This material is dedicated to pouring a columnar foundation with your own hands with step-by-step instructions. We immediately specify that this design consists of pillars that are installed at the junction of the internal partitions of the building and at its corners. Such foundations are often found in the construction of frame, wooden or foam block houses, as well as other utility rooms (baths, summer kitchens, sheds), which are light in weight.
The technology of their creation is quite simple, so even a novice will be able to install a column foundation with their own hands without the help of professionals. We will tell novice builders how to complete all the steps, and step-by-step instructions will help us with this.
Varieties
To begin with, we note that the supporting columnar foundation can be qualified in several ways. So, according to the manufacturing method, it can be:
- monolithic - that is, created from seamless concrete pillars reinforced with reinforcement;
- prefabricated - consisting of bricks, stone or reinforced concrete blocks;
- wooden - consisting of wooden pillars dug in the ground.
The monolithic foundation is more durable, while the prefabricated one is installed much faster, otherwise the scope and functions are the same. The duration of the operating period of the base is directly affected by the parameters of the deepening, calculated taking into account the characteristics of the soil. Regarding the depth of the bookmark, the foundation can be:
- In-depth. It is mounted 0.5 m below the freezing zone of the soil, it is recommended for clay soil with high humidity.
- Shallow. In this case, the poles are installed in the ground to a depth of 40 to 70 cm. This difference depends on the composition of the soil and the final mass of the building being erected.
- Unfinished columnar foundation. It consists of short supports, the distance between which is 1-2m.
Step by step instructions
- Before making a columnar foundation with a grillage, it is necessary to prepare a site at the site of its installation, for which all vegetation is removed from the intended territory and sod is removed (25-30 cm and 45-50 cm for clay soil). Then all indentations and irregularities are covered with sand and gravel.
- After laying the sand and gravel cushion, mark the dimensions by which the pillar support will be filled with its own hands. At this stage, you need pegs and a cord. With their help, it is necessary to strictly note the distance between future posts (no more than 2 m) according to the scheme. The main rule of this step is accuracy, and it must be strictly observed.
- In order for the columnar foundation of the blocks to be firmly fixed in the ground, you need to dig holes for piles. Depending on the type of soil and base material, the depth can vary from 30 cm or more relative to the bedding limits (gap for sand and gravel cushions). Deep wells (from 1 m) are recommended to be strengthened with special wooden supports.
Further, a step-by-step instruction, according to which a shallow-supported supporting columnar foundation is installed, will differ depending on what design features need to be introduced, as well as on the material of the supporting posts.
A grillage is a structure that is arranged on the surface of the pillars and connects their upper parts to each other. It also serves as the basis for the bearing walls of the building.
Reinforced concrete column foundation with grillage is the most popular among developers, because it is reliable and strong. Here, the pits for the supports should exceed the width of the similar parameters of the columns (the difference between them will be at least 15 cm).In these recesses, it is necessary to install a wooden formwork, which is necessarily reinforced with reinforcement and concrete. After the solution has solidified, the posts are connected by a grillage - reinforced concrete, metal or wooden. This method has its drawbacks, since its manufacturing technology is quite laborious.
Shallow columnar foundation of blocks (20x20x40 cm) has its advantages, but it also has disadvantages. The advantages of such structures include accessibility and ease of installation, and the disadvantages are lower strength compared to the previous version, which is why it is categorically not recommended to be made on moving soils. Their installation technology looks like this:
- the width of the recesses is 40 cm;
- gravel and sand are poured into the pits in layers;
- 4 blocks are installed (one on top of the other), fastened together by a cement mass.
The grillage column foundation of blocks can be installed on a reinforced concrete slab, which serves as an additional support. The advantage of this solution is that it prevents soil subsidence.
Brick support column foundation, as the name implies, is assembled from brick and reinforced with a metal mesh. Such structures are necessarily supplied with roofing or bitumen waterproofing. The basis of asbestos pipes implies the use of fixed formwork. On the same principle, a shallow foundation is assembled from steel pipes or screw piles.
Columnar bases are assembled as follows:
- Wells are drilled in the soil, 5 cm larger in diameter than the piles themselves. If you plan to build a lightweight house, you can limit yourself to supports with a diameter of 20 cm. Before the vertical installation of poles, the bottom of the wells must be tightly packed, and the posts themselves are compacted with sand and earth.
- Concrete is poured to a third of the depth of the piles, then they are lifted so that the mortar evenly covers the bottom and gives the support additional strength.
- A reinforced carcass is placed inside all the pipes so that the rods look 20 cm out of the pit. The remainder of the solution is laid in layers to zero, and the base will be periodically vibrated correctly.
The grillage foundation from the pipes is not recommended to be left unloaded for a long time, otherwise the soil may be pushed out by the piles and their deepening will be uneven. Between the installation of supports and further construction should be no more than 3 days from the moment of solidification of the solution.
Wooden shallow column foundation It is collected from bars previously treated with antiseptic agents. The diameter of the supports should be at least 20 cm, otherwise the house will tilt and quickly collapse. Choosing wood is between oak and conifers. In this case, the depth of penetration will be no less than half a meter.
Useful tips and scope
A shallow columnar foundation is an excellent option for the construction of lightweight structures that create minimal pressure on the ground.
At installation of baths and sheds it is possible not to strengthen support with fittings and not to pour a concrete pillow before their installation.
The block base is not suitable for the construction of heavy, and especially multi-storey buildings, the height and dimensions of which are quite impressive. She does not need laying waterproofing material, so it is ideal for the construction of hozblok. To create the basis of frame houses, it is better to give preference to asbestos or metal pipes, but we must not forget about their reinforcement and concrete pillow.
The grillage columnar and strip foundation is quite difficult to implement, as it consists of two different stages that are fundamentally different from each other. Initially, poles are installed in the drilled wells and reinforced with reinforcement. If this process is carried out correctly, then each pile is able to withstand a load of 10 tons.Then they begin to fill in the tape base, on which the future construction will be based. By the way, it will be possible to erect walls no earlier than in a month, after the solution dries and the monolithic layer acquires the necessary strength.
To avoid mistakes and troubles during the work, and the construction technology was fully observed, experts advise to pay special attention to analysis and calculations, namely:
- determine the depth of the bookmark;
- find out the composition of the soil, the depth of groundwater and the freezing point of the soil;
- calculate the weight of the future building and its load on the soil;
- determine the climatic features of the region.
If you became the owner of a site with heaving soil, it is advisable to put the new building into operation in one season, otherwise it may deform in the cold season.
It is better to start construction in the spring, when the soil is completely thawed, and you will carry out work in the warm season. During their implementation, make sure that no water gets into the trench.
We really hope that our material helped you understand the construction of foundations for houses, baths, gazebos, you noted for yourself all the advantages of such a design and now you can build your own pillar foundation with your own hands.