If you’re adding a new garage to your home, it’s important to make sure that you take the foundation into account! Like any structure, the garage foundation is vital to the integrity of the building. Laying the foundation for a garage is definitely not a DIY project, and it requires good planning, adherence to Nashville building codes, and a consideration for the future use of the space. You should also plan on future inspections. A great concrete contractor, like A-1 Concrete Leveling and Foundation Repair, can help ensure that your garage foundation is built to last. Continue reading to learn more, and if you’d like to get the process started, contact one of our concrete experts today.

How Is A Garage Foundation Made?

A garage foundation is often constructed by using concrete blocks or a poured concrete wall (like in a home’s foundation). First, the site where the garage will be built is cleared and trenches are dug to the depth required by code. If the trenches are not dug deep enough, the building will not be fully supported. Next, steel reinforcing is put in place to help the foundation bear stress. Anchor bolts are installed, which will be used to secure the building’s wall to the foundation. 

Once the footings and foundation walls are secure, our concrete contractors place a subgrade upon which the concrete slab will be poured. This can be made up of many different materials, including sand or gravel, but it must be compacted in order to create a sturdy slab. We will then pour the concrete slab that will form the majority of the foundation. 

If you would like drainage pipes or radiant heat tubes, we will stall those before the slab is poured. While pouring, we ensure that the slab is at a slight angle so that any liquid drains out of the garage. 

Foundation Sealers

While it’s not as important for your garage to be sealed and insulated as it is for your home, air and water infiltration can be a headache. You can install garage foundation sealers on top of the foundation to help keep your garage warm and dry. Use sill sealers between the foundation and sill plate to prevent gaps where the foundation meets the walls. Use concrete sealers on the garage floor to prevent water and vapor from coming up through the concrete foundation. Sealers also strengthen your concrete and help prevent concrete cracks from forming.

Foundation Repair

Congrats — you have a beautiful garage built on a strong foundation! However, no matter how great your foundation is, the concrete will eventually degrade and you will need foundation repair. If you notice any cracks or gaps in your foundation, contact A-1 Concrete Leveling and Foundation Repair as soon as possible. Catching foundation cracks early is key to reducing foundation repair costs. And while it may seem like you can let things go in the garage, a damaged foundation will lead to much bigger structural issues and compromises the safety of anyone (or anything) within your garage.

If you’re in need of foundation repair, contact A-1 Concrete Leveling and Foundation Repair in Nashville for an inspection and free quote. We’ll let you know what the problem is and what your options are for foundation repair. Along with foundation repair, we also specialize in concrete pouring and concrete leveling. Contact us today for a free quote.

If you found this post to be useful, check out a few of our other foundation repair blog posts:

• 10 Areas Of Your Home To Check For Signs Of Foundation Problems
• Foundation Cracks: What They Mean and What to Do
• Your Foundation Problems: Resources for All You Need to Know