Concrete foundation blocks - features and installation
The foundation is the basis of any structure, so it must be built from durable and durable material. The most reliable option is to build a monolithic concrete foundation, but its construction takes at least a month. The process can be accelerated by using ready-made concrete blocks, although this leads to some increase in the cost of construction, but you can save money by purchasing concrete blocks for the second-hand foundation.
Next, we will look at what this material is, what kind of material it is and how to perform construction using such blocks.
Block features
The foundation blocks are prefabricated reinforced concrete or simply concrete products that are manufactured in concrete goods factories serially. As a rule, their production is carried out at large enterprises, so that work is carried out on well-equipped sites, and technology is monitored by experienced specialists.
As a result, the quality of these products can be much higher than at the base filled in with their own hands, especially if it was not a specialist who was engaged in the work. In the factory it is easier to provide an accurate recipe for the preparation of the solution and the most optimal conditions for its formation and aging.
Also in the manufacture of the panels perform a bookmark high-quality reinforcement, in accordance with existing building codes. Preparation and mixing of the solution is carried out according to technology proven over the years. And the use of vibration equipment eliminates the presence of even the smallest air bubbles in the thickness of the solution.
Large production volumes allow to keep the cost of concrete blocks for the foundation.
Virtues
Among the other advantages of using panels for the foundation are the following points:
| Durability | Thanks to modern manufacturing techniques, the blocks can serve for 50-60 years or more. |
| High build speed | You can build the foundation of a building literally in one day, since there is no need to erect formwork, perform reinforcement and, all the more so, wait for the concrete to solidify. |
| Frost resistance | In the process of manufacturing the material, special additives are added to the concrete, so that it can be used even in areas with a harsh climate. |
| Resistance to aggressive environments | This allows the base to be built in soils where the level of acidity is elevated. |
| Large selection of panels | The dimensions of the concrete blocks for the foundation are of different shapes and designs, which allows you to purchase the most suitable product in a particular case. |
| Environmental friendliness | The material does not contain components harmful to humans. |
| Relatively low price | As mentioned above, the low cost is due to the scale of production. |
disadvantages
Of course, like any other building material, concrete panels have some drawbacks:
| Cost is higher than the monolithic basement | If we compare the cost of the foundation concrete blocks for the cost of ingredients for a monolithic foundation, it turns out that the latter costs 20-30 percent cheaper. However, as mentioned above, construction can be cheaper by buying used material. |
| Installation difficulty | If large panels are chosen for the foundation, then they can be laid only with the help of special construction equipment. |
| The base of the panels contains seams | As a result, the strength of the concrete structure is reduced, in addition, the seams must be protected with waterproofing material, otherwise they will quickly become unusable. |
Types of blocks
All existing reinforced concrete foundation panels are conventionally divided into two types:
- Wall - have a rectangular shape and fit according to the principle of ordinary bricks. As mentioned above, the dimensions of the concrete foundation block can be very different. On their surface there are often protrusions that allow you to more closely and efficiently perform the connection.
- Pillow - In a section have the trapezoid form that allows to increase their basic area. As a rule, they are used in the formation of the bottom row of the base.
Wall panels are of three types:
- FBP - hollow, which is used as a permanent formwork. During construction, their space is poured with concrete. For added strength, voids are reinforced with metal rods. The basis made of such material has the increased durability.
- FBS - this is a solid panel, which are the most common. They are made from silicate or heavy concrete. They are used in the construction of strip and column foundations, as well as in the construction of the walls of the basement floors.
- FBV - solid panels with a special cutout for the passage of communications. If you do not use such blocks, then you will have to drill holes in the concrete to make the connections.
Tip! It is not always advisable to use concrete panels for the foundation. For example, if you build a garage, you can use claydite-concrete blocks for the foundation, which are much cheaper, besides, it is more convenient to work with them.
Foundation construction
Preparatory work
As with the construction of a conventional monolithic foundation, the preparatory work is primarily carried out. Of course, the project is executed first. Then you should find out how much the concrete block for the foundation costs and purchase the material.
Further work will be performed in this order:
- First of all, the marking of the plot is performed, for this the stakes are driven in and the twine is tightened. The markup must be accurate, so all dimensions should be rechecked several times.
- Then excavated trenches for the foundation. Their depth depends on the type of soil and the level of soil freezing, therefore, it is better to entrust the depth calculation to specialists. The width must be greater than the width of the panels, for ease of installation.
- Then a cushion is performed - the bottom of the trenches is filled with sand with a layer of about 15 cm and compacted. At the same time, it is necessary to check the horizontal position of the cushion by the construction level. If necessary, it should be trimmed.
Stacking blocks
Once the trenches are prepared, you can proceed to the laying of the panels.
The instruction is as follows:
- Work begins with the installation of the first row of the foundation. If the size of the panels is small, for example, foundation concrete blocks of 200x200x400 mm are used, then the work can be done independently. Otherwise, you must use a crane.
- Next is preparing a cement-sand mortar in a ratio of 1: 3, which is placed between the rows of the foundation.
- After that, cement is applied to the panels and the second row is laid with bandaging, according to the brickwork principle. The horizontal structure needs to be checked at the building level.
- After the final formation of the base, it is necessary to perform its horizontal and vertical waterproofing. For this, bitumen mastics or rolled materials are used.
Tip! In the process of building the foundation, additional blocks of non-standard size will be needed. To do this, the reinforced concrete is cut with diamond circles.
At this the process of building the foundation is completed, then you can proceed to laying the floor and the construction of walls.
Conclusion
The foundation of concrete blocks has many advantages, with the result that it has become widespread, both in the construction of private houses and high-rise buildings. Of course, the construction of the panels is less durable than a monolithic structure.
However, if you need to obtain a base of increased strength, you can use hollow concrete blocks for the foundation, which are a compromise between the solid base and the foundation of solid blocks. You can get additional information on this topic from the video in this article.