CHOOSING A FOUNDATION

Foundation types vary by region. When deciding which type of foundation to use, consider the cost, climate, and local preferences. The three major foundation types are discussed here.

Concrete Slab

Подпись: SLAB WITH INTEGRAL FOOTINGПодпись: PT sillПодпись: 4-in. (minimum) reinforced slab, continuous with footingПодпись: Footing extends below frost line.Подпись: Moisture barrier Подпись: 4 in. (minimum) of compacted gravel CHOOSING A FOUNDATIONПодпись: Termite shield Slab foundations are popular throughout southern sections of the country and in regions where winter temperatures are mild. A concrete slab is more than a foundation; the slab also serves as the rough or finished floor for the first level of the building. This explains why slab foundations are less expensive than other types. Because concrete has poor in — sulative qualities, slab foundations are often insulated with rigid foam. Plumbing waste lines are typically cast into the slab, so they must be carefully laid out and installed first. Plumbing supply lines can be placed under a slab, and tubes for radiant floor heating can be cast into a slab.

Подпись:Подпись: Wall framing Подпись: Termite shield Подпись: Anchor boltПодпись: PT sillПодпись:Подпись: Vertical rebar Подпись: Footing rebar Подпись:CHOOSING A FOUNDATIONTypes of Slab Foundations

Concrete slabs can be poured inside stem walls that bear on conventional footings. Another construction method is to form and pour the floor and footings together. With this type of slab, the floor is simply thickened at the perimeter of the house (and beneath any load-bearing walls or interior posts) to form the footings. As with other foundations, the footings should extend below the frost line.

Crawl Space

Crawl-space foundations are very compatible with afford­able housing. In humid, high-moisture areas (such as the Southeast and Pacific Northwest), this type of foundation raises the living space off the ground, away from wet soil.

A house built on floor joists over a crawl space provides a more resilient and more comfortable floor than a slab. It also allows for easy access to plumbing pipes, under-floor insula­tion, and electrical wiring. If you are planning a crawl-space foundation, decide whether you want the crawl space to be ventilated (see the sidebar on p. 49).You’ll also need to decide between poured concrete walls and concrete block.

CHOOSING A FOUNDATION

POURED CONCRETE BASEMENT FOUNDATION

Slope away from — y

the foundation 6 in. min.

PT sill

Horizontal rebar 1/2-in. anchor bolt Vertical rebar Foundation coating

4-in. perforated drainpipe

Footing

Horizontal

rebar

Gravel

CHOOSING A FOUNDATION
Подпись: 18 in. minimum between joists and dirt Подпись:Подпись: Vertical rebarCHOOSING A FOUNDATIONПодпись: Floor joist Mudsill Anchor bolt Backfill
Подпись: Slope the top of footing with mortar to shed water.Подпись:Concrete Block versus Poured Concrete Walls

If you have a large crew, like we do on most Habitat projects, it makes sense to build foundation walls with concrete block. All you need are a couple of experienced masons and enough volunteers to keep them supplied with blocks and mortar as they work their way around and up, course by course. A crawl-space foundation can be completed in just a couple of days. When building walls with concrete block, it’s easy to form beam pockets and openings for vents, doors, and windows. And by switching to a smaller block just below the planned grade level, you can create a ledge for brick veneer on the outside.

If you want a full basement and you don’t have a Habitat-size crew, poured concrete is the way to go. Most basement foundations are built with poured concrete walls that are formed and poured by foundation contractors.

Подпись: ENSURING PROPER DRAINAGE We need water. We just don't need it in our basements or under our floors, causing dampness, mold, and rot. We may not be able to hold back the Mississippi when it floods, but we can control most of the rainwater that falls around our homes. Follow the guidelines below and you'll stand a good chance of keeping water on the out-side of your foundation. Подпись: Don't build on the lowest part of the lot. Seal all holes around the pipes that go through the concrete. Install perforated drainpipes at the bottom of the concrete foot-ings around the outside of the foundation (see the photo below). Coat the foundation walls with a suitable damp-proofing or wa-terproofing treatment. Check with builders in your area or the local building department to find out which foundation coatings are recommended.Tar coatings are inexpensive but not as effective as more recently developed waterproofing treatments. Compact loose fill as you backfill around the foundation, but be careful, because excessive compaction can damage masonry walls. Make sure that the finished grade (ground level) slopes away from the foundation. But remember that loose fill can settle. A finished grade that slopes away from the house may later slope toward the house should settling occur. ■ Use gutters and downspouts to manage high roof water run-off. Make sure you keep gutters unclogged and install down-spouts to direct water away from the house. ■ Get advice from your building department.The time to protect your house from water infiltration is while you are building. Fixing a leaky basement or a damp crawl space after the house has been built can be Подпись:CHOOSING A FOUNDATION

an ICF system, laying up foundation walls doesn’t demand back-breaking labor. Even so, many homebuilders still prefer to hire a foun­dation contractor to take on this phase of the construction project, and there’s nothing wrong with that choice. The important thing is to begin building on a base that’s level, square, and guaranteed to remain solid and stable for many years to come.

STEP 1 FORM AND POUR THE FOOTINGS

Thick, solid, and strong, footings evenly spread the weight of the house (and everything inside it) over a wide area, ensuring that the finished house does not settle. With some slab foundations, it’s possible to pour the footings and the slab at the same time. In other cases, the footings and the slab must be formed and poured separately. In many areas, a footing inspection by the building department is required; this must be done before the foundation walls are built.

Footings must be set on solid, undisturbed earth, not on fill dirt. Local soil conditions determine the depth and design of footings. In areas of the country where the ground freezes solid in the winter, footings must extend below the frost line, which can be 4 ft. or deeper in northern regions. This prevents the freeze-thaw cycle from moving the foundation, cracking it, and causing damage throughout the entire house. The building department in your area will know the footing depth that is required. They’ll also know about local soil conditions that may require a larger size footing or the use of rebar (steel reinforcing rod) in the footing.

Forms for footings

Footings are typically poured in temporary forms constructed from plywood or 2x lumber. Wood stakes and braces hold the forms in posi­tion. The top edges of the footing forms must be level, and the footings must be set to the dimen­sions specified on the plans. A ready-mix truck is called in to fill the footings with concrete. If
the site conditions make it difficult or impos­sible for the truck to get close to the forms, a mobile concrete pumper can be brought in to pump the concrete from the truck to the forms. Check with your building department about code requirements for footings. It also may be necessary to embed vertical rebar in the footings so that the upper part of the reinforcing rods can extend into the foundation wall.

Updated: 12 ноября, 2015 — 10:51 пп