Red brick and concrete foundation. How to make a brick foundation. Brick strip foundation

Red brick has been used for building for quite a long time, however, despite the fact that many others have been released building materials, it is successfully used for the construction bearing walls houses, as well as for the foundation, although this is now done less often than before. If you opted for this material and decided to make a brick foundation with your own hands, then it is important to know in what conditions it can be used, and what types of foundations are made with it.

What you need to know about soil

Different sites, even in the same area, can significantly differ in the type of soil. Let's name a few types:

Heaving.
Medium heaving.
Non-porous.

To understand what kind of soil is on the site, you need to know how it differs. Heaving is called soil, which, freezing, increases in volume. This phenomenon occurs because ice crystals appear in it. This is facilitated by both the composition and the level ground water, and the composition of the soil, consisting of pebbles, sand, clay and gravel. The level of heaving of the soil depends on the size of the particles of which it consists. The values are mutually proportional - the highest heaving is in the soil with smaller particles that make up its composition, but accurate data on the quality and composition of the soil can only be obtained in the laboratory.

Brick selection

Most often used for these purposes is a used brick left after the dismantling of a building. This is generally not bad, as it has stood the test of time, but you need to consider that now it will have to be in a humid environment. Therefore, perforated or slotted red bricks cannot be used for these purposes. The ideal option there will be the use of solid burnt red brick (ceramic). It is resistant to moisture, durable, but additional waterproofing is required, which will significantly extend its service life.

What is the difference between red clay brick and silicate brick? Based on manufacturing silicate brick a special breed is taken, which is pressed and baked under steam with high pressure. This makes the silicate brick able to withstand very heavy loads, but provided that there is no moisture. Such a brick in the water becomes limp, losing strength and shape. Red clay brick is fired in special kilns, becoming an artificial stone that is not afraid of moisture. This technology is similar to the technology of obtaining ceramics. In essence, they are related, therefore, in order to make a brick foundation, facing brick is also suitable, unless, of course, the plant guarantees that it is resistant to moisture.

Device depending on the type of soil

After determining the type of soil, you can choose a suitable foundation for it and begin preparatory work.

Most Better conditions for building a brick foundation with your own hands are possible only on non-porous and dry soils. Such a device is most often used for those under construction, for the most part single-story buildings, the foundation can serve more than 25 years.

An ideal option for non-rocky soil would be a shallow strip foundation. On soil with medium heaving, you can make a columnar foundation (for light buildings), and on heaving soil, you need to make a deep strip foundation, digging a trench deeper than the freezing level of the soil.

Strip foundation

Since non-rocky soil is not common, we will consider how to make in-depth strip and column foundations on our own.

For the first one you need:

Dig a trench to the desired depth.
At its bottom, make a sand cushion and compact it tightly.
Make waterproofing of the sole of the base.
Make a concrete base.
Lay brick with reinforcement. The cement layer should be minimal.

Only in this case, a properly made foundation will not be afraid of deformations, respectively, the costs for it will also be increased, but this is not the case when you can save or experiment.

Particular attention should be paid to reinforcement. For these purposes, steel bars Ø 6-8 mm are used, which must be completely hidden in the cement mortar, otherwise they will quickly rot. It is necessary to make 2 belts of 2 rods in each, at a distance of half a brick from the edge, and bend the ends at the corners so that perpendicular rods can be tied to them with an overlap, but their length must be at least 30 cm.

The columnar foundation made of bricks is done a little differently.

The device of such a foundation, as well as a strip foundation, can be made shallow or on weak heaving soils with a deepening made below the freezing depth. In any of these cases, the brick column is able to withstand a very large load.

Column Foundation

Let's start in order:

Under each pillar, you need to dig a hole 1 × 1 m. The depth is determined by the type of soil and the required foundation capacity, calculated on the mass of the structure.
Fill the bottom of the hole with sand and tamp it down.
Level the site with mortar to a horizontal level.
Lay roofing material over the screed. This will serve to protect the brick from moisture penetrating from below.
Directly on the roofing material, which plays the role of waterproofing, build a brick column.

In the same way, all columns are made that can be made rectangular or square. To improve strength, it would be nice to lay a reinforcing mesh every 3-4 rows of masonry. The most powerful pillars (51 × 51 cm) are made at the corners of the future building, others can be made smaller (38 × 38 cm), with an interval of 1.5-2 m. The height of the column above ground level is made within 15-20 cm, it is plastered , and after drying it is coated with hot bitumen. We lay roofing material on each column and begin to build. Remember that all posts must be at the same level.

The columnar foundation cannot be left unloaded for a long time, because the processes occurring in the soil can deform them. Therefore, if its construction is started in the summer, then do not leave it unloaded for the winter. Try to finish mounting the main structures at temperatures above zero.

For private developers who do not have much experience in construction, a brick strip base may not seem reliable enough. However, when right choice material, performing accurate calculations and observing construction technology, you can build a reliable, strong and durable brick foundation of a strip type.

Advantages and disadvantages of a brick foundation

Before choosing a brick foundation, you should become more familiar with the disadvantages and advantages of this type of construction.

From a large number of advantageous points, the following can be distinguished:

Simple erection. A brick foundation can be built without the involvement of special construction equipment, while the work can be done by one person or a team of several workers.
plasticity of the structure. The foundation, consisting of many small elements, is more mobile than a monolithic foundation. Therefore, soil movements will have little effect on the brick foundation.
Possibility of repair separate fragments without dismantling the entire foundation.
Versatility. It is possible to build a structure of any configuration from a brick.

You also need to know about the disadvantages of a brick foundation:

The construction of such a foundation requires a lot of effort and time, the speed of construction is very low.
Compared to other types of foundation, a brick foundation is characterized by a high cost.
Due to the high hygroscopicity of the material, a brick foundation requires mandatory waterproofing.
Possibility of construction only on dry and stable soils.
The service life of a brick base is about half a century, which is relatively short compared to a concrete structure.

Material selection rules

Having made a choice in favor of a brick foundation, it should be understood that brick will be the main building material. Therefore, the strength and reliability of the entire structure will depend on its quality.

First you need to figure out what types of this artificial stone exist and how they are characterized.

Brick is silicate and clay, in the first case the material has White color, in the second - red. For the construction of the foundation, red brick is used, so this material should be studied in more detail.

The red brick is made of baked clay, so it is highly durable. There are several types of this material:

Refractory or fireclay bricks are more suitable for building stoves, fireplaces and chimneys.
Facial or decorative brick characterized by lightness and high thermal insulation properties which explains its use as a facing material.
An ordinary red brick, in turn, is divided into solid and hollow elements. Solid bricks are used for the construction of the basement and the foundation base, walls and partitions are built from hollow stones.

When building a foundation, both types of bricks can be used. The underground part of the foundation is erected from red stones, as they are more resistant to compression and soil moisture. White brick can be used for the construction of the above-ground part of the foundation, basement and upper floors, but on condition that the construction is carried out on dry ground with deep groundwater.

When choosing a brick for the foundation, the main attention is paid to the grade of the material, while two parameters are taken into account:

M - possible load per 1 cm 2 of the element. It is best to build a foundation from a brand of brick above M-150.
F - frost resistance. This parameter shows how many freeze and thaw cycles a brick can withstand. For the construction of the base, brick with frost resistance above F-35 is suitable.
Water absorption coefficient. For laying the underground part of the foundation, a material with an indicator of 6 to 16% is used.

The dimensions of the brick are also taken into account when choosing a material; you can build a foundation from a standard stone having the following dimensions:

Single ordinary elements have a size of 25 * 12 * 6.5 cm (length * width * height, respectively).
The size of the thickened bricks is 25*12*8.8 cm.
The size of modular stones is slightly different in length and width and is equal to 28.8 * 13.8 * 6.5 cm.
Modular thickened bricks have a size of 28.8 * 13.8 * 8.8 cm.

The quality of the brick is the most important criterion that can be determined by visual inspection:

If the production technology is violated, the bricks will have an uneven color, too bright or faded color.
The brick already in use is characterized by uneven edges, easily crumbles. It is possible that such elements have been subjected to freezing and thawing, so they may not withstand a significant load.
Brick for the foundation should not quickly absorb moisture, in which case there is a possibility of rapid destruction of the base.
For good adhesion to the mortar, quality bricks have corrugated sides.

Brick strip foundation construction technology

You can build a brick strip base with your own hands, if you follow the following instructions:

First, they dig a trench, its depth depends on the level of soil freezing, and the width should allow waterproofing to be laid on both sides of the tape. In some cases, backfilling may be required, resulting in an additional increase in the width of the trench.
At the bottom of the trench, sand is poured in a layer of 10-15 cm, moistened and compacted. The resulting pillow is leveled using building level.
The next step is to lay the waterproofing material. These can be sheets of roofing felt, folded in several layers, but it is best to use modern polymeric materials. Waterproofing should cover the bottom and walls of the trench. Read our detailed articles about and also about.
Then formwork is installed and a concrete pad 10 cm high is poured. The pad is designed to increase the bearing capacity of the foundation, so the possibility of reinforcing the concrete layer is not ruled out. However, it should be remembered that the total cost of the foundation in this case increases significantly.
After the concrete has completely hardened, they begin to lay bricks. First, the corners are removed, and then the laying of the rows continues with the obligatory dressing of the seams.
After completing the masonry work, you should stop the procedure for building the foundation for 2-3 weeks. During this time, the solution should completely set.
continuation construction works becomes . This stage is especially important for areas with closely spaced groundwater. Backfilling is done around the entire perimeter of the foundation, filling the space between the walls of the trench and the brick foundation. Gravel, crushed stone, coarse sand or construction debris are used as a filler.
To protect the foundation from atmospheric precipitation, a beating is done. To do this, pour concrete mortar soil around the perimeter of the foundation, making a slight slope from the house.
Before the direct erection of walls, the upper horizontal surface of the brick foundation is covered with a layer of waterproofing and thermal insulation.

Pillar foundation made of bricks

A brick foundation of a columnar type is being built using the following technology:

For each support in the form of a pillar of bricks, it is necessary to make a hole. The width can be standard, 100 * 100 cm, and the depth is determined depending on the level of groundwater and the mass of the main structure.
The bottom of each recess is leveled, compacted and covered with a small layer of sand, which is also carefully compacted.
The sandy platform at the bottom of the hole is poured with liquid concrete and the surface is leveled, checking the horizontalness with a building level.
The cement screed is covered with roofing felt to prevent the penetration of soil moisture to the brickwork.
Directly on the roofing material, they begin to build a brick structure, while the column can have a rectangular or square shape. The strength characteristics of the columnar foundation are increased by laying a reinforcing mesh between rows of bricks. The area of the column is selected individually, but taking into account the following factors: corner posts should be the most powerful, their size can be 51 * 51 cm. 2 meters. Each brick column should rise 15-20 cm above ground level.
Further work involves plastering the surface of each support and waterproofing with molten bitumen. A sheet of roofing material is laid on the surface of each pillar, which will protect the walls of the house from the negative effects of soil moisture.

Brick foundation is great for building small buildings at the cottage or personal plot. At the same time, all work can be done independently, it is enough to follow the technology of the construction process and choose the right material for work.

Red brick has been invented and successfully used as a building material for more than one century. But few people know that it has been used for the construction of foundations for a long time.

Brick, despite the abundance of building materials, is still used as a base material for light, one-story buildings.

This material is not ideal, and the construction of the sole from it small house or baths, a process that is quite laborious and not the fastest.

Another important drawback is the high cost of bricks.

Such a foundation can be built exclusively on non-rocky and dry soils, so most developers are not even considered.

But subject to the technology of its construction, and correctly executed waterproofing works, such a sole, be it small a private house, cottage or bath, can serve faithfully up to 25 years.

We will learn about all the intricacies of building a brick foundation.

Choosing a construction method

A brick foundation is often made using a tape method, since it is the tape sole that is the most durable and economical.

The answer suggests itself if we are talking about a brick foundation.

But not simple, but red full-bodied burnt brick, which is not afraid of moisture.

It is resistant to high humidity and is not afraid of high loads, but only if it is of proper quality and additional waterproofing.

Often used bricks are used for the foundation, left after the dismantling of buildings, it is cheap and time-tested.

In no case should silicate (white) building, or slotted red bricks be used for the foundation.

Silicate - has good strength, but is completely unsuitable for use in conditions of high humidity.

Slotted - practically not afraid of moisture, but fragile, and can withstand fairly small loads.

Calculation of the required amount of materials

You should know that masonry is measured in cubic meters. For 1m3 brickwork, as a rule, you will need 513 bricks.

If we subtract the thickness of the solution from here, it turns out that for 1 m3 of masonry, about 400 pieces are needed. bricks.

And the volume of the tape can be found by multiplying its length by the width and the planned height.

Stages and construction technology

Consider a strip buried foundation made of bricks, made on heaving soil. (This soil type is the most common)

Stage one: markup and excavation. Dig a trench to a depth below freezing ground. The width of the tape depends on the moisture content of the soil. The wetter, the wider the tape.
Make a sand cushion at the bottom of the finished trench. Take Special attention careful tamping. Use only coarse-grained sand for the sand cushion.
The next step will be the device of the concrete base of your future foundation. For this you need. The thickness of the concrete base is usually about 10 cm, so the formwork must be of this height. The width of the base should be half the width of the tape. Don't forget a layer of waterproofing between and concrete base foundation. As a waterproofing, we recommend using roofing material.
A few days after pouring concrete, you can start laying. Brick laying of the foundation is carried out on cement-sand mortar, in a ratio of 1:3, and can be performed with any dressing, most often with a standard dressing. When erecting a brick base, two reinforcement belts are used. The first is done between the first and second row of bricks, and the second armored belt is made in front of the last row of masonry. Suitable for reinforcement steel or composite reinforcement, 6-8 mm thick.
After about 2 weeks, you can start waterproofing and insulating the walls of the foundation.

Waterproofing - quick and easy

This procedure is simple and can be done with your own hands by almost any home craftsman.

The waterproofing of the sole walls is carried out by coating it with bituminous materials, followed by gluing it with roofing material.

Although you can use any method of waterproofing foundations suitable for concrete bases.

When filling the sole with earth or construction debris, be careful not to damage the waterproofing layer.

Strengthening the existing foundation

The old brick foundation, in which cracks have appeared, does not have to be redone, it can be repaired.

The easiest way to reinforce the sole is to make the so-called bulls.

First of all, you need to make a reinforcing frame from a reinforcing bar or knitting wire. Experts recommend doing it with cells of 20x20x20 cm.

We dig holes so as to expose the corners of the foundation. The depth of the pit should be 50 cm more than the depth of the sole. We put a reinforcing frame in the prepared trenches and fill the entire structure with concrete.

Before making a brick foundation, think carefully, because strength depends on a number of factors in which the quality of the material and soil is one of the first places.

Brick is the main material used in construction, without which no building takes place. In addition to the construction of walls, it is also used in the construction of foundations.

The brick foundation is used in the construction of terraces, cottages, cottages, houses from reinforced concrete slabs. It has a number of important advantages:

not subject to natural factors, and does not harm human health;
do-it-yourself brick foundation is laid out quickly. A person can independently cope with this work (with certain skills, of course).
the cost of brickwork is much less than the reinforced concrete base;
better thermal insulation than reinforced concrete slabs;
masonry is much easier to repair. Damaged foundation elements are easier to remove and insert new ones.
in the brick base there are no volumetric monolithic slabs, and in a situation where the soil begins to move, it will not collapse, but will only lose its rigidity;
durability.

With many advantages, the brick foundation has several disadvantages:

porous structure, therefore, due to the ingress of moisture, the brick can freeze strongly;
masonry will have to be insulated;
the work of building a foundation is laborious, involves a large investment of time and effort.

Types of brick foundations

At self construction foundation, it is necessary to take into account the type of structure and soil: the soil can settle under the weight of the building, deform under the influence of temperature changes and the presence of water, which, when frozen, expands and pushes the base outward - all this affects the choice of the type of foundation.

The choice of variety depends on the expected load on the soil. Brick foundation is of two types:

columnar;
tape.

Features of laying a columnar foundation

This type of foundation is suitable for the construction of cottages, baths, terraces, open verandas or summer houses, which will not significantly load the masonry.

Brick columns are installed in the corners of the building - there will be places where the load-bearing walls intersect. It is advisable to place them along the entire structure every 2 meters. The pillars are mounted in a square-shaped pit measuring 1x1 meter and the same depth. The bottom is covered with sand, which is then wetted with water and compacted. This is necessary for the formation of a kind of platform, since it will not allow the column to sink into the soil. Next, the pit is covered with crushed stone or gravel to a depth of 20-30 cm. There is no need to tamp it down hard, otherwise the water will not pass freely and the soil will begin to swell during frost. A layer of gravel or crushed stone is leveled with a solution, after hardening, put roofing material. It is advisable to make several layers - this will improve the waterproofing.

After the preparatory stage is completed, you can begin the execution of the brickwork itself. The columnar foundation for the terrace involves the use of columns with dimensions of 2x2 bricks, which are laid in the following sequence:

2 rows of 2 bricks along the axis;
2 bricks across;
4 along;
2 across;
2 along;
4 across;
2 along;
2 across.

The seams that were formed in the process must be filled with a solution. Then the masonry is plastered and a waterproofing layer is installed. It can be bitumen or roofing material - they will reliably protect the brick from the harmful effects of moisture and rapid destruction.

Construction of a strip base made of bricks

If buildings are supposed to have walls that give a heavy load - a covered veranda with a terrace or a bathhouse with an extension - then it is better to choose a strip foundation. To do this, a trench 1 m wide is dug along the entire length of the future structure. In the case of wet soil or high groundwater, the width of the ditch should not be 1 m more than that of the building being erected (this is necessary for installing drainage). The preparatory steps are the same as when draining a columnar base: sand is poured onto the bottom, watered and compacted.

Then the formwork is laid out from the boards, the width of which is 15-20 cm larger than the strip foundation itself, and the height is 15 cm. The bottom of the formwork is covered with waterproofing, poured over concrete mix. The solution layer must be well leveled using a building level. The concrete will set in a few days and after it has hardened, you can start laying the strip base. Masonry should rise in ledges, bricks should be laid in a dressing. Reinforcement made of bars or meshes is necessarily placed between the two lower and upper rows - this will make the foundation more durable.

What brand of brick to choose for construction?

When choosing a brick for building a foundation with your own hands, it is worth considering the type of foundation: underground or aboveground. For the first, it is better to choose red, burnt. It practically does not shrink and does not absorb or accumulate water. The laying of the foundation of red brick will serve for a long time without repair work. If the base is ground or it is necessary to arrange the basement and upper floors, you can use white brick. But here it is worth considering the type of soil on which it is placed. It should not be wet and have groundwater lying close to the upper layers.

Bricks with voids inside should not be used in construction, as they are adversely affected high humidity and under prolonged loads, they can be deformed.

When choosing a brick for a foundation device (both columnar and strip), you should pay attention to the following factors:

the best brands have numbers M150, M175, M200, M250 and M300;
resistance to low temperatures should be in the range of 35-50 cycles;
if you need a brick for a base that will be located underground, consider the moisture absorption rate. Well, if it is not less than 6% and not more than 16%.

Features of brick foundations

Whatever type of foundation you prefer, do not forget about some factors, given which you will create a strong, reliable masonry:

Choose the right materials for masonry. The higher their quality, the stronger the foundation will be.
The denser the structure of the material, the greater the thermal conductivity of the base.
If the space between the rows of bricks is poorly filled, they will freeze and blow through, which will also increase heat loss through the foundation.

The construction of a small country house can be completely done independently. Under such a house, a brick foundation is made. The main thing is to have a general idea of the process itself.

Brick is a familiar, relatively inexpensive, time-tested material. To work with it during the construction of small buildings: houses, utility or work premises, gazebos, etc., you will not have to involve a large number of people and use heavy construction equipment. This is the main advantage of bricks in self-construction. However, in order to obtain a reliable, durable and neat building as a result of such construction, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with some important points to avoid making hard-to-fix mistakes.

A little about the properties of the soil

Before erecting any building: residential or commercial, it is necessary to carefully study the properties of the soil in the selected area. This is an important point in planning. The choice of the main construction technology depends on the properties of the soil, the need for additional work and much more.

The main property of the soil, taken into account when planning construction, is its heaving, i.e., the ability to expand upon freezing due to the formation of ice crystals inside the soil. It depends on the level of groundwater, climate, soil composition.

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The choice of brick for the foundation

If you are going to make a brick foundation with your own hands, you should remember that for this it is best to use red burnt solid brick. Such a brick has high strength, moisture resistance, durability. It is undesirable to build a foundation of red perforated or silicate brick, especially on heaving soil. Such bricks are easily saturated with moisture, lose their shape and gradually collapse. To reduce the cost of the foundation, you can use for its construction the brick left after the dismantling of buildings, or burnt brick, which has small shape defects.

Heaving can be high, medium or low. Experts from the soil laboratory will help to accurately determine its level and other properties of the soil on the site, who will conduct a complete analysis of the composition, moisture content and other properties of the soil using special equipment.

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We start construction

The tools needed to build a brick foundation must be prepared in advance so as not to interrupt work due to the absence of any of them. You will need the following fixtures:

tape measure or laser rangefinder;
bubble building level;
plumb or laser level;
hammer;
pick;
Master OK;
cord;
shovel;
order;
tanks for preparation and carrying of solutions from concrete and cement.

From the materials you will need:

brick;
sand;
cement;
concrete;
water.

It is better to take all materials with a small margin, which is caused by the presence of errors in the calculations, the thickness of the binder layer and deviations in the geometric dimensions of the brick. It is desirable to use coarse river sand with a low moisture content. Before preparing the solution, sand and cement must be sifted to prevent getting into cement mortar foreign objects and debris.

In order for the foundation to be stable and durable, and the construction on it durable, it is necessary to carefully prepare for its construction. Main preparatory stages are:

Selection of a specific site for construction.
Determination of soil properties.
Design.
Marking the perimeter of the building with pegs and wire.
Determining the quantity and purchasing the necessary materials.
Preparation of tools and fixtures for future work.

When drafting future construction it is necessary to take into account its estimated weight, area, location of load-bearing walls and internal partitions and some other data.

You can entrust the drafting of the project to a specialist or use the standard option. This will avoid many difficulties and mistakes.

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Types of brick foundations and their main properties

The brick foundation can be made tape or columnar. On dense and dry soil, the foundation can be shallow.

If the soil is medium-heavy, then the depth of laying the foundation should be approximately 0.3 - 0.5 m below the freezing level of the soil. Especially with periodic changes in the groundwater level.

The type and depth of the foundation is also determined taking into account the severity of the future construction. A deep-lying strip foundation made of bricks is necessary for heavy buildings. It is quite possible to erect a light building on a columnar brick foundation.

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Column Foundation

When marking out a site for future construction on a columnar foundation, it should be remembered that brick pillars must be erected at the corners of the future house and at the places where the carriers pass. internal walls. Additional poles must be erected every 2 meters. The shape of the pillars can be square or rectangular, approximately 40x40 cm in size. Corner pillars need to be made bigger size, 51x51 cm.

Under each brick pillar, a pit with an area of 1 m² is required. Its depth is calculated taking into account the nature of the soil, the severity of the future structure, which determines the required foundation power. At the bottom of the pit, a sand cushion is constructed from compacted river sand. applied over the sand cement strainer to level the site. The screed is covered with a waterproofing material (for example, roofing material) to prevent the penetration of moisture from the ground.

A brick pillar is laid out on top of the waterproofing. The elevated height of the column must be at least 15 - 20 cm. In this case, all the columns must be of the same height so that the foundation is even. Finished poles are covered with plaster and heated bitumen. A layer is applied to the surface of the pillars waterproofing material. After the columnar foundation is ready, you need to start building the house for which it was made. If brick pillars are left unloaded for a long time, the foundation may deform due to various soil processes.