Monolithic foundation by own hands

Monolithic foundations - a variety of structures, performed by pouring concrete into a form of a specific configuration, called a formwork, using metal or carbon plastic reinforcement. The result is a one-piece design that can withstand the stresses on compression and tension, so that on the basis of monolithic foundations it is possible to build both small light structures and multi-storey massive structures.

Features of the monolithic foundations

Advantages of the concrete monolithic foundations:

• Concrete seamless structures have high strength and withstand considerable loads both from the side of the building and from the side of the ground. This quality is especially important in the construction of buildings on the subsoil soils;
• Monolithic foundations are performed quite quickly, especially when using special equipment;
• Can be of any shape and configuration, which is convenient when making bases for non-standard building;
• Resistant to moisture with proper waterproofing;
• Differ by the simplicity of exterior and interior finishes.

Disadvantages:

• Poor thermal insulation. Concrete has a high thermal conductivity, and the reinforcement, contained in the monolithic foundation, creates additional cold bridges. Therefore, monolithic concrete bases require thermal insulation;
• The cost of work is high, when building a monolithic basement with a full basement can reach 1/3 of the cost of the entire building rough box.

Types of monolithic foundations

A monolithic slab with a basement is performed in the construction of buildings with more than three floors. Such a foundation is able to withstand heavy loads due to a large area of ​​contact with the ground. The plate simultaneously plays the role of the basement floor. The cost of the foundation is high. The feasibility of implementing such a foundation in private construction is only in a few cases:

• The need to erect a used basement in a site with weak or prone to heathing, with closely located groundwater;
• House with the number of floors more than three, non-standard shape.

Technology execution:

1. Digging foundation pit depth of 0.5 meters more than calculated.
2. The bottom of the excavation is leveled, covered with a sand-gravel pillow, leveled and compacted.
3. Carry out the formwork of the floor and walls, while immediately making mortgages for the output of communications, doorways and blowouts from the pipes. Formwork of the inner part of the walls is best performed from a non-planed board - this facilitates the subsequent finishing of the walls of the basement.
4. Lay a layer of waterproofing: waterproof membrane, film or roofing material.
5. Install the reinforcement from the metal rod D12-D16, the rods are fastened by wire knitting.
6. Fill formwork with concrete, "punch" the concrete with a deep vibrator to remove air bubbles and seal.
7. For about a month to fully mature concrete.

Monolithic slab, or "floating foundation" - foundation construction for buildings without a basement. Such a foundation can be made on any soil, including weak, loose, prone to swelling and marshy soils. When the soil moves, the entire structure moves with it, which excludes deformation of the building. The undoubted merit of such a foundation is the ease of execution and at the same time sufficient strength, capable of withstanding significant loads. The cost of making a slab foundation is not as high as when making a slab with a basement, and comparable to a pile foundation. Proplate foundation read more on our website.

Such a foundation can not be performed on sites with a large slope and in areas prone to flooding, since the floor height in the building will be small - the floor will serve as the foundation surface.

Technology of execution:

1. From the construction site, remove the top layer of soil, level it.
2. Perform sand-gravel cushion thickness of up to half a meter.
3. Do formwork from boards or fibreboard.
4. Lay a layer of waterproofing, often for this purpose use a polyethylene film of 200 microns.
5. The prepared base is reinforced with a grid or a grid of metal rods.
6. Fill with concrete, compact it with a vibrator and smooth it. Leave for the set with concrete of industrial strength for 3-4 weeks.

Tape monolithic foundation on supports - the most popular type of foundation for the construction of cottages, private houses. Performed in the form of a monolithic tape up to 1 meter high with supports buried 1.6-2 meters at the corner points and at the intersection of walls. Such a foundation is resistant to any movement of the soil, in addition, it allows the erection of a semi-basement, which is often used in cottages as a technical floor or garage.

Technological design:

1. Level the area, remove the top layer of the soil and perform the marking.
2. Dig a trench along the perimeter of the basement. Wells for piles are made at the points of installation of pylons.
3. The walls of the wells, if necessary, reinforce the formwork of planks or pipes, install reinforcement that extends beyond the ground level to the height of the foundation, and fill the well with concrete.
4. Carry out the formwork of the strip foundation from the building boards. Lay several layers of reinforcement from the bar, joining them layer by layer and between the layers with short pieces of wire using a wire.
5. Fill formwork with concrete, "punch" concrete with a vibrator and level the plane of the concrete mirror.
6. The strength of the foundation lasts up to 4 weeks.

Belt, shallow, monolithic foundation is a cheaper construction, often used in the construction of small houses, buildings and structures. The height of the foundation does not exceed half a meter. It is not recommended to erect it on strongly puchinistyh soils. The execution technique is generally similar to the previous one, with the exception that no piles are required.

All monolithic foundations have a common disadvantage: due to the high thermal conductivity of concrete, they require the insulation of the foundation walls. Warming is carried out from the outside - this allows not only to insulate the basement room from the cold, but also to protect the concrete itself from freezing, and therefore prevent its premature destruction.

Also read about the asbestos cement foundation and the boring foundation with your own hands.