The Foundation Construction Process Explained

If you are building a basement, you will need to have some understanding of your foundation construction process before you can repair it to a high enough standard to create a room from the basement. Before you can get your repair done, you need to know a lot about how the foundations are constructed, and the different work that is required to make and then maintain a foundation. Learning about the foundation construction process may also help you to understand the particular weaknesses of the foundation, giving you clues to where you should begin the repairs.

Ground Work

Before the basement can be put into position, you will need to start by digging the ground where you want the basement to go. This begins not by using an earth mover, but by testing the earth for compaction, and grading the lot to ensure that it is suitable for building on. Then the earth movers dig large trenches, into which the basement footings are placed. After these have been dug, workmen place devices called batter boards into the basement's floor, as this will ensure that the building is completely level. This work may take around a week to complete, from the very beginnings when the earth is dug up to the laying of the boards in place, and then leaving the entire area to set.

Setting the Foundations

Once the ground has been broken and the basement space excavated, the workmen need to install the rebars, which will help to keep the basement together. These rebars are basic steel bars, which can be used to support concrete, and yet will still be movable in the concrete until the latter sets. These often have safety caps fitted into them, in order to prevent accidents. Rebars are common causes of basement damage, as epoxy or stainless steel bars can become cracked during installation, which will lead to chemical reactions with the concrete. Once the rebars are in, the concrete is poured over the batter boards, and the whole area left to set.

Adding the Walls

Once the concrete is set, the basement walls need to be started. Most modern basements are installed with radiant heat capacity, as cold easily escapes though basement floors and can lead to the home feeling cold. This can be avoided through installing insulated stemwalls. This is begun by setting up a row of polystyrene blocks, which provide the mold for the stemwalls. The stems are then poured into place, and any plumbing or cabling fitting while the stems dry.

Finishing the Basement

Once the stemwalls are finished, the rest of the walls can be fitted. These are often made of breeze blocks, which are simply slotted into place, and then plastered over on the inside. Any pipes or cables are trailed into the usable part of the basement. A concrete basement is poured, and then the basement is left to settle before the rest of the building is framed.