A garage isn't just a lightweight shed; it's a fully-fledged
structure that bears a heavy load. Even a passenger car weighs between one and
a half tons, and if you have an SUV or minivan, the load increases
significantly. Add to this the weight of the garage itself, tool racks,
cabinets, and sometimes a second floor or attic—and it becomes clear: the
foundation must be designed with a reserve.
If a foundation error is made, the consequences become
apparent quickly. The walls begin to flex, the gates stop closing properly, and
cracks appear in the masonry or frame. Ultimately, the entire structure loses
its rigidity, and instead of a reliable garage, you end up with the headache of
constant repairs.
Screw pile foundation
for a garage: operating principle
The main thing to understand is that screw piles in a garage
support the walls and roof, not the floor. This is a fundamental difference
from a residential building, where a raised floor on a grillage is often used.
In the case of a garage, the pile foundation supports the vertical loads from
the wall frame and roof, while the floor itself is installed separately, on the
ground.
In other words, the system works like this:
·
The
piles are screwed in around the perimeter of the garage (and, if necessary, in
between for rigidity).
·
They
are connected at the top with a channel or timber frame.
·
The
walls are attached to the frame, and the roof rests on them.
·
The
interior floor is laid on the ground—this can be compacted crushed stone with
pouring, concrete screed, or more cost-effective options like asphalt chips.
This approach solves several problems at once:
1.
Cost reduction. There's no point in
"hanging" a concrete floor on piles—it increases the cost and
complicates the structure.
2.
Simplicity of construction. First, you assemble
the frame on the piles, and then, without rushing, lay the floor.
3.
Reliability. The walls and roof sit firmly on
the pile foundation, and the floor is not connected to them and does not pull
the structure from possible ground movements.
In practice, this means that a garage on screw piles will
last for decades without problems if the diameter and pitch of the piles are
correctly calculated and the floor is installed correctly.
Garage Pile
Installation Features
To ensure a long-lasting and trouble-free garage on piles,
it's important to correctly calculate the number and parameters of piles. The
same rules apply here as for a house, with the caveat that the load from a car
is concentrated in the walls and roof.
Pile Spacing and Location
Piles are driven along the perimeter of the future garage,
usually at intervals of 2–2.5 meters. Reinforced elements are always installed
at the corners. If a heavy roof is planned (for example, insulated metal
trusses), additional piles are installed under the interior partitions or in
the middle of the long wall.
Drive Depth
The pile must penetrate the frozen soil layer and penetrate
the dense load-bearing layer. In the Leningrad Region, this is usually 1.5–2
meters. The depth is determined by calculations and the geology of the site,
but skimping on this is unacceptable: if the pile is placed on soft ground, the
foundation will quickly sink. Diameter and wall thickness
For garages, piles with a diameter of 89 to 108 mm are used,
with a pipe wall thickness of at least 3.5–4 mm. This ensures a safety margin.
For a lightweight garage made of corrugated sheet metal, a minimum pile is suitable,
while for a brick or block garage, only reinforced piles are recommended.
Pile binding
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