Garage Floor and Inspection Pit
Discussion
Morning everyone.
We finally got the keys to our new home last week so my first priority (obviously!) is sorting the garage out. I know this has been talked about lots but figured it can't do any harm to ask the same questions again.
My new garage floor is a mess so I want to paint and seal it. Lots of advice in older posts but I figured there may be new products that are recommended. I really want to avoid having a floor that's "Slippery when wet" if I can help it, mostly because I have a pit I don't want to fall into.
Which leads me nicely onto the pit. It is about 4 foot deep, maybe 6 foot long and about 3 foot wide. It is made of breeze block with just a soil floor. I would like to line it and improve the floor. Can anyone recommend the best materials to use? I also want to get some lights in there and along the wall of the garage, preferably around ankle height. Again, any recommendations.
I don't have a massive budget so want to keep costs under control as much as possible so I have some funds left for tools etc
Thanks
Brian
We finally got the keys to our new home last week so my first priority (obviously!) is sorting the garage out. I know this has been talked about lots but figured it can't do any harm to ask the same questions again.
My new garage floor is a mess so I want to paint and seal it. Lots of advice in older posts but I figured there may be new products that are recommended. I really want to avoid having a floor that's "Slippery when wet" if I can help it, mostly because I have a pit I don't want to fall into.
Which leads me nicely onto the pit. It is about 4 foot deep, maybe 6 foot long and about 3 foot wide. It is made of breeze block with just a soil floor. I would like to line it and improve the floor. Can anyone recommend the best materials to use? I also want to get some lights in there and along the wall of the garage, preferably around ankle height. Again, any recommendations.
I don't have a massive budget so want to keep costs under control as much as possible so I have some funds left for tools etc
Thanks
Brian
Pits are lined with corten steel so wouldnt bother lining them. Paint the inside white every few years with garage paint. The light reflects far better and improves visibility massively.
Paint 2 stripes on the ground parallel to the pit so you can reverse trailers over it if you have to.
If I were you I'd dig a sump at one end and then concrete the floor with raised metal grating so rain and spills are directed to the sump.
Metal pipe along the sides for connecting an airline and led strip lights at just below chest height.
This is all ideal but concreting the floor, paint it white and adding led strip lights will make a big difference.
Paint 2 stripes on the ground parallel to the pit so you can reverse trailers over it if you have to.
If I were you I'd dig a sump at one end and then concrete the floor with raised metal grating so rain and spills are directed to the sump.
Metal pipe along the sides for connecting an airline and led strip lights at just below chest height.
This is all ideal but concreting the floor, paint it white and adding led strip lights will make a big difference.
Edited by Decky_Q on Monday 28th October 09:19
Yeah, even if you go for a basically flat floor and no grating, having it gently slope to a sump seems a reasonable idea.
I presume there are stairs down already?
An industrial spec high solids epoxy floor is a lovely thing, but the paint is very costly and its difficult to diy the prep, so while I have so far done neither I can see attraction of using floor tiles.
I presume there are stairs down already?
An industrial spec high solids epoxy floor is a lovely thing, but the paint is very costly and its difficult to diy the prep, so while I have so far done neither I can see attraction of using floor tiles.
Concreting the bottom of the pit would work, but sealing it will be tricky so a sump may be counterproductive; slabs will be easier. Pits are miserable places, if you are keeping it add as much lighting as you can fit in and be aware of the dangers as they have many ways of killing you.
We had one in my old workshop at work, what we did was concrete the bottom with a fall to the far end.
Then once concrete had dried run in 2 courses of house bricks down each side to create a ledge.
Then lay a nice thick mesh down which gives about 30cm of air between the bottom for water.
We then had a spot for a sump pump which was usually needed a couple if times a year when the ground water could not be stopped. I think in 15+ years of using it the worst it ever got was about 3 feet deep...
Then on a daily basis, keep the thing covered up. Having an open pit is just a disaster waiting to happen. They are handy things to have now and again but for most of the time they are just a liability.
The best domestic ones I have seen have been fitted out with GRP floor and walls. They seem to keep the damp away and are much cleaner.
Then once concrete had dried run in 2 courses of house bricks down each side to create a ledge.
Then lay a nice thick mesh down which gives about 30cm of air between the bottom for water.
We then had a spot for a sump pump which was usually needed a couple if times a year when the ground water could not be stopped. I think in 15+ years of using it the worst it ever got was about 3 feet deep...
Then on a daily basis, keep the thing covered up. Having an open pit is just a disaster waiting to happen. They are handy things to have now and again but for most of the time they are just a liability.
The best domestic ones I have seen have been fitted out with GRP floor and walls. They seem to keep the damp away and are much cleaner.
I wouldnt bother sealing the concrete floor, the oils and grease will do that lol
Great tip on the rows of bricks to support the grating, I'll use that next time!
A lip along both long sides is useful too, you can cover the pit with wooden boards when not in use, which would be a big safety bonus.
Great tip on the rows of bricks to support the grating, I'll use that next time!
A lip along both long sides is useful too, you can cover the pit with wooden boards when not in use, which would be a big safety bonus.
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