Materials for repairing the basement of a house. Causes of destruction of basement structures

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If problems arise with the base, then to correct the situation and perform basic construction works, a person does not need to have any skills of a highly qualified specialist in finishing works. A general understanding of how the installation of facing materials took place and what fixing compounds were used is sufficient. Since basement repairs may be needed at any time, it is advisable to prepare for this in advance.

If the owner of the house has not previously delved into such nuances, he must, first of all, understand that the plinth is the distance from the ground to the wall of the structure. It can sometimes occupy an entire floor or just a foundation that protrudes half a meter above the ground.

The main reasons for the destruction of the basement of a house

If over time a crack appears on the base of the structure or fungus has formed, this indicates that the master made mistakes when carrying out facing work, which have now caused global problems. Also, sometimes experts ignore design standards, which would be sufficient to avoid such complications in the first years of operation of the building.

Over time, the basement will need to be repaired

The main causes of basement destruction include the following:

  1. House shrinkage. Such processes depend on the soil; the total weight of the building plays an important role. The largest subsidences are observed in brick multi-apartment buildings.
  2. Poor quality blind area. If you neglect the necessary technologies for making a blind area, this will certainly lead to problems with the foundation in the future.
  3. Groundwater. If the flow depth was not taken into account when creating the project groundwater and no waterproofing measures were taken, this will also provoke erosion. If the owner of the house is going to build the foundation himself, it is better to use the services of professionals. Only they will be able to correctly assess the situation and determine the depth of groundwater flow.
  4. Design standards were violated. Quite often, builders do not take into account the insulation of the foundation, as well as waterproofing. But such problems mainly happen to people who, without the necessary experience, try to build on their own. In the future, this will certainly lead to the formation of fungi and freezing of the entire structure. In turn, this will also provoke destruction of a certain degree of severity.

In this video you will learn more about basement repair:

Types of base repairs and description of the technological process

There are 3 main types of repairs to the basement of a building, namely:

  • capital;
  • current;
  • cosmetic.

In some cases, when the work does not fall under one of these types, it is necessary to perform a partial restoration of the blind area. In any of these situations, a person should at least be familiar with the peculiarities of carrying out this type of work.

Partial restoration of the base and blind area

To partially restore the base and blind area, you must perform the following steps:

  1. Clean the facade of the building, which requires restoration work, from fungus, dirt and dust, priming the gorges and recesses.
  2. Next, using dowels, the exhaust mesh is attached so that it does not go beyond the edges of the recess. Now on problem area You can apply a layer of plaster mortar, adhering to the level of the base.
  3. If the voids are too large, you should first prepare bricks of suitable size and fill these recesses with mortar. After the area has been restored, it should be moistened with water and waterproofing material should be applied in two layers.
  4. After the surface is completely dry, the plaster can be applied.


If partial subsidence of the blind area occurs, the damaged area is removed and crushed stone, gravel and sand are added, compacting the soil. Next, the formwork is installed, and the surface is poured with concrete so that the level does not exceed intact and undamaged areas. If an ordinary crack has formed, without subsidence, it can simply be rubbed with cement mortar.

Current repair of the basement

Routine renovation of the basement means that the cladding will be updated, as well as the waterproofing layers. Wear often occurs quickly due to the fact that the base part is always located in the most aggressive environment and takes on various technical and atmospheric loads. To avoid such problems, it is necessary to periodically diagnose and update minor damage.

Major renovation

To produce major renovation, the first thing to do is pour a new blind area. After the space has been cleared, it is worth digging a trench, the depth of which will be 35-45 cm. The width is chosen at the discretion of the owner of the house. The lower 20-25 cm are covered with sand, as well as crushed stone, and compacted tightly.


Don't forget about the blind area

Next, geotextiles or roofing felt are spread and filled with sand. To make the dressing, holes are made in the foundation and pieces of reinforcement are driven in there every 50 cm. A reinforced mesh is also attached here. Now you can install the formwork and fill the structure with concrete.

Further renovation work It is necessary to start only after complete hardening. A reinforced mesh is applied to the cleaned base surface. To perform these steps, you can drill a hole in the wall and drive the reinforcement in 1-2 rows, tying a mesh to it. Next, the surface should be primed and formwork installed, filled with cement and compacted.

Cosmetic repair of the base

Cosmetic repairs do not require any deep knowledge in the field of construction. The whole job is to restore the paint, plaster or other finishes. If any mechanical damage, you may need to replace one cladding element with another.

To understand such work, it is enough to have an idea of ​​how to prepare plaster or paint and apply it to the damaged surface. As for replacing any parts, more effort will be required, but such actions can be carried out based on the principle of installation carried out earlier during the construction of the house.

Strengthening the foundation

To strengthen the foundation, holes can be dug at each corner of the building, approximately one meter by one meter in size. They must be made in such a way as to expose the lower corner of the foundation. Such a recess must be no less than 45-50 cm deeper than the existing foundation.

Next, a reinforced frame for the concrete cushion is made. To do this, a lattice with one cell 20 by 20 cm is made from reinforcement using welding. Next, this lattice is lowered into the pit and filled with concrete. Popularly this design is called a “bull”.

Repair materials

To repair the basement of a house with your own hands, you need to prepare certain materials for future work. First of all, this includes the following:

  • gravel, sand and crushed stone;
  • primer and concrete mixture;
  • plaster mixture;
  • dowels and fittings;
  • geotextiles or roofing felt;
  • boards for formwork construction;
  • exhaust mesh;
  • waterproofing solution;
  • asbestos or steel pipe.

How to protect the basement of a house from destruction

In order to resort to reconstruction of the basement floor as little as possible, you can take care to provide it with adequate protection from mechanical and atmospheric influences. To do this, you can use a budget option, which is available to everyone, even those without experience in this field.

It consists of applying a resin to the foundation of the house, which can protect it from external influence. It is necessary to mix the resin with diesel fuel and heat until a homogeneous mixture is formed, similar in consistency to jelly. This solution, when hardened, forms a special film that has protective properties and prevents moisture from entering the foundation.

Before you start repairing the basement of a brick house or facade apartment building, it is necessary to determine the causes and degree of destruction of structures. Signs that restoration is required are visible cracks in the plaster or masonry, peeling of the cladding, the formation of fungus on the walls, subsidence or bulging of certain sections of the building façade, the loss of single bricks, deviation from the vertical.

Causes of destruction

  • Uneven shrinkage of the foundation. It occurs due to subsidence of heaving or soft soil, the weight of the building, or poorly executed blind area. Multi-apartment brick buildings are most susceptible to this process.
  • Close occurrence of groundwater and, as a result, erosion of the foundation of the house. This is due to the fact that this nuance was not included in the construction project.
  • Poor quality building materials and violation of building codes.
  • Trees planted close to the house with a powerful root system, undermining the blind area of ​​the building.
  • Communication problems. In the case when there is a breakthrough central water supply systems and flooding of the foundation or poorly constructed sewage system.
  • Climatic phenomena (wind, frost, rain) and microbiological influences - the appearance of molds and lichens, which leads to mechanical destruction brickwork.

To repair the base yourself, you must first determine the degree of destruction and outline the list of work. If the facade and blind area are damaged in places, there are no progressive cracks in the base, then redecorating. In the case where the damage to the blind area is more global or it has moved away from the base, it should be replaced completely. When the building shrinks and the cracks increase, it is recommended to completely strengthen and strengthen the foundation.

What do you need for work?


For some types of work, fittings may be needed.

If you plan to repair the facade of a brick apartment building or private building, you first need to clear the surfaces of construction debris and remove damaged areas where restoration will be carried out. Depending on the repair technology, prepare the following building materials:

  • exhaust mesh;
  • sand, gravel or crushed stone;
  • fittings, dowels;
  • reinforced mesh;
  • roofing felt or geotextiles;
  • boards for formwork;
  • steel or asbestos pipe;
  • primer, concrete mixture (1 part M500 cement to 3 parts sand);
  • waterproofing solution;
  • plaster mixture.

Partial restoration of the base and blind area

  1. Clean the parts of the building façade that require restoration from dirt, dust, and fungus, prime the cracks and recesses.
  2. Attach the exhaust mesh with dowels so that it does not protrude from the recess.
  3. Then apply a layer to the area to be repaired plaster mortar flush with the base.
  4. If the voids are large, you need to select the right size bricks or parts thereof, and use mortar to fill in the openings.
  5. After restoration, the areas are moistened with water and waterproofing slurry is applied in two layers.
  6. The next day, only after the wall has completely dried, you can start plastering.

To repair a blind area, you first need to remove all damaged areas of the material.

If the blind area has sagged in places, the damaged areas are removed and gravel, sand, and crushed stone are added to compact the soil. Mini-formwork is installed and the surface is poured with concrete at the same level as the undamaged areas, carefully leveling. In cases where there is simply a crack without subsidence of the base, it is rubbed with cement mortar.

Major renovation

The first step is to fill in a new blind area. Having freed the space from the old one, they dig a trench 35-40 cm deep. The width is chosen at your discretion. The lower 20 cm are covered with sand and crushed stone or gravel and compacted tightly. After this, geotextiles or roofing felt are spread and sprinkled with sand. For anchoring, holes are drilled in the foundation every 50 cm and pieces of reinforcement are driven in. A reinforced mesh is welded to it. The formwork is placed and the structure is filled with concrete.

The blind area must have a slope of several degrees away from the house to allow moisture to drain away.

Repair brick facade continue after the concrete has hardened. A reinforced mesh is applied to the cleaned surface of the base. There are 2 options for this:


You can use dowels to secure the mesh.
  • Holes are drilled in the wall, pieces of reinforcement are driven into 1-2 rows and a mesh is tied to them. After this, the surface is primed and formwork is placed, poured cement mixture and compacted.
  • The reinforcing mesh is attached to the wall with dowels, it is also primed twice and plaster is applied to the wall. After repair, protection of the plinth can be achieved using facing bricks. This option is used if it is not possible to make the layer being repaired wide in thickness.

The basement of the building is exposed to aggressive influence of many factors.

It needs repair more often than other areas. You can’t delay with her. After all, the destruction of the base reduces the durability of the entire structure.

To prevent damage to the plaster from leading to the growth of mold and preventing moisture from destroying the wall, you need to correct the situation and promptly repair the basement of the building. As a rule, it consists of restoration of seams and new plastering of certain areas. Sometimes when repairing the basement of a brick house you have to replace individual bricks.

First, free the lower part of the wall from contact with the ground. A shovel is used for this.

Then remove all fragments of plaster that do not adhere well; you must try not to miss any voids; they can be identified by tapping. All loose plaster is beaten off with a hammer or chisel.

Then the surface is cleaned of dirt and dust. Use a wire brush to thoroughly remove all remaining plaster. How to perform this work, you can look at the photo or video.

All surfaces that need to be protected from plaster, such as window frames, must be covered. masking tape. It will protect important areas from contamination.

Detected defects in the masonry are moistened before repairing the brick plinth lining. This is necessary to ensure better contact of the plaster mixture with the surface.

To fill the existing voids, you should select bricks of the appropriate size. You can cut fragments from aerated concrete blocks the right size.

The next stage of repairing the basement with your own hands is to fill the voids with prepared bricks and secure them with masonry mortar.

Before plastering the surface, it must be thoroughly moistened. To do this, you can take a bucket and a brush, but it’s easier and faster to wet the wall with water from a hose.

Then a solution (waterproofing slurry) is prepared for waterproofing. The mixture is diluted with clean water.

The solution is applied to the restored areas in 2 passes. At first thin layer 1 - 2 mm, when the first layer begins to set, apply a second layer of 3 mm. In this case, you can use a brush or a wide spatula.

The applied layers must stand for 24 hours. You can continue working the next day.

Then a solution for plaster is prepared.

Perform a 2-layer application again. First, apply a layer of 10 mm. The plaster is rubbed forcefully over the surface, moving the spatula in a semicircle.

To ensure that the walls are ultimately smooth, it is advisable to use plaster strips, when installing which you should use a level. These planks come in several varieties. In this case they are made of wood.

The next layer of plaster is applied with a thickness of 15 - 20 mm.

The plaster is carefully applied over the entire surface; it is advisable to fill the entire surface with it down to the foundation. Then it will be possible to talk about complete and quality repairs plinth plaster.

The base point for removing excess mortar will be not only the plaster strips, but also the intact layer of cladding, as in the photo.

When the surface dries, it is leveled using a plaster float.

To beautifully decorate the corner, plaster strips are used. By attaching the strip to the appropriate corner, you can align the end of the wall. The bar is then removed.

Practical advice! To make a homogeneous transition in structure from the old plaster to the new, you can treat the joints with polystyrene foam.

The last stage of repairing the basement of a private house is to treat the surfaces in contact with the ground. To do this, you can use waterproofing slurry or bitumen mastic.

Repairing the base yourself is not difficult. In the end you can breathe new life into an old building.

Basement repair video

Before starting repairs to the basement of a brick house or the facade of an apartment building, it is necessary to determine the causes and degree of structural damage. Signs that restoration is required are visible cracks in the plaster or masonry, peeling of the cladding, the formation of fungus on the walls, subsidence or bulging of certain sections of the building façade, the loss of single bricks, deviation from the vertical.

Causes of destruction

Uneven shrinkage of the foundation. It occurs due to subsidence of heaving or soft soil, the weight of the building, or poorly executed blind area.

Multi-apartment brick buildings are most susceptible to this process. Close proximity to groundwater and, as a result, erosion of the foundation of the house. This is due to the fact that this nuance was not included in the construction project. Poor quality building materials and violation of building standards. Trees planted close to the house with a powerful root system, undermining the blind area of ​​the building. Problems with communications. In the case when there is a breakthrough in the central water supply system and the foundation is flooded or the sewage system is poorly constructed. Climatic phenomena (wind, frost, rain) and microbiological influences - the occurrence of mold fungi, lichens, which leads to mechanical destruction of the brickwork.

To repair the basement and brick facade with your own hands, you must first determine the degree of destruction and outline the list of works.

If the facade and blind area are damaged in places, there are no progressive cracks in the base, then cosmetic repairs are made. In the case where the damage to the blind area is more global or it has moved away from the base, it should be replaced completely. When the building shrinks and the cracks increase, it is recommended to completely strengthen and strengthen the foundation.

Return to contents

What do you need for work?

For some types of work, fittings may be needed.

If you plan to repair the facade of a brick apartment building or private building, you first need to clear the surfaces of construction debris and remove damaged areas where restoration will be carried out. Depending on the repair technology, prepare the following building materials:

    exhaust mesh; sand, gravel or crushed stone; reinforcement, dowels; reinforced mesh; roofing felt or geotextile; boards for formwork; steel or asbestos pipe; primer, concrete mixture (1 part M500 cement to 3 parts sand); waterproofing solution; plaster mixture .

Return to contents

Partial restoration of the base and blind area

    Clean the parts of the building façade that require restoration from dirt, dust, and fungus, prime the cracks and recesses. Attach the exhaust mesh with dowels so that it does not protrude from the recess. Then apply a layer of plaster mortar to the repaired area flush with the plinth. If the voids are large, it is necessary select the right size bricks or parts thereof, and use mortar to fill in the openings. After restoration, the areas are moistened with water and waterproofing slurry is applied in two layers. The next day, only after the wall has completely dried, you can begin plastering.

To repair a blind area, you first need to remove all damaged areas of the material.

If the blind area has sagged in places, the damaged areas are removed and gravel, sand, and crushed stone are added to compact the soil. Mini-formwork is installed and the surface is poured with concrete at the same level as the undamaged areas, carefully leveling. In cases where there is simply a crack without subsidence of the base, it is rubbed with cement mortar.

Return to contents

Major renovation

The first step is to fill in a new blind area. Having freed the space from the old one, they dig a trench 35-40 cm deep.

The width is chosen at your discretion. The lower 20 cm are covered with sand and crushed stone or gravel and compacted tightly. After this, geotextiles or roofing felt are spread and sprinkled with sand.

For anchoring, holes are drilled in the foundation every 50 cm and pieces of reinforcement are driven in. A reinforced mesh is welded to it. The formwork is placed and the structure is filled with concrete.

The blind area must have a slope of several degrees away from the house to allow moisture to drain away.

Repair of the brick facade continues after the concrete has hardened. A reinforced mesh is applied to the cleaned surface of the base. There are 2 options for this:

You can use dowels to secure the mesh.

Holes are drilled in the wall, pieces of reinforcement are driven into 1-2 rows and a mesh is tied to them.

After this, the surface is primed and the formwork is placed, filled with cement mixture and compacted. The reinforcing mesh is attached to the wall with dowels, it is also primed twice and plaster is thrown onto the wall. After repair, protection of the plinth can be achieved using facing bricks. This option is used if it is not possible to make the layer being repaired wide in thickness.

Return to contents

Strengthening the foundation

Strengthening is carried out partially, first of all in the corners of the building, then in the central parts of the walls.

A trench is dug under the base of the foundation and compacted with gravel and sand, creating a base for the new foundation. Old walls must be cleaned of dirt and damaged areas and treated with a primer. Then, using a puncher, holes are made in 4 rows at a distance of 70-120 cm from each other.

They insert anchor bolts or pieces of reinforcement 40 cm long and 12-14 mm in diameter. A frame with cell dimensions of 20x20x20 cm is tied onto the rods with wire or welded; it should be located at a distance of 10 cm from the old structure. After this, the formwork is installed and the structure is filled with concrete.

When looking at a house, it is often perceived as a single whole, losing sight of seemingly insignificant details. After all, a couple of cracks or a few crumbled bricks on a base 0.5 m high do not play any significant role, and, nevertheless, even inconspicuous defects on it will subsequently lead to a violation of the integrity of the entire structure. Therefore, repairing the basement of a brick house (actually the basement of any house) should be perceived not as additional cosmetic measures when renovating a building, but as full-time work aimed at protecting housing from destruction.

Basement as an element of a building

The plinth is perceived simply as the lower part of the wall, having exclusively aesthetic significance. However, it is more correct to consider it as a structural element that is part of outer wall, and in some cases as the last protective line of the foundation and the entire building.

Base - the lowest aboveground part building or parts thereof (for example, columns, pillars). May be part of a foundation raised above the ground, part of a foundation wall, or the exterior of a basement. It performs several functions:

    structural - is the reinforced part of the building on which its weight rests; decorative - creates an edge on the wall (can be recessed, protruding or flush), emphasizing the features of the house; protective - protects the walls of the house from the destructive effects of atmospheric phenomena and mechanical damage.

The base must have sufficient height, at least 30 -50 cm; too low/narrow (less than 20 cm) will not fulfill its purpose protective functions, and as a decorative detail it will be quite dubious.

The lower edge of the plinth is installed at a height of at least 10 cm above ground level, which allows you to create a slope from the wall of the house. This facilitates the drainage of rainwater and reduces the impact of moisture on the foundation and walls.

Reasons for the destruction of the base

Signs indicating the beginning of destruction of the base include the formation of cracks, the appearance of fungus, peeling plaster, and falling off tiles. All this indicates mistakes made during the design, construction or operation of the building and the need to begin repairing the basement. There are several reasons causing destruction:

    House shrinkage - can be caused by the type of soil, technological errors in the manufacture of the foundation, mismatch between the foundation design and the weight of the building. Impact of groundwater - the level of groundwater was not determined during the design or the level of groundwater was ignored, waterproofing was not performed at the proper level and, as a result, the building was flooded. This will lead to the gradual destruction of the foundation, plinth and the entire building. Atmospheric phenomena (rain, snow) - as a rule, have a detrimental effect if the blind area was done incorrectly, poorly. Biological corrosion, or rather microbiological, is caused by the development on the surface building materials various types of microorganisms, which include algae (causing a green coating), mold (gray-black coating) or lichens arising from the symbiotic hyperplasia of fungus and algae (green-black coating). This phenomenon not only worsens the aesthetics of the base, but also spreads to the facade, and after some time leads to mechanical damage.

The impact of some of the above factors can be avoided if you consult with specialists when designing a house.

Do-it-yourself basement repair

With some dexterity and construction skills, you can repair the basement of a house with your own hands.

Work is carried out in a certain sequence. First of all, you should choose the time. The best time will be the end of spring or the beginning of summer, when the ground has dried out, the weather has settled, and warm days prevail.

Then you should clean the surface and assess the damage.

To do this, you need to sweep the base and blind area with a broom and carefully inspect the surface. In this case, you can tap it, the “boiling” places must be removed. You should also remove any parts that are falling off and use a wire brush to remove loose fragments of the structure.

If a large part of the base needs restoration, then instead of repairing it, it is better to build a new one.

You should carefully examine the blind area; if it is severely damaged around the entire building, peeled off from the foundation, then it should be completely replaced. The old blind area is removed, cleaned and a trench about forty centimeters deep is created, then a 20 cm layer of sand and gravel is poured and compacted. Geotextiles are spread over this layer and sprinkled with a layer of sand on top.

After this, holes are drilled in the foundation (every 50 cm) into which reinforcement is driven. A reinforcing mesh is attached to it. Formwork is installed and concrete is poured.

After the concrete has hardened, you can begin repairing the base.

If you need to completely redo the base, then you will need to secure a reinforcing mesh around the perimeter of the building. Holes are drilled in the wall for the reinforcement pins, in one or two rows, depending on the given height, into which the reinforcement rods are driven, so long and to such a depth that the mesh mounted on them is in the body of the base. Then the surface is carefully primed with a deep penetration primer (twice), after which the formwork is installed.

It is best to use laminated formwork, moisture resistant plywood. After this, concrete is poured into the formwork to evenly distribute and compact it; you can use a reinforcement rod. The formwork can be dismantled after a week.

If the thickness of the planned layer does not allow for work on reinforcement, installation of formwork, and subsequent pouring of concrete, then the base can be repaired by plastering it.

An exhaust mesh is attached to the wall using dowels, on top of which, for ease of work, plaster beacons are installed. Then the surface is primed twice and plaster is applied to it. A cement plaster mortar is used, which is applied in the same way as for conventional wall plastering.

In cases where it is possible to get by with repairing individual areas, the order of work is slightly different. Areas that need restoration are thoroughly cleaned and primed.

Then the exhaust mesh is attached directly to them with dowels, so that it does not protrude from the recess formed at the site of the repaired area. After this, the surface is again treated with primer and leveled with a layer of plaster mortar. To make it more convenient to apply the plaster, you can use plaster beacons, and in small areas, undamaged areas of the base can be used as a guide.

To make the surface uniform, after grouting the plaster, you can walk over the joints with a hard sponge dipped in water.

Restoration and strengthening of the foundation can be seen in this video:

Base protection

After the base has been repaired, it is advisable to think about protecting it in the future. Despite the fact that the work on its repair is not extremely difficult, it is still a dubious pleasure to deal with its restoration every year. There are several options for protecting the base and, as a result, the foundation - from budget to quite expensive.

Bitumen mastic - you can purchase ready-made or prepare it yourself.

The resin is mixed with diesel fuel and heated over a fire. Then the completely dried base is covered with this mixture. The option is cheap, but not practical - the coating will be easily soiled, and over time all kinds of debris will stick to it and you can forget about the attractive appearance of the house.

Mosaic plaster is the best option. Consists of small pebbles and adhesive material based on various resins. It has frost resistance, vapor permeability and high resistance to mechanical damage.

Natural facing materials - mainly granite, sandstone, slate, travertine are used. The option is expensive, but the most attractive in terms of aesthetics. Moreover, if facing works made by professionals and in high quality, then the base will be provided with very good protection.

Artificial facing materials are perhaps the most common option. At a relatively low price, clinker or concrete tiles have high protective qualities and an attractive appearance.

It is best to worry about the safety of the basement of the house at the design stage, but if due to some circumstances this turned out to be not enough, and it requires restoration, then there is nothing wrong with that. Repairing the basement of a house with your own hands is a completely doable task.

Old houses often need repair work; among the most difficult are the repairs of the socles and the foundation itself. Such repair work has a number of features that must be determined before work begins.

Before starting to repair the basement of the house, you need to clear the crack of debris, and then fill it with crushed stone or small particles of brick.

The most common type of such repair can be considered the elimination of the consequences of uneven soil subsidence, which harms not only the supporting part of the foundation, but also all the load-bearing walls of the building.

Uneven shrinkage of the house

Loose or heaving soils very often result from subsidence of the foundation structure in certain places.

Most often, such places are located at the corners of the house, which leads to the formation of cracks and peeling of the base and walls of the building. The onset of uneven shrinkage of the foundation can be determined by examining the condition of the blind area around the entire perimeter of the house. In places where the soil subsides, the blind area will be cracked, which is a signal for further repair-type actions.

In some cases, foundation shrinkage may only be temporary. After the supporting base of the structure reaches a solid area of ​​soil, the shrinkage will stop by itself, but this happens extremely rarely.

Most often, the house continues to sink in certain places, which leads to a violation of the structural integrity of the foundation, plinth and the entire building. The consequence of such an action can be not only the impact environment, but also the mistakes and shortcomings of the developer himself.

For example, if the house had a poor-quality sewerage or water supply system that often leaked, this could lead to saturation of the soil near the foundation with water, which winter time was freezing. Such a cycle leads to heaving of the soil above the specified level, and ultimately damages the entire structure of the base of the house. In addition, during the initial construction of the house, disastrous mistakes could have been made due to poor-quality mortar or the use of incorrect foundation construction technology.

To repair a basement yourself, you do not need to have any special skills. This construction procedure is not very complicated and can be done if you know some of the nuances of this matter.

In simple terms, the base is the distance from the ground to the walls of the house. It can be big ( ground floor), or consist of a foundation protruding above the ground to a certain height. When the basement of the house is deformed, the walls of the room also begin to collapse.

The main reasons for the destruction of the basement of a house

If cracks have appeared on the base of your house or fungus has formed, this indicates that work was carried out incorrectly during the construction of the building and that the necessary design standards were not observed.


The main reasons for the destruction of the basement of a house are:

  1. Shrinkage of the building. This process mainly depends on the soil on which the building is located and the weight of the building. A very pronounced shrinkage process can occur in a brick apartment building.
  2. Groundwater flow. If, when designing, you do not take into account the depth of groundwater flow and do not complete all necessary measures waterproofing, then the foundation of the house is washed away. If you decide to make the foundation yourself, then be sure to contact professionals so that they can tell you at what depth the groundwater flows.
  3. Poor quality blind area. Failure to comply with the blind area manufacturing technology leads to erosion of the foundation.
  4. Violation of design standards. Very often, builders forget about insulating the foundation and waterproofing it; this mistake is usually made when repairs are done not by professional teams, but with their own hands. Such mistakes lead to the formation of fungus and freezing. building structures, which subsequently leads to the destruction of the base.

How to repair a basement with your own hands?

The integrity of the base is very important characteristic for any house (one-story or multi-story, brick or wooden), since the base protects the foundation from the aggressive influence of external natural factors. Watch the video on how to strengthen the base with your own hands.

To repair the base yourself, you must adhere to the following sequence:


The slope of the blind area in the direction opposite to the house must be at least 2% so that the water drains and does not stagnate.

  • When the reconstruction work is completed, install a fine reinforcing mesh over the entire area of ​​the base of the house. It must exactly follow the structure of the foundation and fit tightly to it. To fix it, use dowels and nails, position the mesh vertically.
  • Cover the plinth and mesh with primer, then wait for it to dry completely.
  • Apply a layer of liquid cement mortar to the plinth and mesh. Do this in such a way that after the work done, the outlines of the grid cells are visible. Level the applied layer using a grater. Be sure to wait until this layer is completely dry.
  • Plaster the basement of the house.

How to protect the basement of a house from destruction?


Having completed all the above steps, you want to protect the foundation and basement of the house from destruction. You can do this in several ways:

  • A budget option, made with your own hands. It has been used for several decades. It consists in applying resin to the foundation of the house from the outside to protect it from external factors. This mixture is prepared as follows: diesel fuel is mixed with resin and slowly heated over a fire until a homogeneous mixture similar to jelly is formed. At the same time, you need to make sure that it does not get on your skin and you do not get burned. When this solution hardens, it forms a protective film that prevents moisture from entering the foundation.
  • Modern option. This method of protecting the foundations of a house is more expensive, but it provides better preservation of building structures. This method involves lining the base decorative tiles or a stone. Using this method you just need to choose the right mixture for gluing the required material.

It is necessary to cover the base in all types of buildings, especially those built from brick material.

The plinth is the outer part of the foundation, the basis of the facade walls. If it is cracked due to shrinkage or simply worn out over time, it needs to be repaired. Repairing the basement cannot be put off for a long time; this can lead to an emergency.

Basement repair work

Reasons why the base collapses:

  • shrinkage - for brick and concrete structures in the first year, for wooden ones - throughout the life of the house;
  • ground movements, frost heaving;
  • non-compliance with technology during the laying process, incorrect calculation;
  • climatic factors - frost, rain, snow, wind;
  • proximity to soil water;
  • poorly executed blind area or its destruction.
  • Repair has several goals:

    • recovery bearing capacity, strengthening the strength of the foundation itself and the entire house;
    • insulation of the lower part of the facade and basement floor from the outside;
    • waterproofing and mechanical protection;
    • restoration of aesthetic appearance.

    There are three main types of repairs: current, major and cosmetic.

    The current one involves updating the cladding, heat and waterproofing layers. Since the basement part is located in the most aggressive conditions (it takes on maximum loads and is influenced by both atmospheric and soil factors), wear occurs faster than the rest of the cottage. It is necessary to periodically diagnose the condition, update damaged layers, and protect internal space basement floor and the inside of the foundation from adverse influences.

    A major repair of the basement is necessary when the structure of the base itself is damaged: large cracks, chips have appeared, large pieces have crumbled, and the corners of the house have sagged unevenly. In this case, it is better if a professional company does the repair work: firstly, they have the appropriate qualifications and equipment, and secondly, they are obliged to correct defects and work defects free of charge if they appear.

    Cosmetic repairs involve improving the appearance of the base: restoring paint, plaster or other finishing, replacing one cladding with another.

    Do-it-yourself basement repair at home

    Work should be carried out in dry weather, in summer or spring, but not in the heat. Rain and low/excessively high temperatures impair adhesion mortar, moisture negates efforts to waterproof and insulate. First you need to assess the condition of the blind area: if it is badly damaged, it is dismantled and a new one is poured after the repair work is completed.

    Procedure for repairing the base yourself:

    1. Knock down the old plaster to the base, remove worn thermal insulation and waterproofing materials.
    2. Thoroughly clean the base from dirt, mildew, and mold.
    3. Treat with an antiseptic.
    4. Large cracks before plastering should be filled with crushed stone or broken bricks.
    5. Secure the reinforcing metal mesh with dowels.
    6. Prime the surface along with the mesh.
    7. Mix the concrete and treat the surface. Repair mother-in-law's cracks and chips.
    8. Apply finishing plaster and completely cover the mesh with it. Dry the base for a month until the concrete has completely set.
    9. Lay waterproofing material and insulation.
    10. Cover with facing material - finishing panels, tiles, corrugated sheets, etc.
    11. Fill the blind area: a layer of concrete 5-8 cm. A small sand and gravel cushion should be poured under the concrete and a layer of roofing material should be laid. It is recommended to add small crushed stone to the solution. The blind area is reinforced metal mesh and poured with a slope from the wall outwards.

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    Causes of destruction

    • Uneven shrinkage of the foundation. It occurs due to subsidence of heaving or soft soil, the weight of the building, or poorly executed blind area. Multi-apartment brick buildings are most susceptible to this process.
    • Close occurrence of groundwater and, as a result, erosion of the foundation of the house. This is due to the fact that this nuance was not included in the construction project.
    • Poor quality building materials and violation of building codes.
    • Trees planted close to the house with a powerful root system, undermining the blind area of ​​the building.
    • Communication problems. In the case when there is a breakthrough in the central water supply system and flooding of the foundation or the sewage system is poorly constructed.
    • Climatic phenomena (wind, frost, rain) and microbiological influences - the occurrence of mold fungi, lichens, which leads to mechanical destruction of the brickwork.

    To repair the basement and brick facade with your own hands, you must first determine the degree of destruction and outline the list of work. If the facade and blind area are damaged in places, there are no progressive cracks in the base, then cosmetic repairs are made. In the case where the damage to the blind area is more global or it has moved away from the base, it should be replaced completely. When the building shrinks and the cracks increase, it is recommended to completely strengthen and strengthen the foundation.

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    What do you need for work?

    For some types of work, fittings may be needed.

    If you plan to repair the facade of a brick apartment building or private building, you first need to clear the surfaces of construction debris and remove damaged areas where restoration will be carried out. Depending on the repair technology, prepare the following building materials:

    • exhaust mesh;
    • sand, gravel or crushed stone;
    • fittings, dowels;
    • reinforced mesh;
    • roofing felt or geotextiles;
    • boards for formwork;
    • steel or asbestos pipe;
    • primer, concrete mixture (1 part M500 cement to 3 parts sand);
    • waterproofing solution;
    • plaster mixture.

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    Partial restoration of the base and blind area

    1. Clean the parts of the building façade that require restoration from dirt, dust, and fungus, prime the cracks and recesses.
    2. Attach the exhaust mesh with dowels so that it does not protrude from the recess.
    3. Then apply a layer of plaster to the area to be repaired, flush with the base.
    4. If the voids are large, you need to select the right size bricks or parts thereof, and use mortar to fill in the openings.
    5. After restoration, the areas are moistened with water and waterproofing slurry is applied in two layers.
    6. The next day, only after the wall has completely dried, you can start plastering.
    To repair a blind area, you first need to remove all damaged areas of the material.

    If the blind area has sagged in places, the damaged areas are removed and gravel, sand, and crushed stone are added to compact the soil. Mini-formwork is installed and the surface is poured with concrete at the same level as the undamaged areas, carefully leveling. In cases where there is simply a crack without subsidence of the base, it is rubbed with cement mortar.

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    Major renovation

    The first step is to fill in a new blind area. Having freed the space from the old one, they dig a trench 35-40 cm deep. The width is chosen at your discretion. The lower 20 cm are covered with sand and crushed stone or gravel and compacted tightly. After this, geotextiles or roofing felt are spread and sprinkled with sand. For anchoring, holes are drilled in the foundation every 50 cm and pieces of reinforcement are driven in. A reinforced mesh is welded to it. The formwork is placed and the structure is filled with concrete.

    The blind area must have a slope of several degrees away from the house to allow moisture to drain away.


    Repair of the brick facade continues after the concrete has hardened. A reinforced mesh is applied to the cleaned surface of the base. There are 2 options for this:

    You can use dowels to secure the mesh.
    • Holes are drilled in the wall, pieces of reinforcement are driven into 1-2 rows and a mesh is tied to them. After this, the surface is primed and formwork is placed, filled with cement mixture and compacted.
    • The reinforcing mesh is attached to the wall with dowels, it is also primed twice and plaster is applied to the wall. After repair, protection of the plinth can be achieved using facing bricks. This option is used if it is not possible to make the layer being repaired wide in thickness.

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    Strengthening is carried out partially, first of all in the corners of the building, then in the central parts of the walls.
    A trench is laid at the base of the foundation and compacted with gravel and sand, creating a base for a new foundation. Old walls must be cleaned of dirt and damaged areas and treated with a primer. Then, using a puncher, holes are made in 4 rows at a distance of 70-120 cm from each other. Anchor bolts or pieces of reinforcement 40 cm long and 12-14 mm in diameter are inserted into them. A frame with cell dimensions of 20x20x20 cm is tied onto the rods with wire or welded; it should be located at a distance of 10 cm from the old structure. After this, the formwork is installed and the structure is filled with concrete.

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    Types of base damage and their causes


    The most common damage to the basement of a house occurs:

    1. destruction of the outer surface of the brickwork (peeling);
    2. cracks in the structure;
    3. base subsidence.

    They are caused by many reasons:

    1. soil subsidence;
    2. foundation subsidence;
    3. low-quality building materials from which the basement is built;
    4. poor quality construction work;
    5. incorrect or damaged waterproofing;
    6. incorrect calculation that does not take into account effective load on the structure;
    7. increase in load during operation, repair or reconstruction (for example, adding a second floor to a cottage).

    Moreover, defects in most cases arise not for one reason, but for a combination of them. For example, peeling may be caused by the fact that a brick of reduced frost resistance has been selected, and also that the waterproofing has lost its properties.

    Why damage to the base must be repaired as early as possible


    As we have already said, all other building structures rest on the plinth, the repair of which can be more expensive than even labor-intensive work to eliminate defects in the plinth.



    A significant subsidence of the base can lead to the destruction of walls and ceilings, and even to the fact that the structure will become unsuitable for use. Building materials are not self-healing. Ordinary peeling of a brick can lead to a chain of more serious consequences.

    For example:

    1. Peeling (damage to the surface layers) gradually goes deeper.
    2. Subsequently, the material is completely destroyed.
    3. The thickness (area) of the plinth wall decreases.
    4. The load on the remaining undamaged areas of the plinth masonry increases beyond their strength limit.
    5. Cracking occurs, and then destruction of the entire base, and then the rest of the structure of the house.

    Therefore, having noticed even a minor defect, it is necessary, if possible, to identify its cause and eliminate it, and then carry out repairs. Now let’s learn more about how to repair a basement.

    Base subsidence

    It is detected by cracks in the brickwork and even by deviation of the base surfaces from the vertical or horizontal. Having discovered such a defect, you need to act as follows.

    Determine whether the subsidence of the base continues


    The continuation of subsidence is evidenced by the constant expansion of cracks. You can determine whether it is there or not in a simple way using beacons.

    It's easy to make them:

    1. Cut strips of paper about 2 centimeters wide and 10-15 centimeters long.
    2. Using strong glue, we attach them so that they seem to tighten the crack (similar to repairing with electrical tape or adhesive, but the purpose is different).
    3. It is advisable to write the date of the sticker on each lighthouse.
    4. After 10 days, we look to see if our tapes are still intact. If intact, then shrinkage no longer occurs.

    By the way, in the same way it is necessary to control the result of work to eliminate shrinkage and strengthen the foundation.

    Determine whether there is subsidence of the foundation

    In 90% of cases, the reason why the brick base sank strip foundation, this is the draft of the latter. In order to make sure that only the base is to blame (this rarely happens), in places where there are the most cracks on the base, we expose the foundation with small holes.

    Most likely, there will be cracks there too. In a well-known way, with the help of beacons we determine whether they have an extension.

    Should work be carried out to strengthen the foundation and plinth if the subsidence has ended?

    Many people recommend, after making sure that there is no more subsidence, to simply seal the cracks and, if necessary, carry out cosmetic repairs. However, there is no certainty that the processes that caused the subsidence (for example, changes in the groundwater horizon) will not be repeated. Therefore, strengthening must be carried out in any case.


    Strengthening the foundation is best done in stages, without exposing it completely, so without support outer wall foundation on the ground, collapse of not only parts of the foundation, but also walls can occur.

    • Opening the foundation of the building. We dig a trench not along the entire perimeter of the building, but in small areas 3-4 meters each with the same intervals between them.

    Advice. Be extremely careful when excavating to great depths. Make slopes of at least 30 degrees or secure the walls of the trench with shields.

    • Most likely, cracks will also be visible in the exposed foundation. We seal them with cement-sand mortar.
    • It would be optimal to additionally tighten the foundation with steel tires with intervals in height of 0.5-1 meter. Therefore, we place their parts in our pits so that we can later connect them by welding or bolts.
    • Afterwards we prepare connections to connect the old fill with the new one. To do this, we drill holes in a checkerboard pattern, spaced from each other at a distance of 0.7-1.2 meters. We glue either standard metal connections into them, or install self-expanding anchors.

    • We treat the walls of the existing foundation with a water-repellent compound, its price is low, and the effectiveness of waterproofing increases significantly.

    • We waterproof the existing foundation. It is best to cover it with waterproofing material. If the old waterproofing is in satisfactory condition, we still carry out additional coating, since by installing tires and connections, we damaged its tightness.
    • Preparing a cushion of sand and crushed stone for pouring. We compact it carefully.
    • Installing formwork. To strengthen the foundation, as a rule, a thickness of an additional layer of reinforced concrete of 30-40 centimeters is sufficient. For formwork, it is best to use inventory panels; they will speed up the work.
    • Install reinforcing mesh . You can weld it, but the easiest way is to knit it. To maintain the protective layer of concrete, we install clamps.

    At the same time, we do not forget that we will not be concreting the entire foundation, but sections, so we will leave 15-20 centimeter bars at the edges, with which we will connect the reinforcement of the grips poured in the second stage. We also provide connections between the frame and ties previously reinforced in the existing foundation.

    • Filling areas that strengthen the foundation. You need to use not the standard B 12.5 concrete for foundations, but a higher class. Be sure to compact it with deep vibrators.
    • After the concrete has hardened, remove the formwork.
    • The new foundation wall also needs to be waterproofed.
    • After waterproofing, we carry out bedding.

    Having completed the first stage, you can proceed to the second:

    1. We expose the remaining sections of the foundation.
    2. We seal cracks in the same way.
    3. We install the missing sections of tires to tighten the foundation. We tighten them
    4. We carry out work on installation of connections and waterproofing.
    5. We install the formwork so that the panels rest on the already finished sections.
    6. We install the reinforcement frame. We connect its rods with the outlets of the casting rods of the first stage.
    7. We pour the concrete, after it hardens, remove the formwork, waterproof it and sprinkle it.
    8. The second stage is completed, we have a ready-made reinforced foundation.

    To avoid interruptions in work, it is better to use the following principle:

    1. We immediately fill a number of sections of the first stage on one side of the building.
    2. Let's move to the opposite side. While we are working there, the concrete will harden.
    3. Having completed the first stage on the opposite side, we again move to the area where we started, and there we fill the remaining sections of the wall.

    After we have poured the reinforcing layer along its horizontal surface, it is necessary to lay the waterproofing layer again, which will then be covered with a blind area.

    Option for using screw piles


    You can speed up and simplify the work of strengthening the foundation with a relatively small subsidence using screw piles. They differ from ordinary metal ones in that they have blades in the shape of an Archimedes screw at the end that goes deep into the ground.

    Such piles are not driven into the ground, but are screwed in like a corkscrew. Moreover, with the small size of the foundation and the piles themselves, they can be installed without the use of special equipment, manually.

    In addition, when installing piles, the soil around the foundation is not loosened, but rather compacted, which reduces the settlement of the existing structure.


    But we note that this method can only be used in cases of slight subsidence, since it does not eliminate cracks in the existing foundation and does not restore its waterproofing.

    Work to strengthen the foundation in this way is carried out as follows:

    1. We screw in a row of piles around the perimeter of the old foundation. The step of their installation depends on the design and cross-section, installation depth. The manufacturer usually makes recommendations upon delivery.
    2. After the piles are screwed in, a trench about half a meter deep is selected along the existing foundation. Its width is approximately equal to double the distance from the pile installation line to the perimeter of the foundation.
    3. The piles are connected to each other by a metal beam, usually an I-section, using welding.
    4. If the piles are hollow, then their internal volume is filled with concrete.
    5. Just like in the first case, but only for the exposed part of the foundation, work is being carried out to seal cracks, repair waterproofing and install connections.
    6. A reinforcement cage is laid in the trench. It is not necessary to do it frequently, since the main load is taken by the beam connecting the piles. You can avoid reinforcement altogether if you use fiber-reinforced concrete.
    7. Fill the trench with concrete. Then we lay waterproofing and make a blind area.

    After the foundation is strengthened, it is time to begin restoring the base itself.

    Basement repair with replacement of damaged masonry


    If the masonry is severely damaged, for example, to a depth greater than the brick, a complete rework of the base would be ideal. If we were talking about wooden houses, then such work is performed there quite often.

    It includes the following operations:


    1. part of the plinth masonry is removed to install supports;
    2. supports are installed under the log house, resting directly on the foundation and taking on the entire weight of the house structure that previously carried the base;
    3. the basement brick is removed completely and re-laid;
    4. V last resort The areas where the supports stood are laid.

    Sometimes in this way they solve not only the question of how to level the base with bricks, but also increase the height by raising the house on jacks.

    For a brick building, this technology is difficult to apply for two reasons:

    1. the weight of a brick structure is much greater than that of a wooden one;
    2. brickwork requires support over the entire area of ​​the base; removing even a small part of the base leads to the formation of cracks.

    But still, this technology is real, it is used when moving a building from place to place. It is difficult to do this with your own hands, but it is possible, although it requires large material costs.

    In this case, it is desirable that the following conditions be met:

    1. the structure of the house should not be very heavy; it may not be possible to support even a two-story cottage on supports;
    2. If possible, the wall should be monolithic and not consist of two layers separated by an air chamber.

    For reference, we present the stages of work, although few people use this technology. Everything is very similar to making openings in a blank wall. For work we will need the following auxiliary materials

    1. A strong steel corner with a shelf width equal to half the wall thickness;
    2. The length of the racks is approximately equal to the height of the base;
    3. Sealant for building structures.

    The instructions for performing the work are as follows:

    • We choose a section no more than 1-2 meters long. We immediately prepare a square of this length.
    • At the junction between the wall and the plinth we begin to cut a groove. In this case, the cutter must be of such a diameter that it can penetrate half the thickness of the wall.
    • Simultaneously with cutting, we begin to insert the square into the groove. That is, having cut through the area so that the gas cutter does not interfere with us, we insert one edge of the square at an angle to the wall. Then, continuing to cut, we bring its opposite edge closer, introducing more and more new sections into the cut space. This is done in order to prevent the wall from subsiding downwards even by the thickness of the cut, this will inevitably lead to the formation of a crack
    • By inserting a square into the groove, we attach it to the posts; you can attach stops to the square or simply use welding. Before this, the racks must be extremely securely installed on the base to prevent their vertical displacement.
    • Having thus suspended part of the base on one side, we carry out a similar operation on the opposite side. Most likely, you will have to dismantle the floor to do this.
    • Now we already have part of the wall hanging, and the section of the plinth under it is not loaded. Let's take it apart.
    • Having taken it apart, we begin to make a new one. I think you know how to lay out a brick plinth - the techniques are the same as for walls. At the same time, do not forget about waterproofing between the foundation and the brick. At the edges of the area we leave protruding parts of the brick for tying with the masonry of the next area.
    • Having completed the laying and allowing the mortar to gain strength, we remove the racks.

    Now our task is even more difficult - to remove the square, fill the seam with mortar without subsidence of the higher structures. This should be done slowly, perhaps over several days. To fill the joint, you need to use quick-hardening cement.

    • In the same way as we introduced it, we begin to remove the square. This will require a fair amount of effort as it is pinned down by the weight of the wall. We use levers and jacks for this.
    • Having freed up a small space in the seam, apply sealant to the surface. Then, after allowing it to harden, we tightly fill the remaining space with the solution. When it hardens, remove another part of the square. We continue this in small steps until we remove it completely.
    • Having completed work in one area, we move in order to another. We carry out the work until the entire defective base is rebuilt.

    As you can see, the work is not only labor-intensive and complex, but also takes a lot of time. Relaying the plinth even under small house may take more than a month. Therefore, another restoration method is often used - sealing damaged areas with concrete.

    Basement repair using concrete mixtures


    1. First of all, thoroughly clean the damaged areas. We remove not only crushed stone and dust, but also half-scattered pieces of brick that still remain in contact with the rest of the stone. It is convenient to use a brush and a blower for this purpose. At the same time, you should not be particularly zealous - a chisel and a hammer are of no use for this work.
    2. We seal all the cracks, filling them with a sand-cement mixture with a fine sand fraction. It is advisable to use a solution with the addition of fiber fibers and polymer additives or even special repair compounds.
    3. It is quite possible that the waterproofing of both the base from the foundation and from the walls in places where the brick has crumbled is damaged. Cover these defects sheet material it won’t work out, so we cover them with sealant or mastic in several layers.
    4. Then we need to ensure good adhesion of the laid mixture with the rest of the base. To do this, we use fine reinforcing mesh. We fasten it to the masonry using screws on dowels or self-expanding anchors.

    Please note that there are special varieties of this fastener for brick and lightweight concrete, which take into account the lower strength and density of these materials. We use them exactly. We place the mesh vertically at a distance of at least 3-5 centimeters from the future outer surface of the base. This way we will protect the steel from corrosion.

    You can use a polymer mesh, then the distance to the surface does not matter, the plastic is not susceptible to rust.


    Polymer mesh- the best replacement for steel
    • We begin to fill the damaged areas with the solution. It is better to do this with a trowel or a falcon. In those places where the damage is especially deep and the mortar can slide, we install formwork.
    • Having finished laying, we level the surface and compact it with a vibrating screed.
    • Allow the concrete to harden normal conditions. To do this, we shelter the repaired place from the sun and slanting rains, dark film. Periodically moisten the surface, not allowing it to dry.
    • We apply protective covering on concrete - it is best to use compounds that not only repel water, but also give additional strength to its surface. Any hardware store offers wide choose these funds. If you plan to cover the base, then this step can be skipped.

    After the concrete has hardened, the repair of the brick plinth can be considered complete. All that remains is to take care of decorative finishing and additional protection. By the way, almost all finishing technologies and materials simultaneously perform both functions.

    First, about protection. By the way, it won’t hurt to carry out this work if there is no damage to the base, but it is made of low-quality material, thereby increasing the durability of the structure.

    Base protection and finishing


    In addition to poor waterproofing high humidity, leading to the destruction of its material, is also created when rainwater enters. Increasing the roof overhang can partially protect against precipitation.

    Only a properly made blind area can protect from rainwater coming from the ground. After repairing the base, it must be restored or fixed if it was missing at all (most often it cannot be repaired). Therefore, we will tell you in detail how to properly make a blind area.

    Restoration and construction of the blind area


    First of all, it is necessary to prepare the site, remove destroyed pieces of concrete from the old blind area and other materials.

    Then we begin work, about them again step by step:

    • We carry out excavation. For the blind area you need to prepare a shallow trench. Its width is at least 70 centimeters, but the larger the better. Depth of at least 30 centimeters.
    • We compact the bottom of the trench, then arrange a cushion of sand, crushed stone and crushed stone-sand mixture, over which we carefully pass several times with a vibrating platform or, in extreme cases, with a tamper.
    • The next stage is the installation of formwork. It consists of boards or slats laid around the perimeter, which are secured with pegs and bedding. It is necessary to ensure that the upper edge of the poured blind area is at least 5 centimeters above the ground.

    It’s even better to put sidewalk stones on concrete locks instead of formwork (although this is an additional cost of labor and material), so our blind area will be reliably protected from breaking off the edges.


    • In addition to the perimeter blind area, expansion joints must also be provided. Of course, they can be cut later, but why waste extra time and wear out discs for cutting concrete, it is better to provide for it immediately when pouring. We lay thin slats or other material along the perimeter of the wall, as well as at a distance of 3-4 meters perpendicular to it. Let's mark them.

    Many craftsmen recommend generally connecting the blind area to the base using ties, but this is not correct. Firstly, their foundation does not shrink when the soil freezes and thaws. Secondly, concrete and brick have different coefficients thermal expansion. Therefore, it is imperative to give them freedom.

    Advice. The blind area can not be filled at all, but can be made from paving slabs(we already recommended side stones). A slight seepage of water into the ground near the blind area will not hurt. But, as practice shows, it will be more durable.

    • For device expansion joints It is better to use a very dry board of small thickness, impregnated with petroleum products, otherwise it will be problematic to remove it ( ordinary concrete although slightly, it is expanding). It is even better to take scraps of metal or other materials that do not swell with water.
    • After laying the formwork, we reinforce the future blind area. As a rule, a mesh laid at 5-10 centimeters is sufficient. As mentioned above, connecting it to a foundation or plinth not only makes no sense, but is also completely dangerous, since this threatens a loss of strength.
    • We fill the structure. For compaction and leveling, it is better to use a vibrating screed.

    • Concrete maintenance is normal. By the way, the surface is horizontal, it is advisable to sprinkle it with wet sand or sawdust, constantly moistening it. Then the film can also be used transparent, it only protects against evaporation.
    • When the concrete reaches formwork strength, remove the formwork. This work must be carried out very carefully with slats that provide expansion joints.
    • We fill the seams either with a special sealant or with ready-made polymer inserts for such work.

    iz-kirpicha.su

    Preparatory work

    At the stage of preparation for repair work, using a shovel, the lower part of the base is freed from contact with the ground. After this, dismantling begins decorative finishing(how to finish the base of a pile-screw foundation), if any.

    Then the damaged areas of the plaster are removed. When performing this part of the work, it is necessary to simultaneously identify all the voids - this is done by tapping the base over its entire surface. All suspicious areas are cleaned using a chisel and hammer.

    The list of preparatory work also includes cleaning the surface layer from dirt and dust. It is better to do this with a wire brush.

    All surfaces that are not subject to plastering are covered with masking tape.

    The procedure for performing repair work

    If you decide to repair the foundation base yourself, proceed in the following order:

    1. Fill all large voids found with brick (which brick is best for the foundation plinth). Fragments of the required size can also be cut from aerated concrete blocks. The liners are fixed using masonry mortar.
    2. Wet the surfaces to be plastered generously. It’s best to do this with a hose filled with water, but you can get by with a bucket and brush.
    3. Prepare a waterproofing solution. It is usually sold in the form of a dry mixture, diluted with clean water.
    4. Apply waterproofing to the prepared areas in two steps (what is waterproofing a foundation base). The thickness of the first layer is 1-2 mm, the second - 3 mm. A wide spatula or brush is used as a tool.

    After application, the waterproofing composition is allowed to sit for 24 hours. After a day, reinforcing mesh can be installed in places to be plastered to ensure better adhesion of the plaster to the base material.

    The junctions between the old and new plaster can be treated with a piece of polystyrene foam: the transition boundaries will become invisible to the eye.

    ks5.ru

    How to repair the basement of a brick house?

    • Uneven shrinkage of the house
    • Do-it-yourself columnar structure repair

    Old houses often need repair work; among the most difficult are the repairs of the basement and the foundation itself. Such repair work has a number of features that must be determined before work begins.

    Before starting to repair the basement of the house, you need to clear the crack of debris, and then fill it with crushed stone or small particles of brick.

    The most common type of such repair can be considered the elimination of the consequences of uneven soil subsidence, which harms not only the supporting part of the foundation, but also all the load-bearing walls of the building.

    Uneven shrinkage of the house

    Base design diagram.

    Loose or heaving soils very often result from subsidence of the foundation structure in certain places. Most often, such places are located at the corners of the house, which leads to the formation of cracks and peeling of the base and walls of the building. You can determine the beginning of uneven shrinkage of the foundation by examining the condition of the blind area around the entire perimeter of the house. In places where the soil subsides, the blind area will be cracked, which is a signal for further repair-type actions.

    In some cases, foundation shrinkage may only be temporary. After the supporting base of the structure reaches a solid area of ​​soil, the shrinkage will stop by itself, but this happens extremely rarely.

    Most often, the house continues to sink in certain places, which leads to a violation of the structural integrity of the foundation, plinth and the entire building. The consequence of such an action can be not only the impact of the environment, but also the errors and shortcomings of the developer himself.

    For example, if the house had a poor-quality sewer or water supply system that often leaked, this could lead to saturation of the soil near the foundation with water, which froze in winter. Such a cycle leads to heaving of the soil above the specified level, and ultimately damages the entire structure of the base of the house. In addition, during the initial construction of the house, disastrous mistakes could have been made due to poor-quality mortar or the use of incorrect foundation construction technology.

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    Signs of structural integrity violation

    An approximate scheme for repairing and strengthening a damaged section of a strip foundation.

    It was noted above that the initial destruction of the supporting part of the house can be determined by the state of its foundation, in which large cracks or deep depressions may form. Some cracks on the base of the foundation can simply be repaired, because they do not spread further, which does not pose a threat to the integrity of the base structure. Identifying such a crack is quite simple, because all you need to do is stick a strip of paper or adhesive tape on the edges of the crack. Within 10 days it will be clear whether the this crack and what to do with it next.

    Those foundation breaks that do not have progression are easy to repair.

    The crack itself must be cleaned as much as possible from dirt and debris, and then filled with crushed stone or small particles of brick.

    After this, cement plaster is applied, which will strengthen the gap in the base and eliminate the possibility of water and other elements penetrating into it. If it turns out that the gap is progressing, then it is necessary to proceed to more radical methods repairs, because the foundation will continue to shrink, destroying the entire foundation.

    Execute further work repairs independently and without the use of special equipment are only possible if the foundation structure is of a strip or columnar type. Otherwise, such work will require the presence of experienced specialists who have at their disposal special and rather expensive equipment. But here, too, you can make your contribution by providing the plinth structure with additional reinforcement that can last for several years until it is possible to connect specialists for repairs. To strengthen the foundation, you will only need the most simple tools and building materials for repairs:

    • paper and plaster beacons;
    • bayonet and shovel shovels;
    • pipe made of metal or asbestos;
    • cement-sand mortar;
    • slats and planks made of wood.

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    Work to strengthen the structure

    Strengthening the brick foundation.

    Strengthening and repairing the foundation structure must be carried out immediately, preventing a repeat cycle of soil freezing, which in turn will further compromise the integrity of the foundation of a brick house. To do this, we find all the cracks and use plaster or paper beacons, on which it is advisable to put a date, which will allow us to determine the degree of shrinkage of the house and the need for repairs.

    After a few days, the beacons of the brick base need to be checked, and in those places where the progression of cracks continues to frustrate us, we carry out work to strengthen the structure. Near the place where the crack appears, it is necessary to dig a hole of small diameter, which must have a slope of at least 35° from the foundation of a private house.

    The depth of the hole should reach the bottom of the foundation pad. Now we use a pre-prepared asbestos or metal pipe, which must be inserted into the prepared hole. Extremely liquid liquid must be poured into the pipe. cement mortar, which will saturate the soil and hollow spaces in it with the solution until completely saturated. As soon as after 2-3 hours the cement mortar stops flowing into the pipe, the action can be stopped.

    After this, it is necessary to re-stick the beacons, which will allow you to determine within 10 days whether the shrinkage of a private house has stopped. If this does not happen, then all work must be repeated. For more severe damage supporting structure it may be necessary to completely strengthen the foundation along its entire perimeter. Such work is more labor-intensive and requires more money.

    To begin with, excavations are carried out along the entire perimeter of a private house, during which a new trench of the same size will appear around the foundation. The bottom of the new ditch is thoroughly compacted and filled with gravel and clean sand. By watering such a place with water, you can achieve maximum compaction of the base, which will additionally act as a drainage layer. We begin processing the old foundation, which must be cleaned as much as possible of soil and loose structural elements.

    Structural diagram of a columnar cast-in-place foundation.

    After this, the structure must be coated in several layers with a primer, which will increase the adhesion performance. Using a hammer drill, a hole is drilled into the foundation required amount holes into which anchor bolts must be inserted. Such elements will be the connecting link between the old foundation and the reinforcing frame of the new supporting element. After this, we begin to manufacture a new reinforcing frame, which should be located at a distance of 10 cm from the old structure.

    For this design, 12 mm reinforcement is used, which is connected into a two-layer reinforcement type frame. Now you can start organizing formwork from any available material, where lumber is most often used or CBPB slabs. When using the second option, you can leave the formwork in the ground without dismantling it. The boards will need to be removed, and to do this, before using them, it is necessary to cover them with a layer oil paint, which will allow dismantling to be carried out as quickly and conveniently as possible.

    The final stage of work to strengthen the foundation is pouring concrete into the formwork. Such filling must be completed in one go; this will avoid the organization of layers of mortar, which is detrimental to the integrity of the entire structure. When pouring the solution, it is necessary to bayonet or use a vibrating machine, which is necessary to ensure that the solution is laid without the formation of air pockets due to the presence of large crushed stone. You can remove the formwork and backfill the soil within 7-10 days after pouring the concrete solution, the total drying time of which is about 30 days.

    Such repair work is able to provide high-quality strengthening of the strip-type foundation structure, which has undergone destruction due to the characteristics described above. By completing all such work yourself, you can save a decent amount of money on hiring builders.

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