There are many types of foundations for the construction of wooden structures, small houses or massive buildings. The most popular in construction in the private sector is a strip foundation. Because this is the most affordable way to build the foundation of a house, which you can do yourself. In addition, this option allows you to include a basement or ground floor in the project.
Due to its versatility, such a foundation can be used: for a home, for a bathhouse, under a garage or under a porch. In the article we will talk about the advantages and disadvantages of a strip foundation, consider what types there are, and tell you with the help of short instructions how to build it yourself.
Features of strip foundation
It is worth noting that LF is not suitable for swampy areas and requires mandatory waterproofing and thermal insulation work, which we will discuss below. Depending on the project, ground and soil, heavy construction equipment and complex excavation work may be required. In any case, these factors will depend on the depth of the foundation.
Filling the strip foundation
Despite this, several arguments can be identified in favor of this type of foundation:
- you can make the foundation yourself;
- high strength and reliability;
- you can add a basement or ground floor to the project;
- high load-bearing capacity;
- possible installation on unstable soils;
There are 3 types of strip foundations, which differ in the depth of the structure:
Based on the name, we can conclude that for a multi-storey building, a recessed tape should be used, which can withstand heavy loads. And the first two are suitable for light buildings (a small brick or wooden house, for example).
They also highlight solid cast And made strip foundation. With the prefabricated method, ready-made concrete slabs are used, from which a strip is built and fastened with cement.
With the solid-cast method, the foundation for the foundation is constructed directly at the construction site, after which concrete is poured. This method is also called monolithic. It is worth noting that for independent work, it is preferable to use a monolithic version, since it does not require complex lifting equipment. We have prepared instructions for this method for you.
Comparative table of foundation types
| Monolithic slab | Strip foundation | Screw piles |
| Construction period 1 week. | Construction period 1 week. | The construction period is several days. |
| Construction is allowed a month after pouring. | Construction is allowed after 20 days from pouring. | Due to its loosening when screwing the pile, the foundation requires soil shrinkage. |
| The permissible load on the foundation is 3 tons per sq.m. | The permissible load on the foundation is 17 tons per sq.m. | The permissible load on one pile is no more than 3 tons. |
| Service life more than a century. | Service life more than a century. | Service life is about 35 years. |
| When building on a slope, a combination with screw piles is needed. | The soil and soil must meet the requirements for installation. | |
| It is impossible to include an underground room in the project. | You can make a basement or ground floor. But waterproofing work is required. | — |
| Construction of the foundation will cost 250-350 rubles. with an area of 9x9 m. | Construction of the foundation will cost 200 rubles. with an area of 9x9 m. | Construction of the foundation will cost 150-180 tr. with an area of 9x9 m. |
DIY strip foundation step by step instructions:
The service life of the structure will depend on the quality and strength of the foundation. Therefore, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with all the nuances and requirements for the technological process of constructing a strip foundation.
Preparatory work
Before any construction begins, preparatory work takes place. Which include designing a structure, applying markings, as well as conducting geological surveys.
Geological surveys must be ordered from a specialized company. Which will accurately determine the structure of the soil, the depth of soil freezing and the passage of deep water.
Based on these data, it will be possible to determine the elevation and thickness of the tape. When the geological research is completed, you can proceed to the next stage.
Before applying markings, you need to remove the top layer of earth where the future building will be. Usually this is a layer of up to 0.5 meters (where there will no longer be plant roots). Then, along the perimeter of the tape, markings are made using a cord or wire, which can be fixed with reinforcement or a peg. It is better to install the stakes a little further than the axes of the walls, so that our markings do not interfere or sag during further excavation work. Marking allows you to adjust the height level throughout the entire area of construction work. This way you can do everything exactly to the level.
When you have made the markings, the digging of trenches for the foundation begins, according to the markings made according to the project and the depth of the structure. If you have a basement, then a pit is also being dug. This is the most labor-intensive process. You will need to dig trenches manually at a uniform level from 1 meter to 1.5 meters.
Only a geological study of the soil can give an accurate answer whether underground drainage is necessary or not. Therefore, drainage may not be a prerequisite for a high-quality foundation; sometimes you can do without it.
To arrange drainage, it is necessary to deepen the base of the tape by 25-35 cm. Create a general slope of the system in one direction by 4 degrees. After which drainage pipes are installed to remove moisture. This allows you to keep the soil of the house structure dry. The drainage is filled with sand and gravel to the level of the bottom of the trench. After which a pillow is made for the foundation.
The sand base will allow you to redistribute the loads on the future foundation. To make the right pillow, you need to level the bottom of the trench with sand and gravel. Pour the sealant over the drainage layer by layer, 10-15 centimeters at a time. The height of the sand cushion should be up to 50 cm.
When filling the bottom with sand and fine gravel, try to immediately compact the non-metallic material by pouring water on it. The cushion and drainage will ensure a long service life of the foundation and prevent its destruction.
To prevent destruction of walls and loss of strength of the entire concrete structure, it is necessary to strengthen it by applying reinforcing mesh. Therefore, before pouring the formwork with concrete, a strong and reliable frame is made from steel rods, which strengthens the base of the building. A short instruction will help you correctly reinforce a strip foundation:
- Every 15-20 cm, iron rods are inserted vertically (the height is up to the marking of the foundation line, not higher);
- after which the long reinforcement is carried horizontally and fastened with a dressing wire (it is also possible by welding, but the wire is more reliable in our case);
- after all the work, you should have a frame with 15-25 centimeter cells around the entire perimeter of the formwork;
Formwork is a wooden structure that is used as a form for the future foundation. You can make it from boards. The formwork for a strip foundation must withstand the huge mass of concrete poured into it. Therefore, it must be made strong immediately. If during the process of pouring cement, the formwork begins to collapse, then you will have to stop work and start collecting the formwork again.
The formwork walls should be made higher than the level of the future foundation. This will prevent the solution from overflowing. To regulate the fill level mark, additional markings are pulled along which you will need to navigate.
Don’t forget to put plastic inserts in the formwork for communications and to have ventilation.
After all the preparatory work, it is necessary to fill our formwork with concrete. The mixture can be made independently from cement, sand and crushed stone, with proportions of 1: 3: 3. This option is the most budget-friendly, but requires a lot of physical exertion to mix the solution and pour it. The mixture should be thick and homogeneous. After pouring, the solution must be compacted and ensure that no bubbles form. This can be done by piercing the poured solution with a piece of reinforcement.
It is recommended to pour a shallow and shallow strip foundation immediately. And the buried one is poured in several stages. You need to pour no more than 70 cm of concrete at a time, with breaks of no more than two hours. After 12 hours, you can continue pouring the cement mortar.
A pile-strip foundation takes about 1 week to dry in summer. Dismantling of the formwork should be carried out when the solution has hardened by 60%, but at least 3 days.
In addition to monolithic filling, you can order a ready-made solution. This method is more expensive, but this way you will be able to pour the formwork efficiently and quickly. It is best to order the M300 solution.
A more expensive method of formwork construction is the use of block technologies. The finished foundation blocks are lined up in a strip, without the need to make formwork and wait about a month for the solution to harden. But initially, for the blocks, you need to make wider trenches.
4 days after pouring the foundation, it is necessary to make a blind area away from the walls to drain rainwater. At any time of the year, it is important to care for the foundation and prevent the loss of water from the surface of the structure after installation. To do this, the concrete is covered with a film and watered with water for a week. These methods will prevent damage to the walls of your foundation.
In the summer, various chemical additives can be used to slow down the process of hydration and heat generation. In winter, it is necessary to prevent the freezing process, because when the level is below 0, all the water freezes and destroys the structure from the inside.
Conclusion
This type of foundation can easily support a house or several-story cottage. In order for the structure to last as long as possible and the foundation not to crumble, you need to follow certain rules during construction, which we described above. In order to save money, a strip foundation can be built independently using monolithic pouring or using ready-made blocks. The only difference is the time and the need to make formwork.
Video instruction
Like all other construction work, the technology of pouring a foundation has its own characteristics, knowledge of which is almost impossible to do. Every little detail is important here - incorrect calculations, a saved bag of cement or a missing reinforcement rod can play a decisive role and fully affect the strength of the foundation of the house.
We, of course, will not consider complex and massive foundations for high-rise buildings - in this article, together with the site stroisovety.org, we will consider the issue of private construction and learn how to fill . You will learn about the correct sequence of work and the most significant subtleties, without which it is impossible to obtain a solid foundation.
Filling nuances
: stage one - marking
In principle, this stage of work is not difficult, but not a single fill do-it-yourself foundation for a house can't do without him. All you need at this stage of construction is to use pegs and thick threads to mark future grooves for concreting (this is if we are talking about a small one-story building without a basement). If you plan to build a full-fledged house with a basement and several floors, you will have to opt for a foundation pit. In any case, even when pouring shallow strip foundation, and during construction house foundation with a basement, markings will have to be done taking into account future access to the side parts of the foundation. It should be remembered that it is impossible to do without high-quality waterproofing of the foundation.
Very important in the marking process house foundation maintain the correct geometry of the future structure, since everything must correspond to the project. If the angle between adjacent walls is supposed to be 90˚, then that’s how it should be.
How to make a foundation for a house photo
Stage two: excavation work
At the second stage of work, the question is how to do do-it-yourself foundation for a house , provides for excavation work. Everything you marked will now have to be dug up. If we are talking about shallow foundation For small Houses , then you can get by with shovels. But if you have to dig a pit, then you can’t do it without special equipment.
During this work, the pouring depth should be taken into account. foundation – depending on the soil, depth foundation for a house can range from 500mm to 1200mm. Accurate information on this matter should be in the project documentation. In addition to the strength of the soil, the weight of the future structure also affects the depth. The heavier the material used, the more massive and deeper it will have to be poured. foundation . In some situations, even piles may be needed.
How to do do-it-yourself foundation for a house photo
Stage three: installation foundation formwork
This stage is quite important - foundation formwork must be strong and level. Forshallow foundation build formwork as simple as shelling pears - in fact, formwork for such a foundation Houses are the walls of the trench. The only thing that will have to be added is its upper part, which can simply be put together from boards and supported with stones or reinforcement driven into the ground for strength.
If we talk about the present foundation installed in a pit, then you will need a serious (possibly even metal) formwork , the rent of which is not cheap. It is worth considering purchasing foundation blocks. In such a situation, the solution to the question of how to do do-it-yourself foundation for a house , provides for pouring a concrete base up to 1.2 m deep and installing foundation blocks on it. In principle, casting the foundation yourself is cheaper, but the need for serious formwork negates this advantage, leaving the opportunity to use ready-made blocks. It's both faster and more reliable.
Do-it-yourself foundation for a house: formwork
Stage four: foundation reinforcement
The most reliable and durable foundation - This is a foundation poured with concrete and reinforcement. It is for this reason that the stage foundation reinforcement need to pay special attention. You will need to build a volumetric frame from reinforcement, the dimensions of which depend on the size of the internal part of the formwork - as a rule, the frame should be 150-200mm smaller and placed in the middle of the concrete.
Fill do-it-yourself foundation for a house photo
There are several subtleties here.
- The frame should not be assembled by welding - the reinforcement should be tied with wire. It should be understood that a rigid connection of reinforcement gives the concrete structure excessive strength - such foundation will not be able to adequately respond to soil movement and will crack.
- The fittings used. It is necessary to knit a frame from rods of various diameters - both 16-millimeter and 10-millimeter reinforcement are used for the foundation. Thick rods are tied along the length of the frame, and thin rods are tied along the height and width.
After the frame elements are tied, they are placed in the formwork and connected to each other using wire.
How to pour correctly do-it-yourself foundation for a house photo
Stage five: concreting the foundation
At this stage of work, the question is how to properly fill foundation , provides two solutions. If we are talking about a small foundation, then concrete for it can be prepared directly on site using a concrete mixer. If we are talking about global construction, then it is better to order a ready-made concrete for foundation - in this case, you only need to take it and compact it thoroughly using a deep vibrator.
In all respects, it is better to give preference to the second option - you can’t go wrong here. Not only will you get rid of hard work, but you will also be confident in the quality of the concrete and the correctness of its proportions. In principle, it is not difficult to prepare the required mixture yourself, but at the factory it will be done faster, and in some situations even cheaper. You can calculate how much concrete you need for the foundation and the amount of its ingredients using our calculator.
Construction of a foundation for a house photo
And in conclusion, a few words about how to get a truly high-quality foundation - construction foundation for a house also includes such a stage of work as monitoring the solidification of the mixture. Everything is simple here, if this control is not ensured and everything is left to chance, then the concrete will quickly lose moisture, as a result of which you will get either cracks or a weakened foundation of the house. The concrete hardening process must be monitored and the foundation must be periodically moistened. The most correct solution would be to cover it with plastic film, thus preventing the evaporation of water.
As you can see, despite the apparent complexity, doing do-it-yourself foundation for a house simple enough. The main thing is to understand what should be done and use quality materials. And do not forget that before starting work, it is necessary to perform the appropriate calculations.
Any building is based on a solid foundation. The durability of the entire building depends on the correct choice of the type of this structure. How to make a foundation for a house, taking into account all the nuances, so that it lasts for decades?
Competent construction work involves analyzing several factors:
1) soil type and structure;
2) selection and correct calculation of the required materials;
3) reliable hydro- and thermal insulation of the finished base.
Correctly building a foundation for a house means choosing the right device technology, taking into account all existing conditions and thinking through important details. The process should not be interrupted due to unexpected circumstances or inconsistencies.
Strip base device
Strip foundation is the most common design for central Russia. There are several advantages to this foundation:
- possibility of construction on your own;
- low labor and material costs;
- a basement or subfloor can be installed inside such a foundation;
- tapes running under all load-bearing walls and places of highest load provide a high level of strength;
- durability of use.
It is impossible to build a strip foundation on heaving soils prone to flooding. You can find out the characteristics of the soil available on the site from specialized organizations conducting geological exploration.
Important: data on the depth of water will be needed not only when building the foundation, but also when planning the water source on the site (well, well or centralized pipeline).
In order to build a solid foundation for a house on strips, you will need the following materials:
- sand-cement mixture;
- crushed stone or gravel;
- water into solution;
- unedged boards for the production of formwork;
- wire for knitting the frame;
- reinforcement bars;
- bars for spacers;
- brick;
- waterproofing material;
- nails.
The master will need the following tools: shovel, level, cord, hammer, level, tape measure, trowel. To prepare the concrete solution you will need a container.
Important: if the strip base must have decent dimensions, it is more advisable to purchase ready-made concrete using mixers or buy an internal vibrator.
Start of work: site marking and soil excavation
Any foundation construction begins with marking the site. According to the project data, the master must place the corner and intermediate points of the future foundation on the site. The locations of the points are marked with pegs. The width between two driven pegs is the width of the foundation strip, which should always be greater than the width of the load-bearing wall. All pegs hammered around the perimeter are connected with a cord or twine.
The accuracy of the marking must be checked with a level, which measures the diagonals of the resulting rectangle. All diagonals of the future foundation must be equal. If there are arithmetic deviations of even a few mm, the marking begins again until an accurate result of the control measurement is obtained.
After the external markings are finished, you can move on to the internal ones. The width of the tapes is usually from 30 to 40 cm. Inside the marked perimeter you need to dig a pit to the depth of the tapes. All walls of the pit must be smooth, without protrusions or depressions.
Important: the depth of excavation under a strip foundation should always exceed the groundwater level.
Each region of the country has its own value of the soil freezing point, the information is graphically depicted on the map.
Typically, a pit is dug to a depth of 1.2 to 1.5 m. This is quite sufficient for soils that are not heaving and not subject to flooding. Next, you need to form the formwork in the direction of the tapes. For this, an unedged board and pegs are used. The boards are fastened to each other with nails.
After the formation of the bottom of the foundation is completed, a cushion of sand and crushed stone (or gravel) is arranged, which is thoroughly compacted and moistened with water. Experts advise compacting each layer of the cushion separately: first sand, then gravel. The optimal height of such a layered “pie” is from 15 to 20 cm. The need is due to the function of frost heaving of the soil during the changing seasons. A well-compacted base under the foundation will reliably protect it from the expansion of individual soil layers.
Formation of a reinforced frame and waterproofing the base
If a master wants to form a support for a house according to all the rules, he must know that the strip structure must have a reinforced frame. The bottom of the pit is lined with bricks on which reinforcement bars are laid. A mesh should be formed from the reinforcing bars, i.e. they are laid crosswise. At the connection points, the reinforcement is tied with a special wire.
Important: tying reinforcement requires the craftsman to be careful and careful; do not overtighten the fasteners.
It is the flexibility required when tying reinforcement that determines the manual nature of the work. The use of welding will speed up the process, but does not guarantee the strength of the future foundation.
After tying the reinforcement cage, it is necessary to lay a layer of waterproofing. The most commonly used roofing felt material is durable and affordable. When laying roofing felt, the sheets are overlapped, and the places where they are layered are taped. This will enhance the reliability of the waterproofing and prevent the penetration of groundwater.
Making concrete and pouring the foundation
Concrete is produced independently or purchased from specialized companies. If the master chooses the first option, it is recommended to purchase only high-quality cement (grades M300, M400). Fillers should be coarse sand and crushed stone. The ratio of all components is shown in the table.
Table of the ratio of concrete components when using M400 cement
The better the materials used to prepare the solution, the stronger the finished base will be. An important point is the connection of water with cement, when a certain water-cement ratio (W/C) must be met. This indicator, along with the brand of cement used, is extremely important for the strength characteristics of the base. If concrete is made using gravel, practical W/C values are shown in the table:
Table 1. W/C values for various grades of cements and concrete mixtures on gravel
| 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 | 300 | 400 | |
| 300 | 0,75 | 0,65 | 0,55 | 0,50 | 0,40 | — |
| 400 | 0,85 | 0,75 | 0,63 | 0,56 | 0,50 | 0,40 |
| 500 | – | 0,85 | 0,71 | 0,64 | 0,60 | 0,46 |
| 600 | – | 0,95 | 0,75 | 0,68 | 0,63 | 0,50 |
Externally, you can determine the readiness of concrete by looking at the mound of mixture at the end of the shovel. If it does not spread or flow, it means that the required rigidity has been achieved.
Important: the lower the fraction of concrete mortar fillers, the more water is required.
The ratio of water depending on the fractional size of plasticizers is given in Table 2.
Table 2. Approximate values of water consumption (in l/cub.m) for the production of concrete from materials of different fractional structures
| Gravel, mm | Crushed stone, mm | ||||||
| 10 | 20 | 40 | 80 | 10 | 20 | 40 | 80 |
| 185 | 170 | 155 | 140 | 200 | 185 | 170 | 155 |
In order for the foundation under a private house to be as strong as possible, it is necessary to prepare concrete with the highest rigidity. The tougher the solution in its parameters, the more durable the foundation of the house will be.
Concrete is poured into the formwork in layers, each layer is carefully leveled and pierced to get rid of air bubbles. You can use a deep vibrator, but it can damage the reinforcement frame. Baying concrete is an important procedure that increases the strength of the foundation being poured.
The solution poured into the formwork gains its strength within 4 weeks. During this time, the foundation needs additional protection: if it is sunny and dry, it should be covered with polyethylene and regularly watered. If it’s rainy and damp, just cover it with film or geotextile. When the strip base has completely hardened, the formwork is dismantled.
We build a foundation on pillars
Are there any rules for constructing a columnar foundation? Firstly, you need to know some nuances: it is advisable to choose such a base on heaving soil with a deep freezing point. Tapes on moving soil will not withstand constant deformation, but support pillars will serve property owners for decades.
To install a columnar base, the craftsman will need the following materials:
1) pipes made of metal or asbestos cement;
2) fittings;
3) sand-cement mixture;
During the construction process, you will need a container for preparing the mortar, a trowel, and a shovel. To mark the area you will need a level, tape measure, pegs and construction cord.
Carrying out marking and ground operations
The marking sequence is similar to the work on. In the same way, the location of support pillars is placed on the ground using the design documentation for the development. Location of supports: in the corners of the house and in places of highest load (load-bearing walls, stairs, passages, etc.). The optimal distance between pillars is from 1.5 to 2 m.
When the marking is completed, you can begin to excavate the soil for the pillars. The diameter of each hole is equal to the cross-section of the pipe. The depth should be below the freezing point of the soil. When the pits are ready, a sand cushion with a height of 10 to 15 cm is placed in them. It is thoroughly compacted and moistened.
Important: the denser the cushion under the pillar supports, the stronger the future foundation.
Installation of pillars and pouring concrete
After completing the installation of the cushion under the supports of the future foundation, concrete can be prepared. The solution is prepared in the same proportions as in the case of a strip foundation. The consistency of the finished concrete should resemble thick sour cream.
- an asbestos-cement or metal pipe is installed in the pit;
- a little concrete solution is poured inside the pipe;
- the pipe is raised so that the concrete is distributed over the sand cushion;
- The pipe is leveled using a level in a vertical position.
All pillars are installed according to the algorithm described above. Next, they are reinforced. 3-5 rods of reinforcement are laid inside the pipes so that they go deep into the sand cushion, and the top rises 25-30 cm above the pillars. When all the supports are reinforced, they are filled with concrete. If there are holes around the supports, they are carefully filled with soil and compacted well.
The concrete in the pipe supports sets within 1-2 weeks. After this period, you can proceed to installing a grillage, which will fill the space between the corner supports and increase the reliability of the foundation being built. Subsequently, load-bearing walls will be placed on the grillage.
Construction of a foundation on homemade piles
Is there a specific type of foundation for a house on unstable soil? The way out of the situation is to install a pile foundation. The main characteristics of this design: durability and high strength, ability to withstand high loads.
A distinctive feature of construction is the absence of the tedious stage of excavating soil and forming a pit. Such a base is attached to piles immersed in the soil. The cost of finished piles is not affordable for every craftsman, so many prefer to make these products themselves.
During the construction process the following materials will be required:
1) fittings;
2) cement with sand;
3) steel wire;
4) roofing felt;
Preparing concrete will require a special container and a vibrating machine. On the ground, the locations of future piles are marked with pegs using a tape measure and a level. To make the recesses you will need a hand drill.
Well formation
Self-drilling of wells takes place in the places marked out on the site. The step from one pile to another should not exceed 2.5 meters. The required number of holes is drilled with a hand drill. If water appears in the well during drilling, it must be pumped out with a pump.
Piling and concrete production
After all the piles have been formed, formwork made of roofing material rolled into a tube is inserted into them. The diameter of the homemade pipe should be equal to the cross-section of the future pile. A soft steel wire fixes the size of the roofing felt roll, after which it is carefully inserted into the hole.
This method is used to make blanks for all wells. The purpose of the formwork is to preserve the strength of homemade piles and prevent the absorption of cement laitance by the soil. In addition, if you pour the solution directly into the ground, the pile will have a rough surface. All rough bases are more susceptible to the forces of frost heaving than smooth ones without flaws. An unstable foundation will begin to collapse very quickly, thereby reducing the life of the building.
After immersing the formwork in the wells, it is necessary to make a spatial reinforcement frame. For this purpose, reinforcement bars with a cross-section of 6 mm are used. To form one frame, you will need 3-4 rods, fastened every 50 cm to each other. Having installed the structure in the well, you need to see its top above the ground. Protrusion height – from 40 to 60 cm.
Next, you can move on to concrete production. The manufacturing technology is described in the section on strip foundations; repetition is unnecessary. The solution should be supplied into the well in portions, filling approximately 0.5 m each time.
Important: filling the wells with the solution must be alternated with its bayoneting, removing excess air.
Bayoneting is performed with a reinforcement rod. To improve the quality of work, you can use a vibration installation, but very carefully so as not to damage the reinforcement contents.
Within 2-3 weeks, the concrete will gain strength, after which it will be possible to begin constructing the grillage. The tops of homemade piles are not cut off; they provide better adhesion between the grillage structure and the piles.
Construction of the foundation on finished piles
What are the main points of constructing a foundation from ready-made, factory-made piles? The master will need the following set of materials:
- scrap metal;
- 2nd pipe;
- a mixture of sand and cement;
- metal piles;
- ready-made heads;
- anti-corrosion coating;
- water.
As for tools and equipment, you need to have a shovel, tape measure, level, welding machine and grinder on hand.
Stages of work
Traditionally, construction begins with marking the area. The step between the piles is up to 3 m. Then they begin to screw in the piles. This can be done manually, involving several assistants, or you can order well drilling from a specialized company. The second option is preferable, but costs a lot of money.
The depth of the wells should exceed 1.6 m, this prevents them from bulging during periods of seasonal soil deformation.
Important: if there is an obstacle on the way of the pile, you need to try to get rid of it and continue working. Only a fully installed pile ensures 100% strength of the base.
The screwed-in piles are carefully trimmed to an equal height of protrusion from the ground, after which the products are concreted. A ready-made solution is poured inside the piles, this prevents corrosion of the products in the soil. The final stage is welding the ends and coating the joint with an anti-corrosion agent.
With this method of construction there is no need to wait for the final one; it is fashionable to move on to the construction of the grillage and subsequent operations.
You can make the foundation for a private house with your own hands, but you should remember to follow the rules and construction technology, because the foundation will serve as a support for the entire building. The foundation for a country house can be of a simplified design if the structure itself is light in weight and the soil on the site has good bearing capacity. This article is all about foundations for houses and cottages.
Choosing a foundation
When starting to build a small country house or a massive private cottage, especially when doing the work yourself, you should be especially careful when choosing the design of the support base.
When choosing a base, it is necessary to take into account the weight of the future structure
To determine the type of foundation, you should be guided by several criteria:
- The number of floors of the building and the complex of operating loads - when choosing a foundation support, it is worth collecting all the loads acting on the base of the building, including: the weight of the building itself; the mass of people in it; weight of furniture and structures; loads from fallen snow.
- Depth of soil freezing - the depth of the foundation depends on this indicator.
- Groundwater level - several pits should be made on the site, which should be monitored for some time. If the wells fill with water, measurements should be taken, recording the results on paper. A high ground level will require the use of special types of foundation for a residential or country house.
- Soil composition at the construction site - before starting construction work on laying the foundation belt, it is worth carefully studying the geology of the site. Soils with low bearing capacity located on the site, especially with a high groundwater level and significant freezing of the soil in winter, will not allow the construction of a strip or columnar foundation for a house, which are the most popular.
Foundation structures
Most often, strip foundations are erected for a house or cottage on a private plot, which can be made in a monolithic form or built from ready-made reinforced concrete blocks.
Sometimes strip foundation structures for buildings are built with your own hands from rubble stone.
Any type of strip supports is allowed to be used only if the depth of soil freezing in the area is up to 40 cm, groundwater is located at a considerable distance from the soil surface, and the soil itself has a high bearing capacity.
In other cases, it will be necessary to use a different type of foundation: pile, slab.
As for the slab foundation for residential buildings or garden houses, it is very easy to build this structure with your own hands; it is even easier to arrange a support for the structure from metal screw piles, which perfectly hold buildings in wet and weak soils.
Foundation tape construction technology
When starting to build strip foundations with your own hands, you need to determine the total loads that will act on the supporting foundation, which requires a clear understanding of the dimensions of the future house.
Materials for the construction of walls, roofs and ceilings are of no small importance. In addition to the weight of building structures, it will be necessary to determine the weight of the furniture that will be placed in the rooms of the house, the mass of utilities, wind and snow loads affecting the roof of the building.
It is possible to make a strip foundation for a private house only if the bearing capacity of the soils located at the building site is high; the soil base is not subject to deep freezing and is slightly eroded by groundwater.
Choosing the type of strip foundation
If all conditions are met, you can begin to select a strip foundation, determining what type of structure will be used for this particular object: monolith or prefabricated foundation? Each of these options has its own advantages and disadvantages.
When constructing a monolithic base, all operations can be done with your own hands; even concrete mortar can be mixed in batches by hand directly at the construction site.
Installation of reinforced concrete blocks will require the presence of heavy lifting equipment at the construction site, which will help place the blocks in the trench. In a dacha area, this is not always convenient, especially if the dacha buildings are located in the interior, far from the fence. Access roads to garden plots are often not prepared for the passage of heavy equipment. In this case, you will have to use a monolithic version of the strip foundation.
If we compare the strength of monolithic and prefabricated strips, the palm should be given to strip structures made of monolithic concrete, the strength of which is much higher.
Preparatory and excavation work
Before starting to build foundation structures for a private house with your own hands, you need to purchase materials, tools, and perform a set of preparatory work. The area should be cleared of construction debris and plant debris; carry out work on the vertical planning of the site, filling in the holes. Using pegs and rope, mark the perimeter of the future foundation.
A strip foundation for a dacha or a private house is installed in a trench, which must first be dug with your own hands. In some cases, it is allowed to use earth-moving equipment if there are convenient approaches to the site.
Watch a video of how to dig a trench without the help of machinery.
The soil is removed from the trench and stored in two separate piles, separating the top fertile and continental soil. The fertile layer is used for subsequent planting of plants, the rest is used for backfilling the sinuses after the construction of monolithic or prefabricated foundation structures.
The bottom of the trench must be leveled, a layer of roofing material waterproofing must be laid, covered with a layer of coarse quartz sand, at least 10 cm thick. The sand should be thoroughly compacted using manual or pneumatic tampers. Crushed stone of small fractions is poured onto a layer of sand, which is compacted using tampers and water.
The finished sand-crushed stone cushion helps to more evenly distribute the load on the base.
Formwork and reinforcement
A strip foundation for a private house is poured into formwork, which you can prepare yourself from boards, plywood or durable, moisture-resistant fiberboard sheets. It is allowed to use reusable formwork, which must first be cleaned of concrete leaks and dirt.
The formwork panels are installed with your own hands, helping to strengthen the structure with struts and supports, which are made from wooden blocks. The gaps between individual boards should be minimal to prevent the solution from leaking through the formwork.
After completing the construction of the formwork, they begin welding or knitting the reinforcement frame. It is easy to make a spatial reinforcement frame with your own hands from metal reinforcement if you have the skills to work with a welding machine. In another case, you can connect the frame to reinforce the foundation using a binding wire that binds individual reinforcement bars.
The frame is installed inside the formwork in such a way that the exposed reinforcement does not protrude onto the surface of the foundation.
Concreting
It is preferable to use ready-made concrete mortar prepared in a factory, but you can prepare the mixture manually at a construction site using coarse sand, crushed stone, cement and water.
The concrete mixture is poured into the foundation formwork with mandatory compaction using deep vibrators. The strip foundation should be poured from both sides at once, which will help to quickly distribute the mixture in the formwork, avoiding uneven hardening.
Watch a video of how work is carried out on the construction of the most popular type of foundation - strip.
The upper surface of the foundation tape is leveled to perfect smoothness. Caring for concrete involves sheltering it from the sun and constantly moistening the foundation surface. It is not allowed to continue the construction process until the concrete reaches its design strength. This procedure usually takes up to 28 days, but in some cases the concrete mixture takes longer to dry, which will require a long time for the foundation to gain strength.
The finished foundation structure is sprinkled with earth, filling the voids and cavities. The soil to be laid is compacted as much as possible. Particularly narrow cracks can be filled with coarse sand.
Prefabricated structures
A strip foundation made of prefabricated elements cannot be laid with your own hands - the structures have significant weight. The trench for laying the blocks is prepared in the same way as for a monolithic tape; waterproofing and a sand and gravel cushion are laid along the bottom of the prepared trench.
The side seams between the blocks are securely sealed with mortar, the side edges of the foundation blocks in contact with the ground are treated with waterproofing compounds along the entire perimeter.
Making a foundation for a house with your own hands
At the initial stage of construction of the entire structure, the foundation is laid. The strength and durability of the entire house depends on the quality and correct execution of this structural part of the building. That is why, if you make the foundation with your own hands, you should know which design to prefer in this or that case, how to choose the right materials, and also make the foundation of a private house according to all the rules. In our article you will find instructions and video tutorials on how to build different types of foundations yourself.
General provisions
To build a private house, you can make one of the following types of foundations:
It is difficult to say which one is the best, since the choice of one or another type of foundation must be made depending on the characteristics of the soil and the features of the structure. The cheapest foundation will not always be the best.
When deciding what foundation to make for a private house, you should be guided by general recommendations. It is also necessary to take into account the construction conditions, namely:
- Before building a house, you need to conduct geological surveys to know the type of soil, its composition and characteristics.
- Depth of groundwater. This data can also be obtained during hydrogeological studies.
- To build any houses and buildings, you need to know the depth of soil freezing.
- It is also necessary to know the total load from the structure in order to correctly calculate the base structure and select suitable materials.
- It is important what kind of house you make, with or without a basement or basement.
- You also need to consider the materials used to make the house, as well as the foundation material.
- Presence or absence of underground communications.
If you are making a foundation with your own hands, then you should know about common mistakes:
- You should not lay a shallow foundation for light buildings on heaving soils. In this case, frost heaving forces will cause deformation of structures.
- The foundation must rest on solid soil. It would be a mistake to base the house on uncompacted, loose soil.
- Do not forget about the lateral pressure of the soil on the foundation walls, as well as the destructive effect of groundwater.
- It is important to use all measures that allow water to be drained away from foundation structures.
Let's take a closer look at the features of the device and the design of each type of foundation, which you can make with your own hands for a private home.
Tape base
If you decide to build a house with a basement, then a strip foundation is exactly what you need. Such a foundation is used in the construction of houses from heavy wall materials (brick, concrete, reinforced concrete and natural stone) using wooden or reinforced concrete floors. For more information on how to build such a foundation yourself, see the video tutorial offered at the end of the article.
Important: the strip foundation is made under all external walls and load-bearing structures of the building.
This is not the cheapest foundation, but its use is advisable when constructing a basement, garage, basement or cellar under the house. The weight of the structure is transferred to the foundation strips. A concrete distribution pad is usually made under the tape. Its width is slightly larger than that of the tape itself. Thanks to this design, the load from the structure is evenly distributed onto the ground.
According to the manufacturing method, strip bases are of two types:
- prefabricated structures are assembled from factory-prefabricated blocks installed in trenches or pits using a crane;
- reinforced concrete monolithic structures are manufactured at the construction site. This option can be done without the use of construction equipment.
For a residential building, you can lay a strip foundation from the following materials:
- reinforced concrete strips are made from concrete of a class not lower than B 15 - B 30, as well as from reinforcement with a diameter of 10-12 mm;
- rubble concrete structures should be made of concrete and coarse filler (small boulders and coarse gravel);
- Brick strip foundations can be built from solid clay bricks.
Pile foundations
It is better to make this foundation if construction will be carried out on soils with weak bearing capacity. We can say that this is a fairly cheap foundation, because the costs of materials and excavation work are minimal. That is why it is very popular.
The entire structure is made in the form of a strip of piles, free-standing elements or entire pile clusters united by a grillage or a monolithic slab. Typically, reinforced concrete or concrete is used to make a slab or beam.
Advice: such a foundation structure should be laid if there is weakened soil (loose sandy or subsidence) under the house at great depths.
According to the type of installation, all pile foundations can be divided into the following types:
- driven (installation is carried out using special equipment);
- screw (such a foundation can be made without the use of construction equipment);
- poured (in this case, pipes are installed into the drilled well, into which concrete is poured).
For private houses, pile foundations can be made from the following materials:
- metal, asbestos or plastic pipes (in this case they act as permanent formwork, and the supporting base is the reinforcement frame inside the pipe, filled with concrete);
- processed softwood logs (such designs are suitable for light, small wooden houses);
- reinforced concrete piles.
Monolithic slab foundation
This is a shallow foundation, which is made in the form of a monolithic reinforced concrete slab. The height of the structure can be in the range of 0.3-0.8 m. For reinforcement, a rod with a diameter of 12-20 mm is used. Concrete is poured over a sand cushion, which is placed on a compacted and leveled base of the pit.
Since the load on the foundation in this case is distributed most evenly, this type of foundation can be used:
- on soils with reduced bearing capacity;
- on soils that are subject to the forces of frost heaving;
- for houses with a height of more than two floors and buildings with a complex structure.
Columnar bases
This foundation option can rightfully be called the most economical. It's quite easy to do it yourself. In essence, the foundation structure consists of pillars buried to a certain depth in the ground. From above, all elements are combined into one structure by means of laid beams.
Important: columnar foundations are suitable for light houses made of timber, logs or aerated concrete blocks with a height of no more than 1-2 floors. Frame and frame-panel houses on a columnar foundation can only be built on soil that is not subject to the forces of frost heaving.
Columnar bases can be prefabricated or monolithic. The following materials can be used:
- stone;
- clay brick;
- logs;
- concrete and reinforced concrete;
- steel pipes.
Strip foundation installation technology
Many private developers associate the correct foundation with a strip foundation, since this is what is often used in individual construction. Therefore, we will consider the technology for manufacturing a monolithic strip foundation in more detail (it is also shown in our video tutorial at the end of the article).
To work you will need:
- gravel and sand;
- cement not lower than M 200;
- fittings with a diameter of 10-12 mm;
- level, plumb;
- rope, pegs;
- boards for formwork;
- roofing felt;
- nails, hammer and screws;
- shovel;
- concrete mixer, trough or bucket.
We carry out work on the installation of the strip base in the following sequence:
- We prepare the construction area: we remove garbage, cut off unnecessary green spaces, and level the site. The fertile layer of soil 20 cm thick must be carefully removed.
- We make a breakdown of the future structure on the ground. To do this we use a rope, pegs and a level. The sequence of marking is as follows:
- first we find the axes of the future structure, measuring them from the edges of the site or neighboring buildings;
- the distance to the outer edge is set off from the axes (this is how we find the first corner and hammer a peg there);
- then we pull a rope or fishing line from the peg and find the remaining corners of the structure, drive in the pegs;
- then a distance equal to the width of the foundation tape is retreated from the markings along the outer edge of the foundation, the pegs are hammered in again, and the cord is pulled.
- After this, you can start digging a trench under the tape or a pit if the house has a basement. We measure the required trench depth at the lowest point of the site. Typically, the depth of the foundation strip for a house without a basement is 20 cm below the freezing point of the soil, that is, it is approximately 1.2 m when the soil freezes by 1 m.
- The bottom of the trench or pit must be carefully leveled and compacted.
- Let's start making a sand cushion. To do this, pour sand in a layer of 15 cm, moisten it with water and tamp it.
- Then we make a layer of crushed stone 10-15 cm high. It also compacts well.
- After this, to prevent the soil from absorbing moisture from the concrete, a layer of roofing material or dense polyethylene is laid at the bottom of the trench.
- Now we use the boards to make formwork for the foundation strip. Typically, removable formwork made of boards or moisture-resistant plywood is used. The formwork structure must rise at least 300 mm above the ground surface. To make it easier to remove the formwork, the inside is lined with polyethylene or roofing felt, which will simultaneously serve as waterproofing. The boards are fastened with nails and self-tapping screws. Bars are used as a frame. There should be no gaps in the formwork through which concrete will leak.
You can find information on how to properly make a strip foundation in the proposed video tutorial:
Construction of a foundation for a private house
When laying the foundation of a house, modern builders carry out many calculations that will help construct the building correctly, without the risk of further deformation of the load-bearing structures. First, the soil is checked and the expected load is calculated. It is worth starting the construction of a foundation for a private house by determining the type of future foundation.
Types of foundations
Tape
This type of foundation is common when constructing private houses on strong soil. According to the method of construction it can be:
Monolithic construction is simple: a trench is dug, formwork is installed, a reinforcing frame is made, and concrete is poured. When constructing a prefabricated structure, ready-made reinforced concrete blocks, rubble stone or ceramic bricks are used.
In terms of laying depth, the strip foundation can be shallow. This type is popular with private developers. This will help significantly save money and time. This type is used in the construction of one-story light houses on stable soils. The depth of soil freezing should be shallow and groundwater should be low.
For the construction of houses with heavy walls, or when planning a basement (spacious cellar) under the building, a buried foundation is made. It is able to withstand heavy walls and buildings with two or more floors.
In addition, tape bases are divided into several types:
- flexible – has a transverse-longitudinal armored belt;
- monolithic - it is concreted immediately;
- intermittent - some base elements are located under supporting structures;
- hard - has a longitudinal reinforcing belt.
To choose a foundation for a private house, it is worth calculating the loads and taking into account the characteristics of the site.
Slab
A slab foundation is a multi-layered cake. A leveling layer is made below, then there is protection, and a concrete slab is placed on top. The protective layer has insulation, hydro- and vapor barrier. The leveling layer is a gravel-sand cushion. Strengthen the structure of the slab base with reinforcement. This helps make your home stronger and more reliable.
The mass of the slab is so large that no process that occurs in the soil beneath it can harm the structure. Of course, during a strong earthquake the foundation may not be able to withstand it, but for such cases other types of foundations are provided.
The slab option requires a pit, the depth of which is determined taking into account whether the basement will be built. Detailed composition of the slab base:
- leveling layers of sand, crushed stone and gravel;
- waterproofing layer;
- concrete;
- reinforcement;
- pouring the pit with concrete;
- reinforcement;
- concrete layer.
The height of the slab sometimes reaches 1 meter. When constructing large buildings, such a foundation will be very expensive. One of the main advantages of such a foundation is durability - if installed correctly, it will last for hundreds of years.
Columnar
This type of foundation is used in the construction of private structures with light walls. Usually these are wooden houses of no more than two floors. Building a columnar foundation is simple. First, you need to drill a post into the ground. You can also pour concrete into a drilled well. A framework (grillage) of reinforced concrete beams is placed on top of the pillars.
Possible materials for laying pillars:
- Tree. This foundation, made of wooden logs/beams, is used for bathhouses and country houses.
- Stone. Natural material is often used, which is applicable in the construction of heavy buildings.
- Brick. The pillars must be erected from solid bricks using sand-cement mortar. This foundation is laid under a house no higher than two floors.
- Concrete. Concrete foundations are used in the construction of heavy buildings. This foundation is made of concrete and reinforcement.
The advantages of the columnar type of foundation are low cost of construction, low shrinkage, and the ability to operate on heaving soils. The disadvantages of such foundations include the mandatory implementation of a grillage, the possibility of use only for light buildings, and greater sensitivity to height changes. For the construction of dachas and small country houses, such foundations are ideal.
Pile
The foundation consists of several piles interconnected by a single slab. The latter is most often made of concrete, reinforced with iron rods. Typically, such foundations are built on sand and quicksand. The foundation can support heavy houses with two or more floors.
The pile foundation for a private house is made of different materials:
- Wood - used in the construction of houses from logs and timber. Such piles are often made from pine that has undergone special treatment.
- Reinforced concrete - it is chosen for houses that are heavy.
- Metal - it is used if it is impossible to use a reinforced concrete structure.
- Combined piles made of concrete and metal. They are used in extreme conditions, on difficult soils. They can even be used on marshy soil.
Piles also differ in the manufacturing method:
- Pressed - they are deepened into the ground by pumps.
- Driven - placed into the ground with hydraulic hammers. This type of piles can be used if there are no other buildings in the nearby area. The shock wave created when driving piles can damage neighboring houses.
- Rammed ones - a well is drilled for them, and then concrete is fed into it. In this case, various types of concrete can be used - at the discretion of the developer.
- Screw piles are the most expensive type of piles, but they can be used on any soil. The pile is screwed into the ground like a screw.
Pouring a concrete foundation for a private house is done independently (“at-home” method), without the use of special equipment. To do this, a well is drilled, and then formwork is made from roofing material according to the diameter of the well. It needs to be made longer than the well by 20-30 cm. Instead of such formwork, an asbestos-cement pipe is also suitable. It is important to place roofing material in several layers at the bottom of the well; this is necessary so that the milk that holds the composition together does not go into the soil.
Then the reinforcement frame is made. This increases the strength of the pile. Concrete is poured in 40-60 cm increments, with regular compaction. After completing these works, you need to make a grillage. Concreting should be carried out slowly, with careful compaction.
Choosing the right foundation
- how deep the groundwater lies;
- how much the soil freezes in winter;
- whether a basement will be built;
- general condition of the soil on the site;
- service life of the structure being constructed;
- materials that builders will use;
- presence of underground communications.
Only after a high-quality and complete assessment of the soil can a solid foundation for the house be laid. If the company providing the land does not have information, all work will have to be carried out independently. First you need to drill a well and measure the depth of groundwater.
When laying the foundation, the soil property such as swelling in cold weather is taken into account. To prevent the problem from affecting the foundation, a so-called “pillow” is placed under it. It consists of crushed stone, sand and gravel. This will help distribute the lifting load evenly over the entire area. A special table will help you choose a foundation for a private house:
Foundation type
Stability indicators
Labor costs
Price
Load restrictions
Base
On what soils is it used?
Stages of self-construction of foundations for a country house
Many private developers are constantly faced with the need to build the foundation of a country house for themselves, their friend or neighbor in the countryside. Moreover, this can be a private residential building or a commercial structure, so for each specific house the foundation structure can differ significantly.
Many existing foundations can be built by yourself in a matter of days or weeks, and if everything is done correctly, then the reliability of such a foundation is practically no different from one that was built using powerful construction equipment and teams of qualified builders.
What factors does the choice of foundation depend on?
To build a foundation for a country house, it is necessary to correctly determine the type, characteristics and purpose of the future structure, as well as adhere to the step-by-step methodology for constructing the load-bearing structures of the structure. Factors influencing the choice of foundation:
- Soil type and load-bearing characteristics. It is worth taking into account the height of the groundwater, seasonal heaving of the soil, the load-bearing characteristics of the soil, as well as the terrain. It is clear that on a strong slope no one will build a monolithic foundation or prefabricated structures made of aerated concrete, because then a huge amount of work will have to be done to level the site. But a columnar base with a grillage is ideal for such purposes.
- The mass of the future building and its overall dimensions. As a rule, country houses are rarely multi-story; they are built one-story, less often two-story. Relatively lightweight aerated concrete or heavier bricks are used as building materials; concrete blocks are not used here. Therefore, a private house is distinguished by its lightness and low permissible load on the ground, and it is advisable to select the type of foundation after calculations.
- Financial component. Every builder of a private house understands perfectly well that the financial component plays an important role in the construction of the foundation. It is clear that they all want to choose the right structure for a private one-story house, but they also immediately calculate all the permissible risks and the cost of building materials. Therefore, if there is aerated concrete production nearby or deposits of natural building stone are discovered, they will use it and the foundation structure will be appropriate. In addition, the foundation for a house is often built with one’s own hands without the use of additional labor and powerful construction equipment, as this will significantly increase the cost of the financial estimate.
- Purpose of the future building. If this is a one-story or more private residential building, then the foundation is selected as strong and reliable as possible. But if this is a small outbuilding, then the type of foundation will be completely different.
You also need to remember that step-by-step instructions for laying a foundation differ significantly under different climatic conditions and the characteristics of a particular area, so it would be more correct to first decide and then build. An important role is played by the choice of building materials, from what exactly the future foundation for a country house will be built.
Types of foundations for a country house
Tape. It is easy and quick to build such a foundation for a country house, and often you can use aerated concrete or brick.
It is used in the construction of heavy one-story or more buildings, the load-bearing walls and ceilings of which will be built from heavy materials. This type of foundation is popular in suburban construction due to the ability to equip underground premises (garage, basement or technical floor).
Of course, there are several types of such bases, which differ in design:
- Prefabricated. The device involves the use of ready-made factory reinforced concrete blocks, which are mounted directly on the construction site.
- Monolithic. By design, they have a single monolithic slab, load-bearing walls are erected on it. Such a slab is made from brick or rubble concrete, less often from aerated concrete. Reinforcing mesh can also be used here; such foundations are already called reinforced concrete.
- Pile foundations for weak soils. The device involves the installation of ready-made metal or reinforced concrete piles (pillars) at the construction site. They can be of considerable length, since it is necessary to reach strong layers of soil below the freezing line.
Also, such foundations are popular because of their practicality and reliability, although it will not be possible to build even a one-story, but large private building on stilts.
Piles can be different, ranging from metal and reinforced concrete to wood. The weaker the material, the less load they can withstand. Therefore, for the construction of a large private country building, it is better to immediately use reinforced concrete structures, which can be made directly on the construction site.
Just first you need to carry out the correct calculations and lay the foundation under optimal temperature conditions. It is also worth initially deciding what the foundation will be built from and creating a step-by-step methodology for its construction.
- Universal monolithic slab. The construction of such a foundation allows the construction of private houses even on soft soils, because then the load is distributed evenly over the entire area of the base.
But the foundation is expensive due to the large amount of concrete and reinforcement, and building it with weak materials at hand is prohibited by building codes. It is better to lay such a foundation for small country houses, because then there will be a minimum of financial expenses for land work, and the foundation can be shallow.
Main stages of laying the foundation
As a rule, laying the foundation always begins with preparing the construction site. But in practice, everything turns out a little differently, because it is impossible to choose and build the foundation correctly without preliminary calculations. Therefore, there are several key preparatory steps that need to be done before building the foundation for a house yourself:
- First, a detailed geodetic exploration of the territory is carried out, a soil map is drawn up and the depth of groundwater is specified.
- Then a map of the soil structure is developed and the depth of solid rocks and the limiting depth of soil freezing are determined.
- The location where it is best to build the designed private building is determined.
- The angle of inclination of the terrain is determined, and minor unevenness of the construction site is eliminated.
- A calculation is made of the maximum permissible load on the foundation, taking into account building materials. Sometimes in such calculations, aerated concrete is taken as the initial parameters, which is larger in mass than brick, but smaller than concrete structures.
- The optimal type of foundation is selected.
- The type of building materials that are best suited for the construction of the designed structure is selected.
Step-by-step instructions for laying a strip foundation for a one-story country house
How to make a foundation for a house with your own hands? In practice, it is not as difficult as it seems, but still, consulting an experienced builder will not be superfluous, since the knowledge gained will help to avoid mistakes. Laying any foundation consists of the following steps using the example of a strip structure:
- The construction site is marked, the surface is leveled and the loose layer of fertile soil is removed.
- Then a trench of the estimated depth and width is dug along the perimeter of the future building, the bottom is leveled and a sand cushion is formed on it.
- Along the perimeter of the future foundation, wooden formwork is installed, inside of which a reinforcing belt is provided. The design, structure and characteristics of the reinforcement are selected individually for a specific type of foundation.
- After installing the reinforcement and connecting it, the actual filling of the trench with concrete begins. This must be done evenly; separation should not be allowed. In this case, it is possible to use prefabricated structures made of concrete or aerated concrete, only then the reinforcement must be done both horizontal and vertical with longitudinal inserts.
A layer of waterproofing is installed on the outer surface of the finished base, then you can further strengthen the structure with a vertical row of aerated concrete or brick.
How to properly build a columnar or pile foundation with your own hands
Considering that a columnar or pile foundation is more commonly used for the construction of small private buildings for economic purposes, the financial costs of its construction are minimal.
To do this, you first need to mark the territory, set marks for future posts and drill holes to a given depth. Then sand and gravel are poured onto the bottom of the well, compacted and a vertical reinforcement belt is installed.
After all the preparatory work, the wells are filled with concrete and left to dry for several weeks. Instead of concrete, you can use aerated concrete, only in such cases it is necessary to initially provide good waterproofing of rectangular pillars.
Any construction begins with laying a foundation, the quality of which will determine the final result and durability of the structure.
A number of requirements are put forward for the foundation:
Foundation types
To decide which foundation is best to make, you need to know their main characteristics.
In the construction of a private house, several types of foundations are used, the choice of which depends on factors such as:
- weight of the planned structure;
- quality of the underlying surface;
- terrain;
- depth of soil freezing.
Available types of foundations for private houses are:
- tape;
- columnar;
- pile;
- slab
Strip is the most popular type of foundation. Its arrangement is recommended for the construction of heavy structures (made of bricks, slabs, blocks) in stable soil conditions, not subject to erosion and landslides, on a leveled surface and in a temperate climate.
This is what the strip foundation of the future house looks like It is laid in unstable soil conditions, as well as on relief terrain. The depth of its laying reaches up to 3 meters. Laying a strip foundation to such a depth is very expensive.
Recommended for wetland areas, as well as for northern conditions where deep soil freezing occurs. Pile foundations are used for capital structures only in cases of extreme necessity, because... after a short time it becomes loose for one reason or another, which can lead to deformation of the walls and base of the building.
A slab foundation is an ideal solution if there is mobile, unstable soil, as well as in areas where there is pronounced heaving of the soil when it freezes.
An example of a finished slab foundation for a cottage Withstands the heaviest structures and allows you to maintain the integrity of the base and walls of the building during soil movement. However, its price exceeds the cost of all of the above types of foundation, which is due to the large amount of building material consumed.
So, let's look at how to make a foundation for a house with your own hands. Let's focus on the strip base, as the most common in private construction.
Let's look at the stages of earthworks, learn how to make formwork for the foundation and how to pour it under the house.
Laying a strip foundation
The main stages of laying a strip base are as follows.
Stage 1 Determination of groundwater depth
In order to determine the level of groundwater passage, it is necessary to dig a hole 1 m deep and 1 m wide. 
Leave the hole for a day, and after 24 hours, analyze: if the bottom remains dry, then a regular strip foundation, buried up to half a meter, can be poured under the house.
If water is found in the hole, then the foundation must be deepened to a level of up to 1.5 m and it must be waterproofed.
Stage 2 Site marking and foundation design
At this stage, based on the data from the design documentation of the future house, it is necessary to mark the foundation on the site. To do this, first a peg is driven in and the width of the future structure is measured from it and the peg is driven in again.
The length of the future house is measured from the second peg until the contour is closed. When marking the foundation, it is necessary to ensure that the angle between the pegs is strictly straight, otherwise the foundation will not be able to perform its main functions for a long time. 
After these operations, it is necessary to remove the fertile layer of soil from the area under the foundation and dig a trench along the entire perimeter of the future house. The depth of the trench will depend on the weight of the building under construction, as well as on the characteristics of the underlying surface, and its width will be 30-40 cm.
Attention! The depth of the foundation strip must be below the groundwater level. It is recommended not to remove the fertile soil, but to store it on the site for further use when restoring the local area after construction is completed.
After cleaning the walls and bottom of the trench, it is necessary to arrange a drainage cushion at the bottom of the foundation pit. To do this, it is recommended to use a layer-by-layer arrangement of coarse sand and gravel, and the sand layer must be moistened and compacted (you decide how many such layers you will make). The optimal height of such a pillow for a strip foundation is up to 20 cm.
Stage 3 Foundation reinforcement
Without a solid foundation it is impossible to make, so pay no less attention to this stage than pouring the foundation. To begin with, bricks are placed on the constructed layered pad at the bottom of the trench. Reinforcing bars are laid on them, crossing each other. In places where the rods intersect each other, it is necessary to fasten them together with steel wire.
Thus, a kind of lattice is created. It is not recommended to connect the rods together using spot welding, since in this case the structure will lose flexibility and will not be able to fully withstand soil heaving or displacement.
Example of correct reinforcement Stage 4 Foundation waterproofing
Roofing felt and bitumen are used as waterproofing materials. The bottom of the trench is covered with roofing felt. In this case, the joints of sheets of roofing felt, laid out overlapping each other, are glued with tape (construction or painting tape).
For roofing felt, the top is covered with a layer of liquid bitumen. If necessary, up to 2-3 layers of roofing material coated with bitumen can be formed.
Stage 5 Construction of formwork
Before pouring the foundation for the house, it is necessary to erect formwork. Let's look at how to make formwork for the foundation efficiently and aesthetically. Inexpensive building materials are used for formwork: boards and plywood sheets. The frame of the future foundation is assembled from the boards. 
Make sure that the heads of the nails used to knock down the boards extend outside the formwork and are not placed inside. This will maintain the appearance of your foundation.
To prevent the boards from spreading or moving under the formwork, it is necessary to support them from the outside with short beams.
Stage 6 Pouring the foundation
Before you learn how to pour a foundation for a house, you need to decide what to fill it with.
To fill the foundation, a cement mixture is used (note MIXTURE, not SOLUTION, which means that the composition should have a dense consistency and not spread). We prepare the mixture with our own hands, and for this you need to know how many and what components should be included.
So, the mixture consists of: coarse river sand (3 parts) + cement (1 part) + crushed stone (5 parts).
First, mix the dry components of the future mixture, and then dilute them with water to obtain a mixture of paste-like consistency. The cement mixture should not be poured, it should be laid. Only in this case the result will be a very strong, durable and reliable foundation.
The entire mass of the cement mixture is not laid at once, but in parts. Each laid layer is compacted so that voids do not form in the foundation, which negatively affect the quality of the foundation.
Table of different grades of concrete By the way, you can buy cement mixture. The price for a cube of cement for a foundation with delivery is on average 2,000 rubles, and a self-made mixture will cost you 1,050 rubles. per cubic meter
There is a 50% savings at this stage.
And if you decided to hire workers to complete this stage of construction, it would cost you from 11 thousand rubles per cubic meter. The price consists of the cost of materials and wages for construction workers.
Stage 7 Caring for the foundation while it hardens
After laying the entire cement mixture into the formwork, it is necessary to leave the foundation for 25 - 30 days so that the cement completely sets. However, at this time it is necessary to maintain a certain microclimate for the future foundation of the house.
If you are laying a foundation in hot summer, then its surface must be regularly moistened, but if in rainy autumn or spring, then the foundation, on the contrary, must be isolated from excess moisture by covering it with polyethylene.
The process of wetting concrete during hardening If you have completed all the stages of laying the foundation successfully, then it will delight you with its strength and long service life.
