There are many options and possibilities for building a garage. There are also many different materials from which it can be constructed. But before starting construction or choosing building materials, it’s worth considering everything from the very beginning – from the design stage.
Preliminary Planning
Initially, as soon as the idea of building comes to mind, don’t worry about what’s best to build a garage from; first, you should consider its design, layout, dimensions, etc.
It’s important to know that garages can be divided into many types and sub-types. They can be:
- Temporary, freestanding structures;
- Permanent, freestanding structures;
- Attached directly to the house;
- Temporary structures attached to the house.
How freestanding temporary and permanent garages look can be seen in Fig. 1 below.
On the left, you can see a permanent brick structure, and on the right, a metal structure. You’ve likely seen such garages many times. These are precisely what we will be discussing.
For the purpose of this article, we will take a freestanding garage as an example.
Planning the Garage Construction
When planning to build a garage, it’s essential to carefully consider its dimensions from the outset – its height, width, and length. Again, if you only plan to park a car in the garage and not use the space for any other purpose, I would dissuade you – create a small reserve space; it will surely be very useful to you later on. You can store, for example, winter tires, spare parts, tools, etc., there. You’ll never have too much free space.
Again, there are no specific standards for garage construction, but they can be considered. In Fig. 2, you can see several garage size options, each of which will allow you to save money, gain maximum usable space and convenience, or find a happy medium.
Now that you’ve decided on the dimensions, it’s time to choose the materials from which we will construct the garage.
Garage Building Materials
Just like there are many types of garages, there is a multitude of materials from which you can easily build your garage. Among the main options are:
- Brickwork;
- Wood, planks, beams, etc.;
- Metal sheets;
- Cinder block (slag concrete) can be used;
- Reinforced concrete structure.
All these options are acceptable for garage construction; however, each should be considered individually, as each has its own advantages and disadvantages.
For example, brickwork has always been relevant. If you want to build a garage, this material is readily available, it isn’t expensive, and such a garage, provided you take care of the foundation beforehand, can be built with your own hands without resorting to the help of professional builders. Such a structure, of course, depending on the quality of work, will be able to last quite a long time, will not require constant repairs, etc. Brick structures are reliable and practical.
In the image below, you can see an example of a garage built solely from brick.
If this option isn’t suitable for you, it’s worth considering others.
For example, you can use cinder blocks as a material for your garage. In this case, you’ll be able to save significantly. Cinder concrete will cost you much less than brick, but you’ll also encounter a number of difficulties. For instance, cinder blocks are much harder to work with than brick; you’ll expend far more effort and time than with brick. Furthermore, regarding the safety and reliability of such a structure, it will be significantly lower than that of a brick garage.
Wood, Planks, and Similar Materials
Unfortunately, this material isn’t entirely suitable for garage construction. Despite its low cost, this material is very demanding. Specifically, in the future, you will frequently need to update the structure:
- Replacing rotted boards;
- Repainting the garage walls;
- Patching holes that will inevitably appear;
- Such a structure will also be very unreliable in terms of break-ins.
Nevertheless, such a structure would be optimal if you have a sufficient amount of wood from which to build a garage. You wouldn’t need to purchase other building materials. Again, if the garage will be located near your home, on your property, then this option is quite acceptable. The garage will constantly be in your sight. In that case, this option can be adopted, and you can proceed with construction. However, if the garage is far from the house, out of direct sight, then it’s better to choose other materials. How a wooden plank garage would look can be seen below.
Here are options for creating a garage from planks, beams, an option attached to the house, and a freestanding one.
Despite the clear impracticality of this option, many prefer it due to its initial low cost. However, in the future, after a few months, new supplies of boards will be needed, along with new capital investments in the construction and restoration of the garage.
Metal Sheets and Reinforced Concrete
Many, back in the distant 90s, preferred to build freestanding garages from metal sheets. There are several production options here:
- You can create a solid structure with the possibility of quick dismantling;
- You can create a preliminary frame onto which the sheets will be installed.
Whichever option you prefer, it’s important to know that the sheets need to fit very tightly, even overlapping. If one of the edges of your sheets starts to rust, you might end up with a hole that will need patching. In such a case, you’ll have to buy a new metal sheet and attach it to the existing structure. Also, make sure to purchase high-quality metal sheets capable of withstanding weather conditions, humidity, frost, heat, etc.
The optimality of this option will also be high because you don’t need to invest large sums; building a garage from this material won’t hit your budget hard. Another plus is the ability to build a garage very quickly. Perhaps, metal garages are much faster and easier to build than those made from any other materials.
You can find an example of such a garage below, in the image. You’ve surely seen such garages frequently in your neighborhood, in the city. Similar structures were once very popular in garage cooperatives.
In the case of reinforced concrete, you will get a reliable structure that can be easily disassembled and dismantled. Such materials are also relatively inexpensive, yet the reliability of such a structure is very high. In the image below, you can see a reinforced concrete structure.
When choosing materials for garage construction, you shouldn’t forget about the type of foundation your garage will have. An important point and useful clarification will be the garage’s layout for the gates. Don’t be lazy to install metal door frames in your garage gates. You’ll thank yourself later, as it will be much easier to install any type of gate, whether welding on ordinary swing gates or installing sliding, overhead, sectional, etc., depending on your preferences.
An example of the foundation and gate preparation is shown in the image below.
Useful Video – What’s Best to Build a Garage From
Below, you can find a link that provides examples of some building materials (a structure made of metal profiles, not mentioned in the article) from which you can build a garage yourself.