How to make concrete for the foundation - the main process
Any construction begins with foundation work. This stage is rather difficult, moreover, on how well the work was done, the strength of the entire building as a whole depends; shrinkage or deformation of the structure can cause cracking or even destruction of the walls. As part of this review, we will look at how to make concrete for the foundation with your own hands and achieve the best result.
What components and devices will be needed for work
Even before the start of work, it is important to prepare everything that is necessary in order not to waste time afterwards.
From the materials we need the following:
- Cement is the most important component that determines the strength properties of the foundation.. For work it is best to choose the brand M500 as the highest quality and reliable. Many people buy M400 cement due to the fact that its price is lower, but this is a very dubious decision, since, due to lower characteristics, it needs to be added more, which threatens to increase overall costs.
- The second component is building sand; coarse-grained, well-washed, without soil and silt impregnations are best suited, since they reduce the quality of the mortar and cause cement overrun by 15-20%. An excellent solution would be river sand, its cost is lower than other options, while the properties are no worse, and even better than most.
- The third most important component - rubble. It is better to choose the option of solid rocks with a size of stones not exceeding 4 centimeters. Again, crushed stone must be clean, without chernozem and plant fragments, in extreme cases, the fraction may be larger, it will simply complicate mixing, but the strength will be sufficient.
- Do not forget about the water, you should stock up enough, as the volume of its consumption is quite large. Do not use dirty water from natural waters: sludge and sand contained in it, reduces the strength of concrete and increases the consumption of cement.
- Another important component is additives for concrete, especially their use is important when working at low temperatures.. The antifreeze component will not allow the concrete to freeze and will ensure its quick setting and a set of high strength characteristics in a short time.
You will also need equipment:
- You can also mix concrete manually if the amount of work is small, but it is best to purchase or rent a concrete mixer. With its help, the workflow is greatly simplified, in addition, you can mix the concrete much better. And there will be no problem how to make concrete for the foundation yourself, as it is very difficult both to interfere and pour the mortar.
- You will also need shovels, buckets or other devices with which the concrete will be transported to the place of use. Since the material is very heavy, the tool must be durable and reliable.
How to organize a workflow
If all you need is already there, you can start work. First, trenches must be excavated for the foundation, they must be deep enough to have white sand at the bottom and rather wide to support the weight of the future structure.
Preparation of the solution
The most commonly used variant of concrete is the brand M150 and M200. The proportions of sand and crushed stone depend on the brand of cement, their values are presented in the table:
| Concrete M150 | Concrete M200 | |
| Cement M400 | 1 part cement, 3.5 parts sand, 5.7 parts crushed stone | 1 part cement, 2.8 parts sand, 4.8 parts crushed stone |
| Cement M500 | 1 part of cement, 4.5 parts of sand, 6.6 parts of crushed stone | 1 part cement, 3.5 parts sand, 5.6 parts crushed stone |
Note! For the best concrete quality, approximately 50-60% of the total volume of the remaining elements is required. It is important to achieve the perfect consistency: the solution must be sufficiently elastic, while not sticking to the metal spade.
Consider how to mix concrete for the foundation using a concrete mixer:
- First, you need to familiarize yourself with the rules of operation of the equipment, it is good when there is an instruction, but even if it is not there, you can carry out an inspection yourself: check the electrical cord and buttons for integrity, and check the cleanliness of the drum.
- First, half of the required rubble and about 80% of the required volume of water is loaded into the tank. After that, the concrete mixer is turned on, and sand and cement are gradually added to it, and after the remaining rubble. Then the solution should be mixed for at least another minute, after which it is checked for quality and consistency; if necessary, water is added in small portions.
- After the end of mixing using a simple mechanism, the drum is tilted — and the concrete is unloaded into buckets, stretchers, or a construction wheelbarrow.
Foundation casting
It is best to pour the solution in one day, but this is not always the case.
Therefore, it is worth remembering a few simple rules:
- In order to achieve maximum strength, it is necessary to properly structure the structure. The easiest way to do this is with rebar thickness from 10 to 12 millimeters. Elements are interconnected using soft knitting wire.
Remember! The bars of the reinforcement should be located no closer than 5 centimeters from the surface, so that the moisture penetrating the material does not cause metal corrosion.
If you get ready-made mortar, you should know how to choose concrete for the foundation. First, it should be purchased from a trusted manufacturer with good reviews, and secondly, the concrete grade should be at least M200, so that there are no issues with durability.
Conclusion
Work on the preparation of concrete and pouring it is very simple, but still require care and accurate implementation of all recommendations. The video in this article will clearly show some moments of the workflow.