Ground floor: Questions and Answers

We believe that each of FORUMHOUSE user sees your house differently. Someone wants a stone cottage, and someone prefer wooden chalet. But no matter what material will be built your home, usually at the heart of any home is placed a comfortable stay in it, and functionality. A basement under any home and is easy to use and very practical.

The device is a ground floor in a private house

Before we get acquainted with the technical details of the construction of the basement, you need to understand what it is and what benefits it receives the builder during construction.

Roman Nikonov (Construction Consultant):

- Ground floor - it's operated facilities, ie premises with access used for temporary or permanent stay of people. markgender, Which is located below the ground level around the building.

Most often it is used for device engineering, storage and utility rooms, ie all types of premises, in addition to living rooms. Also, it is possible to perform wiring of communications with easy access for repair and maintenance.

Andrew Pashuhin (Construction engineer company fundamentally. RF)

–Exploitationhouseswith a ground floor promises a lot of benefits to its owner. After all, in addition to more space, the owner of the house gets a multifunctional space where you can post:

• Garage;
• boiler room;
• Gym;
• Billiard room;
• a workshop;
• Sauna.

Thus, we obtain the so-called underground house. And because all the utilities, hidden in the "lower house", there are no smells and noise from operating equipment that provides an increased level of comfort of living in mostly house.

How to use the ground floor

Despite what many imagine ground floor a large basement, in this structure has its own characteristics.

Roman Nikonov:

- Ground floor, not intended for finding people called tehpodpolem, and is used for laying communications and storing a supply of food, potatoes, etc.

Depending on the height it may be - pass-through, and the semi-go. Sex tehpodpolya is equal to or just below ground level around the building.

If the cap is more than below ground level by two-thirds and, moreover, has no natural light in the form of boxes in the basement, it is called basement.

If such spaces are temperature conditions below 12 - 15 degrees and is used to store food or wine, it is more applicable to his name "cellar".

Lower floors can be made of the following materials:

• In-situ concrete;
• Brick;
• Precast Concrete (FBS) of reinforced concrete elements.

This design includes the floor slab and walls, which can be as lean on the stove, and placed it on the perimeter. In the first case we are dealing practically with slab foundation, zaglublonnym to floor level basement.

This decision is justified for heavy buildings and high ground water level. In the second case - a strip foundation and slab floor base can be relatively thin, but the entire load from the house takes on as its base, only a strip foundation.

Andrew Pashuhin:

–The advantages of monolithic basement - it is the strength and the best waterproofing characteristics. The advantages of prefabricated basement - a lower cost compared to the monolithic and simplicity of its construction.

Roman Nikonov:

–When choosing the cap prefabricated concrete elements, it is necessary to know that sometimes, at low load from the building - if such a light socket built carcass or lumber house PBS masonry blocks,under the action of frost heave can be deformed.

The dependence of constructive basement on the type of soil

As is known, the construction of the foundation begins with the study of the soil. It is especially important to consider this point in the construction of the ground floor. Indeed, any mistake made at this stage can lead to a significant appreciation of the entire construction budget.

Andrew Pashuhin:

- The cost of work in the construction of the ground floor is directly dependent on the type of soil.The bettergeology, the easier and less expensive foundation design.

Consider several types of soil:

Apparatus basement on clay heaving soils, and with high groundwater table.

Roman Nikonov:

–When the device basement heaving soils to be required to protect the walls of the cap from the horizontal forces frost heave, and from uneven pressure on the ground wall. This is achieved by a device for sand cushion perimeter wall, typically - sinuses excavation backfill soil nepuchinistym - coarse sand, medium-CBC or sand.

With the high level of ground water, as well as the danger of perched - water from heavy rains or melting snow, the entire circuit must be protected plinth waterproofing materials.

If groundwater level above the base of 0.5 m or more, further recommended to protect from damage the waterproofing flat asbestos cement sheets or pressing wall of bricks.

An effective means of protection device is a formation of wall and drainage.

Alexander Zemskov (Head BAUBILD Company):

- The construction of a basement on difficult soils with high ground water level leads to a significant increase in building costs. Only drainage and waterproofing cost can override the value of the structural part of the ground floor.

Ideal conditions for the construction of the ground floor is sandy soils with low groundwater table. Under these conditions, a minimum waterproofing and drainage is not required, also under these conditions can be performed backfill.

Andrew Pashuhin:

- It should be remembered that not all soil is suitable for backfill. And it requires an individual approach.

Roman Nikonov:

–For backfill soil can only be used with no heaving properties ..

The device basement peat, marshy soil, water-saturated sand.

In these cases the soil with a high moisture content is allowed only the cap device a caisson - that is completely waterproof design.

Apparatus basements on such soils has high complexity and high cost of manufacture, and results in an unjustified increase in the entire construction budget.

The device basement in sandy soils, suspesyah, stony ground.

It is almost ideal soil for the device plinth (With low groundwater table). Eliminating the drainage device.

Features of the construction of the basement

Any experienced developer knows that during the construction of the basement in the first place it is necessary to take the time and prepare the site. A pravilnyystart - is half the battle. Here's what you need to pay attention in the preparation of the site for the erection of a ground floor:

Andrew Pashuhin:

- The first step isto protect the construction site, to organize home town, electricity, industrial water, and access roads.Also make sure that on the area of ​​work there is no existing communications.

Alexander Zemskov:

–So how in the construction of the cap is required to perform a large amount of earthwork, thefor digging a pit in the most rational use of steerable excavator bucket with a volume of nearly 1 cube. Even at the stage of digging the excavation is necessary to think in advance what to do with the soil from the construction site. And since it is usually a very large number, the most correct is simultaneously digging excavation and removal of soil. Excavator digging and immediately loads the truck.

Too many independent developers make one mistake and dig in "dump" the question is left with the ground for later. But then, when the house is already built, take the ground harder, because the drive machinery to the site is quite problematic and need to be ordered back to the soil excavator loading.

Andrew Pashuhin:

–Already at the stage of excavation pit must be provided, which would collect the water, and from which it would be convenient to pump. Just when the device excavation is important to correctly perform the slopes, so they do not crumble and not to complicate the construction.

The foundation pit is usually made wider basement 1-1.5 meters - it is necessary for the production of waterproofing and drainage device, backfill the basement must be carried out not heaving soils.

Alexander Zemskov:

- To build a private house with a basement floor, it is necessary to draw attention to the fact that the supporting structure the ground floor is conditionally divided into three components:

• Plate or sole;
• Walls;
• Overlap.

Andrew Pashuhin:

–By design, ground floors are of two types: the "glass" and "box".

• "Glass" - is made of reinforced concrete. Molded base plate and the wall and ceiling basement is another material - logs, prefabricated ceilings, etc.
• "Capsule" - made of reinforced concrete. Cast all together - the foundation slab, walls and ceiling basement.

"Capsule" has a greater bearing capacity.

Read on Forumhouse, what our members about whether it makes sense to do ground ground floor of the wallboard (Panels).

Waterproofing of the basement

drainage The idea is to lower the water table below the foundation slab of the basement and prevent or reduce the extent of their penetration into the ground floor. The main burden falls on the drainage during the spring floods.

Drainage is a natural - due to the relief area and forced - by means of efflux pumps.

Roman Nikonov:

–When the construction work is important to avoid soaking pit bottom, especially if it is composed of clay soils. thereforearound the perimeter of the excavation is done by pumping water from the drainage or dewatering of construction - virtually, that the drainage around the perimeter or used wellpoints.

Thus, moving the water from the plot, we minimize undesirable process such as a frost heave and to reduce the depth of freezing is necessary to insulate the foundation dug around the perimeter of sheets of extruded polystyrene.

Andrew Pashuhin:

- Epps thickness for the non-residential premises of 50 mm to 100 mm housing. But I recommend a thickness of 150 mm.

The choice of a system of waterproofing the basement begins at the design stage of your future home.

Andrew Jags (Expert TechnoNICOL Corporation) .

- Waterproofing of the basement - is not just a coating of asphalt concrete in two layers. This is a complex of measures aimed at preventing water from entering the premises.

The elements of this system may be:

• Concrete or reinforced concrete basement;
• Waterproofing membrane;
• Drainage of the foundation.

The concrete itself is quite good waterproofing material.

And to ensure that the concrete is well demonstrated its waterproofing properties, it is necessary to perform a few simple rules.

• The construction of the basement does not prevent the formation of cracks, under any load acting on it;
• Fill the entire volume of concrete must be carried out without construction joints.

Ground floor, built of FBS without additional protection, will miss the water. After all, the weakest point of any of the assembly are its seams.

• If technological joints still there, then it is imperative to take steps to seal them;
• Working fittings must be installed in strict accordance with the project;
• Careful vibration poured concrete, or the use of self-compacting concrete.

Roman Nikonov:

- When using the ground floor - it is necessary, first of all, to monitor the humidity in the room and leaking. Otherwise, on the surface of the mold is formed, will appear damp, will accelerate the destruction of structures.

cap room should be well ventilated - by ventilation systems or conventional ventilation. You should also look out for the state of drainage systems, blind area and drainage from the roof.

Drainage requires periodic flushing and drain, and a blind area, not allowing the water to fall directly to the walls of the cap should be kept in good order.

Thus, during the construction of the ground floor, before the start of construction is necessary to take into account a range of factors affecting the reliability, durability and construction costs, and the ground floor to be seen as a long-term investment in raising the level of comfort and functionality of your houses.

Members FORUMHOUSE can be found on our website All information on foundations. Get acquainted with the detailed and vivid story of our forumchanin on the construction of monolithic basement.  Take part in a heated discussion of the process of digging pit under the plinth. View our video about the stages of work on the recast of the problem basement.

Discuss the article and read other materials devoted to country life you can on the websiteFORUMHOUSE.

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