30yrs ago when searching for a concrete garage it was very hard to distinguish one drab plain concrete wall from another. The limitations in the technology up to that time allowed only a concrete slab (post and pillar) construction and the roof was almost always of corrugated asbestos.
These days modern manufacturing techniques and innovations in the concrete garage industry allow for tall narrow upright panels up to heights of 7ft6in(2.29m) and almost all (with the exception of a few brands) supply these panels in a spar aggregate (pebble dash) finish. Some brands have broken the mould (pardon the pun!) by the application of a brick effect finish choosing from either factory applied brick effect or an on-site application. The application of texture and colour after the garage is built does produce a seamless finish with no indication of the sectional nature of the building.
It goes without saying that the corrugated roofing panels’ common to these buildings no longer contains asbestos but remarkably asbestos sheets were supplied into the late 1980’s. It is hard to distinguish one substance from another as you will find no manufacturers mark or stamp up to this day. Modern day variations on the corrugated theme include coloured roofing options and a fibre-cement tile which looks remarkably like the real thing. Cold steel roofs should be avoided in humid and damp climates for reasons that are plainly obvious.
Maintenance free has been the rage since the introduction of uPVC windows and fascias, and a wealth of accessories including PVC fascias often available in a choice of natural wood finishes such as mahogany or light-oak, access doors including PVC French doors or woodgrain effect security doors can all be specified.
A take on the how concrete sectional garages and buildings have changed over the decades and the material utilising in their construction.
Background: The author has almost 20yrs retail experience in the concrete garage trade. As well as advising on the most suitable building per application advice is also tendered on groundwork preparation and all aspects of planning and building control. The writer resides in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, UK and operates from one of the regions largest concrete garage showrooms.
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