Selecting materials and building a garage for a motorcycle or scooter with your own hands

Where to store a motorcycle if you don't have a garage?

Today many people want to make a motorcycle garage with their own hands. After all, motorcycles and scooters are becoming more and more popular and the issue of storage is very relevant. Today we will talk about how to build a garage for a moped or other small equipment.

A motorcycle garage has a number of features that differ from a regular one; they must be taken into account during construction. In the video and photos you can watch individual installation moments and do everything yourself. Then the installation cost will not be significant.

Why do you need a garage for a motorcycle?

Many owners leave their motorcycle near the house and believe that it does not need a separate room. But that's not true. Cold air and precipitation cause the parts to become corroded, resulting in a shortened service life of the mechanisms.

Reasons why you should think about a garage for motor vehicles:

• the ability to install the structure anywhere;
• protection from the actions of intruders;
• shelter from adverse weather conditions, it is especially important to remove vehicles for winter storage (rain, snow contribute to the development of corrosion on all parts);
• it is convenient to carry out repair work in the garage;
• All spare parts and tools can be stored in the garage.

If you make the garage at the dacha spacious, warm and decorate each zone, then the place will become ideal not only for storing motorcycles, but also for spending free time.

What to choose for your best friend

If you set a goal and find an inexpensive and convenient option for a garage for a motorcycle, then in most cases construction experts will offer approximately the following list of designs:

We do not consider other types of shelters in the form of plastic, concrete, wood concrete or cinder block buildings due to their absolute unsuitability for use for servicing and storing a motorcycle.

Scrupulous comparison and practice show that from the above list, the most suitable option for a motorcycle is a lightweight frame structure made from sandwich panels.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantages of a motorcycle garage include:

• ease of assembly;
• the purchase of material does not require a lot of financial costs;
• You can make any shape;
• transport will be protected from sunlight, rays, rain, snow;
• the ability to store tools and spare parts in a separate place.

Disadvantages depend on the type of design.

• Shells, pencil cases, and tents are not very suitable for storing a motorcycle. The buildings are suitable for temporary shelter from precipitation. They are not suitable for permanent storage. There is little space in them, so there is no opportunity to carry out repair work and store spare parts and tools. The burglary resistance of structures is low.
• Buildings made of wood or chipboard are considered unsafe. The material absorbs gasoline vapors, therefore it has a high level of flammability.
• There is no point in building a large foam block garage for a motorcycle. Much less space is required to park and maintain the bike.

Having studied the detailed characteristics of suitable materials and types of structures, you will be able to choose an acceptable and affordable option.

How to store a scooter or heavy ATV

A miniature scooter can easily be placed under a canopy or covered with a PVC fabric cover; often the car can be stored in the most unexpected places, from a basement to a barn. An ATV, given its dimensions, requires a full-fledged garage, albeit small, but properly arranged, where you can store spare parts, fuel, and, if necessary, perform maintenance and repair of units.

To properly build a garage, you need to take into account several basic requirements for the storage conditions of an ATV or scooter:

• The dimensions of the ATV garage must correspond to the equipment stored in the room;
• Both vehicles require regular maintenance after use, which means that the garage for a scooter, and even more so for an ATV, must have ventilation. After the dirt is washed off, the car should dry in a draft;
• For any equipment, even in a summer cottage, you need to have a minimum set of consumables, spare parts, fuel and engine oil on hand. There are few auto shops in summer cottages, so most of the adjustments and repairs will have to be done using your own supplies.

In addition, the garage should occupy a minimum of space and perform the main functions of reliably protecting equipment from rain and annoying birds.

Determining the size and type of the future garage

There is no need to build a room that is too large for a motorcycle. A drawing is first made in which the dimensions and design features are specified. Then they determine the material and calculate its quantity.

The following types of structures can be built for motor vehicles:

• an ordinary, spacious foam block garage;
• steel frame pencil case;
• building made of sandwich panels;
• garage-shell.

It is best to build a spacious room so that you can approach the transport from any side. A workshop area should be planned for carrying out repair work. You also need to allocate space for storing necessary things and tools.

Even if you plan to build a mini-garage, you need to take the dimensions with some margin. This is done so that if the bike is replaced with a new model, the dimensions match.

For motorcycle

The approximate dimensions of a garage for a motorcycle are: the height of the building is at least 1.5 meters (it is better to focus on the height of the owner), the length is 3 meters, and the width is 2 meters.

For scooter

Standard dimensions of a covering structure for a scooter: length from 1.3 to 5 meters, width from 1.2 to 2.5 meters, height 2 meters.

For ATV

The width and height of the ATV is 1.2 meters, length - 2.3 meters. Based on these parameters, the dimensions of the structure itself are calculated.

For a convenient approach, leave 60 cm on each side of the ATV. On the side opposite from the door, it is advisable to leave a larger distance, about 2.5 meters, for repair work.

So, a garage for an ATV should be 4.5 meters long, 2.5 meters high and wide.

Purpose

For a biker, a garage is not just a room in which a vehicle is located. Although its main purpose is to ensure the safety of equipment. In parallel with this, the following functions are performed:

• a small workshop (repair work, tuning, carburetor synchronization, etc.);
• storage of tools, spare parts, oil, grease, gasoline;
• meeting places with friends.

These are the main directions, but everyone adjusts the space to suit themselves. To prevent it from being a box chaotically stuffed with different things, proper arrangement is necessary.

Selection of materials for construction

To build a foundation, you need to prepare crushed stone, sand and cement. Beams or metal panels for the base and frame will be useful.

The construction of the building is possible from the following materials:

• Metal structures are distinguished by their strength and reliability.
• A brick building is strong, reliable and durable, but building brick walls requires skills.
• Foam blocks are less expensive than bricks. The foam block structure retains heat well and is resistant to moisture. The design is not difficult to assemble.
• An economical option is a garage made of wood. Wooden buildings look beautiful, retain heat well, are strong and durable. The material must first be treated with antiseptics and impregnated with fire retardants. These compounds disinfect the surface and increase the fire resistance level.
• It is possible to easily and quickly build a garage from sandwich panels or corrugated sheets.

To work quickly and easily, you will need tools: a shovel, a drill, screws, anchors, a screwdriver, a welding machine, an angle grinder.

Frame structures

Prefabricated buildings, based on a rigid supporting frame and covered with sheet material, are in great demand today. They are easier and faster to build than permanent buildings, and at the same time they are inexpensive. If you wish, you can assemble such a garage with your own hands.

Advantages of frame garages:

• Short construction time;
• Low costs of material and labor;
• There is no need for a massive foundation;
• If necessary, the building can be dismantled and moved to another location.

Frame structures are installed on a small concrete area. Sandwich panels or metal sheets are most often used as wall materials. A durable tent covering is also suitable for these purposes, but this is more of a temporary option.

Building a garage with your own hands

The construction of a structure for storing a motorcycle begins with the construction of a foundation and a ramp for easy entry into the premises. Then they begin to build the frame, walls and roof.

Foundation

The place where construction is planned is cleared of dust and debris. In the future, you should perform a number of actions:

• A trench 18 cm deep is dug along the entire perimeter of the proposed building.
• A layer of crushed stone and sand is laid at the bottom of the trench.
• Two bars with a cross section of 10 by 16 cm are installed along the perimeter so that after pouring the solution, half of the bars remain in the concrete.
• Vertical beams with a section of 50 by 50 cm are driven into the corners of the structure. They will serve as a frame.
• Mix the cement. The resulting solution is poured onto the floor surface.

Construction of the frame

As soon as the concrete screed has dried, construction of the frame begins. It is made of wood or metal. The wooden structure is pre-treated with antiseptic compounds.

Additional bars measuring 50 by 50 cm are installed along the perimeter of the future structure at a slight slope. They will serve as support for the roof. Self-tapping screws and metal corners are used for fastening.

It is recommended to make a ventilation hole in the lower half of the frame to allow fresh air to enter the room. The window is covered with a metal mesh with small cells.

Walls and roof

Profiled sheets or chipboard sheets are attached to the installed frame using self-tapping screws. The result is three solid walls and one wall with a recess for a door. For strength, additional crossbars and racks are attached to the two main vertical bars that will hold the door. Hinges are installed on them.

The roof should protrude about 25 cm above the wall to prevent precipitation from getting inside the garage. It is advisable to make the roof pitched so that water and snow do not linger on its surface. To do this, one of the beams is made short.

For the roof, first lay out the transverse beams, then a layer of boards, only after that they begin to cover it with roofing felt. The covering layer can be made of slate, corrugated board or tiles.

Assembly of the structure

After the foundation has been erected, the assembly of the structure begins:

1. Support beams made of wooden beams or metal are attached to the frozen foundation. It is advisable to put waterproofing under the material. Anchors are used to secure the support.
2. To install the frame, vertical supports are attached to the corners, which are connected to each other by horizontal jumpers.
3. After the frame is erected, the roofing begins. A beam is attached between two opposite sides. One side is made smaller so that the roof is sloped.
4. Then they begin to cover the garage, for example, with sheets of plywood or corrugated sheets. At this stage, if necessary, an insulating layer is installed, for example, from mineral wool.

At the last stage, the roof is formed, the door is installed and the entrance to the building is organized.

Mini box

Let’s say you need to store your scooter, bicycle or motorcycle somewhere, but you don’t have the desire or money to build a full-fledged building. In this case, you can make a mini garage for your motorcycle, where it will be protected from the rain and stored under a secure lock. It can be made in the form of an extension to a house or an existing car garage.

First you need to mark the site . Since compactness makes sense for us, the length and width of the box will not be much larger than the dimensions of the “iron horse”, the same goes for the height - no more than 1.5-1.8 meters . 15-20 cm deep is dug on the marked area , its bottom is compacted and filled one third with a mixture of sand and gravel. Next, the concrete is poured. Don't forget to embed the base for the frame into it.

Next you need to cover the walls, some of them are folding . You are free to choose the location of the latter yourself - some make one side folding wall, others make a gate in the “facade” of the motorcycle box, and others combine both options and make two folding walls.