March 24th, 2016 Admin

Car repairs often involve an extensive range of work. In some cases, access to components and assemblies can only be obtained from below, which cannot be done without a lift or inspection pit. The first, due to its high cost and high energy consumption, is used in car services, but the second is quite possible to do in your own garage.

The presence of a hole will greatly facilitate the repair and maintenance of the machine, but to make it, you will have to work hard. Today we will tell you how you can arrange a viewing hole yourself.

How to make a viewing hole in the garage

First you will need to take a few preliminary steps:

1) Find and study documents about what type of soil is in the area of ​​your garage, how deep it freezes, at what depth the groundwater is located, etc. These data will greatly affect the configuration of your pit (depth and degree of waterproofing);

2) Compose detailed drawing indicating the size of the pit and its location relative to the walls of the garage;

3) Determine the necessary building materials, buy them and bring them to the right place, the same applies to tools.

Designing an inspection pit for a garage

At the stage of drawing up the drawing, it is important to decide where exactly the hole will be:

• In the center of the garage, if it contains only the car and the items necessary for it, such as operating fluids, spare tires, etc.;
• Closer to one of the walls, if the garage is also a storage area for various household items, i.e. It is also used as a barn. But remember, the pit cannot be placed too close to the wall, otherwise it may collapse!

Be sure to also provide a plank flooring for the pit to cover it when not in use.

What should be the size of the inspection hole for a passenger car?

1) The length must match that of the car with an increase of 1 m, which is needed for arranging the steps;

2) The width again depends on the width of the car, but it is not advisable to make it more than 80 cm;

3) The depth should be made based on your height. At the same time, it is necessary to take into account that you, standing in a hole, should have 15 cm above your head. This is a comfortable distance that allows you not to reach for the bottom of the car, but to calmly reach it.

Having calculated all the dimensions, outline the contours of the future hole on the garage floor and get down to business.

What is needed to dig a trench for an inspection hole

At this point you will need a shovel and probably a drill. The latter is needed if the soil is rocky and cannot be taken with a shovel. The selected soil can be used for agricultural purposes by moving fertile soil to the garden (if you have one). It is better to put clay and stones in a separate pile - they will come in handy if you need components for concrete. They can also be used to raise the garage floor.

In the process of digging a pit, do not forget that the edges of the pit should be at least 50 cm (this is necessary to create walls), and a depth reserve of 30 cm should be made (for waterproofing), and do not forget to make an allowance for floor for the pit, the thickness of which you determine yourself.

We erect the walls of the inspection pit

Before erecting walls, it is necessary to make a level floor. The best way- This concrete screed, but asphalt can also be used.

The inspection pit must have walls, otherwise it will inevitably begin to crumble. There are quite a few options for creating walls; the most common ones are discussed below:

1) The simplest option is to use roofing felt or foil insulation, on top of which there will be a row of boards “painted” with waste (this slows down the rotting process) or slate, but not wavy, but flat.

2) You can plaster the wall by throwing a rough “coat” over a metal mesh, and after it dries, make the walls smooth using a new portion of mortar.

3) If you are determined to build a truly durable structure, and the size of your garage allows you to do this, then it is better to build the walls from brick.

The optimal wall thickness is 0.5 or 1 brick. Ideally, they should be new, but if the budget is limited, you can use used ones. The main thing is that they are smooth and not burnt. If the bricks are old, they must be cleaned of dirt. It is better to choose a classic mortar for masonry, consisting of cement and sand in a ratio of 1:3. If you are a beginner, it is better to add liquid soap or more water. The solution will become more liquid and will take longer to harden, which will give you a lot of time for laying and correcting flaws.

Naturally, the walls must be made smooth. To do this, you should tighten the lace before laying. To control during the laying process, use a plumb line or a building level.
If desired, in brick walls oh you can build it small niches. During repairs, it will be convenient to store tools, spare parts and other small things in them.

Whatever method of constructing walls you choose, they must be reinforced with strapping so that the structure is strong and cannot collapse. A steel corner 50x50x5 mm is perfect for this purpose. It is necessary to weld a contour from it, and in such a way that the lid made of boards, which was mentioned above, can be laid on top without any hindrance.

The finished masonry can be left in its original form or plastered and then painted in any color. In addition, the floor can be covered with wooden flooring for warmth.
If you are a resident Far North, it is important to take care of thermal insulation. It is better to use 5-centimeter polystyrene foam as insulation. Despite its small volume, this material has excellent heat-insulating properties.

What to do if groundwater is close?

As mentioned above, when digging a hole, it is extremely important to know where the groundwater begins. If you cannot find the relevant documents, you will have to drill a well or dig a hole. Has water already appeared at a depth of 2 m? Then you cannot do without waterproofing, otherwise in the spring your pit will turn into a mini-pond with melt water. Moreover, waterproofing must be done strictly before pouring the floor and erecting walls.

How to choose a waterproofing material

Currently, 3 types of waterproofing are most widely used:

• Polymer membranes.

They are considered the most reliable material. Service life is unlimited. Due to such outstanding qualities, the material is very expensive, and not every car owner will be able to afford its purchase. In addition, its application requires special equipment, which can only be used by specialists. Because of these factors, we will not consider it in detail;

• Rolled materials based on bitumen (roofing felt, rubemast, folgesol, brizol, etc.).

Have affordable price and very easy to use - no special knowledge required. But the service life of such waterproofing is limited - 10, maximum 15 years, after which it must be completely changed.

• Penetrating waterproofing.

Very effective way prevent water from entering. More expensive compared to roll materials, but has an unlimited service life.

Waterproofing an inspection pit in a garage: stages of implementation

Waterproofing should begin from the floor. First, compact the surface tightly, then pour an even layer of clay onto it, sand onto the clay, and crushed stone onto it. Compact each layer thoroughly. The total thickness of all these layers should be 30 cm.

• Rolled bitumen materials

Before laying them, a special primer must be applied to the surface ( deep penetration) in 2 layers. Each of them must be completely dry before applying new or laying roofing material.

It is best to lay roll waterproofing in U-shaped strips, giving an overlap of 20 cm. The corners must be turned in so that the strips remain on a flat area of ​​the floor or wall.

The joints are glued using molten bitumen, but you can also use a bitumen solvent, which will melt the roofing material and it will set. Take the excess strip along the steps outside the pit - cut it off later. After the 1st layer (lengthwise and crosswise), let the bitumen in the joints cool and proceed to layer No. 2. During the process, make sure that the joints of the layers do not coincide with each other.

• Penetrating waterproofing

This type of waterproofing is a dry mixture that is diluted with water before use. To prepare a solution for 1 kg. the mixture requires about 0.3 liters. water.

It is very important to stir the mixture thoroughly so that there are no lumps left. Then the solution is applied to the wall in a 1-mm layer. If the walls of the pit are brick, then you need to apply another layer on finished wall to reliably seal all the pores in the bricks. The principle of operation of the sealant is based on the fact that, covering the surface with a continuous layer, it does not allow moisture to seep through, as if “binding” it.

In combination with waterproofing brick wall it can withstand water pressure up to 20 atm. Its service life is unlimited.

How to ventilate a viewing hole in a garage

The ventilation system in the pit is a thing that is absolutely impossible to do without.

This is especially true for motorists whose “iron horses” work on liquefied gas, since when there is a leak, propane tends downward (it is heavier than air), which means it will inevitably fall into the hole.

The hood is constructed before the waterproofing stage, so as not to damage the sealant or roofing felt. Proper ventilation consists of 2 parts - supply and exhaust.

The first is a pipe leading through the wall to the street. Through it you will get into the pit fresh air. The second is also a pipe installed opposite the flow pipe, but it is discharged not through the wall, but through the roof. Its upper end should rise no more than a meter above the garage. Pipes can be either steel or plastic, but it is better to give preference to plastic products - they weigh much less, are easier to install and are completely non-corrosive.

Lighting the inspection hole in the garage - how to install the light

You can work in the inspection pit without stationary light sources, limiting yourself only to a headlamp. However, it provides little light and only in a limited sector. Therefore, it is still better to get normal lighting. As with any wiring, it is important to follow a number of rules:

1) If you do not have the appropriate education, it is better to entrust the work of creating an electrical circuit to a specialist so that he can do it in compliance with all safety standards;

2) The lighting should be uniform, you may need several lighting devices;

3) All switches, fuses and sockets should not be located in the pit - only in the garage itself;

4) If you plan to install a 3-phase outlet, be sure to ground it securely.

The wire through which electricity will be supplied to the pit must have a cross-section of 4 mm2 or more. It is desirable that the material from which it is made is copper. The wire must have intact insulation, ideally double.

Lamps suitable for garage lighting come in low and high voltage:

• 12 volt light bulbs;
• 36 volt lamps;
• lamps various classes at 220 volts.

To operate low-voltage lamps, a step-down transformer must be installed next to the meter.

As for the type of lamps, it is better to use lamps in the pit itself daylight. Due to their oblong shape, it is advisable to place them in small recesses in the walls, otherwise they may interfere. It is better to purchase such lamps with a protective casing, since an open lamp will not last long due to moisture and dirt.

There is no need to use incandescent lamps in the pit. They get hot during operation, and if you touch them, you can easily get burned. The light from them is too bright, which damages vision. In addition, they consume a lot of energy, and if there is a voltage drop, they can spark and burst, which can lead to injury and fire.

Fluorescent light bulbs are good because they come in a wide range of colors, consume little electricity, and last a long time. However, they are not suitable for the pit because they are sensitive to cold - when the temperature environment falls below 5 degrees, they become unreliable. They must be disposed of in a special way because they contain mercury.

Energy-saving lamps have all the advantages of fluorescent lamps and almost no disadvantages, with the exception of a higher price and difficult disposal: they also contain mercury.

LED lamps are the most advanced because they combine everything positive characteristics other light bulbs. There is no mercury in them, but the price is very high, and for good lighting You need several of them, which not everyone can afford.

It is also useful to have a portable lamp or mobile 36-volt lamp in the garage. They may come in handy if you need to take a closer look at the repair site.

When installing wiring and lighting fixtures, strictly follow the rules fire safety! Remember, any shortcomings in this matter can result in tragedy.

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 due to built-in niches that are used for storage automobile oils and fluids, 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 occurrence groundwater so that the structure does not flood and become useless.
• Step back 1-1.5 m from the entrance gate for passage with the car 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 the future project. This data is necessary to calculate the volume of excess soil, the size of the reinforcement, the angle, the number of bricks and others building materials. Optimal width 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

Pit dimensions 20-25 cm more sizes pits. 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. Trench for ventilation pipe must be laid under the foundation of the garage and brought out. 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. The waterproofing material is laid with an overlap of 8-10 cm. When laying roofing material, it is important to coat the seams bitumen mastic to create a 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 fill the reinforced bottom and make a screed with a thickness of 10 to 15 cm. Level concrete mixture below the horizontal level.

If you do car maintenance yourself, then it is best to equip an inspection hole in the garage. It allows you to carry out minor repairs, save money and time on expensive services.

In order to be able to effectively use the pit for technical inspection, it is necessary to comply with building codes and rules for its arrangement.

How to make a viewing hole in the garage: video

Before construction begins, it is necessary to determine the quality of the soil and the groundwater level. The most suitable is clay soil, since it does not allow moisture to pass through and can serve as a natural waterproofing layer.

If the groundwater level is high, an inspection pit is equipped drainage system And submersible pumps, with the help of which the object is drained.

Determining the dimensions of the inspection hole

To arrange a viewing hole in the garage with your own hands, the dimensions are determined depending on the dimensions of your car. Exist General requirements, guided by which the construction of the facility is carried out for Maintenance car.

However, any car owner can make the design of the inspection hole in accordance with his wishes. For example, determine the height by measuring 1.5 m or only according to your height.

Sometimes it is not possible to build a pit the full length of the car, in which case it can be made at half the length. During renovation a car driven in front or back, depending on the malfunction.

The inspection hole is usually located near one of the walls at a distance of about one meter. Large part of the garage occupies equipment, spare parts, etc. When constructing a pit, it is necessary to take into account the thickness of the walls and the depth of the floor screed.

Materials and tools

To build a maintenance pit with your own hands, you will need the following tools:

Materials needed:

• brick;
• cement, crushed stone, sand;
• M200 concrete for pouring the base;
• reinforcing bars;
• metal corners, width 50 mm;
• boards 400x50 mm;
• waterproofing material.

Manufacturing technology of the inspection pit

How to make a viewing hole in the garage with your own hands

Before construction begins, the pit is marked in accordance with the size of the car. Then at the corners of the future pit set pegs between which a rope is pulled. Next, they begin to dig a hole, leaving the earth close to the garage, as it may be needed for compacting and leveling the base.

During work, it is necessary to monitor the level of soil moisture. If the soil remains dry, then waterproofing may not be installed. However, to be on the safe side, the pit area is covered with a waterproofing film.

The next stage is leveling the walls and compacting the floor. During the work, it is not necessary to achieve a perfectly smooth surface; it is enough to simply level the walls without noticeable irregularities. For flooring lay out two layers of crushed stone and one (upper) of sand, 5 cm each. Everything is compacted tightly using a hand tamper, the sand is moistened with water during processing.

After compaction, the floor is lined waterproofing film, the joints are overlapped by 15 cm and taped on top with double-sided tape. After that, insulation and a reinforcing mesh made of metal rods are installed on the floor. A concrete solution (M200) is poured on top in a layer of 5 cm. The hardening period lasts depending on the ambient temperature: at + 20 o C, concrete hardens to 50% strength in a week, and at +17 o C - in two weeks.

Wall installation, photo

Pouring walls with concrete. The formwork of the walls is first made from panels of moisture-resistant plywood (16 mm thick) or OSB, which are connected with boards and self-tapping screws. First, install the outer shields, then the inner ones, the distance between them should be at least 15 mm.

Inspection hole

Spacers are placed between the walls to avoid deformation. A reinforcing mesh is installed inside the formwork. Next, concrete is poured, during which the solution is mixed with a submersible concrete vibrator. After two or three days, the formwork is dismantled.

With one-sided formwork, the pit is pre-coated waterproofing material. Then installed along the walls one row of OSB boards. A metal mesh is installed between the waterproofing layer and the shields and this space is filled with concrete.

Brick inspection pit. The perimeter of the pit is covered with a waterproofing sheet. This is done with an overlap, the material is pressed at the edges with boards. Next they produce masonry walls half a brick thick. At elbow level (approximately 1.2 meters) niches are provided for tools. The dimensions of the recess are made 3 rows of bricks high, its ceiling is made of boards. Can be inserted into a niche metal box.

The walls rise almost to the level of the garage floor. A metal corner with a 50 mm shelf, 5 mm thick, is installed on top of the last row. The shelves on one side are laid parallel to the base, since boards covering the inspection hole will be located on top. After the walls are constructed, the floor is poured.

Arrangement metal pit for technical inspection (caisson). One way to avoid groundwater is to install a caisson. It is a metal box installed in an inspection hole. The seams of the caisson are hermetically sealed to prevent leaks and treated with special anti-corrosion compounds.

Before installing the box, it is necessary to drive metal rods into the ground to a depth of 1–1.5 meters, which welded to the body caisson at the side corners. This prevents the risk of the structure “floating” when the groundwater level rises. When installing a caisson, the pit has to be made a little larger.

To prevent the box from floating, you can simply make a hole in its wall, into which water will be poured when flooded. Subsequently, it has to be pumped out, but the caisson will remain in place.

Wooden inspection hole. Boards for constructing an inspection pit must be treated with antiseptic and water-repellent agents. Before installation, a waterproofing layer is additionally installed in the pit. The boards are installed horizontally, and spacers are made in the narrow part of the pit. A frame of metal corners is fixed on top; it is better to fill the bottom with concrete.

Do-it-yourself waterproofing of an inspection hole in a garage

Waterproofing an object can be carried out both before the construction of the object and after its construction.

If the groundwater level does not rise above 2.5 meters, then the danger of flooding for the inspection pit is not expected. However, it must be taken into account that the geological situation can be changeable. Therefore, when constructing an object, it is better to make external waterproofing.

For installation external waterproofing special films or membranes are used (aquaizol, butyl rubber, etc.). Panels line the walls overlapped by 15 cm, with an overlap of 10–15 cm onto the garage floor. For better sealing, the joint is glued with double-sided tape. The film must be straightened so that it fits tightly to the surface of the walls.

The material is melted with a blowtorch, as a result of which it adheres more tightly to the surface of the walls and base. The integrity of the film should not be damaged, since in this case the waterproofing of the inspection pit will be compromised.

Internal waterproofing is done using deep penetration impregnation, which reduces the hygroscopicity of the walls. The composition is a cement-based primer containing polymer particles. Polymers are able to block the penetration of moisture through the base material.

Another method of waterproofing is to treat the surface with a liquid substance, which, when dried, creates a waterproofing layer. One such product is a pool composition. It is applied in two layers and after drying it forms a water-repellent film reminiscent of rubber.

Water collection pit

If waterproofing made by yourself is not effective enough, you can make a drainage system near the garage or a device for collecting water - a pit. For this purpose, a small well is dug in the inspection hole at one end, which, along with the base, is equipped with a waterproofing layer and covered with concrete. A caisson could also be installed in the well.

As water accumulates in the pit, it is pumped out using a pump. For convenience it is installed moisture sensor, which turns on the pump automatically. Since it will not be possible to completely get rid of moisture in the inspection hole, it is better to make the floor from wooden flooring, treated with water-repellent impregnation.

Insulation of inspection pit

To insulate the inspection pit, EPS (extruded polystyrene foam) is used, which has good water resistance and low thermal conductivity. The material can withstand significant loads.

EPS is installed between the waterproofing film and the wall; the thickness of the polystyrene foam layer must be at least 50 mm to create the desired effect. Insulation can also be laid under a concrete screed.

Cover for inspection hole

The lid is made of metal sheets or boards. Boards are selected for the wooden lid hardwood(larch, oak), more than 40 mm thick. They are pre-treated with antiseptic agents to protect against fungus and moisture. Lay the boards in the openings of the metal corners installed on top of the inspection hole.

Metal sheets for the lid are not very convenient, as they are susceptible to corrosion and are heavier than wood. Metal coating may bend during operation. In addition, using metal will cost more than wood.

After construction is completed, the walls can be plastered or tiled. Thus, make a viewing hole doing it yourself is not difficult if you properly follow the recommendations of specialists.

The installation of an inspection pit allows you to regularly monitor the technical condition of your car. The structure can also be used for storing vegetables, for which purpose special shelves and niches are provided in the design.

Video: how to properly make a viewing hole in the garage

Every car owner sooner or later faces minor repairs to his vehicle. Ordinary check technical condition cars 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.

Condition quality use inspection pit as a technical structure and a place for storing products is compliance with all construction standards and the availability reliable waterproofing floor and walls.

Even this simple design requires careful planning of actions. An important point This involves determining soil quality and groundwater levels. 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.

At large cluster groundwater and its high level 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 75x185x300 cm. Thickness concrete walls and the 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 form provides easy 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 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 the concrete mixture for pouring 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. Between them and the waterproofing is placed metal grid. 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. It is recommended to install a metal frame from a corner on the last row, 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. Ready design 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 a plot with low level groundwater, many owners are in no hurry to isolate the 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 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 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

Construction 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 markings are ready, you can begin land work. 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. Top sand cushion place gravel, 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 contribute to long-term storage of 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 to install a 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

On the issue of isolation inner surface Cellars should be treated especially carefully from moisture. 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

Making a viewing or vegetable pit in the garage with your own hands is not at all difficult. It is enough to listen to the recommendations of specialists and follow step by step instructions. If desired, these two rooms can be combined.

An inspection hole in a brick garage is built quite simply and serves an indispensable assistant for vehicle owners when inspecting and repairing a car.

For those who know how and love to repair and fix minor faults in the car themselves, an inspection hole is simply necessary.

Today there is a well-developed network of auto repair shops and car service and repair centers. However, many drivers even get pleasure from the fact that they can find and fix problems in their car themselves; this is a kind of release from their main work activity.

In addition, it is also moral satisfaction that you yourself prepared your car for inspection, plus you saved a certain amount of your budget. Often such craftsmen help their friends with repairs.

Inspection pits are also installed in garages for servicing large vehicles - trucks, buses and other vehicles. I propose to consider the question of how to build a brick inspection hole in a garage for your car.

Preparatory work

First you need to find out at what level the groundwater can rise. Not in all populated areas There is a geological service where geological surveys of soils are carried out (and the groundwater level is determined).

Here high level groundwater

It is possible to determine this yourself. To do this, make a pit to a depth of 2-2.5 m and monitor the level of water rise. If the forecast is unfavorable and the water lies close to the ground level, then it is better not to make a viewing hole.

If there is no choice and the site has already been allocated, then groundwater drainage (drainage system) is performed, but this is a costly and complex undertaking associated with construction drainage well outside the garage. We will assume that the prognosis is favorable.

Determining the size of the hole

Length We calculate based on the dimensions of your car. This is on average 4-5 meters and to descend we add another meter. With such a length, you will not need to constantly move the car during repairs.
Width– the main limiting dimension here is the distance between the car wheels. The most acceptable size is 75 – 80 cm, which is suitable for all types of cars.

Depth selected individually according to your height. Your height plus 15 cm is quite enough for you, and if your assistant is a friend who is taller than you, then it is better to immediately make a hole plus 30 cm to your height. You can make it for yourself wooden stand under your feet.

The pit can be built using two methods:

• In parallel with the construction of the strip foundation and plinth. In this case, the pit can be dug by an excavator.
• After building the box. In this case, you will have to dig manually.

The soil from the development will be used for backfill sinuses and bedding under the floors, since the level of the garage floor should be higher than the level of the road where the car is driving.

Technology for constructing a brick inspection pit

We have decided on the dimensions of the inspection hole in a clean manner. But when constructing a pit, you should consider:

• the thickness of future brick walls (250mm - one brick);
• a layer of leveling preparation made of sand, crushed stone, gravel 50-100mm thick;
• the thickness of the bottom made of concrete grade 150 - 200 is equal to 100 mm.

Descent into the inspection pit

We excavate the pit, clean the bottom and begin constructing the bottom. You can go down into the pit using an attached stepladder.

We make leveling preparations and proceed to the device horizontal waterproofing bottoms from roll materials– insulation, roofing felt and other film materials.

It should be taken into account that the edges of the insulating material must be brought 50 cm beyond the boundaries of the bottom, in order to then wrap them and stick them on outer surface future brick walls of the pit.

The time has come for concreting the bottom. We make it with a width equal to the width of the pit 75 - 80cm plus the thickness of two brick walls (50cm) plus a margin for “back and forth” (5-10cm). The total width of the slab is 1.4 m. Similarly, calculate the length of the bottom plate.

Should I reinforce the bottom? If you use a concrete mixture M-150, 200, maintaining a thickness of 80 - 100 mm, then you can do without reinforcement. The concrete must set to its original strength - in our case, we set aside a period of 3-4 days for this.

Begin brickwork, which we rely on concrete slab. We place the masonry under jointing or plaster. WITH outside The walls of the pit should be plastered so that vertical waterproofing can be carried out efficiently.

We carry out the plastering in parallel with the masonry, that is, having laid out 4 - 5 rows along the height of the wall, we immediately plaster it from the outside.

We carry out external coating waterproofing - hot bitumen, bitumen mastic, similar materials in two layers. Waterproofing is needed so that the walls of the pit do not “pull” moisture from the ground and create dampness inside it.

Having completed the walls of the pit and their waterproofing, you need to backfill the sinuses with layer-by-layer compaction of the soil every 15 - 20 cm. Ideally, it will be clay, since compacted clay creates “ clay castle", preventing water from penetrating through it.

Niche arrangement

It is very convenient if the inspection hole in the brick garage is equipped according long side niches - for placing an electric lamp, switch, socket.

A 36-volt cable should be connected to this niche, used in basements and damp rooms, dressed in a rubber hose or in a corrugated (preferably steel) version.

Another niche is for placing the tools necessary for work. Niches are placed at a height of 0.9 - 1.2 m from the pit floor level.

The dimensions of the niches can be maintained in mm:

• in depth 120
• length within 500 – 750
• height 250-300

After laying the last top row of bricks, a metal frame from angle No. 45-50 framing the opening is installed on them.

To securely fix the frame, anchor outlets from reinforcement with a diameter of 6-10 mm are welded to its outer side at intervals of 25-30 cm, which, after concreting the garage floor, enter the concrete body.

The corners are welded in such a way that boards 40-50 mm thick can be installed in the frame along the short side, which cover the pit in cases where it is not in use.

The boards can be knocked down into shields, but not too heavy. They need to be antiseptic and painted to extend their service life. Metal parts(frames, stairs, etc.) also need to be painted.

My inspection hole, made in the basement of the garage

To make the inspection hole in a brick garage safe for driving in, so-called wheel guards are installed, which prevent the car’s wheels from accidentally sliding into the hole.

This is a metal frame around a pit made of metal profile(pipe, channel, angle), which rises slightly above the floor level and represents a barrier enclosing the opening of the inspection hole.

It is recommended to keep the inspection hole closed (except when it is in use), as condensation forms in it, which can contribute to corrosion of the bottom and metal components cars. Dry the pit in hot weather when you leave the garage.

These are perhaps the main points that should be taken into account when building an inspection pit. Think again and weigh the feasibility of installing a pit when building your garage.