• Why does a house need a basement?
• Basement of a house with double-layer walls.
• Features of basement waterproofing.
• Elimination of cold bridges in the basement.

The base is aboveground part foundation. This is a rather complex knot, where the vertical (basement, walls) and horizontal (floors and ceilings) structures of the house converge and adjoin each other.

Proper construction, waterproofing and insulation of the basement are necessary conditions for building a durable, economical and heat-saving house.

The figure below clearly shows what will happen if the house has a very low base.

Plinth with a height of at least 20 cm. protects walls from moisture (in the picture on the left) A low base and absence of a base leads to moisture in the wall of the house (in the picture in the center and on the right)

The height of the base of a private house must be at least 20 cm. With a low base, there is a high risk of moisture in the wall of the house. The walls will be moistened by splashes when raindrops hit the ground, when snowdrifts melt, or from capillary suction of moisture directly from the ground.

Damp walls lose their heat-saving properties. Water freezing in the walls gradually destroys them. Dirt, dampness, fungus and mold appear on the walls outside and inside the house.

In areas with high snow cover, it is better to make the height of the base no lower than the level of stable snow cover. This rule is especially important to follow for houses with wooden walls.

To protect the walls of the house from moisture coming from the ground, two lines of defense are created:

• They increase the height of the base in order to remove the walls of the house as far as possible from the ground, the source of moisture.
• They waterproof the walls of the house and the basement in the dangerous zone of exposure to moisture.

A high base increases the cost of building a house. Therefore, depending on the design of the walls and, they try to find reasonable compromise between the size of the plinth and the level of waterproofing.

Be sure to arrange it between the base and the wall of the house.horizontal layer of roll waterproofing.

In some cases, which are discussed below, it is necessary to do additional waterproofing of the walls of the house.

For a private home it is recommended to make a recessed base. In a sinking plinth, the outer surface of the wall protrudes beyond the border of the plinth by about 50 mm. The water falling on the surface of the wall flows down and falls from the wall past the base onto the blind area. This solution prevents water flowing down the wall from reaching the horizontal waterproofing and flow along it into the wall. For better water drainage A drip line is secured along the lower edge of the wall.

It should be noted that in addition to the moisture-proof function, the base plays a certain role in the architectural appearance of the house. A house on a high base looks more solid and impressive, and finishing the base can highlight the beauty of the floors of the house.

Correct basement of a house with single-layer external walls

The height of the basement of a house with single-layer external walls must be at least 50 cm.(in the picture on the left) Or for a plinth height of less than 50 cm, but not lower than 20 cm., additional waterproofing of the walls is necessary. (in the picture on the right)

The outer surface of single-layer walls is less protected from moisture than that of multi-layer walls. Therefore, it is recommended that the base of a house with a height of at least 50 cm.

If the base of a single-layer wall is below 50 cm., That arrange additional waterproofing in two places:

1. In the wall, above the first or second layer of masonry made of aerated concrete or porous ceramic blocks, another layer of roll waterproofing is laid.
2. The outer surface of the wall, in the area of ​​the lower rows of masonry, is protected from water by a layer of vertical waterproofing. To do this, it is enough to use hydrophobic primers and waterproof plasters when finishing the wall. It is better, but more expensive, to line the base and lower part of the walls with a material with low water absorption, for example, clinker tiles.

Plinth design for a single-layer wall houses with basement or at home on foundation - slab Can

Dimensions of the basement of a house with two-layer external walls

The minimum height of the plinth for a two-layer wall insulated with polystyrene foam is 20 cm. For a wall insulated with mineral wool, it is recommended not less than 30 cm.(in the left picture) A low base will lead to moisture exterior finishing and soaking mineral wool insulation (in the picture on the right)

Besides, thermal insulation of the base eliminates the cold bridge through the base and load-bearing part of the wall, bypassing the thermal insulation of the floor and wall.

In a single-layer wall, the floor is raised to the level of the second or third row of masonry. The vertical waterproofing of the base is raised to the same level. 2 - waterproofing; 4-5 - plaster on a grid; 8 - finishing; 9 - floor on the ground

If on site or weakly heaving, then the task of combating the forces of frost heaving is not worth it. In this case, it is only necessary to get rid of the cold bridge through the base and load-bearing part of the wall.

To eliminate the cold bridge in a house with single-layer walls without insulation of the base, it is necessary to raise the floor to the level of the second or third row of masonry blocks outer wall. This is sufficient, since the material of a single-layer wall has low thermal conductivity.

The load-bearing part of two- or three-layer walls is usually made of material with high thermal conductivity. To eliminate the cold bridge in two- or three-layer walls, you can cover only the upper part of the base with insulation, by approximately 0.5 m. below floor level. This will increase the path length heat flow on the base.

If the basement space under the house is not heated, then the basement is covered with thermal insulation on both sides.

In multi-layer walls, to eliminate the cold bridge, cover one outer or both sides of the base with thermal insulation (for houses with an unheated basement or floors on the ground)

For multilayer walls, another way to combat the cold bridge is used. The lower rows of masonry of the load-bearing part of the wall are made of wall material with low thermal conductivity. The floor level is raised in the same way as for a single-layer wall.

For insulating the base and underground part of the foundation, extruded polystyrene foam slabs (penoplex, etc.) are best suited.

It is convenient to insulate strip foundations. The design of pile foundations with bored (including TISE) or screw piles is more suitable for a cold base. Insulation of such foundations is quite problematic and expensive.

The basement space of houses with pile foundations is usually not insulated. The design of the basement and floor of the first floor of a house on a pile foundation is chosen taking this circumstance into account.

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The foundation has a continuation of 50-70 cm above the ground, and this transition from the foundation to the walls of the house is called the basement. The word "base" is of Italian origin. “Zoccolo” is translated from Italian as “the foot of a building located on a foundation.” The primary purpose of this barrier is to protect against factors environment, so the base needs careful selection of material. But the base can also take part in the design of the external appearance of the house, serve as a architectural solution Therefore, the appearance of the material from which it is made is also important. The base is safety fence houses with a basement. When the floor lies on the ground, the plinth, as a support, takes the pressure of the backfill and the load from the walls.

Important:

1. The minimum height of the basement must be no less than 50 cm. In a house with a basement, the height of the basement can be one and a half to two meters;
2. There is always ventilation in the basement. The ventilation parameters are as follows: 15x25 cm not lower than 15 cm from the ground level. There is 1 hole per 3 m of foundation. During frosts, the holes are closed;
3. Installation of a blind area around the entire perimeter of the base is necessary to protect it from moisture. The width of the blind area should be at least 600 mm, slope: 2–3% in the direction from the wall of the house. Materials for blind areas: concrete, asphalt, paving with natural or artificial stone.

It is not always worth building a base. For example, under light structures, such as a veranda, porch, terrace or shed, there are columnar supports, and it is not at all necessary to install a plinth between the supports in these places, otherwise you will disrupt the air circulation in the underground, deprive it of ventilation and excess moisture will begin to accumulate.

Selecting material for the base.

The choice of material for the plinth is made not only for aesthetic reasons, but also depending on its durability, resistance to natural factors, as well as on the type of construction of the plinth itself (more information about the types of plinth construction will be discussed in the article below). So, for a protruding plinth, materials are needed that do not need finishing; only the strength of the material is important (red brick, natural stone, concrete). A brick base or a base lined with concrete slabs or stone contrasts beautifully with a smooth wall. If the walls of the house are brick, the base is usually made of concrete foundation blocks, lined with natural stone, or the base is reinforced concrete, and lined with solid brick 50 MP3 of high frost resistance.

Base from monolithic concrete most durable. It is made in formwork. If the base is thick enough, then masonry made of natural or artificial stone can be used as formwork. It is advisable to erect a monolithic base along the entire perimeter of the house without vertical and horizontal seams. Cement should be selected from high-strength grades 300-400. Using a frame made of pipes, wire and corners, you can increase the strength of a monolithic base. The hardened concrete surface then needs to be cleaned, the voids filled and the whole thing covered with a layer of liquid cement. It should be noted that ordinary paint on the base does not last long; there are special facade paints for this, but more on that below.

It consists of rows of these blocks connected with cement mortar. If the number of blocks does not fit into the size of the plinth (multiple blocks), then these places are filled with monolithic concrete.

Base from natural stone is arranged on a strip foundation. The stone plinth is also connected to cement mortar. The stones should have as smooth a surface as possible. The construction technology is such that first a base the width of the plinth is laid on the foundation, and the laying of the plinth itself begins from the corners where the largest stones will be located. A “mooring” cord is pulled between the corner stones, along which the entire masonry will be leveled. The stones are laid directly next to each other. The masonry is separated by vertical seams. The height of the rows of masonry is calculated from the height of the stones and the thickness of the horizontal joints, which can be in the range of 10-15 mm. The thickness of vertical seams can be from 8 to 15 mm.

Brick base. For this, they usually take not sand-lime brick, but red solid brick of grade 50 MRZ. Sand-lime brick not at all moisture resistant. The thickness of the brick plinth depends on the minimum winter temperature of the region, for example at -30 degrees the thickness will be 1-1.5 bricks. The brickwork of the plinth needs additional protection. To do this, ironing is carried out, treatment with highly moisture-resistant compounds that work at the molecular level, as well as the application of special durable and water-repellent paints for bases on a silane-siloxane basis (only steam passes through). The brick plinth, painted with chloroxide paint with pigment, is very beautiful, while the seams of the plinth are painted, on the contrary, with the same paint, but without pigment (white).

In addition to solid brickwork, there are also such types of brick plinth as a rubble plinth between brick pillars and a brick plinth between pillars of some other material. The rubble base with brick pillars is additionally covered with single brickwork on top.

Types of plinth structures.

In addition to the plinth, which is located in the same plane with the wall, relative to the outer wall there are also plinths that protrude forward and seem to sink under the wall. Each of these designs has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Recessed base the most economical and frequently used option. Advantages: installation requires few materials; well protected from mechanical damage, slanting rain, does not impede the flow of water along the walls; aesthetically important, as it hides the waterproofing layer. Disadvantages: you cannot install such a base if you have a thick base in mind, and also if the walls of the house are thin, etc.

Projecting plinth gets settled , if the walls of the house are thin, and also if you want the basement to be warm. The most important advantage of such a base is its excellent protection from the cold. The width of the protruding plinth is thicker than the external walls of the house. Disadvantages: most susceptible to mechanical and natural influences (unlike a sinking base) and requires additional waterproofing protection and installation of a drain around the entire perimeter of the building. For a protruding plinth, durable materials are needed that do not need finishing (red brick, natural stone, concrete).

Base in line with the wall (in the same plane as the wall) least recommended as it leaves the waterproofing coating exposed external influences and aesthetically unattractive.

Construction of a plinth on a strip foundation.

In this case, the base can be built from the following materials:

1. Concrete blocks . The dimensions of the blocks should not exceed the height of the base. Horizontal seams are not desirable. On the outside, the base can be covered with stone, ceramics, crushed stone, or be smooth without any relief. Block weight standards: no more than 100 kg if it is hand laid and up to 500 kg if log or steel levers and mounting loops were used during laying. There is a backfill between the soil and the foundation. There is insulation inside the base.
2. Monolithic concrete plinth arranged using formwork. Liquid cement is poured into the formwork. Thus, both the foundation and the plinth are obtained at once. Before pouring the cement, you can lay corrugated fiberglass, rubber mats, etc. in the formwork - then the outside surface of the base will acquire a texture. To reinforce the walls, you need a mesh made of wire with a diameter of 5–6 mm. For longitudinal reinforcement, you will need rods with a diameter of 12 mm with clamps with a diameter of 5 mm. After formwork, the concrete surface is cleaned, voids are processed, and cracks are filled. The surface is once again covered with liquid cement.
3. Brick . Solid brick M-50 is suitable for the base. The height of the base must be at least 4 brick rows. The finishing of the base is carried out using natural stone, tiles, and siding.

Construction of a plinth on a slab foundation.

Ribbed top slab foundation in this case serves as a base. Or the base is made of monolithic reinforced concrete

Construction of a plinth for columnar (pile) foundations:

There are several types of plinth devices for pile foundations. This is perhaps the most time-consuming of all types. The base for a pile foundation is a grillage or backfill, which are beams or slabs that are located between the piles. Location at the base-grillage from bottom to top: soil, pile foundation, waterproofing, base, wall of the house. In the underground there is a layer of bulk soil and crushed stone.

Base-grillage made of reinforced concrete lintel:

Such a base is constructed on heaving soil or if the walls of the house are built of brick or small blocks. A grillage between the piles is made to construct the supporting base part and to increase the stability of the pile foundation. Reinforced concrete lintels contain twisted wire inside. The lintel takes the load of the wall above the opening. A reinforced concrete grillage is placed on top of the piles and can be a support for walls made of stone or brick. What is a reinforced concrete grillage: it is an ordinary lintel reinforced with 4-6 rods with a diameter of 10-12 mm, which are laid on concrete 70 mm thick. The height of an ordinary lintel is 1/4 of the span, but not less than four rows of masonry. The grillage lintel can be a monolithic or prefabricated reinforced concrete rand beam.

A monolithic base does not have to rest on heaving soil, so it is advisable to leave a free space of 10-15 cm between them. Then this space must be covered with an asbestos-cement sheet, brick, some kind of finishing or non-heaving soil.

Base in the form of a pick-up:

A fence is the simplest type of base for a pile foundation - these are walls, usually wooden, that are installed between the piles. The fence protects the underground well from moisture, snow, and dust. Typically, this type of base is used for wooden houses and the piles here will also be wooden. In general, the pick-up material is usually the same as for the piles. The fence can be made from horizontal logs or from vertical boards. The thickness of the fence depends on the foundation material:

1. Rubble masonry: from 20-30 cm;

1. Brickwork: half of one brick or more;
2. Reinforced concrete: from 10-12 cm.

Often the excavation is deepened into the ground by 30-50 cm and plastered with cement. If the soil is clayey, then a layer of sand 15-20 cm deep must be laid under the fence. The distance between the piles should be 2-2.5 m.

Basement waterproofing.

The creation of a waterproofing layer is mandatory. The layer should be at a height of 15-50 cm from the ground, but below the floor of the room. Typically, roofing felt on mastic or cement mortar is used for this. If the soil is dry, then do cement-sand screed 2-3 cm thick. If the soil is wet, then 2-3 layers of roofing material are additionally laid over the screed (if the screed is already dry, then the layers can be glued to hot mastic). For additional protection against moisture, a protective screen made of iron can be installed around the entire perimeter of the base. concrete slabs or asbestos cement sheets.

Basement insulation.

In unheated basements through basement floors heat goes away. The more costs are invested in the thermal insulation of the basement, the less costs will be required for heating the house in the future. To insulate the base from the inside, non-moisture-absorbing materials with closed pores are used that can retain their heat-shielding properties in a humid environment, for example, extruded polystyrene foam boards. The slabs are mounted with glue or cold mastic, since hot bitumen mastic will only spoil the material. In addition, adhesive compositions should not contain acetone, solvent, etc. additives that dissolve polystyrene.

Thermal insulation is also installed on the outside: rigid insulation is glued and plastered over a mesh.

Design insulation of the base in wooden house from bottom to top it is as follows: outside the blind area, inside there is tar, slag, soil (all this is covered with a cement screed); the outside top of the base is covered with warm concrete to ½ the height of the crown (warm concrete: 1 part each of cement and lime, 9 parts of fine slag); warm concrete covered with a sheet of roofing iron; the interior is insulated with roofing felt at ½ the height of the crown; the wood is insulated with felt.

Design "zavalinka" - This is a relatively inexpensive and lightweight plinth device, common in private construction. The plinth-fill is the following structure from bottom to top: there is a pile with a blind area in the sand, a layer of slag between the pile and the log wall, the pile is covered with sheathing, which goes behind it at an angle to the log wall (like a protruding plinth).

Basement finishing.

The base can emphasize the architectural appearance of the house and there are some rules for this. For example, a smart decision would be to finish the base dark color and at the same time goes well with the color of the roof. If you have something special in mind in terms of the exterior design of your home, then when choosing color shade When choosing a base, follow the principle of combining similar colors or, conversely, contrasting shades. If your house is made of log or smooth plastered walls, then it would be appropriate to cover the base with natural or artificial stone - this will visually make the building heavier from below. You can avoid highlighting the base at all and cover it with the same material as the walls. Below are the options for finishing the plinth:

1. Plastering and painting Suitable for brick plinth. Plaster can be used to hide flaws, irregularities, or, conversely, to create a decorative relief surface. The plaster allows air to pass through and protects the base from moisture and temperature changes. The process of finishing a brick plinth: to reinforce the plaster, a metal or fiberglass mesh is attached to the plinth with dowels, plastering is done on it, then the top can be painted facade paint. This finishing then needs to be looked after, as freezing and thawing in different time years, as well as moisture accumulation will contribute to cracking and crumbling of the plaster. The base needs to be periodically plastered and tinted, especially closer to the blind area.
2. Concreting Suitable for brick and block plinths. This is a more durable finish than plastering. The process of concreting the plinth: consolidation metal mesh, installation of formwork where concrete is poured. To achieve a monolithic coating, it is recommended to carry out such finishing simultaneously along the entire perimeter of the house. When the concrete has hardened, you can remove the formwork and paint the surface with facade paint.
3. Tiles and artificial stone Suitable for monolithic, brick plinths and concrete slab plinths. Tiles can be different: polystyrene foam, asbestos-cement, cement-stone mixture. However, such finishing will require considerable experience and skill. The tiles are attached to the facade with an adhesive solution or with dowels. Concrete for artificial stone is based on ground natural stone and cement. Fake diamond can completely imitate natural. When the stone is attached to forged nails, steel guides with a diameter of 6-8 mm are hung. A wire mesh with a diameter of 1-1.2 mm with cells whose size does not exceed 40 mm is stretched between the guides. The base can also be finished with facing bricks.
4. A natural stone - Very beautiful view finishing, suitable for monolithic plinths and concrete slab plinths. A perfect stone finish requires skill. Installation may take several days. What stone will be used in the cladding of the building depends on the overall style of the building; it can be marble, calcareous slate, crushed cobblestone, dolomite stone or others.
5. Basement siding – these are universal facing panels made of polymers, with a thickness of 2 mm. They are attractive because they can have a wide variety of textures, colors or imitate natural materials, and also because of its light weight. Siding is designed for a temperature range from -50 to +60 degrees. Durable material, not subject to fading and corrosion. Convenient not only for cladding the base, but also for various transitions, pipes, etc. Base siding is easy to install, as it has a very simple system fastenings with spikes and clamps. Some types of siding can even be installed without sheathing, if the surface of the base is flat; in other cases, siding is installed using sheathing metal profiles on a clean, high-quality wall, as when installing drywall. The nails should be driven exactly in the center of the hole. Horizontal elements should be hammered from the center to the edge, and vertical elements from top to bottom. The lining is specially left movable in order to drain condensate. To decorate the corners, the siding must be bent; to do this, it is first heated to 120° on the unpainted side and then bent. The fold should extend 1-2 cm further than the corner line of the building.

Options for finishing a sunken plinth:

1. Decorative finishing of a plinth made of concrete blocks with natural stone when the wall of the house is brick. Around the base, at a width of 50-70 cm, you need to remove the soil with a shovel and make a trench 10 cm deep. Then fill it with crushed stone or gravel, water it well and compact it after 1-2 hours. Thus, around the house at ground level you will get a “cushion” for slopes. Stones are selected with a thickness of no more than 10 cm and with one flat side. For thinner stones, a thicker layer of cement will accordingly be needed to level the overall plane of the masonry. Before laying, the stone and plinth are moistened with water, then cement mortar is applied to the plinth over the area of ​​one stone. When the stones are laid, they are tapped. Try not to get the solution on the outer surface of the stones; if this happens, wait until the solution dries and then remove it with a dry, stiff brush. Laying begins from the bottom row, and the lower edge of the stone rests on a crushed stone/gravel “cushion”. The plinth is faced with stone at a rate of 1 row per day. The fastening solution of one row hardens in about a day, then proceed to the second. Each subsequent row of stones rests on the previous one. In dry weather, previously laid rows are watered. After securing each row, metal jointing is used to smooth the mortar between the stones. The seams should go 1 cm deep. After the last row is ready, you can begin to create a slope that will drain water from the house. The slope will go at an angle of 5-10° from the base to the ground. When creating a slope, stones are hammered into the cement mortar and adjusted to each other so that an even slide is obtained.
2. Decorative finishing of the base from liquid concrete natural cobblestone. First, formwork is made and stones are selected (as in the description above). The stones are placed in the formwork with their flat surface facing the wall of the formwork and fixed with cement. After completing the first row, it is poured with concrete and left for 2-3 hours, after which another row is repeated and so on until all the rows have been assembled. The formwork can only be removed after a few days. After removing the formwork, the surface of the stones is cleaned, a colored cement mortar is prepared with the addition of color or crushed red brick, which will decorate the base, and the space between the stones is filled with it. After a few hours, you can use a trowel to unstitch the seams (as in the previous method) and complete the final cleaning of the masonry surface. Another design option is to reassemble the formwork after its first removal, but this time on a wider scale. A gap appears between the base and the formwork, into which you can pour expanded clay mixed with water-cement mortar (solution 0.7-0.8; expanded clay 5 parts), and then spill it with cement water. Instead of expanded clay, crushed granite stone, marble chips, etc. are also suitable.

The procedure for finishing the basement of a building is a rather important process that requires special care. Since it is the base that is under strong influence of moisture and other irritants. We will discuss below how to choose the right material for finishing the plinth and how to install it.

Features of cladding the basement of a house

The basement is located at the bottom of any building; most often tiles or stones are used to decorate it. The plinth not only performs a decorative function of the building, but also protects it from moisture penetration, dampness, and load distribution.

The base is the basis for the construction load-bearing walls. Correct construction of the basement affects the quality of the future building.

The most irritating factor for the base is precipitation. In addition, it is influenced by groundwater, and the difference between the temperature in the ground and in the air.

Therefore, the most important requirement for the finishing material used when cladding the base is its stability and protection of this element from moisture. In addition, a properly finished base allows you to ensure reliable protection foundation.

The process of selecting materials for finishing the plinth should be based primarily on the use high strength materials resistant to temperature changes and moisture. At the same time, they must have an attractive appearance and be in harmony with the overall exterior of the building.

There are cases monolithic finishing plinth, which is a combination of a foundation and a plinth. For these purposes, concrete, individual blocks, stone or special bricks are used. The elevation of the base above the ground occurs at a level of 500-700 cm.

Most often, the finishing of the base is done after the walls have been erected. It is advisable to do otherwise; the base must be protected immediately after the foundation has been erected. In this case, all work is carried out in the form of waterproofing, plastering, finishing.

Before the start of facing work, a drainage cushion is created, covering the entire perimeter of the structure. It looks like a recess, 150-200 mm wide, the width of which is about half a meter.

After finishing, the recess is filled with gravel, which acts as drainage. After preparing the base, it is plastered using cement-lime plaster. To increase the strength of the structure, in order to connect the base to the foundation, they are reinforced with a special mesh. To provide additional waterproofing of the base, special additives in the form of plasticizers, for example river sand, should be added to the solution.

If this is not done, the quality of the finishing of the basement will decrease significantly, the foundation will suffer, and the walls in the house will always be damp. On damp walls, wallpaper does not adhere well and mold and mildew appear, which are especially dangerous to human health.

In addition, there are two options for arranging the base:

• recessed;
• exalted.

The first option is preferable, since it does not lead to the accumulation of snow and ice on the surface. In addition, it is not exposed to precipitation and needs less protection from moisture.

The second option for arranging the base has a more attractive appearance, but it requires special protection using ebbs, tiles with slopes, and waterproofing components.

Before finishing the base, you should inspect its base. It should be durable and even. There should be no dirt or dust on it. To eliminate various types of unevenness, to remove protruding areas or fill in depressions, special leveling compounds are used.

Used for surface impregnation special primer, it will improve the adhesion between the surface of the base and the finishing material.

Materials in the form of artificial stone require additional treatment using moisture-repellent agents. Thus, the material will gain additional resistance to moisture and dirt. For these purposes, compositions in the form of water repellents are suitable. To apply them, just use a brush or roller.

Clinker tiles for plinth cladding

Materials in the form of slabs for finishing the base have a cement-stone, polystyrene foam or asbestos-cement base. To fix them, special compounds based on moisture-resistant glue are used.

The use of clinker tiles for cladding the plinth allows you to obtain an aesthetically attractive base that harmonizes perfectly with clinker bricks. The tiles are particularly light and do not load the building structure. Its thickness varies between 7-20 mm. In addition, to improve the corner joints, special materials are used to simplify finishing.

Installation of clinker tiles involves determining the level for installing its first row. To do this, the height of the base is divided by the height of the tiles added to the width of the joints.

For example, to cover a 400 mm high plinth with a 65 cm high slab with 6 mm joints, you will need 6 tiles. At the same time, a six-millimeter gap will remain in the lower part of the base, which will require acrylic or polyurethane mass to fill.

To glue the tiles, an adhesive composition with increased frost resistance, characterized by elastic characteristics, is used. It is applied both to the tile and to the surface of the base. Please note that the solution can remain on a base that is not covered with tiles for no more than half an hour, after which it loses its properties.

Fusing clinker mortar is used to fill the joints between the tiles. Clinker tiles have zero moisture absorption, so they do not need to be treated with special compounds.

To finish the base you will need:

• primers;
• tile adhesive;
• tiles;
• mortar for filling joints.

Cladding the basement of a house with your own hands: stone, polysand and resin tiles

The plinth, decorated with stone tiles, is distinguished by its spectacular and attractive appearance. But, at the same time, a lot of money will be required to carry out the work and purchase material. Natural stone for plinth cladding is most often limestone, granite or marble. The shape and configuration of tiles can be very different. Some elements are produced in the form of bricks, others in the form of slabs. This tile has a unique texture; its surface comes in four types:

• polished;
• rubble;
• grainy;
• polished.

Installing this type of tile is similar to installing clinker material. To fix the tiles to the surface, a special adhesive composition is used, designed for working with stones. The use of another type of glue is unacceptable, as cracks and defects may appear on the tiles. If it is necessary to have a complete appearance of the tile, it is recommended to leave gaps of 4-5 mm between its small parts, and 2-3 mm between large parts. A special solution is used to fill the seams. To treat limestone and sandstone, you will need to purchase a special moisture-repellent impregnation.

If there is a protruding base, a cornice is used to protect the finish. To clad the basement of a house with stone you will need:

• primers;
• glue;
• mortar used to fill the seams;
• tiles based on slate, granite, marble or limestone.

Granite cladding of the plinth is characterized by the long service life of such a coating and good technical characteristics.

A more modern finishing material is polymer sand-based tiles. Its use is associated with both the finishing of the facade of the building and the cladding of the basement. This type tiles are a composite material that has a raised brick texture. The material is lightweight, so it is suitable for finishing any type of plinth. The tile is characterized by high ductility, resistance to cracking, moisture resistance and resistance to change. temperature regime.

To fix the tiles, you should equip a special sheathing on which the material is attached using self-tapping screws. Insulation is most often installed in the space of the sheathing. The material is easy to clean, does not collect dirt and is easy to use.

The latest version of the tile is based on the use of resin for its manufacture. This material is an imitation of clinker tiles or natural stone. They are three millimeters thick. The material is used to finish various types of surfaces, even with slight irregularities. To cut tiles, it is enough to have scissors. It is mounted on either a concrete or plastered base. There are nine color options such tiles. In addition, it varies in texture, which can be embossed or smooth.

Plinth cladding photo:

Installation of such tiles involves determining the upper area for its fastening. A notched trowel is used to apply the glue. Laying should begin from the corner areas to fill the seams Additional materials will not be required as they are filled with glue. To increase the aesthetic appeal of the tiles, apply the adhesive along the seams using a brush previously soaked in water. The wall must be protected from moisture for three days from the moment the tiles are installed.

This material very naturally imitates natural stone, while installation work is easier and cheaper.

Features of plinth cladding with artificial stone

This type of finishing is similar in appearance to the use of tiles based on natural stone. Although ordinary concrete is used to make artificial stone. With the help of chemical, organic additives and fillers, the surface has high frost resistance, and dyes help to imitate stone. Artificial stone takes on the appearance of rock or torn stone.

In accordance with the manufacturers' recommendations, conventional or elastic adhesives are used to fix such stone on the surface. Special additives are used to fill joints. After finishing the base, the material is coated with moisture-protective agents, which significantly improve its service life.

The appearance of the surface is presentable, although the cost of purchasing the material is less than the price of natural stone.

Technology of covering the base with polyvinyl chloride panels

In order not to carry out wet work When gluing tiles, use a simpler option - PVC panels. This material is lightweight and easy to install. In addition, the panels are resistant to temperature changes. There are two main PVC option panels:

• with imitation brickwork;
• mosaic version of plaster.

The material is attached to a wooden or steel sheathing. First, the level is set and the starting profile is fixed. The first of the panels rests on it. The elements are joined to each other using grooves. Overlay elements are used to close the base.

There are special overlays for covering corners. This type of base does not require treatment with moisture-repellent agents.

Mosaic plaster for plinth cladding - technology

This version of plaster is distinguished by the presence of small grains that have the shape of a multi-colored mosaic. Due to the presence of resin in the composition, the plaster is moisture-proof and vapor-permeable. In addition, it is highly resistant to mechanical stress and low temperatures.

This type of plaster fits well on a base made of plaster based on gypsum, cement, lime and sand. Application of this material to piece materials and to heat-saving plaster is prohibited.

This type of plaster is applied manually. To carry out the work you will need a grater. To increase adhesion between the plaster and the coating, it is recommended to apply a little regular plaster mortar to the wall before applying mosaic plaster.

After applying the plaster, the process of leveling it on the surface follows. Grouting of the solution is done with a trowel. After its application, special water repellents are used, which increase the resistance of the material to ultraviolet radiation, wind and precipitation.

Options for facing the base with brick

Brickwork improves the appearance of the building, making it more respectable. In addition, brick harmonizes perfectly with other finishing materials, used for wall cladding.

There are several options for cladding the base so that the surface takes on the appearance of brickwork:

1.Usage natural brick- this method is distinguished by the possibility of arranging a ventilated gap into which the insulation is mounted. In addition, brickwork has good thermal insulation characteristics. Bricks are used during the work:

• hyper-pressed type - characterized by high weight, low moisture absorption and good strength characteristics;
• silicate type - used less often, has worse performance characteristics, but costs less;
• ceramic type - hollow inside, so it retains heat well.

2. In order to give base surface For the appearance of brickwork, it is enough to use clinker tiles. They have the best performance characteristics, are easy to install and are no different in appearance from brickwork. In addition, the presence of effects such as artificial aging, uneven firing, different colors and textures can improve the appearance of the surface.

3. Base panels are a simpler option for simulating brickwork, the cost of which is much lower than previous options, and the ease of installation is higher. In addition, the panels are easy to clean and are not subject to contamination.

Plinth cladding video:

Today we will talk about plinth. One of the meanings of the word what?(Italian zoccolo - shoe with a wooden sole) - the lower part of the outer wall (most often protruding), which is located on the foundation.

We do not plan to cover the topic of building basements for a house completely - there is the Internet for that. We will tell you in detail everything about how we built a brick plinth on a monolithic reinforced concrete strip foundation for our house made of gas silicate blocks.

In this article, as usual, you will find a lot of specific, useful and, we hope, interesting material for you:

• briefly about the purpose of the base;
• briefly about the types of base;
• a detailed description of the construction of a brick plinth for our house from gas silicate blocks (foam concrete);
• new photos and audio recordings telling about the construction of the basement for the house.

Purpose of the base

The plinth is an intermediate structure located between the foundation and load-bearing walls.

1. One of the purposes of the plinth is prevention the walls of your home from precipitation(melting snow, rainwater, dew), capillary suction(moisture coming from the ground). If the house does not have a basement, then capillary moisture can rise up to 3 meters along the wall of your house. This can further lead to mold and rotting of the wall, loss of frost resistance and an increase in the thermal conductivity of the wall material.
2. Since our house does not have a basement (basement) and the floor is located on the ground, the basement, takes on mechanical stress, which is caused by the backfilled earth inside the perimeter of the house;
3. It rests on the base.
4. For our house we poured . In this case the base will also allow you to “decorate” the perimeter future home.

Thus, on plinth the building is fully impacted. Therefore, to ensure the strength and safety of the base, it must be built from high-quality materials that have frost resistance, minimal moisture resistance and mechanical strength.

When building the basement for our house, we did not use new brick, but it was quite durable and good quality. This is clearly visible in the photos attached to the article. Thus, we were able to successfully solve two problems at once:

• minimized the cost of brick for the basement by using old brick;
• Good quality solid brick was used.

Base types

It should be noted that below we will talk about plinths, taking into account the final insulation or finishing of the walls and the plinth itself. This is an important note because... directly when laying the base and walls, and then when finishing them, the location of the walls and base relative to each other may change.

There are three main types of base.

Sometimes you can find houses where the base protrudes outwards relative to the wall — protruding plinth. Such a base requires the construction of a protective drain. Since this type of base is most susceptible to weathering, it is necessary to use quality materials for finishing it. It is advisable to use a base of this type if there is ground floor(basement), which requires additional insulation. Or a protruding plinth is the architect’s way of expressing his idea. A protruding base is not often used when building a house.

Sometimes the plinth is flush with a wall. This is also a fairly rarely used type of plinth for the construction of a country house.

In our case, for walls made of gas silicate blocks, brick the base is “recessed” relative to the walls -sinking base. Why did we choose this type of base?

With a sinking base, rainwater flowing down the walls does not reach the junction between the wall and the base and flows unhindered to the ground. In this case, the waterproofing layer, hidden by the wall protrusion, is protected from precipitation and external mechanical influences. In addition, the sinking base allows you to save money during its construction:

• reducing costs for materials for the plinth,
• reduction of construction time;
• no need for a drainage device, as is the case with a protruding base.

It is optimal for the base to “sink” relative to the walls (taking into account the insulation and finishing performed) by at least 5 cm.

During the construction of our house, the base took on the appearance of sinking after we insulated it with polystyrene foam and plastered the walls. When laying walls from blocks, the base protruded relative to the walls. In the photo on the left, when magnified, you can clearly see how during the laying of the walls, before their subsequent insulation and plastering, the brick base slightly “protrudes” beyond the walls.

Construction of a brick plinth on a strip monolithic reinforced concrete foundation for a house made of gas silicate blocks

So, your foundation has already been poured. It's time to start building the base.

First, listen to a short audio, and then we will describe in more detail all the steps of constructing the base:

1. Setting the corners when constructing the base.

When laying the base, as in the future, when laying, it is VERY IMPORTANT to set the corners correctly. Incorrectly set angles will lead, in the future, to incorrect wall laying. Incorrectly set corners of the plinth, if the deviation is insignificant, can be corrected when laying the first row of walls. However, you shouldn't count on this. It's better to do everything right at once.

The first thing to do is to initially lay out bricks in the four corners without mortar along the width of the future base. The bricks in the corners must be leveled.

Then, using a tape measure or using a strong thread (the thread should not stretch!) we very accurately measure the length and width of the sides of the future house, taking into account the laid out corners. It is also necessary to measure both diagonals. All measurements must be correspondingly equal: the length of one side must be equal to the length of the other side of the wall, etc.

If the measurements are equal, then you have done everything correctly and you can start laying the base. If some measurements do not match, this means that not all angles are equal to 90 degrees. and this urgently needs to be corrected. How can this be done?

It is necessary, by constantly rechecking all the measurements described above, by simultaneously moving the corner bricks along one of the sides (you didn’t use mortar when setting the corners, did you?), to find their optimal location in the corners, at which the measurements of the sides will respectively coincide or have no deviation more than 2-3 cm. With further laying, this difference can be eliminated.

2. Laying a brick base

The corners are set, all the measurements of the sides and diagonals coincide - it’s time to lay out the base. When laying the brick plinth we used. You can read more about this solution.

The width of the plinth depends on the material from which you plan to lay out the walls in the future. If the walls, like ours, are made of gas silicate sides (foam concrete) measuring 600 X 300 X 200, while the width of the masonry is 300 mm, and in the future you will insulate the house only with polystyrene foam followed by plastering, then the width of the plinth is one and a half bricks (380) as just the one you need. At the same time, do not forget that as a result of further insulation of the walls and finishing of the walls, the base should turn out to be sunken.

If, when laying walls from the same blocks, you plan to use brick for finishing after insulating the walls, then the base should be laid out two bricks wide (500).

In other words, to determine the width of the plinth, you first need to decide on the material of the walls and the material for further insulation and finishing of the walls and, if you consider it necessary, the plinth. Then make the necessary calculations.

How high should the base be? Even experienced builders sometimes disagree on this issue. It is believed that the height of the base should not be lower than the maximum height of snow cover for the region over the past fifty years. A base of such a minimum height will protect the walls from capillary moisture, thereby increasing the durability of your home.

As for the maximum height, everyone chooses for themselves. The height of the basement of our house is 40cm.

If your house has a basement, then the height of the basement is usually 70-100cm. Houses with a high base look more elegant than houses with a low base or no base at all. Regardless of whether you have a basement or not, you should not forget that the height of the basement regulates the height of the floor of the first floor.

Now you know what you need to pay attention to when it comes time to decide on the height and width of the base for your future home.

3. Waterproofing the base

In order for the plinth to adequately fulfill one of its purposes - protecting the walls of the house from moisture, it is necessary to carefully waterproof the plinth. We used roofing felt folded in half as waterproofing. We talked about this in great detail in the article devoted to laying the first row of blocks in the section. Please note that the waterproofing layer should be below the level of the future floor, or vice versa: the future floor should be installed higher. where the waterproofing layer is located.

Today there are many materials that can be used to waterproof a basement. wide and varied, it all depends on the planned cost of construction. Because our goal is to build inexpensive house with our own hands, we were content with roofing felt, without losing at all in the quality of construction.

Subscribe to FREE BONUS “Eight practical techniques that must be used when laying block walls” wall masonry provided you follow certain rules and know the secrets of masonry, it will not present any difficulties for you.

4. How to preserve a brick base if construction of a house is temporarily stopped?

If you are building a house over more than one construction period and, due to lack of funds or the onset of cold weather, are forced to suspend construction at the stage of readiness of the brick plinth, you need to take care of its safety.

Base finishing options brick house can be very diverse. The choice of material determines the tightness of the basement and the comfort of living in the building itself. The base of a brick building must be reliably protected from moisture and cold. Even the strongest and most reliable foundation concrete gradually absorbs moisture. Over time, this can lead to the fact that the base of the house begins to gradually collapse and lose its insulating qualities. That is why the finishing of the basement of a brick house must be carried out immediately after the completion of the construction of the building. Moreover, since the base of the house has direct contact with the ground, it needs to be covered first, without waiting for unpleasant consequences. Don't forget about the aesthetic component.

With proper cladding of the basement, you can give the house an individual character, favorably emphasizing the architectural features.

Well-thought-out cladding will make the house stylish and beautiful.

Let's consider what options for finishing the plinth exist in modern construction.

The most simple option finishing the base is the use of solutions facade plaster. Modern Construction Materials have a whole range of positive qualities. Finishing the foundation with plaster allows you to create a durable protective layer with excellent thermal insulation, tightness and vapor permeability. You can finish the base with putty with my own hands, spending a minimum of effort and money on it.

To work you will need the following:

• wide and narrow steel spatula;
• paint brush;
• deep penetration primer;
• facade plaster;
• waterproof paint.

The plastered base of the house can be painted in any color that best suits the style of the yard. If you apply putty in 2 layers using a mounting mesh, then this coating will never crack. However, this option for facing the foundation is not durable. The service life of the putty is no more than 10 years. After this it needs repairs.

Finishing the base with panels

Siding finishing has whole line advantages that must be used during construction. Typically, panels are mounted on steel or wooden frame, which creates additional volume. It is advisable to fill the empty space between the panels and concrete with insulation. For this purpose, polystyrene foam or basalt wool is used.

Decorative siding is made from metal, polyvinyl chloride, cement-based mixtures and composite materials. The front layer of the panels can be imitation stone, natural wood or colored fabric. The resulting surface is sufficiently durable and presentable in appearance. A brick building becomes completely a new style with siding trim.

The sequence of panel cladding is as follows:

1. Carrying out markings. For this, a tape measure, level and marker are used. The size of the frame mesh should be adapted to the parameters of the insulation material.
2. Drilling holes in concrete. Installing plastic dowels in them. A puncher and a hammer are used.
3. Frame assembly. To do this you will need a screwdriver, a hammer, a level and steel profile. It is not advisable to use wood, as it has a limited service life.
4. Installation of insulation. The most the best option is its gluing to concrete. To increase the reliability of fastening the insulation, we use anchor bolts with wide hats.
5. Fastening the panels. This is quite simple to do, since all siding models have a system for fixing parts together.

You can cover the base with panels in just 1 working day. This design is lightweight and does not weigh down the foundation at all.

Cladding the basement level with bricks

Facing the base with brick is great solution, if the building is constructed of similar material. This is how it acquires integrity and solidity. Decorative or red fired brick can be used for work. It is not recommended to use silicate products due to their lack of resistance to moisture and unpresentable appearance.

Clay brick for the plinth itself is an excellent insulation material. It can be attached directly to the foundation or by building a wall next to it to create a ventilation gap.

The gap is filled with insulation or left empty, since air is an excellent heat insulator. The finished structure looks very beautiful and solid. She doesn't need any care or maintenance. But finishing the basement with brick creates an additional load on the building structure. Such a solution should be considered at the design stage.

Since the brickwork cannot simply hang on the plinth, proceed as follows:

1. They make a separate one for brickwork strip foundation in close proximity to what already exists. You can provide a small protrusion on the foundation at the design and pouring stage. This will significantly save time and effort when carrying out finishing work.
2. Gluing the brick to the base is carried out using temporary supports made of timber or cement blocks. The supports are removed immediately before installing the blind area. It is made from asphalt or concrete. After hardening, the blind area takes on part of the weight of the brick cladding.

Somewhat easier to work with decorative material. Facing brick has a low weight, which does not significantly affect the design. In addition, there is a huge variety of models of this material.

Today you can purchase facing tiles in the form of individual strips or in the form of plinth panels that imitate part of the brickwork. Lightweight materials based on polystyrene or polyurethane foam are used as the basis for facing tiles. It is fixed to the foundation with polymer glue, which creates an excellent protective layer for concrete.

Conclusion on the topic

The modern market is literally overflowing with natural and artificial facing materials.

With their help you can give the building the most sophisticated and original look. The choice is determined by the financial capabilities of the property owner, his tastes, architectural and design features building.