Installation of a monolithic countertop in 2 days.

The test was carried out by foreman Sergei Shestero.

Many people have asked me to tell you how we make two-level countertops for washing machines. See post: DIFFERENT BATHROOMS AND COUNTERTOPS. I promised them this. I keep what I promised.

A little background (couldn't resist). We received an apartment for renovation with a difficult fate. Before us, it had been under repair for 5 months. Customer from Khabarovsk. I bought an apartment in Moscow, found a local foreman, agreed with him to renovate the apartment and moved to my place. The foreman regularly reported to him on the completion of the work. The customer regularly sent him money for materials, for work and for finishing materials. When I arrived in December for the surrender, I was completely knocked out. The horse was not lying there, but before the surrender it was like before China. The workers (or rather, one person with a “foreman”) quickly left, leaving the apartment in a terrible state.

The client contacted me through friends. When I came to the apartment and saw all this disgrace, I was shocked. And when I found out how much money he had already spent on this pseudo-repair...

The customer turned out to be a good guy and we started the repairs.
It's a pity that there were no photos left before the alterations began. But this is enough for complete sensations.

I will briefly describe what I saw.

The screed was almost all buckling, the plaster walls were all cracked (there was no gap with the ceiling, everything was caulked with mortar), the heating wiring was made from pipes for drinking water, the electrical wiring was absolutely terrible.

We removed all the tiles in the bathroom. Take a closer look: in the toilet installation there is a hot water and hot water collector hidden inside (Miracles on bends)

When the slopes were removed, I was completely devastated. To dislike the customer so much and make him such a waste...

Now let's get down to our rams, or rather our tabletop. We waterproofed the walls and strengthened them, installed water and sewer lines, and installed a thoroughly bathtub. This is the picture before the installation of the countertop begins.

About 5 - 6 years ago, when we just started offering clients to install countertops, the work was completely different. We used angle iron, welding, and DSP sheets. It was a whole production for a week.

Now practice has shown that everything can be simplified, while the quality remains high. Saving time and money. So take a look, if you like it, use it. Made by one master in 2 days.

First day. A frame is installed from the usual TIGI KNAUF profile to the size of the washing machine. If necessary, I can give you the size later (usually a frame margin of 3 cm on each side). Sheets for sheathing - 12 mm GVL is used. Modification of the tabletop depends on the wishes of the customer. In this version it has a rounded edge.

The walls were reinforced; entry into the walls is 6 cm (this is plaster). Plus masonry mesh. We hide the sewerage with a false wall. The tabletop will hang cantilever.

Reinforcement 10 mm. The fittings are set at a slight angle.

We cover the edge with gypsum board, except for the semicircular part, there is gypsum board.

The sink will stand on the countertop; we will not reinforce the space for the drain.

Second day. Half an hour of work.
All! The countertop is flooded.

We put penoplex in the drainage area (you can use a foam block), then you can easily knock it out without a hammer drill.

During construction, many people have a question about how to make a floor so that it is not only reliable, but also provides good sound and heat insulation of the premises. To solve this problem, it is best to choose reinforced concrete slabs or reinforced concrete monolithic floors.

Diagram of a monolithic floor.

If it is not always available to purchase reinforced concrete slabs of the required size, then you can make a monolithic structure yourself, the main thing is to make the calculations correctly and take a responsible approach to the work. To monolithic ceiling had high strength, it is being reinforced. The dimensions of the reinforcement used in each case are calculated individually and depend on the size of the area to be covered and the load on the structure. allows you to get a durable, high-quality structure.

One of the main advantages of monolithic flooring over using ready-made structures is that in in this case there is no need to use heavy equipment, which is not always available during private construction.

Another advantage of a reinforced concrete monolithic floor is that in this way it is possible to cover any non-standard sized rooms, while the reinforcement placement step is calculated separately in each case. Reinforcement of the structure makes it possible to achieve high strength. Monolithic construction also has advantages over wooden construction, as it is more durable and reliable. In order to carry out the correct calculation of all sections of the monolithic floor, you can contact special design organizations or do everything yourself using available programs that allow you to calculate the spacing of reinforcement and design floors of any purpose and of various shapes.

Calculation of a monolithic floor

Do-it-yourself monolithic ceiling diagram.

Availability of special computer programs They help make calculations, but they do not replace the designer himself. If you do not have basic construction knowledge (you do not understand the characteristics of concrete and reinforcement, you do not understand what reinforcement is in a monolithic floor), then you will not be able to calculate a monolithic floor yourself. Some people start making a monolithic structure without conducting preliminary calculations. In this case, they take a risk, since the overlap will either have less strength or be much more expensive. This is undesirable and unprofitable. Hiring professionals has always been quite expensive, so many people decide to make a monolithic structure themselves. How to calculate it correctly, we will consider further. First you need to decide on the thickness of the overlap. It depends on the load on the floor and the length of the span. In order to make an approximate calculation of the thickness of the floor, it is necessary to divide the greatest length between the supports by 30. For example, if the span is 6 m, then the slab should be 20 cm thick.

Corrugated roofing diagram.

If the thickness of the floor is 15 cm and the load on it is small, then reinforcement can be carried out in one layer. If you carry out the work yourself, it is better to do it in two layers, on the top and bottom of the slab. Here the choice is yours; if you do everything yourself, it is better to overpay for the material and get high floor strength. If the calculation is done by specialists, then you will save on the material, but will overpay for the specified work. Professionals will help you determine the required size, cell pitch, and reinforcement cross-section. Often, additional reinforcement is required to increase the strength of the structure. In the lower part of the slab it is done in the middle of the span, and in the upper part - in places of greatest load: in technological openings, on supports, in places where heavy furniture or equipment is installed. It is necessary to take into account the pitch of the partitions that will be located on the floor. For additional strengthening, reinforcement 0.4-1.5 meters long is used. It is a solid slab, usually 12-20 centimeters thick, made of B15-B25 concrete and reinforced with metal rods. In each case, the reinforcement placement step is calculated individually. This slab rests on bearing structures and can have a wide variety of shapes. The device is carried out in three stages:

• installation of formwork;
• reinforcement: a frame is made from reinforcement, the diameter of which is 8-16 mm, usually the pitch is 15-20 cm;
• concreting the surface with concrete class B15-B25.

Carrying out installation

Installation diagram of reinforced concrete floor slabs.

In order to make a monolithic structure, you first need to complete the formwork. The forming surface in it is waterproof plywood. As the calculation shows, its thickness should be 18-21 mm. Once the board has hardened, the plywood can be removed and reused. If installation is carried out, you can use edged boards. But in this case, be prepared for the concrete to leak through the cracks. The boards may sag, and rust will appear in these places, which will spoil appearance coverings. In the future, they must either be knocked down or leveled with plaster. It is especially necessary to check the reliability of the installation of the racks and the absence of gaps in the formwork; if the gaps are more than 3 mm, then they must be sealed. Otherwise, concrete milk will seep into them, and this leads to a decrease in the strength of concrete.

Formation of reinforcement frame

Scheme monolithic slab ceilings

After the formwork has been installed, reinforcement can begin (using metal rods to form the frame of a monolithic floor). The reinforcement is tied together into a mesh using knitting wire; as calculations show, a wire with a diameter of 0.8-1.2 mm is sufficient. Typically, the cell pitch is 15-20 cm, respectively, their size is 15×15 cm or 20×20 cm. For the main reinforcement, reinforcement with a diameter of 8-12 mm is used, for places where it is necessary to strengthen the structure (support on walls, columns and spans), thicker reinforcement with a diameter of 12-20 mm is used. The thickness of the reinforcement in a monolithic floor is calculated individually in each case. The thickness of the protective layer of the reinforcement must be at least 2 cm; for this, protective layer clamps are placed under it on the formwork. After the reinforcement has been carried out, the entire frame must be carefully checked.

Carrying out concreting of the floor slab

House construction scheme.

After the entire surface of the floor has been formworked and reinforced, concreting begins. The concrete mixture can be delivered to the work site or prepared directly on the site. Cement is used as the main binding material, sand as the fine aggregate, and crushed stone as the coarse aggregate. As calculations have shown, the average weight of a square meter of a 20 cm thick monolithic floor is 480-500 kg. It is best to lay the finished concrete mixture over the entire thickness of the slab at once, while maintaining one direction of work. This work must be carried out continuously and the mixture must be well compacted using a vibrator. Most often, deep vibrators are used to compact concrete mixtures. When free-laying concrete, the drop height can be up to 0.7 meters. If the base is level, then the thickness of the ceiling can be checked using a feeler gauge. When it is uneven, then use a level. The surface of the slab must be protected from wind and direct sunlight. Hardening concrete should not be exposed to mechanical stress, such as shock or impact. In order for the hardening process to be most effective, it is necessary to periodically water the monolithic ceiling with water; in dry weather, this should be done for at least the first 7 days. If the temperature environment above 15°C, then for the first three days the concrete is watered every 3 hours during the day and once at night, and then no less than three times a day. At an air temperature of about 5 °C, it is necessary, on the contrary, to provide additional heating of the concrete. The calculation showed that the most optimal parameters for concrete hardening are air temperature +15°C and humidity of about 90-100%. Only after 28 days will the concrete acquire its design strength. You can proceed to dismantling the formwork after the concrete has acquired 70% of the design strength.

Disadvantages of monolithic flooring:

• complexity of carrying out construction work, the need to reinforce the entire surface;
• if it is necessary to calculate and perform complex components, then you will have to involve specialists;
• making formwork takes a long time and requires a lot of labor;
• if work is carried out at subzero temperatures, then it is necessary to calculate the necessary additives or carry out additional heating of the floor before it hardens, which increases the cost of work by approximately 10-20%.

The main advantages of monolithic flooring:

• such ceilings can be made in rooms of any (even curved) shape;
• calculations show that to suppress airborne noise, a monolithic floor 14 cm thick is sufficient (if, for example, a wooden floor is used, then in this case it is necessary to use soundproofing materials, but this is not necessary);
• such ceilings allow you to create extensions for a terrace or balcony of any shape, and there is no need to use additional supports;
• if everything is done correctly, then the lower surface of such a floor is smooth, which allows you to save on its finishing (no joints - no cracks, which cannot be said when using ready-made slabs);
• no need to use a crane.

It’s not difficult to make a monolithic floor yourself, the main thing is to do the calculations correctly.

Today you can use various types of foundations for your home, but monolithic ones are especially popular. Such foundations can be made in the form of strips, support pillars, or slabs. The choice of one option or another depends on the soil on which the houses will be built.

Types of monolithic foundation

Today, monolithic foundations are made of various types, all of them can be combined into 3 large groups:

• strip base;
• columnar base;
• slab base.

All monoliths can be divided according to the following characteristics:

• simple concrete structures which are poured without reinforcement;
• reinforced concrete structures, which during the construction process are reinforced with reinforced belts made of metal rods.

The strip base is the most popular, since the construction technology is relatively simple, the costs required are less than for a slab base, but there is the possibility of constructing a basement or ground floor. A similar foundation is used for almost any type of soil; it is excellent for wooden brick and concrete houses, and is preferable when constructing frame buildings. The structure is a concrete strip that runs along the perimeter of the building, under the load-bearing internal walls.

It consists of supports, that is, hollow pillars, which after installation are completely filled with concrete. Such foundations are reinforced with metal rods; a wooden or monolithic reinforced concrete grillage is usually placed on top.

Monolithic slab bases are the most reliable, they can be installed even on difficult and water-saturated soils, but the costs of its construction are significant.

In addition to the consumption of concrete mixture, such a foundation takes a large number of reinforcement, it is knitted with special wire.

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Tape depth and width

To fill a monolithic strip foundation, specialists must make a calculation. It would seem that it could be simpler, but in fact, the depth of the tape, the width, and the need for expansion at the bottom of the sole - all this data can only be obtained by performing a calculation.

The depth depends on the type of soil and the loads on the structure. For example, for a low-rise building, a tape depth of 50 cm is sufficient. If the soil is characterized by seasonal heaving, then it is necessary to deepen the monolithic foundation to 70 cm, and most likely to the entire 1.5 m. The level of soil freezing also affects the laying depth. The lowest point of the foundation should be below the freezing level. Data to perform such a calculation can be obtained from ongoing geology. Such numbers are available in the local specialized service, and they are not so difficult to obtain.

As for the width for the tape, the load on the base and the width of the future load-bearing wall are taken into account. The optimal value is 40 cm, but if the depth of the base is significant, then it is necessary to add another 25 cm to the data obtained to ensure the reliability, stability and strength of the base.

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How to make a monolithic strip foundation: step-by-step instructions

To make a monolithic strip foundation, you must first make calculations regarding the following parameters:

• width and depth of the tape, height above ground level;
• area and width of the sole, the need to expand it at the bottom of the pit;
• reinforcement with metal rods.

Such parameters depend on many circumstances, ranging from site conditions and soil type to climatic conditions and building loads. It is recommended to entrust the calculation to specialists, since even the slightest mistake will lead to the fact that the monolithic foundation will begin to gradually collapse, and with it the house itself.

Stages of foundation construction:

1. Marking is being carried out on the site. For this, the most common rope, wooden pegs, building level, tape measure and wooden square are used. The location lines of the future foundation are marked on the site.
2. A trench of a given depth is dug. We must try to ensure that the walls on the sides do not crumble.
3. When all the preparatory work is completed, it is necessary to make a fill of sand at the bottom of the trench. Its thickness should be approximately 15-20 cm, after which the sand is moistened and compacted. The next layer will be a gravel fill, which also needs to be compacted and carefully leveled. Why do this? Such a pillow not only protects from excess moisture, but also allows you to correctly distribute loads on the ground, i.e. acts as a shock absorber.
4. If the project calculation involves the use of a drainage system to drain ground and sedimentary waters, then it is necessary to start doing it right now. The bottom of the trench must also be waterproofed with molten bitumen.
5. After the bottom is prepared, it is necessary to make formwork for pouring. Regular edged wooden boards and moisture-resistant plywood are suitable. The formwork is a box that is open at the top; its walls must be knocked down very tightly, using galvanized nails. It is not allowed for gaps to remain or unevenness to be observed, since the strength and reliability of the entire structure depends on this.
6. Next, you need to make a reinforcing frame that will strengthen the monolithic base tape. No special calculation is needed for this; you just need to correctly calculate how much reinforcement is needed. This calculation is not very complicated, it takes into account the following: the armored belt is made in 2 rows, each requires 2 horizontal rods and vertical guides for rigidity. The calculation is carried out in such a way that all the rods do not reach the edges of the formwork by about 5 cm, i.e., after pouring, the reinforcement or parts of the knitting wire with which it is fastened should not remain on the surface.

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Final works

If the preparatory process is completed, then you can begin pouring the concrete mixture. You cannot interrupt the pouring process - this is a significant mistake; a monolithic foundation will not be strong. After pouring, it is necessary to compact the solution; for this purpose, a vibrating plate or an ordinary metal rod is used. This must be done so that all the air is completely removed from the mixture. If you leave everything as is, the monolithic foundation will be porous after drying.

The base is erected quite quickly, it only takes time for it to dry completely. After pouring, the monolithic foundation must be protected with plastic film; during the first days it must be moistened so that the concrete does not crack. When the mixture is completely dry, you can begin waterproofing. The upper part of the tape is covered with 2 layers of roofing felt. The last step is the binding, which can be made from wooden beam, treated with antiseptics.

One of the options for the foundation for a building is a floating monolithic slab. It comes in both shallow and non-recessed types. This type of foundation is not suitable for projects that include a basement. This disadvantage is compensated by the affordable price and the possibility of building a monolithic foundation on problematic soils, since it efficiently distributes and transfers prefabricated loads to the soil.

Different types of foundation slabs

• a simple pillow without stiffeners;
• slab with simple stiffeners;
• slab with reinforced stiffeners.

There are combinations of these options, for example, a strip-slab foundation. It is used if it is necessary to arrange a basement. A popular solution is a slab with stiffeners. It has maximum strength.

The monolithic slab is made using continuous reinforcement. Its thickness depends on the planned building, and ranges from 25 to 55 cm. The use of a shallow version of the slab allows savings in materials of up to 35-40%.

To build a reliable foundation, it is necessary to use only high-quality concrete mixture and reinforcement.

When constructing a monolithic slab, you should adhere to building regulations and normal. Almost all problems with building frames occur due to miscalculations or errors during foundation installation.

The advantages of a monolithic slab as a base are:

• the construction budget is lower than analogues;
• ease of construction of a monolithic foundation;
• ability to withstand high loads due to the large contact area;
• no deformation of the walls, since the slab rises and falls evenly;
• savings on finishing works, slab - finished subfloor;
• Possibility of construction on problematic soils.

Literature on standards and rules

To find out how to pour a monolithic slab with a long service life, it would be a good idea to familiarize yourself with and take into account the requirements:

• SNiP in the section “foundations of structures and buildings”;
• GOST “classification of soils”;
• set of rules for the construction of reinforced concrete and concrete structures.

Stages of preliminary work

From the very beginning it is necessary to carry out the following work:

• geological study of the site - measure elevation changes and determine the type of soil;
• remove the soil layer at the site of the foundation and deepen the pit to the calculated depth;
• lay the necessary communications or bookmarks for them;
• lay a drainage system;
• arrange a cushion of sand and crushed stone;
• waterproof the foundation base;
• install formwork;
• build a load-bearing frame from reinforcement with a cross-section of 12-14 mm, welded or tied with special wire.

Carry out other work if necessary. To strengthen the structure and stabilize the geometry, it is necessary to provide stiffening ribs at the bottom of the slab.

Rules for pouring a monolithic slab

Typically, the foundation slab is poured in one step. But sometimes you have to do this in several approaches. To do this, select a part that will be filled to its full height, and fence it off with a vertical partition at an angle to the horizontal so that the resulting seam is inclined.

Contractors consider it wrong to fill a monolithic foundation of a house in parts. But for independent work this is completely acceptable.

Selecting the brand and class of concrete

Before pouring a monolithic foundation slab, you need to order concrete from a reliable supplier. For a monolithic base, you need to choose concrete that meets the following requirements:

• mixture density from 1850 to 2400 kg/m³;
• concrete grade from M200 or more;
• concrete class from B-15 and higher.

In the middle zone, commercial concrete of grade 250, strength 230 kg/cm², frost resistance F200, water permeability W4 and mobility P3, is suitable.

The frost resistance of concrete depends on the presence of pores in the concrete structure. During crystallization, water expands and fills them, preventing cracking.

When making the mixture yourself, you must adhere to the technology for preparing concrete with frost resistance from F100 to F150.

Depending on the planned structure and type of soil, it is recommended to choose the following grades of concrete for pouring a monolithic foundation slab:

• M400 - for heavy buildings made of brick or concrete, on soft soils;
• M350 - for 2-3 storey buildings made of lightweight materials, for example, foam concrete;
• M250 - for wooden houses;
• M200 - for houses built using frame technology.

When independently making a mixture for concreting a slab, crushed stone/sand/cement proportions of 3:1, 5:1 are used.

Important points in foundation construction

When building monolithic foundation slabs with your own hands, there are recommendations to maximize their service life. They relate to some stages of work and design features:

1. The recommended height for supplying concrete from a concrete mixer is no more than one meter. Avoid moving concrete more than two meters. Move the concrete mixer around the perimeter or use a concrete pump to fill the entire area.
2. The total thickness of the concreting layer is selected at the design stage, depending on the future structure.
3. The height of the formwork is set 5-10 cm above the slab level.

To increase the bearing capacity of the foundation, the following techniques are used:

• the arrangement of stiffeners occurs along the entire perimeter and, additionally, perpendicular to the long wall;
• additional piles are installed at junction points (corners of the building).

A structure with piles is called pile- slab foundation.

For a visual representation of the main stages of construction, you can watch a video on the construction of a monolithic slab foundation.

Nuances of reinforcement of a monolithic slab

When pouring the foundation, remember that all metal elements of the load-bearing frame must be covered with a layer of concrete of at least 15 mm. For convenience, special supports with a thickness of 15-20 mm are placed under the frame from below. It is not recommended to use such stands made of wood, reinforcement or crushed stone. The upper load-bearing frame is attached to vertical sections of reinforcement using welding or binding wire. When leveling and distributing the mixture, you should not walk on the reinforcement so as not to disturb their structure. To distribute the load, use boards or boards, removing them as they are filled.

The monolithic slab can be buried 30-40 cm, be flush with the ground level or located above the ground.

Features of arrangement in winter

At sub-zero temperatures, the cost of arrangement will increase, since the poured mixture must be heated for three days. Heating occurs using a heating cable embedded in a power frame. It remains inside the structure. Additionally, the following methods are used:

• creating a thermos - the foundation is covered with a film and the heat generated from the reaction of cement and water is stored;
• arrangement of warm formwork - steel panels that are heated using electricity;
• mixing hardening and hydration accelerators into concrete.

The latter method is cheaper and is used more often.

Caring for the foundation during the hardening process

After pouring a monolithic slab, it is necessary to carry out maintenance measures. Since the slab is a finished subfloor, it should be made as level as possible. Maintenance work for “maturing” concrete:

1. Formwork control. Its displacement is not allowed. If detected, eliminate within an hour.
2. Protection from natural phenomena. A polyethylene cover is provided - this will help from wind and various precipitation.
3. Drying control. After 8-10 hours, the humidity should not drop below 90%. Watering the slab is carried out for 3-5 days.

Construction on such a foundation can begin after 2 days at a temperature of 25-30 degrees, after 5-7 days at a temperature of 15-20. In winter, it is better to start construction on the 10th day. The formwork can be removed approximately a week after the completion of pouring.

Important! At any stage of the construction of a building, a responsible approach must be taken. Then the constructed structure will serve for many years.

Conclusion

If you adhere to the necessary technologies and standards for installing formwork, making concrete and pouring it, and also carry out subsequent care for the “maturing” foundation, this will ensure the necessary properties of the foundation and maximum service life.

A monolithic house is stronger than all other types of buildings. Previously, only industrial facilities and high-rise buildings were built using a monolithic method; today, private individuals also use this technology to build cottages and houses.

System for calculating the mass of a monolithic concrete slab.

A house built using monolithic technology allows you to bring the most incredible design ideas to life.

And increasingly, future homeowners are thinking about how to build a monolithic house with their own hands. This kind of construction is becoming more and more popular also because a house made with your own hands using this technology is surprisingly durable. It can withstand a small earthquake, does not require much labor or expensive materials, is durable and reliable in operation. Monolithic house can be finished with anything, and the walls can be erected immediately equipped with additional insulation. Technology that uses non-removable technology allows this.

Scheme of concrete floor reinforcement.

This technology, like any other, has its advantages and disadvantages. And the advantages are very significant:

1. The integral solidity of the structure greatly increases the mechanical strength of the structures. They are resistant to damage caused by ravines, earthquakes and ground shifts.
2. There are no so-called cold bridges, which are found in conventional buildings made of structures with seams. This makes the rooms warmer.
3. Monolithic construction can be done at any time and on any soil.
4. Quite fast construction.
5. Low financial costs.
6. Projects of monolithic buildings may have curvilinearity.
7. If perlite, sawdust, slag, expanded clay and similar substances are used in concrete solutions, then the structure will be light enough so as not to make a heavy foundation for it.
8. Additional insulation will not be needed during construction with a permanent structure. And at the same time, the total thickness of the wall will be less than usual;
9. Monolithic walls have exceptional sound insulation.
10. The interfloor ceiling can be made of any material.
11. This technology eliminates the appearance of cracks in the walls due to the uniform shrinkage of the building.

And about the disadvantages of monolithic construction - there are much fewer of them:

• on the upper floors of the structures being built, it is impossible to do without a mortar pump or concrete pump;
• monolithic floor slabs will require multiple labor costs, as special scaffolding is needed;
• with permanent formwork, it is necessary to equip the house with supply and exhaust ventilation, otherwise humidity and its consequences cannot be avoided;
• mandatory plastering in order to avoid possible negative consequences from its combustion - the release of toxic substances;
• mandatory grounding of the entire building, since it is reinforced concrete.

Construction technology

Diagram of a monolithic concrete strip foundation with reinforcement

As is already clear from the above, the monolithic construction technology can be produced with different formworks: removable and non-removable. Both types of construction have their own nuances and features both in the construction itself and during operation.

Removable is individual for each project. Its task is to accurately repeat all the features and curves of the future structure. Plywood, wood, iron or plastic are most often used.

The distance between the walls is the width of the future wall. And it is calculated taking into account the region of construction and the thermal conductivity of the concrete mixture used. The shields are fastened with nuts, studs, and washers. To facilitate removal after pouring, corrugated tubes are placed on the threaded rods to protect them from contact with the concrete mixture.

This technology allows you to pour not only ordinary concrete into the formwork yourself, but also mixtures with lower thermal conductivity: perlite concrete, expanded clay concrete, slag concrete, sawdust concrete, aerated concrete, foam concrete, wood concrete and others. Such walls will be more vapor-permeable and warmer, but they can withstand less load.

Very important point in monolithic construction - reinforcement. It uses steel or plastic reinforcing mesh, and for even greater strength, a reinforcement frame is made.

You can pour concrete no more than half a meter at a time. And it is allowed to continue pouring only after it has set. Concrete must be compacted using deep vibrators, while Special attention given to the corners. After the concrete has hardened, the removed formwork is placed higher, and work continues in this way until the entire structure up to the roof is poured.

Finishing and insulation of walls can be done with your own hands no earlier than 4-5 weeks, after maximum strength has been achieved. Insulation is done with mineral wool, expanded polystyrene, warm plaster or extruded polystyrene foam.

Sometimes insulation is made with your own hands using a well facade. In this case, an indentation is made from the concrete wall and a wall is laid out of brick or tile, and the indentation is filled with ecowool, expanded clay or other insulating material.

Advantages of non-removable

Diagram of a partition made of foam blocks.

The shape may vary. There are longitudinal, corner, window-sill, over-window and others. At its core, the arrangement is reminiscent of assembling structures from a children's play set.

Permanent formwork is more popular because it also serves as an insulating layer, while overall labor costs are reduced and there is no need to spend money on wall insulation.

After the foundation is equipped with a waterproofing layer, polystyrene foam formwork is installed on it, fastened with special profiles having a tongue-and-groove fastening shape, which allows concrete to be poured without leakage and without sagging at the fastening points.

Scheme of reinforcement of floor slabs.

The width of polystyrene foam can be different. And if there are a large number of them, they can be manufactured at the factory to order. The standard block width is 150 mm, with polystyrene walls of 5-7.5 cm.

This fully meets the requirements, in which the heating will have to be turned on only when it is below +5 degrees outside.

To fill permanent formwork, you cannot use warm mixtures - only ordinary concrete. The thing is that the vapor permeability of warm mixtures is significantly higher than the vapor permeability of polystyrene foam; such proximity will lead to condensation and the house will become overgrown with fungi and mold.

After erecting walls with permanent formwork, they do not need to be insulated; applying decorative plaster or siding will suffice.

Kinds

During the installation of the frame, boards are used. The foundation must be at least 20 cm wider than the future walls.

In application, there are several types: formwork for foundations, floors, ring walls with the ability to change the radius, tunnel formwork. Thus, any building structural element can be manufactured.

It is impossible to construct different elements in the same way. For example, foundation formwork is installed on horizontal supports and slopes; walls are made using construction locks, brackets and racks. And for floors, the formwork is laid on a structure made of supporting volumetric racks or telescopic racks.

A removable one can be built from steel, plastic and wood. If we build formwork from plywood, then it must be cut with a saw with fine teeth in order not to damage the lamination and veneer. Holes are drilled on both sides for the same reason. Plywood formwork should be stored in a dry place. In order to make removable formwork easy to remove, special fastenings are not only made for it, but also treated with a solution specially designed for this purpose.

Tools and technology

To build a house with your own hands using monolithic technology, you will need the following:

• concrete mixer, mixer;
• when preparing a concrete mixture manually, you will need dishes for mixing it, shovels, and measuring utensils;
• a stretcher for carrying concrete mixture or a wheelbarrow;
• gas cutter, construction hair dryer;
• mesh for reinforcement;
• scissors for cutting mesh, pliers or other similar devices;
• knife for cutting polystyrene foam;
• hammer, nails;
• tape measure, water level;
• machine for giving the mesh a special shape;
• metal and wooden supports;
• reinforcing hook for tying wire;
• perforator;
• individual protection means.

The monolithic technology of building a house with your own hands allows you to completely dispense with additional building materials, except for those required for making the mixture for pouring into the formwork.

In practice, several foundation designs are used in construction. One of the most common is monolithic. In essence, it is a reinforced concrete monolithic slab laid to some depth in the ground.

Its difference from other types of bases is that when lifting groundwater or deformation of soil layers, the monolith located under the building will respond to changes as a whole, that is, with its entire mass. Such a reaction will not lead to deformation of the house.

A monolithic slab can be given any shape that will completely match the shape of the house. And the most important thing is that this design of the building’s base ensures complete tightness, since there are no structural joints, and the concrete itself is made using water-repellent additives.

In addition to the obvious advantages, the monolithic design also has some disadvantages. These include the large amount of time required for its construction. Pouring the slab itself will require a significant amount of concrete and the use of special equipment.

As already noted, a monolithic foundation is a slab laid in a previously prepared place. But, nevertheless, there are several ways to make such a base. They differ from each other in their hydro- and thermal insulation options. As you already understand, a monolithic strip foundation is a little different. There, the earth is dug up only for the foundation, if there is no basement, and the earth remains under the space of the rooms. Here the entire volume of earth is excavated, under the entire area of ​​the house.

The simplest of these types of foundations is performed according to the following scheme:

A reinforcement structure is installed at the bottom of the pit, on a pre-compacted sand cushion, and then filled with concrete. More complex ones include structures that use sheets of waterproofing material, geotextiles, and, depending on the type of soil, it is possible to make an additional cushion from crushed stone.

The most complex monolithic foundation looks like a multi-layer sandwich in cross-section:

• sand cushion;
• layer of geotextile;
• layer of crushed stone;
• the so-called preparatory layer of concrete;
• waterproofing layer;
• monolithic slab.

Sometimes, to increase the reliability of foundation protection, polystyrene sheets are laid before pouring concrete, thus improving the thermal insulation of the foundation.

Such complex structures are used on difficult soils, for example, with high level groundwater. Builders with extensive experience say that a monolithic foundation can be used even in peat bogs.

To calculate a monolithic foundation slab you need to know:

• Groundwater level;
• Parameters of the soil on which the foundation will be placed;
• The amount of soil freezing;
• The total weight of the building, it includes the weight of the box, roof, furniture installed in it, household appliances and residents;
• Size of snow and wind load;
• The weight of the plate itself.

As a result of calculating the specified parameters, it is possible to determine what pressure the entire structure will exert on the ground. Then you need to refer to SNiP 2.02.01–83 and determine the maximum pressure on the ground at the building site. Let's look at an example:

• The weight of the building is 19 tons;
• Roof weight 3 tons;
• The weight of the foundation slab is 20 tons.

Possible snow and wind loads will add 7.5 tons on top, for a total load of 49.5 tons.

With a building size of 6x6 meters, the surface area of ​​the foundation will be 36 square meters or 360,000 square centimeters. The load on the ground will be the difference between the weight of the structure and the area of ​​the foundation, resulting in 0.13 kg per square meter. centimeter. This load is acceptable for any soil.

When calculating the thickness of the monolith, it is necessary to mandatory take into account the following parameters:

• Distance between layers of reinforcing mesh;
• The height of the concrete layer on and under the outer layers of the reinforcing mesh;
• Reinforcement dimensions.

Practice shows that the traditional slab thickness is 200–300 millimeters. If we take into account that under it there should be a compacted sand cushion with a total height of up to 300 mm, then the thickness of the composition is 600 mm. It is necessary to understand that this parameter changes depending on the type of soil and the weight of the building.

In addition to the power calculation of the structure, it is necessary to calculate the amount of consumables and reinforcement.

The volume of concrete is equal to the product of the perimeter of the foundation and its height, and the required volume of sand or crushed stone is calculated in the same way. Based on the calculations carried out, waterproofing, fittings, etc. will be known.

Direct construction of a monolithic foundation

Stage I. Site preparation

Preparatory work for the construction of a monolithic foundation begins with cleaning the surface of the construction site. Everything unnecessary is removed from it, including the turf on which the grass cover is located. After this, you can mark the future pit. It is advisable to start marking from the wall that will be parallel to the fence.

For marking, you will need a cord that does not stretch, several pegs. If you don’t have special geodetic tools at hand to use for marking, you can do it yourself. It is necessary to prepare several pieces of cord in advance; their length should be equal to the length of the wall and the allowance for securing it to the peg.

After you have marked the first wall using a cord and pegs driven into the ground, you need to tie the piece of cord that will mark the second wall to one of the ends. To form between them, the developer must solve the Pythagorean Theorem, this will allow us to find out the length of the diagonal between the walls.

By moving the cords you need to build a right triangle. Once it is built, you can begin marking the remaining walls. The result will be a rectangle that indicates the location of the future foundation. You can check the quality of the markup quite simply. It is necessary to measure the diagonals; if everything is marked correctly, then their sizes will coincide.

After marking is completed, excavation work begins. The main requirement for the quality of their implementation is the following - the bottom of the pit must be located strictly horizontally, look at the photo.

This determines the quality of the foundation being built. If we take into account that the depth of the pit lies within 1 meter, then the developer has a choice: to dig it manually or invite special equipment. In any case, after the main volume of soil has been removed from the pit, it is necessary to level the bottom and, as soon as it is found, remove all excess from it.

After the foundation pit is ready, it is necessary to arrange a cushion, as noted above, it can be made of sand or small crushed stone. The height of the cushion is up to 300 mm after compaction.

By the way, before you start pouring sand, it is advisable to lay geotextiles at the bottom of the pit; it will prevent sand from penetrating into the soil surface. For this operation, it is advisable to use a special vibrating rammer.

As the sand compacts, it is necessary to constantly add fresh sand and continue to compact it until the desired height of the cushion is reached. The surface of the pillow should be located in a horizontal plane.

Stage III. Installation of formwork

Any work related to the manufacture of reinforced concrete structures is, in one way or another, related to the arrangement of formwork. The simplest formwork is wooden panels knocked down from boards. The boards are attached to vertical bars.

These boards must be installed vertically and secured with wooden braces resting on a peg driven into the ground. The step between them is about 1 meter. But practice shows that the more often they are driven into the ground, the stronger the formwork will be.

It is advisable to protect a full-fledged monolithic foundation from moisture and ensure its thermal insulation. To achieve waterproofing, ordinary roofing felt is used, which is laid in two layers or on the surface of the cushion if a simple monolith is being constructed, or laid before pouring on a layer of intermediate concrete.

Thermal insulation of the foundation, if necessary, is constructed from polystyrene foam. A layer of insulation is laid in front of the concrete layer and a polyethylene film is placed on top of it.

The reinforcement structure is made on a sand bed. It consists of two belts. For reinforcement, reinforcing mesh may be used, but this only applies to foundations for small structures, for example, a bathhouse.

To build a full-fledged foundation, it is advisable to use corrugated reinforcement with a diameter of 10 mm or more.

For vertical rods, it is permissible to use smooth reinforcement with a diameter of 8 mm or more. We must remember that the heavier the building, the larger the diameter of the reinforcing bars.

Vertical reinforcement is driven in in increments of 200–300 mm over the entire area to be poured with concrete. The bottom layer of reinforcement should be located at a distance of about 50 mm from the surface of the pillow, and the top layer at a distance of 50 mm from the surface of the foundation. The fittings are connected to each other knitting wire or plastic clamps.

Pouring the foundation is essentially a finishing operation, and experience suggests that to carry it out, it is advisable to order concrete from the nearest plant and deliver it using a mixer. Thus, it will be possible to carry out pouring from several points, and leveling it will be much easier. By the way, you must always remember that the concrete being poured must be compacted. To do this, you can use special submersible or surface vibrators.

Video

Watch a video about building a monolithic slab foundation for a house with your own hands.

Often, the specificity of the soil at the construction site does not allow the use of pile or strip foundations. Only possible variant in such situations, the foundation is a monolithic reinforced concrete slab. Only such a slab base is capable of distributing point loads arising from seasonal heaving and minimizing pressure on the soil, distributing the weight of the house throughout the monolith. The material consumption and cost of the foundation are high. However, making it yourself is not that difficult.

What is a slab foundation?

Due to its massiveness and strength, a monolithic foundation in the form of a single slab is able to withstand serious local impacts from below the soil without destruction or deformation. When there is severe heaving in winter, it rises evenly and completely along with the house on it, and in the spring it also falls. If such a foundation under a building is made exactly according to technology, then it is durable and strong.

Device diagram

This foundation for a low-rise building consists of three layers:

Sand and gravel cushion.

Waterproofing.

Reinforced concrete slab.

It should be clearly understood that this is not a panacea for every case. Yes, it can be installed on difficult soils. But if the site is swampy or located in northern regions with harsh winters, then for a private house it is better to prefer an analogue made of piles. The stove will be of little use in such situations.

Kinds

All such reasons internal structure are divided into two subspecies:

Monolithic;

Prefabricated monolithic.

The first type involves pouring a concrete monolith with reinforcement directly onto a sand and gravel bed. In the second case, ready-made factory-made reinforced concrete products are first laid on the sand, and concrete is poured onto them in a thinner layer.

Slab foundation diagram

In terms of strength and reliability, both of these options are comparable. Here, the final parameters of the foundation depend more on the quality of preliminary calculations in the project. However, the use of ready-made reinforced concrete slabs significantly speeds up the process of building a prefabricated monolithic foundation for a future house.

Advantages and disadvantages

Main advantages:

No need for special equipment (except for the prefabricated version);

Minimum volumes of excavation work - it will be enough to remove only the top fertile layer;

Uniform distribution of loads;

Expanding opportunities for the construction of cottages on soils with complex structure;

Simplicity of work - you can do a slab foundation with your own hands, even alone.

The foundation slab has high strength and reliability. Moreover, you do not need to have any special construction skills to create it yourself. It is enough to know how to knock together wooden formwork panels and mix concrete.

Over time, concrete only becomes stronger, so don’t be afraid to let it sit for a season or two.

On a slab reinforced concrete foundation You can safely install almost all types of cottages. To erect one or two-story buildings on it, aerated concrete, ceramic and gas silicate blocks are used, as well as all types of wood (profiled timber, logs, etc.). Wall masonry, for which a gas block or brick is used, on such a monolith will definitely not crack due to swelling of the soil. Wooden or concrete, as well as frame or frame-panel houses can be placed on the slab.

Disadvantages include:

Limitations on the flatness of the surface of the site;

Inability to arrange a basement or cellar;

Difficulties with laying communications;

High material consumption and cost of the device.

One of the main problems of such a monolithic foundation is communications. Water supply and sewerage for the house must be designed in advance. All pipes must be laid before concrete pouring begins. Then breaking the monolith is difficult and impossible. Plus, you won’t be able to build such a foundation on a slope with your own hands or with the help of professional builders. It requires a flat area.

Step-by-step instructions for arranging a foundation on a slab

Proposed step-by-step instruction involves the creation of a foundation slab without the use of any reinforced concrete products. This eliminates the use of lifting equipment, allowing you to do everything yourself. It’s worth hiring a couple of assistants for the work, but everything can be done alone. The technology is extremely simple.

Such work is done in six stages:

Marking and excavation. There is no need to remove a lot of soil under a slab foundation. It will be enough to cut off the turf and go deeper by 20–30 cm. The excavated pit is intended for a sand cushion and leveling the area for pouring concrete mortar. It's even easier with a markup scheme. The shape of the monolithic slab is a banal rectangle the size of a house. To mark it on the ground, you only need four pegs and a string.













Sprinkling sand or sand-gravel cushion. According to the rules, the foundation cushion is made from separate layers of sand and gravel. Moreover, the sand layer should be at the bottom. This reduces the risk of ground moisture rising towards the concrete. It is not necessary, but it is recommended to lay geotextiles at the very bottom and between the layers. Thanks to this, there will be no mutual mixing of soil, sand and crushed stone.








Installation of formwork and laying of communications. The formwork is made around the perimeter from boards 20–40 mm thick or special formwork plywood with lamination. The first option is cheaper. The second one is often used construction teams, which these chipboards are then reused. General scheme The formwork is extremely simple - shields around the pit and supports on the outside.



Laying out rolled waterproofing (roofing felt). The waterproofing sheets are laid overlapping and with release on the sides, so that the reinforced concrete slab ultimately remains open only at the top. Often the standard pie is supplemented with a layer of concrete preparation (screed). This is an ordinary solution without reinforcement, 10–15 cm thick. It is intended solely for leveling the bottom of the pit and preventing the roofing material from being damaged by crushed stone.

Installation of fittings. The reinforcing frame is made of steel rods with a diameter of 14–16 mm in two layers with square cells measuring 20–25 cm and transverse bridges. The reinforcement is fastened by electric welding or binding wire.



The thickness of one floor is usually 250–300 mm. It is not recommended to do this anymore due to increased loads on the ground. If the foundation slab is being poured for a garage or other light outbuilding, then 100–150 mm can be done with one reinforcing layer. In most cases, this thickness is more than enough. But if everything is decided to be done correctly, then you need a project with calculations of all loads and other parameters.

Pouring concrete. Next, the laid reinforcement is filled with concrete mortar with a grade of at least M-300 and F greater than 200. After pouring, the tiled foundation must be cured for at least a month according to building codes and instructions. Concrete needs to set and strengthen, this process is not quick. Only then will it be possible to build the walls of the house on it.




We begin pouring the slab

Usage

There is nothing super complicated about building such a foundation yourself. Concrete can be ordered ready-made or you can mix your own from cement, crushed stone and sand in a ratio of 1:3:3. After completing the construction of the walls and roof of the cottage, it is recommended to insulate the base at the ends and then finish it. Facing bricks or metal siding are perfect for decoration.