# Garage questions



## Carvell (Apr 3, 2015)

Hello thanks for reading,
I have a double garage with twin up and over doors. My future project is to turn it into a nice place to work on and store my cars. Not a full detailing studio but probably not far off.

The garage is single brick construction with a pitched roof. It’s very draughty as the garage doors have massive gaps around them there is also a hole in one wall we’re the previous owner probably ran a tumble drier.

My first question is. I have a classic mini so condensation would be an issue as they like to rust. Would I be better making the garage air tight (as much as possible) and insulating the walls and loft space or leaving it draughty.

Second question, the concrete slab looks like it has dropped at the front of 1 quarter. There is a visible crack in the floor. It looks like the slab was poured in two sections (east and west). The south west quarter has dropped enough that my car would roll if the brakes aren’t on. Has anyone experienced this and what’s the solution?

Thanks


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## Carvell (Apr 3, 2015)

Can anyone recommend a website where I might get answers to these questions?


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## wlmoate (Nov 29, 2014)

Hi,

A few thoughts on your questions:

1.If you make the garage air tight that won't remove the moisture in the air, insulting the garage will improve its ability to hold onto any heat but again won't reduce the internal humidity level. Yes I am sure you could run a dehumidifier at a cost, and increasing the the air temperature in the garage will increase the dew point. Instead of having constant running costs ( dehumidifier/heating full time) There are plenty of anti corrosion sprays one I use is ACF50, they use this on aircraft etc.

2. If the slab has sunk you could try find someone who in the UK does concrete jacking. Or if the slab has finished moving you could use self levelling compound, there are some that can do upto 50mm difference.


Wayne


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## Ant21 (Oct 12, 2013)

Very similar garage construction to my own. 
I personally would leave it draughty as it will help keep the air flowing. I had toyed with sealing mine up, but as said that would be very costly and given it's single skin, a waste.

I use stormguards at the bottom of my garage doors to help stop any water / leaves / crud from blowing under. I've also insulated the rear of both my doors with foil backed bubble wrap to help prevent any temperature spikes. On this point, I'm pleased to say it has helped a fair bit by allowing it to warm up and cool down more smoothly (if that makes any sense?) In doing so, although the humidity is high in the winter / wet days, I've massively reduced any water droplets appearing under my car or on the brakes, which was a must have for me. Painting the inside with Sandtex has I believe also helped.

Can't help with the floor I'm afraid...


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## Gas head (May 28, 2010)

wlmoate said:


> Hi,
> 
> A few thoughts on your questions:
> 
> ...


Have to admit I swear at my garage at least once a day and not found any significant improvement in the humidity, am I doing something wrong here?


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## ianrobbo1 (Feb 13, 2007)

I consider myself lucky compared to you lads, my garage is a breeze block and brick construction, with an apex roof and wooden joists, it can get very cold inside during winter, I have actually put an old carpet down to cover most of the concrete flooring, and luckily although cold hasn't really seemed to get damp, mind you its chock a block with motorbike stuff so I don't know if that's anything to do with any dampness??  as above you need to find out if your base is still moving, then ask a tradesperson the best/easiest way of fixing it.


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## Carvell (Apr 3, 2015)

Thank you for all the replies. I do have a carcoon which has been amazing. Ideally I would prefer not to need it as it takes up space. 

I will get someone to have a look at the concrete floor. 

I read sealing the floor and walls has a big impact on humidity as long as the roof is left unsealed.

The doors are a strange design as they are recessed so rainfall lands on the slab and then pools under the doors. A new door and seal should solve this. 

I’m happy to run a dehumidifier but I guess this is only worth it if the garage is sealed. No point in dehumidifying the world?


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## djberney (Oct 2, 2016)

There was a thread on here about storing a car (think it was a Porsche?) and it was suggested that leaving some BH Atom Mac diluted in a tray under the vehicle would help the condensation issue by making it not just water so the product then settled on the metal and helped prevent corrosion. Keep meaning to try it.


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## lisaclio (Sep 6, 2008)

If your garage is big enough you could build a frame with wood so that you could dpc and insulate it and then put plasterboard over the top. I’ve done it with my garage and tbh it’s not cool and no signs of damp.


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## biggriff (Feb 9, 2009)

I have faced similar challenges:

1. Get floor re-leveled.
2. I found plastic floor tiles ideal but I sealed the floor first
3. Get the garage door insulated. Advice here is correct. Manages temperature spikes better.
4. What is your roof like? Insulated? If not insulate that and the walls.
5. Fit a dehumidifier, but go for the ones that work down to low temperatures and fit a permanent drain through the wall.
6. I didn't go for any heating, but its a future option. Concerned it will exasperate any humidity/condensation issues.

Use the AF-50 as mentioned and Bilt Hamber Atom Mac.


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## Carvell (Apr 3, 2015)

If I was to timber frame and then insulate the walls do I need to use a tanking type paint on the walls first? Also with the roof is it a simple case of boarding the rafters and then laying insulation on top. 

I just don’t want soggy insulation.

I know garage door is my biggest issue but I need to do some saving before I can afford one of those.

Thanks 
Stuart


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## lisaclio (Sep 6, 2008)

I constructed a single skin garage (to save on costs) then I had a it framed inside and insulation preferably over 100mm places in between the studs of the walls and the ceiling joists. I did have the brick walls tanked half way up as it’s just to stop rising damp from the floor. Then I plasterboarded and jointed. For the floor it was a freshly laid concrete slab so couldn’t really epoxy, and as concrete holds water for a long time I decided to self level it and then I’ve used a thin vinyl on the floor. I didn’t want to paint it as it flakes over time. It’s also a lot cheaper and cost me about £120 and is hard wearing and takes the weight of my car. It’s been down 6 months and apart from mopping it, it’s durable and looks good.


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## ianrobbo1 (Feb 13, 2007)

I've been having a good old nosey on farce book market place and the amount of cheap stuff for garages makes you blink, it might be worth looking on there for cheap'ish bits that you need. I just dropped on a motorbike shed for £30 quid, it retails at over a grand, and is bigger than one similar to my girlfriend's that she paid £400 for.
here it is.


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## blademansw (May 23, 2011)

Carvell said:


> If I was to timber frame and then insulate the walls do I need to use a tanking type paint on the walls first? Also with the roof is it a simple case of boarding the rafters and then laying insulation on top.
> 
> I just don't want soggy insulation.
> 
> ...


No, that's the last thing you want to do. The aim is to provide an inner wall that stops moisture entering the inside of the garage, but allows the garage to breathe - moisture out. Have a look at how the Yanks/Canadians deal with the issue due to their timber frame construction.


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