What size should you choose for your garage? Standard and optimal options

Every car owner knows how important it is to have a secure car cover. Garage structures solve many of the problems associated with car storage and parking. The walls and roof of the garage protect the car from rain and wind, preventing the metal from rusting. If the garage is insulated, the car is not afraid of frost and freezing, and for the owner the first minutes in the cabin will be comfortable in any bad weather outside.

A spacious garage allows you to carry out minor car repairs yourself, has a place for all the necessary tools. An equally important advantage of the garage is the protection of the car from criminals, vandals and hooligans.

Before planning the construction of a garage, you should familiarize yourself with the developed rules and regulations for construction (SNiP). This is necessary so that in the future there are no claims from the current legislation. Mandatory standards include the rules for building the area, as well as the fire safety of structures.

So, if you plan to build a garage not on your own site, then you should obtain a building permit from the local administration. Fire safety standards regulate the optimal distance from the garage and the border of the site, from the garage and residential buildings. Building standards are advisory in nature, but it will not be superfluous to familiarize yourself with them in any case.

In Soviet times, a unified standard was adopted for the same type of garages and garage cooperatives. The garage box was 3x6 meters and was designed for the arrival and storage of one car of standard dimensions for that time.

In modern conditions, the situation has changed: the dimensions of cars have changed, motorists can have several vehicles per family, or a car is used in private business and is large. So, for example, for the construction of a garage for a Gazelle, standard sizes will be too uncomfortable.

Today, the minimum size of a garage is a rectangle of 4x6 meters, this volume is enough for storing a car, but too small for maneuvers in the garage itself. If you are planning to build a garage yourself, then you should consider better options.

When designing a garage, be guided by the dimensions of an existing car, but do not forget that the garage space is being built for many years to come, and cars change, and over time you may decide to buy a larger car or get another one. If the site allows, then the garage can be designed for 3 or 4 cars... Thus, your country house will have a covered parking lot for all family members or guests, and the space can also be used as a workshop and utility room for household needs.

The average parameters of modern machines are approximately 2.8 m wide and 4.5 m long.... For the minimum size of the garage, a meter and a half on the sides of the car will be enough so that it is convenient to open the doors and it remains possible to bypass the car, open the hood and trunk.

Thus, taking into account the required space and the standard dimensions of one modern car, the optimal garage option will be 4x6 meters in area. This is a fairly spacious room that allows you to:

• safely open the car doors;
• it is convenient to unload the trunk without being outside in bad weather;
• make minor car repairs;
• equip a place for shelves with tools and spare parts.

The height of the ceiling is calculated either from the height of the owner himself, or from the edge of the open trunk with the addition of about half a meter in height in both versions. The minimum ceiling level will be approximately 2.5 meters... If a lift is planned in the garage, then its parameters must also be included in the calculation of the ceiling height.

Optimally, the width of the entrance opening will be at least one meter from each side of the car, otherwise entering the garage will be accompanied by anxiety about the car and stress each time.

In the case of self-construction of a garage, it must be borne in mind that its dimensions are only the internal space. A certain number of centimeters should be added to the optimal calculations for the installation of support beams and waterproofing if the site has a high groundwater level.

SUVs, crossovers and minibuses differ from small cars in their dimensions, so at least one meter must be added to the standard dimensions of the garage structure. Total the optimal size of the box for such a machine will be 5x8 meters, and the height - at least 3 meters.

Accordingly, for freight transport, the parameters of the garage will increase in the calculations, depending on the increase in the size of the car.

When designing a garage building, the plan takes into account the addition of centimeters for laying communications (lighting, insulation materials), individual additions are additionally calculated (plumbing, finishing materials, heating wiring).

By design and materials, garages can be capital and collapsible. Capital structures include concrete and brick structures that will stand for many years in the same place.

Collapsible garage structures are made of metal or wood. Even if the garage cannot be disassembled, then it is transported with a crane. Such garage structures are considered mobile. With all the advantages of mobility, these structures have certain disadvantages. First of all, this is the susceptibility of metal to corrosion, and of wood to decay.

As a rule, garages are often used not only for parking a car and its accessories, but also as a workshop and a place for storing small items and even summer household items needed in the household.

In order to make the garage as functional as possible, it is necessary to think in advance and include in the plan items such as an allowance for footage on racks, arrangement of a basement, an attic or beams under the roof. Even in a small garage box, you can store the things you need without sacrificing space.

Homemade multi-tiered shelves along the walls of the garage are used to store engine fluid, essential tools, and car accessories. On the wall under the ceiling, you can place summer and winter tires so that it does not get in the way under your feet. On one side of the wall, you can install a machine or a work table.

The basement will not be superfluous in any household, and it is not difficult to think over and make it in advance. At the stage of laying the foundation, step back half a meter from the border of the future structure and dig a hole.The deepening will need to be strengthened against crumbling and ventilation should be provided. If the groundwater runs high from the surface, then the basement will have to be reinforced with concrete walls and a floor, in which case more labor and investment will be required.

You can limit yourself to an inspection pit for car repairs.

The best option would be a concrete floor in the garage box. It is easy to fill it after installing the foundation and completing work with the basement. Concrete is a durable material, it is easy to clean and resistant to mechanical damage and destruction over time. If you have a basement, you need to consider an entrance hatch. For added aesthetics, technical porcelain stoneware tiles can be installed on the concrete floor.

For the walls of the garage, beauty is not required, but fire safety comes to the fore. If the garage is wooden, it is worth treating the walls with a special fire-fighting solution. If the garage is adjacent to the house, then the door between the garage and the inner living area must be finished with fireproof materials.

You need to take care of the driveway in advance. The best option is a comfortable wide area for maneuvers, and the space for open gate leaves should be at least 2 meters.

As a rule, standard garage doors have a swing configuration, but in order to save space, you can choose a different type of door:

• roller shutters... When folded, the canvas of dense lamellas is retracted into a box installed under the roof. Such a system saves space as much as possible;
• "book"... The sections of the canvas are folded one on top of the other and retracted into the wall compartment;
• compartment... When opening, the door leaf slides along the wall along the guides thanks to the rollers at the top and bottom of the leaf.

Heating systems are rarely installed in garages, as this entails too high costs. However, in our climate one cannot do without garage insulation, since weather conditions can cause a lot of trouble to the owner when repairing and planting a car in severe frost. Modern insulation materials are presented on the market in a huge variety, when choosing them, the main thing is that they are non-flammable and non-toxic.

The insulation can be hidden with a facing sheet (plywood), which is decorated with siding or self-adhesive film. Siding will hide precious space, but at the same time create additional thermal insulation.

Remember that the garage building for your car is not a temporary storage facility, but a full-fledged outbuilding.

See the following video for helpful advice from a garage builder.