The Germans’ favorite child is their car and it needs a suitable “home”. New garages are hardly ever built with bricks, but rather as prefabricated structures. In addition to the classic prefabricated garage made of concrete, which is chosen by the majority of people interested in garages, prefabricated garages made of wood or timber frame garages are also currently in vogue. But can these be more convincing than the tried-and-tested concrete version?
Durability
Concrete is considered the building material par excellence, especially when it comes to durability. This becomes very clear when you consider that buildings from Roman times still exist today that were built with a predecessor product of our modern concrete. But let’s stay in the present. Of course, the ravages of time also leave their mark on prefabricated concrete garages. But the concrete walls of a prefabricated garage could last for decades even without maintenance. “We have been manufacturing prefabricated concrete garages since the 1960s and garages from this period are still in use today,” confirms Markus Hölzl, Head of Marketing at ZAPF GmbH, specialists in prefabricated concrete garages from Bayreuth in Upper Franconia.
According to data, wooden garages can also last for several decades, but here the longevity is much more dependent on how well the material is protected against moisture, fungi, lichen or parasites. Regular maintenance of the wood (varnishing or lacquering) is therefore essential.
Building material
Wood is a natural building material and a renewable resource – this is one of the most important arguments in favor of a wooden garage. This not only means that the material can compensate for large temperature fluctuations very well, but also ensures sufficient air and moisture exchange, which counteracts the formation of rust and mold.
Concrete also consists of natural raw materials: Sand, gravel and water form the basis. Cement is added as a binding agent, which is obtained from lime, clay and marl. Concrete is moisture-regulating and ensures that it is still pleasantly cool in the garage even on hot summer days. Most prefabricated concrete garages also have small ventilation slats in the walls to provide the necessary ventilation.
Stability
The stability of different types and variants of prefabricated garages can be easily compared using the so-called roof load factor. Generally speaking, wooden garages can also withstand loads, but the concrete version generally has the advantage here. The high stability is not only due to the robust building material, but is mainly due to a slender steel frame, the so-called steel reinforcement, inside the garage walls. This means that prefabricated concrete garages can not only bear heavy snow loads, but can also be erected on slopes without any problems, as they can even withstand heavy earth fillings.
Assembly
As a rule, the wooden or timber-frame garages are delivered directly to the installation site and assembled there. In most cases, however, the individual parts first have to be assembled (depending on the provider, either by themselves or by the manufacturer/supplier). “Modern prefabricated concrete garages, on the other hand, are delivered and assembled as a monolithic block at the new installation site,” explains Hölzl. Assembly is completed within a day and the new garage can be used immediately.
Foundation
A foundation is required for both garage types. In the case of the prefabricated concrete garage, the floor slab is already part of the garage body, so only strip foundations need to be built before installation. These can be constructed by the customer. On request, some manufacturers – including ZAPF GmbH – will also take care of the construction. Foundations are also required for the prefabricated wooden garage. However, as this garage variant is delivered without a floor slab, the installation area is often paved. Finally, the third option for preparing the installation area for a timber garage is to construct a concrete floor slab yourself (or have it constructed by a specialist company). Depending on what the new garage owners decide on, the preparation work for a wooden garage is just as great or even greater than for a prefabricated concrete garage.
Costs
To compare the costs of different types of prefabricated garages, it makes sense to consider not only the costs for the garage body itself, but also for all other services. In other words, you should take into account whether the floor is included, the on-site assembly and the long-term costs for care and maintenance. Durability and care should also be included in the comparison. It is precisely in these points, which are often given less attention, that the prefabricated concrete garage can score decisive points!
Delivery time
And another important note: timber prices are currently continuing to skyrocket. For prospective buyers of prefabricated timber garages, this means that suppliers are usually unable to quote reliable final prices at the moment!
A prefabricated concrete garage from a reputable supplier such as ZAPF GmbH has a delivery time of around twelve weeks, depending on the garage type. Due to the current market shortage of high-quality timber, the delivery time for prefabricated wooden garages can currently be significantly longer.
