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Self made garage

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kuusk623

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Apr 5, 2015
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Estonia
Greetings from Estonia.

Once I had a dream ...... and I was just trying to see from web, what kind on garages could be made. Suddenly I found this site and I was amazed. Since that time I have been checking the site daily, knowing somwhere in my head that one day I will bulid mu own garage.

I will make my thread to share with you of how I do things here in Estonia and of course I will always stay open for your comments and advices.
 
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CNGsaves

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Sep 26, 2012
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KS and OK
Welcome to GJ. Everyone on GJ loves PICTURES of new shop builds . . .
. . . or just pics of shops in general . . ;) . . . so be sure to snap lots of pics.

We'd love to see unique style of garage builds in Estonia. Good luck.
 
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kuusk623

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Estonia
With pictures there is not a problem. I like to archive the process to myself also.

The background story - house style is common in Estonia and it is made from bricks (FIBO). House is about 7-8 years old and it was with rain shelter for 1 car. During our winters I understood that the rainshelter that was opened from the side did not meet my needs. From there I had 2 options:

1) close the shelter from open sides and make a garage
2) make a garage as big as possible and then close the open sides

I chose 2.nd option.
 
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K

kuusk623

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Estonia
dlcwent said:
Welcome to the GJ. And that is quite a "workout" with a shovel.

You have a very nice place.
Click to expand...

I have to be honest it was not totally done by my self. I had a friend to help me in one afternoon. We starte aroud 1300on friday and it was almost done by the 2000. Through the weekend I dug it littlebit wider and deeper by my self. Tuesday morning I started with laying the plastic and rebar. And pour took place on thursday. Luckily the soil was sand without rocks or tree roots etc.
Another good thing was that it was not much rain during the time when the dich was opened. I was afraid earth slide ... which would have meant to me more digging and building a wooden frame for concrete. Luckily the soil stood on place.
 
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dlcwent

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coastal maine
kuusk623 said:
I have to be honest it was not totally done by my self. I had a friend to help me in one afternoon. We starte aroud 1300on friday and it was almost done by the 2000. Through the weekend I dug it littlebit wider and deeper by my self. Tuesday morning I started with laying the plastic and rebar. And pour took place on thursday. Luckily the soil was sand without rocks or tree roots etc.
Click to expand...

That makes it easier, but still a good little "workout"

Please keep showing us your progress.
 
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Bib Overalls

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Dec 4, 2006
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Jonesboro, Arkansas
Are you doing your own masonry? Those blocks look like they are laser straight. Don't see any batten boards or string so I am assuming it was all done by eye. Amazing.
 
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kuusk623

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Estonia
Hello again

Yes I am laying the blocks by my self. Only work I bought in so far was mixing and delivering the concrete for footings. It was reasonable to buy that in, because with mixer it would have taken me all day. And of course I would have needed some help from my buddies - I calclulated the job for 4 guys for one day. Preferrable fith 2 mixers. And there was always ther risk that the sides of the ditch will fall in.

Considering the amount of beer those guys would have drank, the prise of concrete and time, I found that I won with footings the way I did.

Actually this is my first big excperiens with bricks. Before that I have layed a dog house from bricks, but that looked horrible :) Maybe it is coming together because I am building it to myself.

I think I spend too much time to get it perfect. Pro would do it definetly faster, but for me its like a hobby.

Tools I use are concrete mixer, crappy laser and short leverer. Laser is cheap and problem is the longer the distance to measure the wider the laser beam. Also no power to see the laser on sun light. So the laser is mainly used to get the footing and bricks under existing beam (front side of the building). With laser I marked red line on existing wall and just lay bricks from down to up.. With first 3 rows I used string also, but then I continued without it.
 
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j p smith

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Glendale, Arizona
Wow that is awesome work! One question I have, I did not see any rebar and the blocks are solid. We usually see rebar coming out of the footer and then blocks that are hollow, later some of the cells filled with concrete around the rebar.
Again, very nice craftsmanship.
 
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kuusk623

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Estonia
j p smith said:
Wow that is awesome work! One question I have, I did not see any rebar and the blocks are solid. We usually see rebar coming out of the footer and then blocks that are hollow, later some of the cells filled with concrete around the rebar.
Again, very nice craftsmanship.
Click to expand...

About the blocks - the material is named FIBO. There are similar products on our markets with different name.... mainly because from different company. Main thing they are solid. The material is made under the pressure, what gives its durability. There are 3MPA and 5MPA blocks. 3mpa are mainly used for onestory buildings. With 5mpa blocks could go up until 5 story building. The block mix is 8mpa.

Both blocks could be used in foundations, but recommended is 5mpa blocks, because there is not so much airspace inside the block, what could fill with water and turn to ice. Factory gives 50 frose sycles for blocks lifetime.

In my case i decided to make all the walls from 5mpa blocks. Thought that it will be more durable - read as "overkill" for the building of this size, but doing it for me I decided to go for sure. Don't want to see any craks in the future.
 
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kuusk623

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Estonia
About the rebar - it is layed horizontally inside the mix between the blocks. There is recommended battern from the factory. Usually it goes one row of rebar inside one meter of wall height - so after each four row. Extra rebar will go between lower rows inside the foundation and around windo and door openings. Those rebars will not allow the cracks continue if the foundation should move.

Hollo blocks are used also in our constructions. They are made from concrete and filled on place with rebar and extra concrete. I tought it would be too much work for me to fill them by hand with bucket and concrete mixer so I chose different option.
 
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Stooge

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Mar 24, 2013
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South Shore, MA
That is some very impressive block work you are doing, very tidy!

kuusk623 said:
You are quite right about that. It's Estonia - just south from Finland and west from Russia.
Click to expand...

My father's family is from Estonia, and its one of the places I would really like to visit sometime in the next few years. Its always looked to be a very beautiful and interesting country :beer:
 
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kuusk623

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Estonia
Stooge said:
That is some very impressive block work you are doing, very tidy!
Click to expand...

Thanks guys for all supportive comments. For interior the plan was just to paint the walls. For that I must lay the blocks as good as possible.
 
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kuusk623

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Estonia
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And the time came to form the windows.

Unfortunately I ran out of mix for blocks, so I had to order another 1 ton bag. With same delivery I took the blocks to cover the windows. It was sad that I did not have the walls to required height to put the window blocks on with the crane. After delivery, what was done by truck with crane, I layed another row of blocks and then put on the window beams.

For beams I called the buddy from next house. We took a minute to figure out, how to do the job. One beam is 100kg. ... and then we just put them on with "elbow grease".

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Brompty

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May 17, 2013
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Kent, England
Wow, great work. It is always a pleasure to see a more modest build compared to some of the Palace Garages on this site (not that I do not enjoy those too). What you have achieved so far is impressive - even more so that it is mainly you with occasional help from your neighbour.

Keep going.
 
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