Foundation concreting: production and casting of formwork,
Increasingly, people are trying to self-concreting the foundation. However, without certain knowledge and step-by-step instructions, this is quite difficult to do. This article will provide recommendations for the implementation of this process.

Required materials and accessories
Before starting work, the instruction demands to check availability of all required materials and tools.
This list includes:
- water, sand, cement and crushed stone (for mortar and cushion);
- concrete mixer where the concrete will be prepared;
- the materials from which the formwork will be made;
- marking tools (cord, pegs, etc.);
- tools for digging the foundation pit and tamping the pillow;
- welding machine and metal rods to create a reinforcing mesh;
- level.

Tip: it is better to prepare everything in advance than to stop the process indefinitely. Take 10 percent more materials, so you will not worry about their lack.
Excavation
To begin with, it is necessary to put labels on the soil surface that will indicate the dimensions of the future building. They can be found in the detailed construction plan (learn here how to build a foundation for an aerated concrete house).
Tip: if you do not know how to concreting the foundations according to SNiP, it’s better to turn to professionals for help.
In addition, on the basis of these parameters, the type of foundation for construction is selected. Most often in houses the basis of tape type is used, it meets all requirements of the price and quality.
After finishing the markup, you can proceed to the most time-consuming process - digging a trench. Its width should be within 600 mm, and the depth depends on the level of soil freezing (usually 700-1200 mm).

The next step is to install the cushion at the bottom of the pit:
- it should consist of several layers of sand and rubble;
- at the same time, after laying out each layer, it must be carefully rammed;
- after reaching the cushion height of 10-15 cm, perform the final tamping and leveling of the surface level.

Production of formwork and mortar
Mandatory part of the foundation of the building is formwork, with which it is achieved compliance with all calculations. For its creation it is best to use removable shields, which will greatly facilitate the process of installing and removing the formwork.
At the same time, they make it possible to simplify the process of making a box for pouring concrete, installed along the walls of the pit. Ordinary boards may also be suitable for making formwork.
Attach them to each other should be ordinary nails. You should have a smooth construction of the required thickness, which will withstand the high pressure of the solution.
Tip: the dismantling of old concrete structures requires great efforts; cutting of reinforced concrete with diamond circles can help in this. It can also be used when creating technological gates in the foundation.

After completion of these works, you can proceed to the preparation of the solution, and here the nuances begin. The cement used for the mortar should have a grade above M-200.
In addition, special requirements are imposed on the quality of sand and rubble. Basically, the cost of concreting the foundation depends on this, as well as the method of execution of works.
Three parts of sand and five parts of rubble are taken for each part of cement. At the same time for each cubic meter of the mixture is used 0.68 cu. m of water. The mixing process is carried out in a concrete mixer until the mixture is homogeneous.
Fill
Before this process, you must create a reinforcing mesh. For its production, 8-10 mm steel rods are used, which must be welded to each other in such a way that square cells with a side of about 150 mm are obtained. After installing the grid, you can begin the process of concreting.

The technology of concreting foundations of the belt type has two main methods of pouring concrete. Let's look at each of them in more detail:
Method 1
It is done by hand. To simultaneously fill the entire foundation will need the help of several people.
It is also important to have at least two concrete mixers that are installed at different ends of the pit.
- Fill in portions, each of which should form a layer of the foundation, with a height of 300-400 mm.
- Carefully spread the solution over the entire surface - this is a very important requirement.
- Condense the mixture, the best option is to use a deep vibrator.
- Make the next layer of mortar after 2 hours, and then repeat the operations until you fill the formwork.
- Align the surface of the last layer well so that it allows you to properly lay the walls in the future..
After this, leave the solution to freeze. This process is completed in about 6 weeks.
Advice: diamond drilling of holes in concrete with professional crowns will help to make communication holes in a solid foundation.
Method 2
With this option, a special tool is used - a mixer. This device helps to carry out the entire process of pouring in just a few hours. Yes, the price of this method will be higher than the previous one, but you can significantly save time.

Concrete mix is poured into the trench through special grooves. This happens quite quickly, so you need to have time to carry out the seal. After filling the solution completely, it is also necessary to ram it and flatten it again.
Working joints
Long breaks during concreting are highly undesirable. The next layer should be laid, while the previous one has not yet managed to harden. This process takes 2-3 hours, so the duration of the breaks should not exceed these periods.
However, in practice it often turns out that it is impossible to comply with such regulations. Very often, breaks are taken for several days, or even weeks. In such situations, you need a device joints.

If to describe in simple words, this is a kind of border between the layers of concrete. Their formation must be taken seriously, the strength of the foundation itself depends on it.
Arranging the working joints, it is necessary to ensure that the separated layers of concrete maximally interlock with each other. This requires a separate preparation of the already frozen surface, which implies its complete purification from water, dirt and other substances.
After this, the cement film is removed on the layer, which has already managed to harden. Its strength and cohesive qualities are quite low, so its removal is necessary.
To do this, you need a powerful pressure of air or water. However, a milling machine is also suitable. More cement film can be removed with acid.
When this process is completed, and there is no cement film on the surface of the frozen concrete, you can continue to lay out a new layer of mortar. After this, it is necessary to carry out work on the waterproofing and heat insulation of working seams. This will significantly increase the operational period of the foundation.
And finally, we should not forget that the foundation is the foundation of the whole house. If it is of poor quality, then the whole building will be like that.
Tip: to create the foundation does not need to choose the cheapest materials. It is better to use proven and recommended professionals.
Conclusion
Многие из нас когда-то пытались делать фундаменты, пусть не для дома, а например, для гаража. Однако не все задумывались о правильной технологии процесса, в результате нередко итог был не таким, который ожидали (см.также статью «Выбираем фундамент под газобетон»).
This article has been told about one type of base - a tape, which is used most often in private housing construction. The video in this article will help you find additional information on this topic.