Adding a garage to your home can be a great way to increase storage space and enhance the safety of your belongings. The stability of any building depends on the strength of its foundation. If you want your garage to withstand the test of time, you will need to spend the time and energy required to create a solid foundation.

1. Create Forms

The foundation of many garages is a cement floor. Pouring cement can be tricky. The key to creating a cement foundation that won't crack or crumble is to use forms throughout the pouring and curing processes.

Forms help to hold the cement firmly in place as it dries. It's best to use a thick particle board to create the face of your foundation forms. Particle board is affordable and lightweight, yet strong enough to retain its shape when exposed to the pressure of a concrete slab. Carefully measure your particle board and make clean cuts to avoid the possibility of your foundation forms causing damage to your curing concrete.

2. Frame Your Forms

After the faces of your foundation forms have been cut, you will need to frame each section with 2x2s. You can utilize wood glue to hold the 2x2s in place, or you can nail each board to the form faces for a more secure attachment.

If your garage foundation will not be really thick, wood glue can be a great fastener for your foundation form frames. A thick cement foundation will need the added strength and stability that a nailed foundation form frame offers.

3. Be Precise

No matter what type of garage structure you plan to put on your finished cement foundation, the dimensions of the foundation slab will affect the stability of your garage over time.

You must be precise in your measurements and construction techniques when creating foundation forms. Any forms that are out of level, out of square, and out of plumb will create serious problems once you begin to pour your concrete foundation. Carefully measure, cut, and assemble your forms to prevent any miscalculations from compromising the quality and integrity of your garage over time.

In order to create a functional garage, you must start with a quality foundation. The use of foundation forms makes it easy to pour a cement foundation that is level and strong enough to support the weight of your garage once construction is complete. Reach out to a professional for help with your foundation forms. 

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