How to make a foundation for a house
The choice of foundation design for the future frame house was based on the simplest soil survey on the site.
We start the foundation for the house with our own hands
Earlier on the site, with the help of a garden drill, a well was drilled, a depth of about 2 meters. The excavated soil turned out to be clay, drilling was carried out in winter, while 40 cm from the surface appeared ground water. This indicates that the soil is not of the best bearing capacity. When drilling a well, a lot of stones came across, from which the well turned out to be not straight-linear. Therefore, the pile foundation, typical for the construction of a frame house, had not to be postponed, the standard strip foundation of the roads remains a strip shallow foundation. After research, in cross section, the dimensions of the tape were taken to be 520x300 mm. The volume of concrete mixture for such a tape was exactly 5 m³. Next, it was necessary to develop a formwork drawing.
Read also Strip foundation
Formwork drawing of the future foundation
Before pouring the foundation tape, it is necessary to dig a trench around the perimeter and fill it with a sand and gravel mixture.
Foundation trench drawing
The marking of the trench and the selection of soil for the foundation began in mid-May. The ground was already dry and nothing prevented the work from starting.
Drainage pipes were laid under the sand and gravel preparation, which were used as perforated sewer pipes (small incisions, special corrugated drainage pipes with factory perforation can be used) and non-woven wrapping material. Groundwater is drained into a drainage ditch located behind the site.
Layout of drainage pipes
After laying the drainage pipes, the trench is lined with geotextiles to minimize siltation of the sand and gravel preparation. Next, the sand-gravel mixture is laid in layers, spilled with water and rammed. The last layer is leveled with a hydraulic level.
Next in line is the manufacture of formwork. We make the formwork from a two-meter fence board with a thickness of 25 mm. If possible, use thicker boards, as the load from the concrete mixture is very high. The inner surface of the formwork is covered with a stapler with glassine (it is cheaper) or plastic wrap.
Drawing of embedded formwork boards
Read also How to dig a trench under the foundation
Now reinforcement is being done. The simplest conductor is made and frames for the entire foundation are cooked from reinforcement with a diameter of 6 mm. Already in place, the frames are connected at the corners with longitudinal threads of reinforcement with a diameter of 10 mm. The details of the reinforcement of the foundation tape are best connected with knitting wire or welding. Think over the ventilation system in advance and lay mortgages from plumbing pipes into the foundation so that ventilation holes are obtained after casting.
Reinforcement drawing for reinforcement
The next stage is preparatory work before pouring the foundation. An additional distribution box is being made, with the help of which the solution of the concrete mixture will be supplied to the extreme formwork corners, an access road from a free slab is laid so that the mixer does not get stuck with concrete in the soil of the site and does not mix his.
FOR REFERENCE: the weight of a fully loaded mixer is ≈ 35 tons.
And finally, we order a 5 m³ concrete mortar mixer, invite friends, call workers, distribute shovels to everyone and start taking the mortar. The side walls of the formwork are reinforced with jibs, the upper edges are connected with scraps of boards, if possible, bund. After the solution is filled, but still seized, a preliminary layout of the upper surface is carried out according to the hydraulic level.
While the concrete sets, you can go to rest for a week on the sea. Upon arrival, the formwork is disassembled, all nails and screws are removed, the boards are stacked to dry. Formwork boards will come in handy during further construction.
With the help of a hydraulic level and a trowel, the upper face of the foundation is planned with cement mortar. Then waterproofing of the lower strapping of the future frame of the house is made. We cut the roll of roofing material with a chain saw into three parts and roll it over the foundation tape in two layers.
That's all, the work on the construction of the foundation is completed. Getting to the frame of the house -Frame house