than a metal one, and use the drainage drain for watering the garden, provided that chemicals used in car care do not get into it.

Protection from moisture and dampness

The main construction begins with waterproofing the pit. This problem is solved in several steps:

1. A gravel cushion 10–15 cm thick is placed and compacted at the bottom of the pit, which is covered with 5 cm of sand on top.
2. The walls of the inspection pit are laid with a layer of rich (red) clay.
3. Roofing felt is spread on the floor surface. This must be done with an overlap of 10–15 cm and with the same margin protruding onto the surface of the walls.
4. The overlap lines of the roofing material laid on the bottom of the pit are soldered with a burner or glued with molten bitumen mastic. The latter is laid using a special shaft.
5. In a similar way, roofing felt is laid on the walls. The vertical and horizontal corners of the pit are additionally glued with bitumen or soldered using a special burner.
6. A vapor barrier made of thick polyethylene film is laid on top of the roofing material, with mandatory gluing of all corners and joints.

Do-it-yourself floor and walls of the inspection pit

If the hydro- and vapor barrier of the pit is ready, it’s time to proceed directly to construction. To do this, you need to prepare in advance the construction site, tools and materials necessary for preparing concrete, insulation and reinforcement of the screed.

Pouring the floor

Construction begins with floor screed. Its filling is carried out according to the following method:

1. At the bottom of the pit, covered with waterproofing, it is necessary to lay 10–15 cm of rough concrete (grade no lower than M200). The latter is prepared on a concrete mixer in proportions from 1: 3: 4.5 (cement: sand: crushed stone).
2. After partial drying, the surface of the rough screed is leveled using a special trowel made of wood or hard foam.
3. If necessary rough screed covered with a layer of insulation (extruded foam plastic 5 cm thick).
4. Mounted on top of the thermal insulation gasket or, in the absence of one in the project, a rough screed reinforcement cage floor screeds. For this you will need steel reinforcement 10mm in diameter and wire or welding, with which the mesh will be fixed before pouring the screed.
5. Prepared using a concrete mixer or mixer cement-sand mortar in a ratio of approximately 1:4, which is poured onto the reinforcing frame so that the thickness of the screed is at least 5 cm.
6. 2-3 hours after pouring the concrete, its surface is leveled with a trowel, after which you can begin building the walls of the inspection pit.

Attention: pouring rough concrete and reinforced screed must be completed in 1 step. Therefore, for work you will need at least 2, and preferably 3 pairs of hands. Rough concrete Before insulation, it must be allowed to dry completely, which will take at least 3 days. The same period is required for the upper reinforced screed so that it can be walked on freely during the construction of the walls of the inspection pit.

Construction of walls

The walls of the inspection pit can be made of either brick or concrete. In the second case, before starting work you will have to install the formwork. An edged board or plywood and wooden beams are suitable for this. In addition, it is advisable to reinforce the walls of the inspection pit with a mesh of steel wire or reinforcement.

At this stage, it is necessary to start laying the electrical wiring, which, according to electrical safety requirements, must be hidden. To do this, you need to hide the wire in a corrugation, stretch it along the surface of the walls and lead it to the installation points of the lamps, and then secure it to the reinforcing mesh, for example, using plastic ties.

The walls are poured in tiers of 30–40 cm in height. During the process of pouring the walls, the solution should be thoroughly compacted using a crowbar or a bayonet shovel - this will allow air to be removed from the concrete. Before pouring each subsequent tier, you must allow the previous one to dry, which will require waiting about 2-3 days.

When building brick walls, the thickness of the masonry is taken to be equal to the width of the latter. The masonry is done in a checkerboard pattern with the obligatory binding of the corners and careful grouting of the seams. At the final stage of wall construction, care must be taken to ensure that the walls protrude above the floor screed in the garage by at least 5 cm. This will eliminate the possibility of foreign objects sliding into the pit or accidentally being driven over by a car wheel when placed in the pit.

After installation brick walls it is necessary to wrap the hydro- and vapor barrier inside the structure and backfill the soil from the outside of the walls. In this case, the soil should be thoroughly compacted.

Attention: when laying brick walls or pouring them with concrete, you must not forget about auxiliary niches. In order to make them in concrete walls, you will definitely need to construct formwork liners of the appropriate size from boards. When working with brick, there is no need for such liners, but with them it will be much more convenient to lay the brick around the 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 within 4–5 days.

How and with what to close the inspection hole?

Even before starting to pour or lay the walls of the inspection pit, it is necessary to prepare the embedded frame. It will crown the side of the structure - the latter is located slightly above the garage floor or level with the latter.

To make the frame, you will need a pre-stocked steel angle, a circular saw with metal cutting discs, 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 should be positioned as required by the cover fabric. By the way, if you plan to equip the inspection hole with one, the frame must be turned at an angle downward.

Fixing a metal structure is best done using anchors or dowels, for which you will have to make corresponding holes in concrete or brick, as well as in metal. Finally, to prevent the frame from rusting during the operation of the garage pit, it must be sanded, primed and painted before installation.

To make a cover for the inspection pit, you can use various materials. For example, you can make it sectional from metal frames covered steel mesh, or in the form of a wooden shield made of edged boards thickness from 35 mm.

It should be remembered that the thinner the canvas, the easier it is to lift it, so you should not take too thick wood or panels with a heavy frame.

You can make a cover for the inspection hole in the following way:

Attention: when closing the pit, the outer edge of the cover sheet comes into contact with the embedded frame. Therefore, the structure is often additionally sheathed around the edges with steel or plastic tape. The thickness of such sheathing will have to be taken into account before cutting the fabric, and to fix it, buy special fasteners in advance. By the way, the lid can be equipped special mechanisms, which will allow partial opening of the inspection hole.

Video: step-by-step DIY construction of a garage pit

Construction of an inspection pit in a garage is not an easy task. Therefore, they should be approached with thorough preparation and, preferably, in consultation with those who have experience in such work. Proper planning, as well as careful attention to the issues of thermal and waterproofing of the room, antiseptic finishing and electrification will ensure comfortable operation of the cellar and will allow expanding the volume of household food supplies. With proper organization of work, the construction of an inspection pit should take no more than 10 days, while the construction of a cellar may take about a month with an average density schedule.

An important element of any car garage is a brick inspection pit. It allows you to inspect the main components and assemblies located underneath the vehicle. You can build such a simple building with your own hands, having previously prepared a building plan and purchased the necessary building materials and tools. The functionality of the inspection pit in the garage is often increased by built-in niches that are used to store automobile oils and liquids, a set of tools and a supply of fuel.

Preparing for the construction of a pit in a brick garage

Usually the foundation pit for the inspection pit is made before the construction of the walls begins. This will eliminate restrictions and allow the removed soil to be removed along with the soil from the dug trench under the garage foundation. The foundation pit can be made after the construction of the garage and its ceiling is completed, but always before concreting the floor. When choosing the location of the pit you must:

• Have data on the occurrence of groundwater so that the structure does not flood and become useless.
• Retreat from entrance gate 1-1.5 m for passage with the vehicle parked.
• Calculate the distance to the side walls or stationary workbenches and racks with the possibility of freely opening the car doors.

Dimensions and material calculation

Properly prepared working drawings will allow you to avoid miscalculations in the manufacture of metal structures, calculate the amount of building materials and ensure the convenience of locating storage niches. Work begins with establishing the parameters of the inspection hole, which are influenced by the following factors:

• general dimensions of the garage;
• vehicle wheelbase width;
• machine length;
• height of the owner who will use it.

Correctly selected dimensions will ensure safety, convenience when repairing and parking the car in the garage.

The size of the future building depends on several important factors.

The dimensions of length, width and depth are included in future project. This data is necessary to calculate the volume of excess soil, the size of the reinforcement, the angle, the amount of brick and other building materials. The optimal width is 800-860 mm. The length of the pit can be any size, but not less than the length of the car plus 1 m. As a rule, this figure is in the range from 4 to 6 m. The depth is chosen according to the customer’s height plus 10-20 cm. Usually it is in the range of 1.8 -2 m. You can reach a comfortable depth by raising the floor after laying.

Stages of work

Pit preparation

The dimensions of the pit are 20-25 cm larger than the dimensions of the pit. To lay the drainage, make a trench around the perimeter below the level of the floor screed. If niches are provided, remove the soil at their location. The trench for the ventilation pipe must be laid under the foundation of the garage and led outside. It is preferable to dig by hand, but if a foundation pit is being prepared before the walls are erected, then you can use a tractor. In this case, you need to mark and drive in pegs so that additional soil for backfilling is not required.

Arrangement of floors and walls

Crushed stone is laid in one of the layers at the bottom of the pit.

After the pit is ready, the floor, walls and niches are cleaned and leveled from excess soil. Then, at the bottom, an additional substrate is made for the screed, layer-by-layer filling of clay, medium-fraction crushed stone, sand and fine gravel. The first 2 layers are laid with a thickness of 10 cm, and the subsequent ones - 5 cm each. The layers are carefully leveled and compacted in stages.

Waterproofing and water drainage

This stage is necessary and mandatory if groundwater lies at a distance of less than 2 m. For this purpose, roofing material or isolon is used, which covers the bottom and walls with a margin of 30 cm on each side. The ends are bent and fixed. Waterproofing material laid with an overlap of 8-10 cm. When laying roofing felt, it is important to coat the seams with bitumen mastic to create a tight seal. In the same way, the places of future niches are waterproofed. Before installing waterproofing outside The walls are laid with asbestos pipes with a diameter of 5-8 cm, which will act as drainage.

Concreting the floor

For concreting, a lattice of reinforcement 5-8 mm thick with a cell of 10×10 cm is welded or tied with steel wire. The prepared structure is installed above the floor at a height of 6-8 cm. Before pouring concrete, the level is checked for horizontal laying. To prepare the solution, use M500 cement, sand and fine gravel of a fraction of 1.5-2 cm in proportions 1:4:2. Ready mixture pour a reinforced bottom and make a screed with a thickness of 10 to 15 cm. Level the concrete mixture to a horizontal level.

The article will tell you how to properly install a viewing hole in the garage. You will learn about the features of this structure, popular errors and methods for eliminating them. In addition, we will describe a step-by-step guide with photographs for building a reinforced structure inspection pit.

With sufficient skill of its owner, a garage gradually turns into a service station, where the car is repaired and maintained by the caring hands of the owner, and here one cannot do without arranging an inspection hole. Its design is a rectangular longitudinal recess along the garage with a width of 600-800 mm and a depth of average human height. The length of the pit is determined by local conditions, but usually they try to make it as long as possible.

Elements of the inspection pit

Despite its apparent simplicity, the garage pit has characteristics that need to be understood in advance:

1. Waterproofing (GI). An unconditional and obligatory hidden element, neglect of which risks making the pit impossible to use. The main problem of any pits and cellars is dampness: a car standing over a damp pit will itself become damp and rot.

Note. The groundwater level (GWL) can become an obstacle to the construction of a pit, since a floodable reservoir is an unacceptable structure for a garage.

1. Power circuit along the upper perimeter. Usually it is made from a corner to which reinforcement, mesh or simply “tails” are welded, which are launched into the reinforcement with screeds. This steel frame is needed in order to contain the pressure from the car in dynamics and statics. Without it, the wheels will simply push through the screed (which is rarely thicker than 50 mm) and it will collapse and fall into the hole. The steel contour also serves as a stop for the jack and a place for laying the ceiling board.
2. Niches. They provide 200% ease of use. The more there are, the more convenient it is to work. Sufficient size - height 300-400 mm, depth 150-250 mm, length 400-500 mm. Usually in a pit under a car make a maximum of 4 niches - approximately under each wheel.
3. Additional stops. In the area of ​​the wheels, when installing the power circuit, you can lay additional I-beams or channels (90-120 mm high) for the convenience of moving the jack in height. Practice has shown that such manipulations in the hub area are a frequent need.
4. Lighting. Pros know that the light in such pits must be powered by 36 volts. This eliminates the possibility of ignition of fuel vapors and fuel and lubricants. When powered by 220 volts, a short circuit or a broken lamp can cause an accident, since it is quite difficult to quickly get out of a hole blocked by a car.

An insignificant feature is the staircase, the steps of which can be made monolithic, integral with the walls. This march is most often done in large garages with pits more than 5 m in length. In private households, to save space, ordinary ladders are used.

Features of the inspection pit design

When designing an inspection pit for your own needs, focus on ease of use for yourself. First of all, this is the height of the working space or the depth of the pit. Here they are divided into two types:

1. "Standing." Designed to work standing, at full height.
2. "Sedentary." Operations are performed while sitting on a transverse seat. It can be installed on rollers, and guides can be placed along the walls and easily moved around the pit. This method saves 500-600 mm of depth and wall material.

In both cases, the edge of the pit should be approximately at the level of the master's shoulder. This principle does not affect the design, only the depth.

Popular mistakes when constructing an inspection hole yourself

We will consider the shortcomings at the very simple version with brick walls:

1. Concreting the floor in front of the walls. The bulk of the mixture for the screed or lying floor slab should be laid after the first rows have been erected. In other words, the slab should be inside the walls, and not the walls standing on the slab. The slab inside will hold the load from the ground and additionally protect the “box” from deformation. For walls, it is enough to make a mini-foundation of 60-80 mm.
2. Pit without screed. When making this mistake, the pit is made of stone or concrete, and the screed is not made to save money or is put off “for later,” that is, forever. The best decision- make a tie to tie the power circuit of the pit, even if it is not particularly necessary.
3. Neglecting the strength of the soil. Often this mistake becomes fatal - movements at a depth below the bottom of the garage foundation are not felt on the surface. By removing soil from a hole, a person violates its natural structure, and the soil tends to fill the cavity (this is his natural property). Therefore, use all available means of reinforcement - masonry mesh, reinforced belt, embedded parts, anchors.
4. Neglect of reinforcement. Underground structures should be reinforced twice as thick as above-ground ones. The stable soil argument is complacency because soil behavior is unpredictable and can change due to climatic conditions. In other words, the soil may begin to put pressure on the walls - in this case, the situation will be saved by reinforcement every 2-3 rows with obligatory tying of the corners.

Guide to installing a pit in a garage

In this part of the article we will talk about how to build a pit with your own hands, or rather, about the sequence of work. It is proposed to make the “box” using half-brick masonry with a reinforced concrete reinforced belt. This will be the maximum gain option.

1. Remove soil. Pit dimensions: length - based on the capabilities of the garage; width - inner size(700 mm) plus one 200 mm brick. Total 1100 mm. Place waterproofing in the mini-trench under the foundation walls and concrete it. From the extreme edge of the foundation, release the reinforcement for the connection with the reinforced belt.

2. Line the pit with waterproofing. Several layers of polyethylene, or a special film. Perfect option— PVC membrane. It is easily soldered with a hairdryer and creates voluminous corners.

3. Tie vertical and horizontal rods Ø 10-14 mm to the reinforcement outlets so that you get a mesh with a cell of approximately 150x150. This should be a rigid single-layer spatial frame located in a 100 mm cavity between the masonry and the ground, covered with waterproofing.

4. The wall masonry can be raised by 3-4 rows, making sure to tie masonry mesh, and concrete the floor slab. You can remove the masonry to the end, laying out niches along the way, and then concrete the floor.

5. As the masonry progresses, the cavity can be concreted every 500-700 mm.

6. After the mortar and concrete have dried, the power circuit can be installed. It is welded from a corner and installed on top of the masonry. Weld fittings or embedded parts to the corners.

7. Then tie a mesh screed to the embedded parts and concrete the garage floor.

8. The structure should be provided with ventilation for 21 days.

We can say with confidence that a pit built using this technology will withstand any heaving of the soil, will not leak or become damp.

Other pit design options

On stable, dry soils, for example, when a garage is located on a mountain, you can avoid making a powerful armored belt and arrange a simpler solution. This can be thin-layer concreting with “sliding formwork”.

This is called concreting only conditionally - rather, it is a method of applying a thick layer of plaster, which is needed to strengthen the soil section.

Instead of laying out a stone one, you can make an all-metal tank. This is a completely viable option if you have the material and the ability to weld metal hermetically.

An absolute guarantee of protection against flooding, but the metal itself must be reinforced with stiffeners and protected from moisture. Such a “glass” is simply installed in the pit and the sinuses are concreted. An absolute plus is that you don’t have to tie the container to the screed.

There is no particular difficulty in building a garage pit. The main thing is to clearly understand your needs and compare them with the capabilities of the garage. For everything else, you can rely on the materials in this article, created based on the experience of many masters.

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