Service
Garage Floors and Garage Slabs
A garage floor carries cars, tools, storage shelving and sometimes a home gym or workshop, so it needs to be strong, flat where it counts and properly drained. Rowville Concrete pours new garage slabs, replaces broken garage floors, fills in old garage pits and gravel floors, and pours carport slabs for homes across Rowville and the surrounding suburbs.
Garage slab jobs we quote
New detached garages
A freestanding garage at the back or side of the block needs its own slab, often with thickened edges or footings to carry the walls or steel frame. The design usually comes from the garage supplier's engineering or your building plans. Where a building permit applies, the slab follows the approved design.
Garage floor replacement
Older garages can have cracked, sunken or uneven floors. Common causes are poor compaction, water getting underneath or tree roots. Replacing the floor inside an existing garage takes careful planning around the walls, door tracks and access, because the concrete often has to be barrowed or pumped in.
Garage infills
Some garages have gravel or dirt floors, old timber floors, or a disused mechanic's pit. We fill and compact these areas and pour a new floor that ties in with the existing slab edges.
Carport slabs
A carport slab gives a clean, hard surface under a roof structure. Post footings may need to be coordinated with the carport builder, and the slab can be finished to match the driveway.
Garage conversions
When a garage is converted to a living space, the floor level, moisture protection and insulation all need attention. Building rules apply to habitable rooms, so conversions are usually done under a building permit with a designed floor. See extension slabs for habitable areas.
Design points for a good garage floor
- •Falls towards the door. A slight fall towards the garage door lets water from wet cars or hosing out drain away instead of pooling at the back wall.
- •Step-down at the door. A small set-down or rebate at the door line helps stop wind-driven rain from running inside.
- •Level with the driveway. The transition between garage floor and driveway should be smooth so cars roll in without a bump. See driveway replacement if the driveway also needs work.
- •Moisture protection. A vapour barrier under the slab reduces moisture rising through the floor, which matters if you're storing boxes, timber or anything that dislikes damp.
- •Reinforcement and edge beams. These follow the engineer's or supplier's design, particularly where the slab also supports walls.
- •Control joints. Planned joints reduce random cracking across the floor.
How we pour a garage slab
- 01Review plans and site. We check the supplied engineering or building plans, site levels, access and any permit conditions.
- 02Excavation and base. Ground is excavated to design levels, and a crushed-rock base is compacted.
- 03Formwork and set-out. Forms are set square to the plan, with rebates for the door line and thickenings for edge beams or footings.
- 04Vapour barrier and steel. The membrane is laid and lapped, and mesh and bars are placed on chairs.
- 05Inspection where required. If the work is under a building permit, a steel inspection may be needed before the pour.
- 06Pour and finish. Concrete is placed and finished. Steel trowelling suits garages because it's smooth and easy to sweep.
- 07Cure and protect. The slab is protected while it cures, and we let you know when it can take a vehicle.
Garage floor finishes
- •Steel-trowelled. The standard finish: smooth, dense and easy to clean.
- •Sealed. A sealer reduces dusting and resists oil staining. See concrete sealing.
- •Ground and sealed or polished. A tidy, modern look that suits showpiece garages and home gyms. See polished concrete.
- •Coated. Some owners add a coating after the floor has cured. That's usually a separate trade, and the slab needs to be suitable for the coating system chosen.
Access for inside-garage pours
Pouring inside an existing garage is often the hardest part of the job, with low door heads, walls on three sides and no room for a truck chute. A line pump can deliver concrete through the door. For small floors, barrows may work. See concrete pumping.
Related slab services
If you need a slab for a garden shed or workshop, see shed slabs. For a garage that's part of a new house, see house slabs. For multiple garages on a unit site, see multi-unit and townhouse slabs. All options are on our slabs hub.
Where we pour garage slabs
We quote garage and carport slabs in Rowville, Wantirna, Wantirna South, Scoresby, Mulgrave, Noble Park North and the rest of the suburbs on our locations page.
Garage slab FAQs
Usually, yes. The old floor is broken out and removed, the base is fixed, and a new floor is poured, often using a pump or barrows to get the concrete inside.
A new garage generally needs a building permit, and the slab should follow the approved plans. A floor replacement inside an existing garage may not, but it's worth checking with a building surveyor.
Most garage floors are designed with a slight fall towards the door so water drains out. If you're planning a workshop or gym, we can talk about which areas need to be as flat as practical.
Yes. The pit is filled with suitable compacted material and capped with a new slab that ties into the existing floor.
That depends on the mix and the weather. We'll give you specific advice on the day. Giving the floor extra time before heavy loads go on it is always worthwhile.
Related services
Service areas
Rowville · Wantirna · Wantirna South · Scoresby · Mulgrave · Noble Park North · See all service areas →
Get a garage slab quote
Send us your garage plans or a few photos and measurements of the existing garage. We'll look at access and levels and give you a written quote.