Plinth foundation: the pros and cons. Plate foundation by own hands

The most common type of foundation is the slab design. Before you build a solid foundation, the pros and cons of the design should be considered. To build this type of foundation can be on any ground, whether peat or sandy.

Positive features of the slab foundation

Plate foundation, the pros and cons of which are discussed in the article, can undergo horizontal and vertical displacement of the soil, due to the rigidity and integrity of the structure, thus, the monolithic foundation moves along with the soil, which is especially valuable in private housing construction.

Features plate foundation

Plate foundation, the pros and cons of which before construction is certainly worth considering, may be unclouded or shallow. If it is a non-reclose version, then it should be located at a depth of 50 cm. The slab foundation is reinforced by the help of a reinforcing cage throughout the entire area of the house, this feature ensures the absence of deformation processes. He has an excellent ability to undergo loads, this is due to the fact that the monolithic plate is floating. If to allocate positive features of such design it is possible to note simplicity of erection, reliability and safety of its operation. It can last more than a hundred years. If you use a solid foundation during construction, you will have the opportunity to plan the ground floor. Use the slab can be in the role of the basement of the first floor.

Negative features of the slab foundation

The slab foundation, the technology of erection of which is described in the article, has a minus, which is expressed in significant financial costs, which will pay off with a guarantee of safety and reliability. It must be remembered that such a plate will gain its strength during operation.

Features of the construction of slab foundation

Before you start the construction, you need to evaluate what a plate foundation is, pluses and minuses of the material. It will be necessary, in addition, to explore the soil in the territory of the work. These manipulations must be carried out in order to determine the thickness of the sand cushion, only after this it is possible to proceed to the creation of the project.

Preparatory work

The process should begin with digging the pit, its depth should be greater than the depth of freezing of the soil. This line will be determined at the stage of geological work, which is more preferable to entrust to professionals. After the sandy flooring is formed, it is necessary to pass to the filling of the drainage cushion, which will consist of gravel. The next stage is preparing the formwork. It should be remembered that the formwork is installed along the entire perimeter of the structure. Among other things, it is necessary to lay the armature, in the process of carrying out these works, a peculiar skeleton must be formed.

Filling the foundation

Sometimes the construction uses a pile-slab foundation, but if you decide to erect a monolithic base, then once the reinforcement frame and formwork are formed, you can proceed to the preparation of the mortar. Pouring of concrete formwork should be done layer by layer, the thickness of each layer should be equal to 15 cm. This is necessary in order to be able to compact concrete using special equipment. Instead, you can use the reinforcement, which is placed in the solution throughout the area.

Varieties of slab foundation

It is possible to distinguish several varieties of plate foundation, which differ in the technology of installation. Thus, the monolithic foundation can be traditional, combined or with a ribbed base. The most difficult to perform is a foundation with ribs, but it provides excellent resistance to the loads and forces of soil heaving. The most common in private construction uses a combined plate, its construction involves the use of special jumpers. The step between the fins of such a substrate must be filled with a solution prepared on the basis of sand and gravel.

Structure of the slab foundation

Reinforcement for the slab foundation must be prepared by all rules. Such a device allows you to distribute the load from the house more evenly, thereby reducing the load on the soil. By building a monolithic foundation, you can make it of different thicknesses. This parameter depends on the characteristics of the soil in the development area, but it is necessary to take into account some other features, for example, the climate. As practice shows, when constructing light buildings for economic purposes, a foundation slab is built, the thickness of which is 10 cm. As for residential buildings, this parameter should be increased to 25 centimeters, while multi-layer reinforcement of the foundation is necessary.

Recommendations for the conduct of preparatory work

The device of the plate foundation requires the need for marking before starting the construction. You need to pick up the territory, and then dig a foundation pit, the depth of which is at least 35 cm. In order to make it easier to compact the preparation, you need to spill it with water, the seal can be produced in several ways, for example, by hand. Over the pillow, you can lay a plastic wrap, which will provide waterproofing. Among other things, polyethylene will exclude the penetration of concrete milk through the formwork.

Conducting the binding of the reinforcement for the slab base

Plate foundation, the technology of which implies the need for reinforcement, should have a correctly connected frame. The binding of the reinforcement should be started only after the formwork has been assembled. Make a frame can be using a steel mesh, the cells of which are equal to 200 x 200 millimeters. Between the layers it is necessary to ensure a distance equal to 10 cm. Between the bottom and the reinforcing cage it is necessary to install fasteners, which are vertically arranged supports. During the binding of the lower layer of the reinforcement, fixing elements should be used, their size being 3.5 cm. They must be brought under the lower layer and mounted between the reinforcing cage. Creating a reinforcing cage is considered a difficult task, for carrying out these works you need to use a special tool in the form of a jack and a crowbar. The assembly will be faster if the fitting is assembled during the mating process. The strength of this system will depend on how well the elements of the framework have been connected. It is not necessary to use a large number of connections, the less of them - the stronger the design will be. Reinforcement should be performed in the end zones. To do this, it is necessary to use steel elements that have a U-shape, with their help you can make the binding of the upper and lower layers of the reinforcement. Monolithic slab foundation only under the recommendations will be durable and durable.