Blind area around the garage

Many owners of individual boxes for storing personal vehicles are thinking about how to fill a blind area of ​​concrete around the garage. The absence of such a structure inevitably leads to the destruction of the foundation over time. But before you correctly do it yourself according to step-by-step instructions, it is worth learning a little more about the types and features of the blind area, suitable for use near the garage.

When building a garage located on a light foundation, problems inevitably arise with its operation. The area in front of the gates and along the perimeter of the object begins to be subjected to intense pressure as the atmospheric temperatures change. The swelling of the soil leads to the fact that the concrete cracks, subsides, collapses. The blind area around the garage, equipped according to all the rules, solves this problem by compensating for deformation loads. In addition, it is capable of solving other equally important tasks.

• Facilitate entry and exit. The blind area at the garage door, made at a slight slope, plays the role of a ramp for the car. With this addition, it will be much easier to enter and exit than without it.
• Improving the efficiency of water drainage. Rain moisture, runoff from the roof, melting snow can have a negative effect on the condition of the basement and supporting structures in the garage box. The blind area contributes to the accelerated drainage of water. It does not accumulate near the walls, but flows into ditches and gutters.
• Protection of foundations and plinths from weed damage. They destroy building materials no less successfully than excess moisture or frost.
• Additional thermal insulation for soil and backfill.

The arrangement of the blind area is recommended to be carried out at the construction stage of the garage, before the construction of 2/3 of the height of its structure. This will ensure compliance with all technologies from the outset.

The requirements for the construction of a blind area in front of the garage structure are regulated by SNiP. This set of documents determines which materials are used in the construction of a protective outer strip along the perimeter or at the entrance gate. The main part of the blind area is always poured from concrete. In addition, other materials are used in the structure.

• A mixture of sand and clay. Acts as a thermal insulating layer.
• Crushed stone or small cobblestone. Provides protection against soil displacement. Provides additional thermal insulation for the foundation.
• Frame beams and fittings. They provide an increase in the strength characteristics of concrete, compensate for its deformation.
• Dry mix. It is used to lay a layer of soft blind area.
• Decoration Materials. It can be asphalt concrete, decorative stone, paving slabs, allowing you to arrange the entrance to the garage in a proper way.

This concludes the main list of materials.

By the type of its design, the blind area around the garage is divided into cold and insulated. The first option is a bare concrete screed with additional ironing. The resulting structure will successfully perform its functions in unloaded areas - in the back of the garage, on its sides. In places where significant pressure will be exerted on the blind area, it is better to use an insulated version of its construction.

In this case, in addition to the sand and gravel cushion with a screed built on top, an exterior finish is used. The cement layer is backfilled with dry mix. On top of it, a functional and decorative coating is installed that can withstand the weight of the car when entering or leaving the garage.

The construction of a concrete blind area in front of the entrance to the garage can be done independently. Correctly fill the screed, take into account all the proportions, the technology of the device will help detailed step-by-step instructions for creating such a structure.

• Excavation. It is necessary to excavate the soil layer for the blind area. A strip 60–100 cm wide with a depth of 40 cm along the outer walls of the garage is sufficient. The surface of the trench is treated with herbicides to prevent the growth of plant roots. The wall is freed from the ground, covered with soil.
• Laying the "pillow". First, a layer of clay mixed with sand, 10 cm thick, is poured. The bed is moistened and tamped. The horizontal laying is checked: there must be a slope for the outflow of moisture from the walls of the building. An angle of 5–6 ° for 1 m is sufficient.
• Arrangement of waterproofing. In this capacity, there is a special film laid along the walls of the trench, its bottom. One edge of the canvas remains free, the other part is reinforced with bitumen. Crushed stone or cobblestone is poured on top to a height of about 20 cm.
• Formwork It is made of wood with a 50 mm overhang above the outer perimeter. To compensate for deformational expansion during the period of concrete hardening, a wooden beam is mounted across the formwork.
• Pouring with concrete. It is performed in stages. First, the laid layer of crushed stone or stone is fastened. Then a reinforcing mesh is laid on top of the resulting base, which makes it possible to reduce the risk of cracking in the concrete. Next, the screed is filled to the edge of the formwork, about 10 cm thick, with the obligatory preservation of the specified slope from the walls and the basement of the garage.
• Ironing and drying. After the screed is poured, it is left to dry. The surface is pre-powdered with dry cement - the so-called ironing. The seized top layer of concrete is covered with burlap or geotextile, spilled with water for 7 days. This will allow the blind area to harden better without cracking or deformation.
• Finishing. If you plan to extend the life of the concrete pavement, it should be supplemented with decorative trim. It is laid on a mixture of sand and cement or special building compounds, it can be made of paving slabs, natural stone, bricks, asphalt.
• Laying storm drains and channels. They are formed from ready-made concrete or plastic trays, located under the roofing system. It is important that the dripping moisture is removed from the blind area as quickly as possible.

The simplest version of the blind area can be made of clay with rubble driven into it. Such a backfill is made in a trench up to 20 cm deep around the garage, asphalt is laid on top.

You can learn how to make a blind area around the garage with your own hands from the video below.