Brick foundation: features, advantages, laying methods. We build a red brick foundation with our own hands How to make a brick foundation with your own hands

Often, when choosing a foundation for a particular structure, a strip-type brick foundation is not considered due to its insufficient reliability. We have encountered this kind of misconception more than once. The reason is that, seduced by the simplicity of the design, the developer sometimes does not bother with calculations and compliance with the rules for constructing the foundation - for example, installing waterproofing. But the reliability of the foundation consists of three components - accurate calculation, competent execution of work and quality of materials.

Fig.1 Foundation diagram

Characteristics of a brick foundation

• High rigidity;
• Average strength indicators;
• Low resistance to moisture and low temperatures.

The service life of a strip-brick foundation, subject to installation norms and rules, is from 30 to 50 years.

Application area

Strip foundations (rub concrete and brick) are optimally used for: stable soils and buildings of lightweight construction.

Advantages:

1. The absence of large-sized heavy structural elements makes it possible to independently construct the foundation without the involvement of hired workers and special equipment.
2. In case of soil movements, there is no global destruction (the foundation is more flexible than monolithic foundations).
3. A partially destroyed foundation can be easily repaired by restoring fragments of brickwork in the right places.
4. The base can be given any ribbon shape without the use of formwork.

Flaws:

1. The hygroscopicity of the brick allows moisture to easily penetrate its structure, which negatively affects the stability of the foundation, and in winter leads to freezing. The number of freeze/thaw cycles for a brick base is limited, so reliable waterproofing is required.
2. Compared to a concrete base, it has a shorter service life.
3. Limited area of ​​application (dry, non-heaving, stable soils with low groundwater levels are recommended). When building a foundation on unstable soil, it is necessary to increase the strength of the brickwork from mechanical loads using reinforcement.

Materials for the construction of a brick foundation

To build a brick foundation for a private house you will need:

• brick
• insulation;
• waterproofing materials;
• materials for reinforcement (rebar, masonry mesh);
• cement mortar.

How to choose a brick for a strip foundation

Brick is the main material for a strip-brick foundation. The reliability and durability of both the foundation itself and the house or other structure as a whole will depend on its correct choice.

What brick should not be used for the foundation?

The construction of a foundation made of any (!) silicate and hollow bricks is unacceptable. I don’t think that no matter how good your waterproofing is, you cannot create a foundation from these types of bricks.

Fig.2 Sand-lime brick Fig.3 Hollow red brick

Which brick is better for the foundation?

For laying the underground part of the foundation, choose a solid red ceramic brick, high-quality fired. It is less susceptible to moisture than others and is characterized by high compression resistance.

Fig.4 Solid ceramic brick

The above-ground part of the foundation, the base and the upper floors can be laid out of white sand-lime brick. Such bricks can be used for an above-ground foundation only on a dry soil layer with low groundwater levels.

Brand of foundation brick

The correct choice of material grade plays a decisive role. It is necessary to take into account two main parameters - M (load per 1 sq. cm) and F (frost resistance - the number of freezing-defrosting cycles). To construct the foundation, bricks of the M-150, M-175, M-200, M-250 and M-300 brands with frost resistance F 35-100 are used. The water absorption rate is also important. For underground masonry its value is in the range of 6-16%

Brick sizes

To build a strip-brick foundation, you can use standard bricks of the following sizes:

• single regular (250 x 120 x 65 mm);
• thickened (250 x 120 x 88 mm);
• modular (288 x 138 x 65 mm);
• modular thickened (288 x 138 x 88 mm).

Brick for the foundation: price issue

Today, prices for various brands of solid ceramic bricks vary from 8 to 20 rubles per piece (as of 2013). The final figure depends not only on the characteristics of the material itself, but also on the size of the purchased batch. The larger it is, the lower the price. Some retail outlets also offer delivery by vehicle with a crane manipulator - free or paid. In this case, unloading is accelerated, but you will have to leave the deposit value of the pallets. (A pallet can accommodate from 200 to 450 bricks).

Example. The construction trading house "Petrovich" in St. Petersburg offers the following brick for the foundation.

Solid building brick M-150, 250x120x65 mm, Pobeda (LSR).

Designed mainly for laying external and internal walls (partitions) of buildings and structures of various heights, for constructing foundations and plinths, laying in basements, as well as erecting load-bearing structures. Can be used for the construction of fences and to create architectural highlights.

Marking according to GOST: Brick KORPO 1NF/150/2.0/75 GOST 530-2007.

KORPo- single ordinary solid brick.

2.0 (medium density class): thermal insulation is weak

75 (frost resistance): 75 cycles

Calculation of the number of bricks

The amount of brick required to build a foundation is determined based on the volume of the foundation. The volume is calculated taking into account the configuration and width of the tape, the depth of the laying and the weight of the future structure. For example, one cubic meter of brickwork described in our example will require 513 bricks. But we must not forget about the solution, which usually takes up about 0.25 m3 of the entire masonry. From here we get that there will be about 400 bricks in 1m3 of masonry. To calculate the total amount of material, you need to multiply the resulting volume by the number of bricks in 1 m³ of masonry.

Insulation and waterproofing for the foundation

When constructing a brick foundation for a house or other structure, the masonry must be protected from moisture and freezing. For this purpose, hydro- and thermal insulation materials based on extruded polystyrene foam (tiled), geotextile (rolled), cement-based (coated) or bitumen (sprayed) are used.

Fig.5 Sprayed waterproofing Fig.6 Rolled waterproofing

Reinforcement and masonry mesh

The brick foundation is strengthened directly during masonry work using longitudinal and/or transverse reinforcement. In the longitudinal direction, the masonry is reinforced with corrugated steel reinforcement rods (diameter 6-8mm); in the transverse direction, the role of reinforcement is performed by steel wire mesh (wire diameter 4-6mm).

Fig.7 Armature Fig.8 Masonry mesh

Cement mortar

For laying the underground part of a strip-brick foundation, a high-strength cement-sand mortar is used, and for the above-ground part it is permissible to use a mortar based on a cement-lime mixture with a similar ratio of cement and other materials in a ratio of 1:3.

Fig.9 Preparing cement mortar

When building on a site with high groundwater levels, the solution must contain waterproofing additives. The solution recipe generally depends on the type of soil.

Instructions for constructing a strip-brick foundation with your own hands

Before starting work on the site, it is necessary to develop the configuration of the foundation and calculate its volume, taking into account the upcoming load (weight of walls, ceilings, roof) and soil properties. The width of the brick foundation should be calculated so that the strip is half a brick wider than the walls of the house. This allows you to conveniently lay the logs on the internal ledge when installing floors.

1. Excavation work: a trench is dug under a strip-type brick foundation so that it is possible to lay a layer of waterproofing material on both sides along the masonry. On clayey and heaving soils, backfilling is necessary, so the width of the trench increases by at least 1 m.

What is it for. By using a concrete base, you can increase the bearing capacity of the foundation. Concrete can be reinforced with metal rods and/or steel wire. (this stage is not mandatory, as it significantly increases the cost of the foundation)

To calculate the composition of concrete, we suggest using our service: Calculator for calculating the composition of concrete.

If subsequent plastering of the foundation is not planned, the seam is made flush. Otherwise, normal internal seams are acceptable. The seams between the foundation bricks must be filled with mortar. The external seams of the plinth are facing and should not be filled with mortar to a depth of 10-15 mm for better adhesion of the mortar during plastering. This type of masonry is called “wasteland”.

On problematic soils, the masonry is reinforced.*

1. After finishing the masonry work, the brick foundation will need time - about 2-3 weeks - for it to fully stand until the mortar finally sets.
2. We have already said earlier that in areas with high groundwater and excessive moisture, it is necessary to carry out preliminary filling. But in addition to the sand cushion at the bottom of the trench, it is also carried out along the perimeter of the foundation. The space between its walls and the walls of the trench is filled with gravel, crushed stone, coarse sand or simply construction waste. This layer contributes to the accelerated removal of water during periods of prolonged rains and snow melting.

*How to reinforce a brick foundation

If the soils on the site where the house is being built are not stable enough, the strip-brick foundation must be reinforced. This design of the base will allow it to withstand serious mechanical loads even on problematic soils.

When carrying out work to strengthen the foundation, make sure that the reinforcement (2 belts of 2 rods each) is hidden under a layer of cement mortar to a depth of at least 2 mm. This will increase the thickness of the seam. For reinforcement, metal rods with a diameter of 6-8 mm are used. They are laid at a distance of half a brick from the side surfaces of the tape along its entire perimeter.

For transverse reinforcement, a mesh of steel wire with a diameter of 2.5-6 mm is used. If wire with a thickness of more than 5 mm is used, then weave in a zigzag manner.

Let's summarize this article. So the obvious things.

• A brick foundation takes place when it comes to stable soils with low groundwater levels. It is advisable to use for light structures: bathhouses, one-story houses, garages.

• We use only ceramic solid bricks with a frost resistance of at least 35 and a strength class of 150. Ideally, with maximum frost resistance and strength class.

• Brick is afraid of water, even the most waterproof. Therefore, a prerequisite for the construction of a brick foundation will be good waterproofing of the entire masonry.

• Brickwork must be reinforced with reinforcement or masonry mesh to increase its strength under mechanical loads.

• To increase the strength of the foundation, it is recommended to use a concrete pad under the brickwork. Although, as I understand it, for very light structures you can do without its use, especially in soils not subject to heaving. Still, such a concrete pillow is an additional expense of money.

Question: why use brick for a strip foundation, and not make a more popular and durable monolithic strip foundation from concrete and reinforcement? After all, as they write in books, the difference can be quite noticeable, namely 150 years for a monolithic foundation and 50 years for a brick foundation.

The first thing that should come to mind is the price, namely the cost of materials and the work itself. Let's try to count. We will not take reinforcement into account, since both concrete and brickwork are reinforced. We will also not take into account the labor costs themselves. Let's consider them more or less equal. In brick, this is the laying process itself, preparing the mortar. In concrete this is the installation of formwork, the creation of a reinforced frame. Provided, of course, that the concrete is poured using a concrete mixer.

Let’s simply calculate the cost of materials per 1 m3 of finished foundation.

Brickwork

According to the norms, 1m3 of masonry is 400 pieces. brick (250*120*65). The solution consumption rate per 1 m3 will be 0.25 m3.

As a result, we get 4000 rubles. (400 bricks x 10 rub./brick) + 800 rub. (cement mortar) = 4800 rub.

If we consider that we will lay the brick on a masonry mixture, then it will be even more expensive.

For 1m3 M-300 concrete we will need: 380 kg of cement, 0.5 m3 of sand, 0.8 m3 of crushed stone.

As a result, we get 1500 rubles. (Portland cement grade 500D0) + 800 rub. (crushed stone) + 250 rub. (sand) = 2550 rub.

Comparison. The difference is exactly 2 times. By the way, if you order concrete with a concrete mixer, its average cost also fluctuates around 2500 rubles/1m3

The conclusion can be drawn as follows: a brick strip foundation is less durable and more expensive than a monolithic strip foundation.

Strip-type brick foundation, Do-it-yourself brick foundation construction

Brick foundations appeared much earlier than concrete foundations. Currently, they are used in private construction for the construction of houses up to three floors. If the technology is followed, a brick foundation is not inferior in strength to a concrete one, and you can make it yourself without the involvement of heavy equipment. How to make a strip or columnar foundation from brick with your own hands, what kind of brick is needed and in what cases are such foundations suitable?

When can you make a brick foundation?

A brick foundation is not suitable for all cases. Before choosing the type of foundation, you need to know the condition of the soil and the level of groundwater.

Attention! It is possible to make a brick foundation only on dry, hard, non-heaving and non-flowing soil and with a low level of groundwater.

If the soil is somewhat mobile, then a foundation made of ceramic red bricks can only be laid on a pre-poured concrete reinforced base. In case of high-lying groundwater, it is necessary to use special components of the solution that will not allow the material to deteriorate from moisture.

It is forbidden to build houses higher than three floors on a brick foundation. This type of foundation is best suited for houses made of lightweight materials:

• wooden,
• frame,
• from foam concrete.

This type of foundation is not suitable for a house made of brick or monolithic concrete.

Pros and cons of a brick foundation

To decide whether to choose a brick or concrete foundation in a particular case, you should know about its advantages and disadvantages.

1. It has better thermal insulation properties than concrete.
2. With proper waterproofing, it will last no less than its concrete counterpart.
3. It goes well with any materials in the house and looks beautiful even without additional finishing.
4. If damaged, a brick foundation is easier to repair.
5. The brick base is less destroyed on moving soil, since it itself is mobile to some extent.
6. It's easy to do it yourself.

However, this material also has disadvantages:

1. With the same dimensions, a brick base will be almost twice as expensive as a concrete one.
2. However, it is less reliable than concrete.

Which brick to use

The foundation supports the weight of the entire house, so you need to choose the highest quality materials for it. The brick for it must meet the following requirements:

• have no voids
• strength grade - from 150,
• frost resistance - at least 35 cycles,
• density - 1600 kg/cub.m,
• water absorption - 6-16%.

These requirements are met by the so-called iron or clinker brick; the disadvantage of the latter is its high price. Sand-lime brick cannot be used for the foundation; only solid ceramic bricks are used.

Important! When purchasing, pay attention to quality. Over-burnt or under-burned material has less strength. A sign of poor firing is a scarlet color, a sign of “overexposure” is concave or convex edges.

Types of brick foundation

Brick foundations can be strip or columnar. How to choose which foundation to make?

A columnar foundation made of red brick is suitable for light buildings, such as frame and panel buildings, gazebos and wooden bathhouses. The advantages of this type are low price, no need to make blind areas, you can do it yourself. Disadvantages - requires good waterproofing, is susceptible to frost heaving of the soil.

The strip base is more durable; it is made when a basement or ground floor is planned in the house.

Strip foundation

Before building a strip foundation, markings are made. Mark the corners and perimeter of the building, and then the location of the internal walls.

Trench

For a strip base, both deep and shallow, a trench is dug. For a shallow one, its depth will be about 50 cm. The higher the soil moisture, the wider it should be. The bottom of the trench is compacted, then a sand cushion is poured in and compacted again.

Concrete base

If the foundation is intended for a house, a concrete base must be poured under it. For light outbuildings this can be neglected. To pour concrete, make a formwork approximately 5 cm wider than the intended brick base and about 10 cm high. It is lined with roofing felt, concrete is poured and left for 2-3 days.

Solution

For the lower underground part, a sand-cement mortar is used in a 3:1 ratio; for the basement part, a cement-lime mortar can be used.

Masonry

You can lay out the brick in any standard way. Corrugated reinforcing bars are placed above the first row and in front of the last. For transverse reinforcement, a wire mesh is used.

Columnar foundation

For a columnar foundation, rectangular or square pillars are made. Their size depends on the load on them.

• For a one-story house made of lightweight material, pillars 38*38 cm or 38*51 cm are sufficient.
• The columns under the internal load-bearing walls are made thinner, usually 25*38 cm.
• For a two-story house, the size of all pillars must be at least 51*51 cm.

First of all, it is necessary that the base is level and solid. You cannot fill the holes immediately before starting work, otherwise the soil will not be dense enough. Then the site is marked.

In selected places, they dig rectangular holes 50-80 cm deep and slightly larger than the thickness of the pillars - leaving a reserve for backfilling.

Geotextiles are placed at the bottom of the pits, and sand or small crushed stone is poured onto it, leveled and thoroughly compacted. Geotextiles are needed to prevent sand from going into the ground. Ruberoid is placed on top - it waterproofs the lower surface of the pillar.

The solution is made from M-400 or M-500 cement.

Then you need to lay out the pillars in the holes. Every 4 rows of bricks, a reinforcing mesh made of 5-6 mm wire is placed.

Each layer of masonry is checked using a level - it must be strictly horizontal, all pillars must be in the same horizontal plane.

Under the intersections of the walls, pillars are made 51*51 cm, in other places - 38*38.

Waterproofing

For a brick foundation, waterproofing is required. Without it, the building material will quickly begin to be destroyed by moisture from the soil.

For waterproofing, roofing felt or more modern rolled materials are used. You can also coat the foundation with bitumen. Additionally, you can dig a trench and place a perforated drainage pipe in it.

Base

Usually the base of the house is laid out of the same brick from which the foundation was made. Sometimes it is possible to use sand-lime brick for the foundation plinth, but this is not recommended. You can line the walls and base with brick, then you need to take this into account when laying the foundation and expand it by about 12 cm - this is the standard thickness of facing bricks.

The brick for facing the foundation is a special facing or clinker brick. Which brick is better for the plinth, everyone decides for himself; both of these options are durable and have all the properties of building bricks, and look beautiful. The cladding can be connected to the walls in different ways; see how to do this in the video.

Broken brick foundation

Is it possible to make a foundation from broken bricks as an additive to concrete? Indeed, broken brick, for example, from an old house, is used in private construction as an additive to concrete instead of crushed stone, but concrete of a high strength class cannot be obtained in this way. In this way, you can make a foundation for a small, lightweight structure (gazebos, verandas, extensions). To obtain a satisfactory result, the following rules must be observed:

• use only solid ceramic bricks, not sand-lime bricks,
• grind it down
• add it in an amount no more than 1/3 of the volume,
• concentrate the brick in the center of the structure.

It should be noted that in any case, a foundation made of brick or cast concrete will be much stronger and more reliable. Professionals categorically do not recommend making a foundation for a house using old broken bricks.

Conclusion

Thus, a brick foundation is not suitable for all buildings and not for all types of soil, but in cases where it can be used, it is not inferior in properties to concrete. From brick you can make a strip or columnar foundation for both a house and a garage, gazebo, or bathhouse. In order for the base to last a long time, it must be properly waterproofed.

Most often, a monolithic concrete foundation is poured under suburban low-rise buildings. However, sometimes brick is also used to assemble the foundation of a house. The choice of this material in most cases is determined by the fact that it can be used to build a structure that is very attractive, from an aesthetic point of view.

Advantage of using brick

The estimated service life of foundations built from this material is lower than that of monolithic foundations. However, it has been observed that in practice the opposite usually happens. If the concrete strip of a building can reliably protect the walls of a house from destruction for 200-300 years, then the service life of a brick foundation often exceeds 400. But of course, such a structure will be strong and durable only if the technologies for its construction are strictly followed. Further in the article we will look at how to lay a brick foundation with your own hands correctly.

In what cases can brick be used instead of concrete?

The foundations of houses of this type are built mainly only on dry, non-heaving soils. It is also desirable that the groundwater level at the construction site be as low as possible. On not very stable soils made of brick, the foundation can be assembled only with preliminary pouring of a concrete “cushion” and mandatory reinforcement. When the groundwater level is high, special compounds are added to increase its waterproofing properties. Otherwise, such a base will quickly collapse due to high humidity.

For houses above three floors, brick foundations are prohibited by building regulations. In case of emergency, it is possible to assemble a reinforced powerful base of this type. However, in this case the foundation becomes unreasonably expensive. Therefore, in practice, monolithic concrete foundations are usually erected for buildings of 3 floors or more.

Among other things, structures of this type are most often assembled under the walls of buildings made of lightweight materials. For example, a very good solution would be to build a brick foundation for a log house. This option is very suitable for a cobblestone, panel house or for walls made of foam concrete. Such foundations are not suitable for brick or monolithic structures. In this case, it is also advisable to build a monolithic reinforced concrete structure.

According to the regulations, such foundations are allowed to be used not only for residential buildings, but also for any other structures. Very often, for example, a brick foundation is built for a bathhouse, gazebo, or garage. The technology for assembling such a foundation for structures for various purposes is almost the same.

How to choose material

There are many varieties of bricks on the modern market. However, not all types of this material can be used for building foundations. Only red ceramic bricks are suitable for this purpose, and even then not just any one. The parameters of the stone intended for the construction of the foundation of the house should be as follows:

strength grade of at least 150;

frost resistance from 35 cycles;

density not less than 1600 kg/m 3 ;

water absorption - 6-16%.

Popularly, a material that meets all these requirements is called iron ore brick. When choosing such a stone, you should also pay attention to its appearance. The scarlet color of the brick indicates that it is not fired sufficiently, and therefore is not very durable and moisture resistant. Concave or convex edges of the stone, on the contrary, indicate that it was kept in the oven for too long. This type of brick is fragile. The foundation of a house can only be built from the highest quality materials. Therefore, among other things, when purchasing a stone, you should pay attention to the reputation of the supplier and manufacturer.

Sometimes the owners of suburban areas assemble the foundation itself (its underground part) from red iron ore, and the base from sand-lime brick. Building regulations allow this to be done. But only in the most extreme case - on dry soils and during the construction of some insignificant buildings (summer kitchens, garages, sheds, outbuildings, etc.).

How to dig a trench

So how do you build a brick foundation with your own hands? Step-by-step instructions for assembling this structure will be presented below in the article in full detail. However, first you should still figure out what the trench for this structure should be like, as well as how to properly carry out the preparatory work.

According to the regulations, only columnar or strip foundations of houses are allowed. Shallow brick foundations are also not assembled from brick. The sole of such a design in any case should be located below the freezing level of the soil. For the southern regions of the country, this figure is 0.6-1 m, for the northern regions it can reach up to 2.5 m. Exact numbers can be found in special reference books.

Trenches for a brick foundation will have to be dug not only deep, but also wide. Indeed, in this case, you need to make sure that the mason has enough free space to carry out the masonry. After building a brick foundation, this “extra” space is filled with expanded clay or light soil. This allows you to reduce the freezing level for a given location, as well as minimize the negative impact on the underground parts of the structure during spring heaving.

Otherwise, trenches for such a foundation are dug according to the same rules as for a conventional monolithic one. That is, marking is first carried out using pegs and a cord (using the “two curves” method), and then excavation work is carried out.

Preparation of mortar for masonry

Increased demands are placed on the quality of brick foundations. After all, the service life of the entire building depends on how reliable it is. Therefore, it is worth taking a responsible approach not only to the choice of the stone itself, but also to the procedure for preparing the solution. The sand must be sifted before mixing. Under no circumstances should lime be added to the solution intended for laying the foundation. The mixture must be prepared using a concrete mixer. The more homogeneous the composition, the better.

Construction of a strip foundation: preparatory work

In the trench dug under the foundation of the house, the bottom is first carefully compacted and leveled. Next, a sand-gravel mixture 15 cm thick is poured onto it. The resulting “cushion” is carefully compacted with a tamper and water. Then a layer of waterproofing is installed. To prevent the base of the foundation from getting wet during operation, roofing material (2-3 layers) is rolled out over the “cushion”. At the same time as the bottom waterproofing, it is advisable to install the side waterproofing as well. To do this, additional strips of roofing material are glued to the canvas on both sides using bitumen mastic.

Mortar support device

On soft soils, a brick foundation, as already mentioned, is erected with the preliminary arrangement of a reinforced concrete “pillow”. The latter is poured into wooden formwork with reinforcement with a frame assembled from 12 mm rod. The thickness of the “cushion” should be at least 10 cm. Before starting to assemble the pillars, it must be left for two weeks.

Assembling a strip foundation

The first row of bricks is laid directly on concrete or roofing felt, taking into account subsequent dressing and filling of vertical joints with mortar. Next, the foundation is assembled according to general rules with mandatory reinforcement, vertical and horizontal. It is possible to build the foundation of a brick house only with single-row bandaging of the seams. In order to reduce the adhesion of the walls of the structure to the ground, jointing is performed (flush). The seams are not treated only if the walls of the structure are subsequently going to be plastered for additional waterproofing.

Do-it-yourself reliable columnar brick foundation: step-by-step instructions

In this case, not holes are dug under the base, as when using concrete mortar, but also trenches. After all, a mason needs space to lay pillars. Supports must be installed under all load-bearing walls of the building. The pillars must be placed at the corners. They also need to be installed at the intersection of the walls. The minimum side length of a square post is 380 mm (1.5 bricks). The support should rise at least 20 cm above the ground.

To make the masonry even, first, box templates made from boards are installed in the trench. Waterproofing is preliminarily laid under them and concrete platforms are poured.

The laying is done around these templates. After several rows have been laid out, the box is removed. As a result, there is empty space inside the pillar that needs to be filled with concrete. Next, the masonry is carried out, constantly trimming the bricks, to the desired height. The reinforcement (three 12 mm rods each) is inserted into the empty space remaining in the center of the pillars and the solution is poured.

Above ground, finished posts are often connected with concrete tape. It is poured into formwork with reinforcement. It is impossible to connect its parts to each other and to the pillars. Instead of concrete, the space between the pillars can also be simply bricked.

Brick foundation for a bathhouse

The principle of constructing the foundation for such a structure is the same as for a residential building. Most often, a do-it-yourself brick foundation for a bathhouse is poured in the form of a continuous strip. However, if the walls are supposed to be made of panels, you can save money and get by with a columnar base. For the basement of the strip foundation of the bathhouse, it is better to use red brick. Silicate is afraid of moisture. Also, when arranging the base for the bathhouse walls, maximum attention should be paid to waterproofing.

DIY brick for a gazebo

In this case, it will be enough to erect four pillars at the corners of the structure. Under very light gazebos, such foundations are sometimes not even deepened. For large structures of this type, 6-8 supports are installed.

Like a brick strip foundation for a bathhouse, the base for the gazebo should be waterproofed. Roofing material must be laid in several layers under the supports. When pouring the empty central part of the pillars, dowels or rods are installed under the frame and uprights of the gazebo frame. They should rise 20 cm above the surface of the support. The rods are also buried 20 cm into the concrete.

Red brick has been invented for centuries and has been successfully used as a building material. But few people know that it has been used for a long time to build foundations.

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

This material is not ideal, and constructing the sole of a small house or bathhouse from it is a rather labor-intensive process and not the fastest.

Another important drawback is the high cost of bricks.

Such a foundation can be built exclusively on non-heaving and dry soils, so it is not even considered by most developers.

But if the technology of its construction is followed, and waterproofing work is carried out correctly, such a sole, be it a small private house, cottage or bathhouse, can serve faithfully for up to 25 years.

Let's learn about all the intricacies of building a brick foundation.

Choosing a construction method

Brick foundations are often made using the strip method, since it is the strip base that is the most durable and economical.

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

But not simple, but red solid baked 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 over after dismantling buildings; it is cheap and time-tested.

Under no circumstances should you use silicate (white) building brick or slotted red brick 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 is fragile and can withstand fairly light loads.

Calculation of the required amount of materials

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

If we subtract the thickness of the mortar 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 out if its length is multiplied by the width and the planned height.

Construction stages and technology

Let's consider a strip buried brick foundation made on heaving soil. (This soil type is the most common)

1. Stage one: marking and excavation work. Dig a trench to a depth below freezing of the soil. The width of the tape depends on soil moisture. The wetter the tape, the wider it is.
2. Make a sand cushion at the bottom of the finished trench. Pay special attention to compacting it thoroughly. Use only coarse sand to create a sand bed.
3. The next stage will be the installation of a concrete base for your future foundation. For this you need. The thickness of the concrete base is usually about 10 cm, so the formwork should be of this height. The width of the base should be half the width of the tape. Don't forget about a layer of waterproofing between the concrete base and the foundation. We recommend using roofing felt as waterproofing.
4. A few days after pouring the concrete, you can begin laying. The brickwork of the foundation is carried out using a cement-sand mortar in a ratio of 1:3, and can be done with any dressing, most often a standard one. When constructing a brick base, two reinforcement belts are used. The first is made between the first and second rows of bricks, and the second armored belt is made in front of the last row of masonry. For reinforcement, steel or composite reinforcement with a thickness of 6-8 mm is suitable.
5. After approximately 2 weeks, you can begin waterproofing and insulating the foundation walls.

Waterproofing - quick and easy

This procedure is simple and can be done by hand by almost any home craftsman.

Waterproofing the walls of the sole is done by coating it with bituminous materials, followed by gluing it with roofing felt.

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

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

Strengthening the existing foundation

An old brick foundation in which cracks have appeared does not need to be redone; it can be repaired.

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

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

We dig holes to expose the corners of the foundation. The depth of the hole should be 50 cm greater than the depth of the sole. We place the 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 the soil are given one of the first places.

When planning the construction of a structure on a personal plot, each owner purchases raw materials based on his capabilities and the functional purpose of the structure. But the main criterion remains the long service life and reliability of the future building.

A brick foundation is an affordable option that you can build yourself. Although installing it will require a lot of effort, time and patience, the result will be impressive.

Let us consider in more detail the aspects of creating such a foundation.

Thematic material:

The pros and cons of a brick foundation

Among the main advantages of such a foundation it is worth highlighting:

1. No formwork installation required.
2. Possibility of laying by hand.
3. Selecting tape shapes.
4. Reducing concrete consumption, which means saving money.
5. Compatibility with other types of materials.
6. Easily repairable.
7. There is no need to involve special equipment or a team of workers.
8. Good level of thermal insulation.
9. If you perform high-quality waterproofing, then in terms of service life it will not be inferior to a concrete strip or monolith.

But it is worth considering the disadvantages:

1. High labor intensity of work. Manual bricklaying takes a lot of time and effort.
2. Mandatory reinforcement with reinforcement is required. Otherwise, its service life is reduced significantly.
3. Brick has a high level of hygroscopicity. Due to this, its frost resistance is reduced.

In addition, this type of foundation can only be erected on a stable piece of land with a low groundwater level.

In some cases, it can be installed on moving soil, but provided that a reinforced concrete foundation is prepared underneath.

For what buildings can or cannot be used?

Depending on the complexity of the design, a columnar or strip type is used.

You cannot lay such a foundation under two-story or three-story houses, where the walls will be made of brick or monolithic concrete.

There are no restrictions in the choice of material for cladding the facade of a building.

Choosing suitable types of bricks

Red fired solid (ceramic) is best. If we are talking about the construction of a furnace, then fireclay (fireproof).

Most often these types of raw materials are used because they:

• have a clay base;
• resistant to moisture;
• durable;
• durable.

They have no obvious shortcomings.

But it is important to pay attention to the quality of the material purchased. If the raw material is overcooked or not kept for the required time, it will take on a dull scarlet color and will have concave edges; over time it will begin to crumble, which will lead to the destruction of the foundation belt.

Clinker is suitable for cladding the facade. It is resistant to any manifestations of the external environment, lasts for decades, but its price is quite high.

White sand-lime brick should be used exclusively for finishing the basement of buildings made of block or wood. Despite its strength, it has high hygroscopicity and low frost resistance. The situation is the same with red hollow.

If you lay the base from silicate, then under the influence of moisture, after a few years, individual sections will begin to crack.

Sizes, brands

The required type of raw material must meet the following requirements:

• to be whole, without voids;
• frost resistance level – from 35 cycles and above;
• water absorption – no more than 16%;
• compressive density – 1600 kg/m3.

Ceramics should be of the following grades: M150, M200, M250.

Suitable brick sizes:

• 25*12*6.5 cm – single;
• 28.8*13.8*6.5 cm – modular;
• 25*12*8.8 cm;
• 28.8*13.8*8.8 cm.

We calculate the required amount of material

Initially, a drawing of the future structure is developed, which takes into account:

• land type;
• what material the walls and ceilings will be made of;
• the presence of a basement or attic;
• area of ​​the base of the building.

And based on the load on the foundation, its shape (ribbon or pillars), width, depth, and amount of material are determined.

When calculating the material for a columnar brick foundation, it is important not to forget about the cross-sectional dimensions of the supports. It is correct to make them square with an edge of 38 cm or rectangular, measuring 38*51 cm.

We create a brick foundation with our own hands

Having determined the purpose of the building, they decide to erect a ribbon or pillars.

But in any of the options, waterproofing is required. The old proven bitumen, rolled roofing felt, is well suited for this. For additional protection from moisture, dig a trench and lay a drainage pipe in it.

Let's look at step-by-step instructions for creating each type of brick foundation.

Stages of construction of a columnar foundation

Its strength is sufficient for light structures:

• small country houses made of logs;
• plank utility blocks;
• summer shower and toilet;
• gazebos.

It’s easy to lay such a foundation yourself, armed with guidance from experienced builders. Its price is affordable, and there is no need to make a blind area.

1. For a one-story frame house, pillars measuring 38*51 or 38*38 cm are sufficient.
2. If this is a summer kitchen with an attic, then the dimensions of the supports are increased to 51*51 cm.
3. Cement grades M400 and M500 are best suited for mixing the solution.
4. The bottom of the holes must be leveled, compacted and geotextiles laid. It will become an obstacle to the penetration of moisture into the foundation, will not allow sand to go into the ground, and weeds will not grow.
5. A cushion of crushed stone and sand is formed on top, and roofing felt is laid.
6. After this, they begin laying the pillars in the proven old-fashioned way.
7. Every 4 rows it is recommended to strengthen the supports with a layer of wire mesh.
8. To ensure that all columns are in the same plane, each laid out row should be checked with a building level.

An important feature that is worth considering is that the supports under the load-bearing walls are made much thinner, approximately 25*38 cm.

Construction of the ribbon

The choice in favor of this foundation is possible if you plan to build a building with a ground floor, basement, or attic on the roof. Walls can be built from stone or reinforced concrete.

According to the experts, the tape is a reliable foundation not only on hard ground, but also on sandy, heaving loam. The main thing is to perform high-quality reinforcement.

Pouring a broken brick foundation

Sometimes parts of brick remain from old buildings, which can also be used as auxiliary material when pouring the foundation. But even here it is suitable only for the basis for small structures such as a bathhouse, barn or gazebo.

There is no point in assuming that this raw material will make a reliable tape, a monolith for the house. Even if a good layer of mortar is poured, the rubble stone will not withstand such a load.

Broken brick is an additive to concrete instead of crushed stone. Therefore, we advise you to familiarize yourself with some of the intricacies of its use:

1. Raw materials should be beaten until small pieces of equal size are obtained.
2. The material should be placed closer to the center of the foundation.
3. Only parts of ceramic solid bricks should be used.
4. For 1 m 3 of base, ½ battle will be required.
5. The layer of concrete mortar should be 2 cm higher than the level of the rubble to be covered.

By choosing brick as the main material for the foundation, you will receive a reliable foundation that you can make yourself, saving on the services of builders.