Building a house is a responsible and multi-stage process. After laying the foundation of the building, you should proceed to the layout of the basement. How to properly make a basement at home will be discussed in the article.

What is a plinth

First, let's explain what a plinth is. This is the lower part of the building, rising above the foundation. Often it is this step that is designed in such a way that it stands out from the rest of the house.

The basement of the building is allocated due to:

• decorative cladding;
• protrusions relative to the surface of the facades of the house.

In a strip foundation, the plinth is its upper part, in a columnar foundation, the wall between its pillars.

Brick ground floor

The device of the basement of a private house is similar to the device of the foundation. Outwardly, it should not violate the general style of wall decoration. The characteristics of the base can be influenced by:

• overall dimensions of the house;
• terrain features;
• climate.

The plinth should harmoniously fit into the structure and not disturb the appearance of the whole house and its proportions. Increasingly, designers prefer a plinth that sinks relative to the walls. Such a plinth provides a good outflow of rainwater and protection of the walls of the house from the accumulation of moisture, does not require the installation of an additional ebb.

If the building has several floors, it may be necessary to build, the height of which above the ground should not exceed half the height of a normal floor.

Why do you need a plinth

• Moisture protection. Provides the correct direction of water flows formed during precipitation. Thanks to the cladding, it protects the underlying material from moisture remaining after rain or coming from the ground.
• Thermal insulation. The plinth, including thanks to the finish, helps to reduce heat loss, which is very important in winter.

The base performs a number of important functions, one of them is thermal insulation.

• Creating the basis for the walls. Performs a carrier function.
• Ensuring the architectural unity of all parts of the structure.

Compliance with these characteristics requires careful consideration of the type of base, material for manufacturing, lining.

Types of plinth

Based on the ratio of the surface of the wall and the base, the latter is divided into three types:

• flush;
• sinking;
• speaker.

The socle flush does not extend beyond the walls, the recessed one is deeper than the plane of the facade, the protruding one is built wider than the level of the walls.

The protruding plinth is used in the construction of houses in the classical style. In aesthetic terms, it is the most acceptable, gives the structure visual stability. The downside is the need to install an additional drain for water, otherwise moisture begins to accumulate above the base.

The plinth, which is flush with the walls, makes it difficult to provide high-quality moisture protection. Visually, buildings with such a base are devoid of grace and look like a box.

The protruding plinth is used in the construction of houses in a classic style.

The sinking base has many advantages, among which is reliable protection against moisture. However, in the perception of people accustomed to classical architecture, it loses in design. Such a ratio between the basement and the walls visually gives the entire structure an unstable look.

How to make a plinth yourself

Before you make the base yourself, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with the exact plans for the design of structures like the one you are going to do.

Before starting construction, it will be necessary to determine the following parameters:

• plinth type;
• types and quantity of necessary materials;
• facing material;
• insulation and waterproofing.

House basement flush

How to choose the type of plinth

A few tips regarding the type of basement of the house:

• Of all the types of plinth, builders recommend giving preference to the sinking one, since it provides the best protection against moisture.
• It is advisable to refrain from planning a basement that is flush with the wall. In this case, the boundary between the wall and the plinth remains open and unprotected.
• A protruding plinth is only preferable if home owners are not ready to abandon traditional architectural forms.

The height of the basement can vary on average from 50 to 75 cm. If you need a basement, the dimensions of the basement will be larger, respectively, you must take into account the fact that more building materials will be required.

Selection of material for the base

When choosing a building material for the base, you should pay attention to frost-resistant options with high strength characteristics:

• A monolithic concrete base is the best option. Concrete satisfies all the necessary parameters of socle materials. Before the construction of such a base, it is necessary to make a formwork, which is several sheets of shield material (plywood, plastic), folded in such a way as to form a container for liquid concrete. The solution is poured after the metal fittings are laid. It is advisable to pour concrete over the entire area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe base so that there are no joints. After the formwork is removed, you can work on.

Monolithic concrete plinth

• concrete blocks. They are used less frequently, since the disadvantage of this material is the likelihood of voids due to the presence of non-multiple blocks. These voids can be filled with cement, but the uniformity of the entire structure will be broken. Choose a reliable styling solution.
• Natural or artificial stone. It is used when laying the base on top of the strip foundation. The stone is laid out on a bonding solution. This material is quite difficult to work with, so a person who has experience working with natural stone should deal with laying out such a base. Natural or artificial stone looks very impressive; a building with such a plinth will stand out against the background of simpler structures.
• Brick. The advantage of a brick is the relative ease of working with it. It is better to use a solid brick made of baked clay. retains heat quite well and tolerates low temperatures. In particular, brick is recommended for laying plinths in areas where the temperature drops below 20 degrees. Laying is good to carry out in 1.5–2 bricks.

This question is solved by a simple formula.

The number of bricks per 1 sq. m basement (when laying 0.5 bricks) = 1 sq. m: brick height in m: brick length in m.

The purpose of basement waterproofing is to protect it from groundwater, as well as moisture accumulating after rain or snow. Protect the surface from moisture in two directions: vertically and horizontally. Horizontal waterproofing involves the use of insulating materials between the foundation and the outside of the basement. Vertical waterproofing is carried out by applying a protective coating to the outer part of the walls and plinth.

External waterproofing of the plinth

As a material for horizontal waterproofing, it is best to use roofing material or roofing felt. The roofing material reliably protects the walls and the plinth from water, providing comfortable operating conditions for the entire room.

For vertical water protection, the following coatings can be used:

• bituminous mastics;
• protective varnishes;
• polymer resins;
• roll materials.

The type of material is determined depending on the environmental conditions (climate) and the purpose of the building (what will be inside the premises).

thermal insulation

The presence of basement unheated premises requires reliable thermal insulation. Otherwise, the basement and foundation may collapse under the influence of the environment, moisture, which will accumulate in places with poor thermal insulation.

Plinth insulation

There is nothing difficult in laying heat-insulating material with your own hands for someone who was able to independently build a basement. The most important thing is to choose the right material. Do not choose bulk heat insulators, they can absorb moisture. When saturated with moisture, they lose their thermal insulation properties.

The most moisture-resistant materials are porous, for example, extruded polystyrene, produced in the form of plates. After installing the polystyrene, it must be lined with a special mesh with a plaster mass.

plinth trim

The following materials can be used as facing materials:

• concrete;
• Plaster masses or paints and varnishes;
• tiles or artificial cobblestone;
• siding. has a lot of advantages, since it is the most resistant to climate.

Summing up the above, we can highlight a few practical tips for those who are going to install the plinth on their own:

• When planning the type of basement, it is better to choose a sinking type.
• The height of the plinth must not be lower than 50 cm.

• The strongest material for constructing a plinth is concrete, but solid bricks, concrete blocks, or artificial or natural stone can also be used.
• For houses on a strip foundation, it is better to choose natural stone.
• Roofing material is best suited for waterproofing.
• For thermal insulation, it is better to abandon the use of bulk materials and focus on porous ones.

High-quality materials for arranging the basement and following the rules during planning and construction will help create a reliable support for the walls of your home.

Whatever house is built, its entire structure is always based on on solid foundation of one kind or another. The value of this structural element simply cannot be overestimated - it is he who takes over and distributes all the main weight loads. As a rule, the foundation always protrudes somewhat above the ground, forming the so-called basement. And now the question inevitably arises before the owner of the house - how to finish the basement?

There are many options for solving such a problem. But first of all, it’s worth understanding - is it necessary to finish the basement?

Why is the plinth lined?

Many homeowners see plinth trim only as a special design touch to the overall exterior of their home. The desire to make your home as beautiful as possible outwardly is quite understandable and justified, but it turns out that decorativeness in this case, although important, is still secondary. The main purpose of the basement cladding is still different:

• Even such a seemingly indestructible element of a building as a foundation needs protection from external influences. Facing minimizes the effect of precipitation, high humidity, temperature changes, and direct sunlight on the plinth material.
• The walls of the house at the level of the basement are most susceptible to pollution. The liquid mud that gets on them always contains a lot of chemically aggressive substances that can cause erosion processes even in monolithic concrete.
• The plinth should also be protected from the development of biological life forms on its surface - mold spots, fungus colonies, insect nests.
• If possible, buildings should also be considered. At first glance, it’s a paradox, why insulate it if all the living quarters are located higher. However, this view is erroneous:

- By itself, the basement array becomes a very capacious accumulator of cold, it does not even form a “bridge”, but a whole “highway” for the penetration of low temperatures into the premises, from which even a conscientiously insulated floor of the first floor may not be saved. A significant part of the energy resources spent on heating will simply be wasted.

- The material from which the foundation is made, be it concrete, brick or stone, under the influence of low winter temperatures can freeze through, which activates erosion processes and reduces its strength.

So, the conclusion is categorical - the basement needs a high-quality finish for both operational and decorative reasons. What type of finish to choose? This will depend on the design features of the building, and on the preferences of the owner of the property, and on its financial capabilities.

Types of materials used for finishing the basement

Plastering and painting

One of the easiest ways to finish is to apply a layer of durable plaster to the surface of the plinth.

One of the easiest options is plastering the basement.

This finish will create a good sewn layer, characterized by high vapor permeability. The main advantage of this method is its low cost and availability of materials. Doing such work yourself or finding a master plasterer is usually not a big problem. And options giving there is a lot of decorativeness to such a base.

• Firstly, it can simply be painted with special resistant facade paints. A wide range of shades is on sale, and there is always the opportunity to choose the most suitable for the intended exterior design of the building.
• Secondly, a great solution would be to apply a finishing layer. A wide palette of colors and "rich" textures should satisfy any homeowner's needs.

• But that's not all. If you show imagination, then even just a plastered surface can be given a very original look.

Stone? No, this is a plastered plinth ...

In the photo, the plinth, it would seem, is trimmed with stone. In fact, each "cobblestone" is nothing more than a slide of ordinary concrete mortar, hand-formed right on the surface of the base.

... "cobblestones" of which are molded by hand ...

To sculpt such "stones" no special skill is required - the main thing is to make a high-quality dense solution. Everything else is the imagination and efforts of the home master. After hardening, it remains to decorate with the help of dyes - and the plastered base will become indistinguishable from stone.

... and tinted with paint

The disadvantages of the technology for finishing the basement with plaster include the relative fragility of the coating - you will have to constantly monitor the condition of the applied layer and timely repair or update damaged, cracked areas.

Finishing the plinth with DSP panels with real stone and granite chips

Of course, stone is the best option for plinth sheathing. But the question of price stops many. Especially for those who want to get a reliable and “expensive” plinth for many years, Eskosell panels from the Komak Plat brand were developed.

DSP panels

You get natural stone for the price of plastic. How does this happen? The basis of the panels is a rigid CSP plate, on which a crumb of stone and granite is applied. The large size of the crumb (5-6mm) qualitatively distinguishes the panel from plaster and analogues. Eskosell can provide your home with high-quality protection against mechanical damage and vandalism, they easily tolerate changes in temperature and humidity. A layer of epoxy adhesive compound and natural stone chips is not only home decor, but also a protective waterproof layer. It should also be taken into account that Eskosell are made from natural ingredients and do not emit various harmful substances even in case of fire.

Panel types

Prices for cement-bonded particle boards (DSP)

Cement particle boards (DSP)

Benefits of Eskosell Stone Chip Rounding Panels:

• ECOLOGY: not containing substances such as formaldehyde, asbestos, phenol, etc.
• FIRE-RESISTANT (G1): in case of fire they do not melt and do not emit harmful components into the air;
• FROST-RESISTANT: installation can be carried out at any time of the year, they will not crack either from frost or from temperature changes;
• WATER RESISTANT: the front surface of the plate is moisture resistant;
• BIOSTABLE: Eskosell prevent mold and mildew;
• RELIABILITY: will serve you and your home for more than 50 years;
• VANDAL-RESISTANT: hard, solid, anti-vandal material;
• EASY INSTALLATION: can be mounted without additional elements, using self-tapping screws or glue.

Eskosell chip panels

Sheathing the plinth with panels can be done simply with the help of screws. Or glue it on with foam adhesive. Unlike other panels Eskosell do not require additional elements for installation.

Finishing the plinth with natural stone

This type of finish, of course, can be called "elite". A building with such a base always looks very advantageous, and has excellent performance characteristics and will last a very long time.

Plinth with natural stone cladding - looks very rich

For cladding, specially prepared stone slabs are used - slabs, usually 20 ÷ 30 mm thick, which can have either a regular geometric shape or uneven edges, which gives a special decorative effect.

The surface of the stone can also be chosen to your taste - from polished to a mirror finish to rough chips.

With all the beauty and practicality of this type of plinth finish, it also has many disadvantages:

• Such cladding has a very significant weight, therefore it gives an additional load on the foundation of the building, especially in cases where the basement has a large surface area. If it is planned to finish with natural stone, then this is usually calculated at the design stage of the building.
• Large mass of stone slabs predetermines the increased complexity of their installation. So, very often even the highest quality adhesive solution is not enough, so there is a need for additional reinforcement and the use of special stops.
• Another significant drawback is, of course, the price of the material and the cost of installation work, which are far from always available for independent execution.

Even the most inexpensive types of natural stone - shell rock or limestone - cost more than 1200 - 1500 rubles per m². Granite and marble, with a polished or chipped surface, are more expensive types.

Well, if there is a desire to achieve complete exclusivity, then wealthy homeowners sometimes resort to cladding with materials such as gabbro or even labradorite, the price of which is generally "sky-high".

Video: lining the basement with sandstone

Facing with artificial stone

In the case when you really want to use the stone lining of the basement, but the material possibilities or the design features of the building make it impossible, you can resort to another option - to purchase an artificial stone.

The cost of an artificial analogue is much less, the mass of the material is not so significant, and the illusion of naturalness is almost complete.

This material is made from cement-containing mixtures, often with the addition of light fractions (for example, expanded clay crushed stone), special polymer plasticizers and micro-reinforcing components. Tiles are produced using vibrocasting technology in special silicone molds that exactly repeat the natural texture of the stone, or by hyperpressing.

Laying hyper-pressed tiles "under the stone"

The form of release may be different. So, piece tiles with standardized correct sizes are widely used. No less popular are sets that are assembled per unit area, individual tiles of which can have different linear dimensions. A similar finish of the basement is carried out in the usual way - laying on building tile adhesive for external work.

Canyon type artificial stone panels

To facilitate the installation of the plinth cladding, you can purchase ready-made panels made of artificial stone, for example, of the Canyon type. At the production stage, metal mounting brackets are embedded in their concrete structure, having a verified geometric arrangement. These parts make it possible to mount the finished panels on the surface of the plinth not on the mortar, but on the fasteners - an indisputable advantage, especially when facing along the guides of the subsystem.

Find out how to swipe with detailed instructions from our new article.

If desired, such panels can also be installed on an adhesive solution - brackets bent inward will only increase the reliability of adhesion to the surface.

Another option - artificial stone tiles are attached with reliable polyurethane adhesive to a rigid base, with or without insulation - this can be a slab of OSB, fiber cement or glass-magnesite. Such a substrate greatly simplifies the installation of the cladding, and gives it additional thermal insulation qualities.

The well-thought-out locking part of the panels completely hides the joints between them, creating the effect of natural masonry. The texture of the outer surface can be chosen to your liking - rocks, crushed stone, tuff, slate, etc. Mosaic solutions are also popular, with the inclusion of artificial mini slabs different texture or color.

Prices for the range of plinth panels

Plinth panels

Finishing the plinth with brick or "under the brick"

Strictness always gives the building a special respectability and harmonizes perfectly with any possible type of decoration of the rest of the facade area. To achieve this effect, you can use one of the existing options:

• Plinth cladding with natural bricks. This approach has the advantage that it is possible to create a ventilated gap between the plinth itself and the cladding, or fill this space with insulating material. In addition, the brick itself will also serve as additional thermal insulation, especially if its hollow varieties are used. However, it must be remembered that the brickwork itself will need a strip foundation - this issue should be considered when planning construction. Although they act differently - they create their own support for the masonry, which will subsequently be combined with a concrete pavement around the foundation.

For lining the basement, various types of bricks are used.

- The heaviest - hyper-pressed, characterized by very high strength and extremely low water absorption - what is especially necessary for the plinth. You can buy bricks of various sizes - from the "Russian" standard 250 × 120 × 60 mm to the elongated "American".

- The most economical option is silicate brick, but it is not particularly popular for such finishing work.

- Ceramic bricks, including clinker ones, usually have a hollow internal structure, which significantly reduces the weight of the cladding itself and gives a pronounced thermal insulation effect.

• However, it is not always possible to perform real brickwork and, to be honest, it is far from always advisable, because such a decorative effect can be completely achieved using facing.

A simpler and more affordable option - clinker tiles

The material of its manufacture is in no way inferior in its performance to brick, and properly laid tiles give an absolutely reliable visibility of full-fledged brickwork. A variety of sizes, colors, external textures, special ways of decorating the surface (according to the technologies of artificial aging, uneven firing, inclusion of additional fragments) allows you to give the basement of the building absolutely unique view.

As a rule, collections of clinker facing tiles also include corner elements, which make it possible to simplify laying as much as possible without violating its overall pattern.

• It will be even easier to veneer the protruding part of the foundation "under the brick" if you use the plinth panels.

They can be produced on a thermally insulating polyurethane foam or polystyrene base. Tiles (clinker or artificial stone) are located and fixed on it with exact observance of the rows of "brickwork", interlocking pazoridge connections will not allow you to make mistakes during installation. Spaces are provided for placing fasteners for mounting panels to a wall or subsystem rails. Be sure to have elements for decorating external corners without breaking the linearity and “spreading” the rows.

Socle thermal panels - both decorative finishes and reliable insulation

In this case, it is preferable - the panels are more durable, the tiles are glued into them especially reliably, they have higher thermal insulation qualities. If you have to purchase polystyrene foam panels, then preference should be given to extruded PPS of increased density.

Video: installation of basement thermal panels

• If there is no need to insulate the basement, then it is worth purchasing such panels without a thermal insulation layer. In this case, the basis for rows of clinker tiles can be glass-magnesite, OSB or fiber cement panels.

- Fiber cement - durable, environmentally friendly, high impact strength. However, they are quite heavy, which predetermines the complexity of installation. In addition, such panels do not like fracture loads, that is, they require special care during transportation and temporary storage.

- OSB-based panels have practically no drawbacks - they are light, environmentally friendly, not afraid of external influences, of course, with the proper quality of the base.

— Glass magnesite is the most modern solution, since the material does not burn, withstands heating to very high temperatures, is not afraid of frost, and is resistant to ultraviolet radiation. A particular advantage is the flexibility that allows do work on walls, even those with a slight curvature that could not be eliminated by other methods.

Regular Thickness glass-magnesite bases - 8 mm, and this does not reduce the strength of the products and does not weigh down the overall design of the cladding

Basement siding finish

The design features of the plinth or the entire facade cladding system do not always allow the use of natural or artificial stone (brick). It's okay, a very high-quality finish can also be done using basement siding, which will give full visibility to natural material.

Plinth trimmed with polymer panels - siding

Under the concept of "basement siding" lies a huge variety of finishes. Panels can seriously differ in size, design, and material of their manufacture.

Plinth siding is made of polyvinyl chloride, polymer sand mixtures, fiber cement, other composite materials. As a rule, the panels are mounted on subsystem guides (in rare cases, directly on the wall), which makes it possible to place the required thickness of the insulation layer.

The dimensions of the panels and their shape can also be very diverse. Most often, the panels have a locking part and specially provided areas for attaching them to the rails.

There are so many options for surface texture, imitation of a particular material, colors that it is difficult to even describe them very approximately.

In addition to the traditional structure, basement siding panels can also look like rounded wooden beams (block house), ship planks or roughly chipped shingles.

The original solution - basement siding, imitating wood shingles

The main advantage of this approach to finishing the plinth is the low weight of the material, ease of installation, relative durability of the resulting lining and ease of maintenance.

Video: stone-like polymer basement siding

A necessary element for finishing the basement - ebbs

The basement of the building can have a different location. So, it can be slightly "drowned" relative to the surface of the walls. There is a basement flush with the rest of the facade, although this option is considered the most unfortunate - the base is not adequately protected from precipitation. Most often, the base protrudes outward in the form of a kind of step. It is in this case that its decoration will lose its meaning if it is not accompanied by the installation of ebbs.

Mandatory element with a protruding base - ebbs

These structural finishing elements will reliably protect the protruding part of the foundation from direct precipitation, drain water from the basement surface, and prevent moisture from penetrating into the gaps between the wall and the cladding materials

Drains can be made from different materials.

• In most cases, metal castings are used, which are produced from galvanized steel sheet with a polymer coating, which also becomes additional protection against corrosion and gives the required decorative effect.

The most common are polymer-coated steel

You can find ebbs from aluminum, and as the most expensive option - even from sheet copper: they will harmonize especially well with the copper roof of the building.

Exclusive option - ebbs from sheet copper

Video: installation of metal tides on the plinth

• Plastic moldings will cost a little less, but this material does not have the same durability as sheet metal, simply for reasons of lower mechanical strength. To protect the base, this option is used infrequently. Although, if the walls of the house are finished with PVC siding, then the polymer tide will look very advantageous.
• If the ledge of the plinth is large enough, and its lining is made of brick or clinker tiles, then laying out tides from profiled ceramic (clinker) blocks becomes an excellent option.

They can be in the form of a brick with edges beveled to one side, or in the form of rectangular tiles with a plane inclined to the horizon to ensure water runoff. The surface is normal or with a glazed layer applied (smalt tiles).

Profiled clinker panels with smalt coating - beautiful, but expensive

This ebb belt looks very impressive. But, it is true, its arrangement will require large material costs and labor intensive a laying process that only a very highly qualified master can perform.

So, there are a lot of options for how to finish the basement. You should evaluate in advance your financial resources, the fundamental possibility, expediency, decorativeness and performance of the selected cladding, the availability of its independent implementation. Ideally, all these issues should be considered at the stage of drafting the future structure.

The basement of the house is the supporting part of the wall, on the correct implementation of which the durability of the entire building will largely depend.

How to make a plinth around the house with your own hands so that in a couple of years you don’t have to repair it is a difficult question that depends on many components.

What to make a plinth from? The lower part of the wall is most susceptible to the negative influence of weather factors, and therefore it can only be built from materials with low hygroscopicity and high frost resistance.

According to the current building codes, the masonry of this section can be laid out of bricks of ceramic full-bodied plastic molding with strength grade M 100, frost resistance Mrz 50, heavy concrete of monolithic laying, concrete blocks or natural stone, followed by insulation.

The execution of the plinth from porous and water-absorbing materials - cellular concrete blocks, silicate and hollow bricks is prohibited.

Relative to the plane of the wall, the plinth can be recessed, protruding, or coincide with it.

Brickwork of the supporting section is carried out on a cement-sand mortar of grade not lower than M50.

The part of the masonry protruding from the plane of the wall must be protected from precipitation, protection can be a profiled concrete block, a cement-sand mortar with an iron surface or a drip of galvanized roofing steel.

Plinths: 1 - wall construction; 2 - brick base; 3 - waterproofing layer; 4-2nd layer of waterproofing on the foundation or in the body of the masonry; 5 - facing tiles; 6 - blind area; 7 - facing frieze stone; 8 - mesh 150 x 150 x 4 cm, tied to the outlets of the reinforcement; 9 - natural stone cladding; 10 - hard cement mortar; I - releases of reinforcement embedded in the masonry; 12 - a pillow made of concrete; 13 - foundation blocks; 14 - foundation (from prefabricated reinforced concrete blocks, rubble masonry, buta, etc.); 15 - front brick; 16- plaster; 17 - reinforcing mesh; 18 - air gap; 19 - insulation

Prior to masonry, waterproofing is carried out along the upper face of the foundation, for example, from two layers of roofing bitumen-polymer material on mastic.

ATTENTION: Obsolete materials such as roofing material, roofing felt, glassine, as well as polyethylene film for waterproofing are not suitable, due to the short service life - no more than 5 years, subsequent replacement is impossible, and waterproofing repair is a costly undertaking.

If the top of the foundation corresponds to the planning mark of the ground, and the floors of the first floor are much higher, two layers of waterproofing are performed: one on top of the foundation, the second on the mark of the finished floor.

Individual developers often perform the supporting part of the walls of monolithic concrete as a continuation of the strip foundation. This solution can be recommended for the construction of one-story houses without a basement, since the load from brickwork of 2-3 floors requires reinforced reinforcement, and deepening the foundations of the basement of the house increases the amount of formwork.

The execution of a basement made of natural stone is only possible for high-class professionals, not every bricklayer will be able to correctly lay the stones and reinforce the masonry, so this design is best not considered for independent implementation.

basement insulation

Doing the basement at home with your own hands, do not forget about the need to insulate the structure. As a rule, when calculating the thickness of the insulation, the values ​​\u200b\u200bfor the wall and the base are different, since the thermal characteristics of the wall material (blocks or hollow bricks) are better than those of solid bricks or concrete.

The constructive solution usually repeats the wall insulation - a ventilated facade or a "wet" plaster system.

ATTENTION: It is not recommended to perform the lower part of the walls with well or three-layer masonry, as this method leads to a decrease in the bearing capacity. If, nevertheless, the base is made in this way, you need serial reinforcement with a mesh of wire Ø4 - 6 mm with a cell of 100x100 mm.

For insulation, it is better to choose a heat insulator with low hygroscopicity, for example, extruded polystyrene foam or polyurethane foam.

If the insulation is made with plates of mineral insulation - stone or basalt wool on the plaster system, it is necessary to protect the area to a height of 450-500 mm with a waterproofing composition from dry building mixtures.

Waterproofing

To protect the basement from capillary suction of moisture, especially if the basement is made of monolithic concrete as a continuation of the foundation, it is necessary to waterproof the surface with rolled or coating materials.

The easiest way is to coat with bitumen-polymer mastic 2-3 times after preliminary priming with a primer. There is also a large selection of special waterproofing compounds in the form of dry mortars.

As a pasting waterproofing, special bitumen-polymer materials based on fiberglass or polyester canvas are used, for example, waterproofing, mostoplast, but roofing roll materials are also suitable.

Facade finishing

Finishing the basement of the house is usually solved in conjunction with the facades, it can be decorative plaster, painting or cladding with various materials.

Paint and plaster must have the following qualities:

1. Resistance to adverse weather conditions - frost resistance, moisture resistance.
2. Light fastness.
3. Durability.
4. Durability.

When choosing a color, give preference to soft pastel shades - they fade less in the sun.

When using a metal frame or wooden bars, pre-treated with flame retardant and fungicide, or complex impregnation.

Execution of work

It is not difficult to make the basement of a brick house, it requires desire and free time. To work, you will need tools:

• Shovel.
• Bucket or other container for cement.
• Concrete mixer.
• Trowel.
• Building level.
• Measuring tape.
• Brush or roller.

Masonry materials:

• Brick corpulent plastic molding M100/Mrz50.
• Reinforcing mesh with a cell up to 200 mm.
• Cement.
• Sand.
• Water.
• Waterproofing material, in this case, chose Isoplast EPP 2.5.
• Bitumen-polymer mastic MBP 50.
• Primer.

Consider how to make a plinth around the house, this method is relevant for strip, slab and grillage foundations as a base. Work algorithm:

1. Treat the upper face of the completely dried foundation with a primer using a brush or roller. Apply a layer of MBP 50 mastic over the primer, lay a layer of waterproofing material, roll it in for a better fit. Run the second layer of waterproofing.
2. Lay out the first row of laying the corners of the house dry, using a measuring tape, check compliance with the design dimensions: length, width and diagonals must match to within 3 cm.
3. Mix cement-sand mortar for masonry with a composition of 1:3 ... 1:5.
4. Lay corner masonry on the mortar, picking up the mortar with a trowel and tapping each brick with a handle on the surface and side face.
5. Run the first row of masonry along the perimeter (not forgetting the doorways), lay the reinforcing mesh in the mortar layer.
6. Run the 2nd row of masonry with dressing of seams.
7. Carry out subsequent rows of masonry with the laying of reinforcing mesh and dressing the seams.

Usually the height of the plinth is 450-600 mm, or 6-8 rows of brickwork 65 mm high with a joint height of 10 mm.

TIP: It greatly simplifies the work of a cord stretched around the perimeter of the building from corner to corner or formwork along the inner perimeter of the walls.

It is desirable to carry out the work on the implementation of the base in one day, this will avoid voids in the masonry and make the seams more evenly. In case of bad weather, the plinth made must be covered with a film until the solution has completely set.

Conclusion

Any construction work requires methodical adherence to technology. Laying out a plinth is not difficult at all, but if you want to make your home durable and comfortable, do not try to save money on making a plinth at the expense of materials - this way you will avoid costly repairs in the future.

• Date: 27-05-2014
• Views: 736
• Comments:
• Rating: 35

How to build a basement for a house?

How to build a basement of your own private house with your own hands: insulation and manufacturing technology

Today, many people want to have their own beautiful house outside the city. An important element of such a structure, which can give a country house chic, luxury and a great view, is the basement. Some people do not build a basement at home because they do not know how to do it.

The protruding basement needs to be additionally insulated from the outside, but the recessed basement will require insulation only from the inside.

First of all, you should understand what a basement is at home. This design is a continuation of the foundation above the ground. If the base is made relatively high, and the foundation is relatively low, then this room is called the basement. It can have various purposes, for example, it can be used as a personal gym or a children's playroom.

In most cases, this structure is erected 60-70 cm above ground level. The plinth is also intended to protect the house from moisture. This design is able to decorate the house, distinguish it from the rest.

Today there are 3 types of basement at home:

1. Buried.
2. bulging.
3. Level with the foundation.

The most common type of this design is a recessed base. This is due to the fact that such a basement structure is less exposed to moisture and other precipitation. In addition, water from such a plinth will drain faster, which will make it possible to protect the foundation, the walls of the house and the plinth from destruction. The advantage of this structure is that it is more economical, because the structure is thinner than the wall. In this case, there will be lower costs for building materials.

Due to the fact that this structure is buried, it does not require additional insulation of the basement of the house, which will make it possible to save some money.

A protruding structure can only be made if the walls of the house are relatively thin, because in this case it is not possible to build a basement that is even thinner.

A protruding structure can also be made when it is planned to equip the first basement floor, that is, a room that is underground, but should be warm.

If, for example, the basement is planned to be used as a place to store unnecessary things, then it can also be made thin. This floor is perfect for a basement.

It is not recommended to make the third type of structure, because in fact such a structure is the beginning of the walls. At the same time, there will be no protection against mechanical influences, no protection against moisture, no beauty. Such a plinth will need to be insulated with special material, which will make the house not the most beautiful and more costly.

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Materials that are necessary for arranging a structure of this type

The basement can be equipped in the form of monolithic slabs or using prefabricated materials. If the structure is monolithic, it can only be of 2 types:

• concrete;
• reinforced concrete.

The difference between them is that the first design is without reinforcement, and the second one is with reinforcement.

In the manufacture of the basement of your own private house, various materials can be used.

The structure of concrete blocks is laid on a cement mortar, while the blocks are fastened together using the same cement mortar. In this case, cement should be used not lower than grade M400.

The construction of natural stones is also laid with the help of cement mortar. This type of plinth requires a lot of skill, because stones can come in various shapes and sizes.

The red brick building is the most common. In most cases, a strong, well-fired brick is used, after which it must be plastered and the rest of the finishing work done in order to give it a good appearance. In this case, decorative red brick can also be used. It is beautiful and strong, because such a building material has a rectangular strict shape and is the same in all cases. The plinth, which is made of such decorative bricks, will always look very beautiful. In this case, the walls can be laid out not from the same brick, but from logs.

Elements that will be needed for the construction of this type of structure:

• concrete;
• cement mortar;
• brick;
• plaster;
• fundamental blocks;
• formwork;
• fittings;
• welding machine;
• building level;
• putty knife;
• glue;
• expanded polystyrene.

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Features of the construction of such a structure

You should know the main points when building a structure of this type:

1. If the existing house has an underground, then the basement in such a structure can play the role of a protective wall, which must necessarily be protected from moisture from the outside, that is, waterproofed. In addition, you will need to insulate it from the inside.
2. The minimum height of the basement is 50 cm. If it is planned to make a basement floor, then the height should be approximately 1.5-2 m.
3. It is imperative to make holes for ventilation of the basement space. Such holes are often called vents. They should measure approximately 30 cm in length and 15 cm in width.
4. Products should be made at the same level, but not lower than 15 cm from the edge of the ground. The ducts must be covered with a mesh to exclude the possibility of various debris getting into them. In winter, they will need to be hammered with a dense cloth or any other material that prevents the space under the floor from freezing.
5. The basement does not have to be equipped in the case of a columnar foundation (between its columns). This design can be placed on top of the columns. In this case, the building can also serve as a grillage.

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Existing design features of the basement

The design of the foundation with a plinth is not much different from the design of an ordinary foundation.

In most cases, a strip prefabricated or monolithic foundation is selected. First of all, you need to calculate the foundation. Most of all, when arranging the basement in the parameters of the foundation, the depth of the foundation is important.

For example, if according to the calculations it turned out that the foundation should have a height of 2 m, then this means that the laying depth should be 2 m 15 cm or 1 m 75 cm. In no case should the depth be level with the ground. In most cases, the foundation should be located below ground level.

When the foundation gains about 80% of its strength (it will take approximately 10-12 days), the construction of the base can begin. This design can be of 2 types:

• monolithic;
• team.

The prefabricated structure can be laid from reinforced concrete slabs or other piece material. Red brick might work too. In most cases, the plinth is built from prefabricated blocks, the thickness of which is 40-60 cm. You will need to follow a step of 10 cm. The length of such a block can range from 100 to 240 cm. In the manufacture of blocks, concrete grade M200, M150 or M100 is used.

It is worth noting that if the soil has a low bearing capacity (small resistance coefficient), then under the fundamental blocks under the plinth, you will need to lay a reinforced concrete pillow, which is laid on a 15 cm layer of sand.

You should choose a suitable brick for the construction of the basement. This is due to the fact that it is this element that will give a special look to the structure, will serve as its support and protection.

If the basement for the first floor in the house is planned to be equipped from the same reinforced concrete blocks, then there are no masonry features. The blocks must be laid and secured to each other and to the foundation. In some cases, pieces of reinforcement should be left on the sides of the blocks so that it is more convenient to fix the blocks together. Such pieces are also on top of the foundation.

If you plan to make a monolithic base, then you should know that in this case you can make some mistakes. This is due to the fact that the technological process of building a monolithic structure of this type is somewhat more complicated than the process of manufacturing a prefabricated structure.

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Technology of insulation and construction of the basement of a private house

You need to start with the arrangement of the formwork for the basement. It is worth noting that all work on the construction of this structure must begin when the foundation gains the desired level of strength.

The formwork can be made from planed boards, or you can order a finished one. This design in most cases is made independently. Boards must be hewn from the side that is adjacent to the concrete.

The next step is to pour the cement mortar into the formwork. In order for the base to be durable, it will need to be reinforced. This process can be carried out using steel fittings. To do this, you need to create a grid. When reinforcing, reinforcement 1.2 cm thick should be used. The rods are fixed to each other perpendicular to each other by welding. The size of the cells in the grid should be approximately 15-20 cm.

If the base is planned to be made high, then several grids will be needed. They should be located at several levels, in increments of approximately 30-40 cm.

When laying the grids, you can fasten them together using vertical jumpers, which are made from the same reinforcement. If this is not done, then the grids should fit in the following order:

1. First of all, the solution is poured with a layer of approximately 15-20 cm.
2. The reinforcing mesh is placed after the solution dries a little and thickens.
3. A layer of cement mortar is poured onto the grid. Its thickness should be approximately 40-50 cm. Next, a mesh is placed and the solution is poured again.

After the concrete plinth has gained approximately 80% of its strength, the formwork can be removed.

A monolithic base can be equipped in another way. It can be poured simultaneously with the foundation.

You should know that the basement insulation technology is quite simple. It is best to insulate this structure with polystyrene foam from the inside so that the basement insulation layer reaches the ceiling and closes it from the outside. This will make it possible to provide good heat savings for the exterior walls and floor of the house. In order for the material that is used to insulate the basement to better bond with brick or concrete, it is necessary to coat it with glue. In order for thermal insulation to be performed, other materials can be used.

The basement is one of the most vulnerable parts of the house. That is why, questions often arise, how best to protect the base from moisture and cold, how to choose the design, the material from which it will be created, the finishing material. All this will be discussed in this article.

The concept of "basement" in the construction of a house

The word "plinth" comes from the Italian "zoccolo", which means the foot of the building, which is on the foundation. In other words, the foundation has a continuation that rises 50-70 cm above the ground level, and thus, a transitional wall is obtained from the foundation to the outer walls of the house. Here it is called the plinth.

The main purpose of the plinth is to create a barrier against the penetration of moisture into the structure of the house. However, the basement not only protects from moisture and cold, its appearance largely determines the architectural design of the building and affects the overall impression of your home. The building looks much more beautiful if it has a high plinth, with a low plinth or, even more so, if it is absent, the building looks squat.

General moments of the plinth device

If the house has an underground, then the basement plays the role of a wall that encloses and protects it. If the floors are laid on the ground, then the plinth, like a retaining wall, takes on the pressure of the backfill and the load from the walls.

Plinth pressure loads from walls and backfill pressure

• The minimum height of the basement should be no less than 50 cm; in houses with a basement floor, the height of the basement can reach 1.5-2 m.

When constructing a basement, the so-called vents for ventilation of the underground or basement are necessarily arranged. To do this, holes are made in the basement protected by a mesh (size: approximately 15x25 cm) not lower than 15 cm from the ground level (1 hole per 3 linear meters of the foundation). In case of frost, the openings must be closed.

Plinth air parameters

• It is not necessary to arrange a plinth between the columnar supports of light structures: on verandas, porches, in sheds, on terraces. In the absence of a plinth, constant ventilation will occur in these places, and this will reduce the humidity of the air in the underground.

Lack of plinth in part of the porch

Consider how the basement is arranged with different types of foundation.

Plinth device with strip foundation

On strip foundations, the plinth can be made:

• From concrete blocks;
• From a monolith;
• From brick.

Concrete block plinth

Scheme of the plinth of concrete blocks

Their dimensions should not be less than the height of the base. And it is undesirable that horizontal seams occur. The outer surface of the basement blocks can be made different: smooth, embossed, lined with stone, ceramic tiles, crushed stone.

There are norms for the weight of blocks, depending on the method of installation: for manual laying, the weight of the blocks should not exceed 100 kg; when using levers made of logs or steel pipes and the presence of mounting loops, the weight of the blocks can be up to 500 kg.

Monolithic plinth device

Plinth made of monolithic reinforced concrete

A monolithic concrete plinth is made using formwork, where liquid cement is poured, and after pouring concrete, we get both the foundation and the plinth. It is possible to give a different texture to the outer surface of a monolithic concrete plinth if rubber mats, corrugated fiberglass, etc. are laid in the formwork. After stripping, the concrete surface is cleaned, all voids and cracks are sealed, and covered with liquid cement mortar. For reinforcing the walls, meshes with cells of 150-250 mm from wire with a diameter of 5-6 mm are used, for longitudinal reinforcement, rods with a diameter of 12 mm with clamps with a diameter of 5 mm are used.

Brick plinth device

Brick basement at home

For laying the basement, solid brick M-50 is used. The height of the plinth is from four rows of bricks and above. Finishing a brick basement can be done with natural stone, tiles, siding (see below for a description of the basement finish).

Plinth arrangement on slab foundations

The top of the slab foundation can be used as a base.

For example:

The top of a ribbed foundation slab as the plinth of a house

Plinth from a part of the foundation slab

The device of the base with a columnar foundation

It is believed that the construction of the basement of a building on columnar (pile) foundations is a particularly time-consuming and responsible process. The role of the base for columnar and pile foundations is performed by the grillage * and and zabirka*, which are beams or slabs, between pillars or piles.

Plinth from a grillage with a columnar foundation

* pick-up - walls arranged between pillars; *grillage - walls arranged above the pillars.

The base can be made in the form of a pickup.

Zabirka is the simplest type of plinth, which is arranged between the pillars of the foundation. It serves to protect the underground space from dust, moisture, snow drifts. Most often, the pick-up is used in wooden houses, with a columnar foundation. Usually the fence is made from the same material as the posts.

Wooden plinth with a columnar foundation in a wooden house

Most often, the pick-up is deepened into the ground by 30-50 cm, then plastered with cement mortar. With clay soils, a sand cushion 15-20 cm deep is arranged under the pick-up. The minimum thickness of the take-off depends on the material:

• rubble masonry - 20-30 cm;
• brickwork - ½ - 1 brick;
• reinforced concrete - 10-12 cm.

For ventilation of the basement, holes (air vents) with a size of 140x140 mm (1 hole per 3 linear meters of the foundation) are left in the intake, 150 mm above ground level. Vents can be inserted into these holes, which are closed during cold weather.

On heaving soils and with external walls made of bricks or small blocks, the plinth should be made in the form of a reinforced concrete lintel.

Socle of reinforced concrete lintels with a columnar foundation on heaving soil

A lintel is a structure that takes the load from a wall section located above the opening. To increase the stability of columnar foundations and to arrange the supporting part of the basement, a grillage is made between the pillars. Reinforced concrete grillage, laid on top of the pillars, can serve as the supporting part of the base with stone and brick walls. The grillage is also made in the form of an ordinary jumper, reinforced with 4-6 reinforcing bars with a diameter of 10-12 mm, laid on a concrete layer 70 mm thick. The height of an ordinary jumper should be 1/4 of the span, but not less than 4 rows of masonry. The grillage can be made in the form of a monolithic or prefabricated reinforced concrete rand beam. A variant of a columnar foundation with a grillage of typical elements is shown in the figure above. With wooden buildings, the function of a grillage can be performed by a wooden strapping made of logs and timber. At the same time, the space between the blind area and the strapping, with the grillage, is filled with a pick-up.

If you are arranging a monolithic base, then it is advisable to consider that it should not rest directly on heaving soil. Experts usually advise leaving a free space (10-15 cm) between the ground and the plinth, which is subsequently covered with asbestos-cement sheets, bricks, trim or non-porous soil.

High socle-grillage with a columnar foundation on heaving soil

Plinth waterproofing device

For additional protection of the basement from atmospheric moisture (snow, rain), a protective screen made of reinforced concrete slabs or asbestos-cement sheets is installed around the entire perimeter of the basement (see Fig. 12).

Types of basement structures

In relation to the outer wall, the plinth can be recessed, protruding, and be in the same plane with the wall.

Types of plinths

Not all existing designs are considered equally rational.

Falling base the most common and more protected from mechanical damage, from rain, slanting rains, provides a quick runoff of water from the walls, since it is deeper than the wall. It is more economical: it has a smaller thickness (see figure), that is, less building materials are needed. This type of plinth does not require draining and looks aesthetically pleasing, as the ledge hides the waterproofing layer.

But in some cases, a sunken plinth cannot be arranged, for example, if it is required to make it thicker due to weather conditions, or the walls of the house are thin, etc. Device protruding plinth justified if the house has thin outer walls, and also if there is a warm underground: underground floor, basement. Such a plinth is wider than the thickness of the outer walls. The protruding plinth will protect the underground from the cold. The protruding base is more than the sinking one, it is subjected to both mechanical and atmospheric influences, as it protrudes forward. At the protruding basement, it is necessary to make waterproofing protection and drains around the perimeter of the building.

plinth,built into the wall, that is, on the same level with it, builders usually do not recommend doing it, since the waterproofing coating remains open and unprotected from external influences. With this design, the waterproofing material is visible from the outside and looks unaesthetic.

Base material

Types of materials for the base

The plinth is involved in shaping the appearance of the house, so what the plinth is made of is affected by the material and texture of the walls. For a protruding base, you need to choose materials that do not need finishing and are very durable: red brick, natural stone, concrete.

If the walls of the building are smooth, then against their background the brick base looks very aesthetically pleasing. You can also veneer it with stones or concrete slabs. Under the brick walls of the house, they usually use such a base: concrete foundation blocks lined with natural stone tiles; reinforced concrete plinth; plinth lined with solid brick grade 50 MRZ.

The plinth is exposed to ground moisture, precipitation, cycles of freezing and thawing. The base material must be durable, practical, frost-resistant. Therefore, the plinth is laid out from durable materials: stone, concrete, brick.

• The most durable is cast-in-situ concrete plinth. It is better to erect it immediately around the entire perimeter of the house without vertical and horizontal seams. The plinth of monolithic concrete is made in the formwork. For the construction of such a base, special high-strength cements of grade 300-400 are used. It is possible to strengthen and strengthen the base with a reinforcing cage made of pipes, corners or wire. Then the concrete surface is cleaned, voids and cracks are sealed and covered with a liquid cement mortar. It can be painted, but the paint on the plinth does not last long. With a sufficient thickness of the plinth, masonry made of artificial or natural stone can be used as formwork.
• Concrete block plinth. Rows of concrete blocks are laid with dressing, mounting the blocks on the cement mortar. The variety of standard sizes of concrete blocks is small, during the construction of the basement, multiple blocks may appear, the places not covered by the blocks are filled with monolithic concrete.
• Plinth made of natural stonesused for strip foundations.

Type of basement made of natural stone

Stone plinths are made from natural stone on cement mortar. The technology of erecting a stone plinth requires professional skills. On the foundation, first lay out the base in width equal to the width of the base. The laying of a stone base begins with the construction of corners: the largest stones are laid here.

When laying, the stones are brought as close as possible to each other (for this they try to use bed-shaped stones - that is, having a large percentage of a flat surface), the space between them is filled with cement mortar. The entire array of masonry must be divided by vertical seams. The wall is leveled along the "pier" cord stretched between the corner stones. To increase the strength of the masonry, the seams between the stones are bandaged. The upper plane of the base is leveled with a layer of mortar or a belt of monolithic concrete. The height of the rows of masonry is calculated from the height of the stones and the thickness of the horizontal joints, which is allowed within 10-15 mm. The thickness of vertical seams can be from 8 to 15 mm.

• The plinth is brick.Usually, a red solid brick of the brand 50 Mrz (for frost resistance) is used. Silicate brick is not stable in a humid environment and collapses under the influence of moisture. In areas with winter temperatures of -30 C, the thickness of the brick base should be one and a half to two bricks.

Types of red brick plinth

The brickwork of the basement should be additionally protected. Ironing is sometimes used for this: cement is applied in its pure form on top of a standard plaster solution and rubbed with a trowel. It is possible to cover a brick plinth with water-repellent compounds: they protect the plinth from moisture at the molecular level. Sometimes, after plastering a brick base, it is painted. In this case, you can use silane-siloxane-based paints, which have properties similar to water repellents: they let moisture vapor through, but do not let water through. There is another option - special highly resistant paints for the base. The brick plinth looks beautiful after painting with chloroxide paint with pigment, in which the seams are cut with chloroxide paint without pigment, that is, white. To protect the masonry, you can use water-repellent compounds. They reliably protect the base from moisture at the molecular level, and, by the way, do not change the color and texture of the material.

basement insulation

Significant heat losses occur through basement ceilings located above unheated basements and undergrounds. In this case, not only the cost of heating the house, but also the possibility of creating a comfortable living environment depend on the quality of thermal insulation. Therefore, the basement needs to be insulated.

Insulation of the basement of the house

To insulate the basement, materials are used that have water absorption close to zero and are able to maintain heat-shielding properties in a humid environment. These requirements are met by materials with closed pores - most often extruded polystyrene foam is used. For the installation of polystyrene foam boards, adhesives and mastics are used that do not contain components such as acetone, solvent, etc., since they dissolve polystyrene, and instead of hot bituminous mastics, cold ones are used. When insulating the basement, the heat-insulating material is placed on the outside. After the hard insulation is glued to the base with adhesive mastic, it is then plastered over the grid.

An example of an insulated plinth for a wooden house

Basement insulation in a wooden house

The design of this plinth consists of: blind area, roofing iron coating, felt, plaster, plinth, roofing material, warm concrete * at half the height of the crown, cement screed, slag, compacted soil and tar. Warm concrete at 1/2 the height of the crown consists of 1 part of cement, 1 part of lime, 9 parts of fine slag.

In private construction, an inexpensive and relatively uncomplicated plinth device, which is called a "fill" is common.

Socle- "filling"

Finishing materials for the plinth

You can hide the plinth by lining it with the same material as the walls. But since the plinth emphasizes the architecture of the building, it is customary to emphasize it with decoration.

• Plastering with coloring. It is applied to a brick socle of different types. The plaster will hide defects, it allows air to pass through, protects its base from water and temperature extremes. Before plastering, a metal (or fiberglass) mesh is attached to the base with dowels, its function is to level the surface and reinforce the coating. When plastering, you can create a relief surface. From above, the plinth is painted with facade paints. When creating such a finish, it is necessary to plaster and tint it, especially in places near the blind area, since the cycles of freezing and thawing, the accumulation of moisture cause cracking and shedding of the plaster.
• Concreting of the outer surface. A more reliable finishing method than plaster. Used for brick plinth and block plinth. For concreting, a metal mesh is attached to the base, and then a formwork is installed, where concrete is poured. Builders recommend finishing with concrete around the perimeter of the house at the same time so that the coating is monolithic.

  The formwork is removed after the concrete has cured. The concreted surface is painted with facade paints.

• Finishing with tiles and artificial stone. It is used for monolithic plinths, plinths made of concrete slabs and bricks. Tiles are made from various mixtures: polystyrene foam asbestos-cement, cement-stone mixtures. They are attached to the facade with adhesive solutions or dowels. Artificial stone is created from concrete based on ground natural stone and cement. It can be a complete imitation of natural stone. It is better to entrust its installation to an experienced master. For fastening to the wall with the help of forged nails, guides made of reinforcing steel with a diameter of 6-8 mm are hung, between which a wire mesh with a diameter of 1.1-1.2 mm is stretched with cells no larger than 40 mm.
• Natural stone finish. This type of decoration is very beautiful. Suitable for monolithic plinth, made of concrete slabs (see description below) Chopped cobblestone, lime slate, marble and other stones are used as the material, depending on the style of the building. In order for the finish to look perfect, you need to have professional skills. The installation process takes several days. The plinth can also be finished with facing bricks.
• Siding trim. Siding - these are facing panels that are given the most diverse look. Siding panels have a surface that does not require additional painting, they are made in various textures and colors. Siding can be used in a wide range of temperatures (-50 +60 °). It is durable, does not corrode and does not fade (see below for a description of siding work).

There are certain rules for finishing the basement. When choosing combinations of color shades when creating the architecture of the house, it is worth taking into account that the basement should have darker tones than the walls and be combined with the color of the roof. When finishing the basement, you should be guided by the principle of combining colors that are close to each other or contrasting shades. But these rules are only suitable if you do not plan to create an extravagant structure. If there are walls of log houses above the basement, made of timber or smooth, plastered, then it is better to make the basement cladding from natural or artificial stone, which will visually make the building heavier.

Consider several options for finishing the sinking base.

Option to finish the plinth of concrete blocks with natural cobblestone

Concrete block plinth decorated with natural cobblestone

Consider the option when the wall of the house is brick. They pick up stones with a flat surface and up to 10 cm thick, the cobblestone can also be chopped with a sledgehammer. The first row of brickwork of the wall should protrude above the concrete block of the basement by half the length of the brick (12 cm), so it is important that the facing stone does not protrude beyond the wall.

Around the plinth, to a width of 50-70 cm and to a depth of 10 cm, the soil is removed with a shovel. Crushed stone or gravel is poured into the trench, then watered abundantly with water and after an hour or two they are rammed, creating a “cushion” under the slopes around the house (“cushion” should be arranged at ground level). Lay out the bottom row first. The stone and base are moistened with water. With a trowel, cement mortar is thrown onto the base over an area corresponding to the size of the stone. The stone is turned with its flat surface outward and driven into the solution by tapping with a hammer.

The stone with its lower edge should rest on a “pillow” of rubble. The flat surface of the stone should be parallel to the plane of the base. Then the second stone is also fastened, and in this way the entire first row is laid along the base. They wait about a day for the solution to harden (if the weather is dry), then proceed to the second row. These stones rest on the first row.

The resulting voids are filled with the solution, trying not to get it on the surface of the stone (if the solution does get on the stone, you need to let it harden a little, and then clean it off with a dry, stiff brush). After fixing the next row, “joint stitching” is performed, which means applying metal jointing to smooth the mortar between the stones. To make the lining look voluminous, the seams should “sink” relative to the surface of the stone a centimeter deep. If some stones will have a thickness less than average, then a thicker layer of cement is needed under them in order to keep all the stones in the same plane. So all rows fit. In dry weather, those rows that were laid earlier are watered. It is possible to veneer the plinth with other natural stones, for example, with dolomite stone.

After the end of the last row, they begin to create a slope for the outflow of water from the house at an angle of 5-10 degrees from the base to the ground. When constructing a slope, stones are driven into the cement mortar, fitting them to each other in such a way that an even slide is formed. All spaces between stones must be filled with cement mortar.

The option of finishing the socle from liquid concrete with natural cobblestone

Concrete plinth decorated with natural cobblestone

Formwork needs to be prepared. The selected stones are exposed inside the formwork with a flat surface to the formwork wall, and fixed with cement. After installing the first row, it is poured with concrete. After two or three hours, a row of stones is again exposed close to the wall of the formwork, and again they are poured with concrete. During the day, up to half a meter of stones line up. Thus, you get a basement immediately lined with stone. The formwork is removed after a few days. The surface of the facing stone is cleaned. A cement mortar with a certain color is prepared and the space between the stones is filled with it, after a few hours the seams are embroidered with a trowel, then the outer surface is cleaned.

The facade of the basement must match the architectural appearance of the building, so you can decorate the basement. For example, when preparing a concrete mix, colored cement or crushed red bricks are added. There is another option for designing the facade of the basement: after removing the formwork panels, it is then reassembled, only made wider. A gap is formed between the plinth and the formwork, expanded clay mixed with a water-cement mortar (water-cement mortar - 0.7 - 0.8, expanded clay - 5 parts) is poured there and poured with cement water. Instead of expanded clay, you can take crushed granite, marble chips, etc. When processing the base, profiles and rust are used, as a result of which it acquires a decorative cladding.

Option to finish the plinth with siding

To finish the plinth from different materials, many manufacturers offer plinth siding - these are facade panels that very accurately imitate natural material. Such siding is made from polymers. Its purpose is to protect the base from the effects of the external environment. Basement siding has a panel thickness of more than 2 mm, it is convenient to use it for facing the basement of existing buildings. The light weight of basement siding and attractive appearance make it possible to use it for lining basement, pipes, transitions, etc. Basement siding can be easily installed on any surface thanks to a simple fastening system using spikes and clips (Fig. 20):

Connecting siding panels

If the surface of the plinth is even, some types of siding can be installed without a crate. If the surface is uneven, then the installation of the siding is carried out on a crate of metal profiles (the same as when installing drywall).

Fastening siding panels to metal profiles

During operation, the panels shrink and expand, so when installing the basement siding, you need to leave the opportunity for the panels to move slightly, this is also necessary to drain condensate. Nails are hammered exactly in the center of the hole, while it should not reach the surface by 3-5 mm. The crate is hung on the prepared wall: clean, without breakage. If you are nailing horizontal elements, you need to do it from the middle to the edge, while vertical elements are nailed from top to bottom.

Corners are decorated with siding, bent at the desired angle. To do this, it is heated from the unpainted side (up to a temperature of + 120 ° C). It should be noted that the fold of the basement siding should recede 1-2 cm further than the corner line of the building.

Siding panel fold line

Installation of plinth panels is simple, so they can finish the plinth of any design. The price of basement siding is on average $12/m2.

To protect the basement, a blind area is arranged around the entire perimeter of the house, which can be read about in articles and. The width of the blind area is at least 600 mm, the slope is 2-3% in the direction from the wall of the structure. The material for the blind area is concrete, asphalt, paving made of natural or artificial stone is less commonly used.

By arranging a basement, you will protect underground spaces, as well as the walls of your house, from adverse external influences, cold and moisture. And besides, the plinth plays an important role in creating the overall look of your home.

Attention: Prices are valid for 2009.