Foundation for a summer cottage. How to build a foundation for a cabin

A change house is a small structure that is often used on construction sites, where workers rest, change clothes and have lunch. You can also find change houses in summer cottages, as temporary housing for the summer. Therefore, the question of how to make a foundation for a cabin with your own hands is of interest to many, both summer residents and those who are planning to build a new house and need a small temporary house during the construction period.

What are foundation blocks?

The foundation is made from materials that are capable of not allowing moisture to pass through. These include bricks, stone, reinforced concrete, and other similar materials. The simplest and easiest to implement is a block foundation. In modern construction, a foundation made of blocks for cabins has gained great popularity. It is easy to explain; this type of foundation has a significant service life, does not require additional agency and is not difficult to form.

Foundations made from blocks are called prefabricated foundations. They usually consist of foam blocks, gas blocks and other block materials. The most popular in construction are FBS blocks. They have fairly good wear resistance and high strength. These qualities can be purchased using the following parameters:

high quality reinforcement backfill
The blocks are made from high-quality concrete
correct execution of the vibration pressing process
Drying blocks in specially designed chambers

This is how the process of producing FBS blocks occurs. Thus, it is clear that if a certain schematic technology is followed in production, in which errors are not allowed, the quality of this foundation will be of the appropriate format.

The advantage of using foundation blocks

The main advantage of fundamental blocks is their affordable price.
Wide variety of product types.
Frost resistance thanks to special block additives.
The advantages of fundamental blocks include reliability and strength, as well as invulnerability to adverse environments.

Thanks to these advantages, choosing the appropriate size of the block foundation for installing a change house will not be difficult. For the foundation it is possible to use FBV blocks. They already have ready-made cutouts designed to allow the passage of necessary communications. As well as FBS and FBP blocks.

The most popular types of blocks

For manual construction of buildings, such as change houses, FBS blocks are used due to their small dimensions. This type of block is usually made from lightweight components. These include expanded clay concrete. They can be either wall or cushion.

The use of wall blocks is based on the creation of a certain area of the foundation, which is located underground, and another part is located above the ground. Externally they look like rectangles.

The cross-section of the cushion block is similar to a trapezoid. They allow you to significantly increase the supporting area. This helps reduce subsidence of both the blocks themselves and the foundation made from them. Typical blocks find their application in the manufacture of the first row.

Technique for laying foundation blocks

In order to produce neat and high-quality masonry, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the basics of its implementation before starting it.

But still, how to make a foundation for a change house? First you need to fasten the constituent fundamental parts. After which, you can proceed directly to the preparation of the mixture itself. When building the foundation, you should be very careful about adding water; the most reasonable solution would be to refrain from adding it at all. Excess moisture will negatively affect the quality of the entire masonry.

When laying blocks, slight horizontal changes are possible, just like when laying bricks. During the laying process, it is recommended to observe the deviation in order to correct the curvature of the foundation in time. Observation can be done using a specially designed mounting level and a regular long cord. This level will help when measuring the verticality of the walls and the horizontal plane, and the cord will help when measuring the straightness of the foundation.

It is worth paying special attention to seams with joints. They must be filled out so that there are no gaps left. This is required to ensure that the masonry is done to the highest quality. It will also be a big plus in the masonry if a waterproofing additive is added to the solution. Among other things, do not forget about installing waterproofing material, as well as pouring and compacting clay into the trench.

Formation of a columnar foundation

When constructing a foundation, many people prefer a strip foundation, but a columnar foundation for a cabin is also in great demand among builders. The implementation of these fundamental types is possible during the preparation of the territory; this requires clearing the area and preparing it for subsequent work.

The columnar foundation is intended for wooden structures that are small in size, for example, such as a change house, a bathhouse, or country houses. It should not be used on moving soils, such as peat and watery clay soils.

To implement a columnar foundation, it is necessary to form a pedestal and filter pads in each recess:

In the process of installing the foundation for a cabin with your own hands, some troubles are possible. They can arise due to differences in the level size of the cabinets. To avoid this kind of trouble, you should use a cord when working. It should be stretched between the support points, acting as a guide.

When the first row is sufficiently laid, it is cemented together, after which the second row is laid. The process should continue until the desired height is created.

The laying of this foundation is carried out on a sand cushion, but the laying itself is carried out from the places where the walls and corners overlap. Its formation occurs like a concrete strip, which is located under all the guiding parts of the building.

After the first row has been erected, its correct location is checked using a cord, which is placed between the lighthouse blocks. To simplify the work process, you can make a mark on the cushions where the walls will be located before starting to lay the next row.

Thus, observing all the requirements for the technological process, making a foundation for a change house yourself will not be particularly difficult.

Construction of a cabin using a pile foundation

A pile foundation for a cabin will be a good option if its construction takes place on problematic soil with a high moisture content in the soil. This type of foundation is very economical in terms of consumables. A pile foundation has the same advantages and disadvantages as a conventional columnar foundation, but is more labor-intensive and is usually performed on problematic soils. Thanks to these characteristics, this type of foundation is used in the construction of light, small buildings, including cabins.

For a pile foundation, iron or wooden rods - piles - act as supports.

The formation of a pile foundation assumes that a certain distance will be maintained between the surface of the earth and the house, which will protect the cabin from variable fluctuations in the volume of problematic soil and the impact of surface groundwater on it.

The length of the piles directly depends on the depth of stable soil, which will become a reliable foundation for the lower part of the foundation.

Foundation for a change house: how to choose and pour the foundation correctly when building a house. Any good builder knows that the basis of a good house and how high-quality and stable it is will determine the future fate of your home. Choosing a foundation is a very important step during construction, so you need to approach it with all responsibility, observing all the conditions.

In this article we will talk about how to choose the right foundation for pouring.

Few people, with the exception of professional builders, understand the variety of foundations; different types are designed for different landscapes and climatic conditions.

So let's talk about the types of foundations:

The best foundation

Despite the huge selection and assortment of foundation types, the leading one is the foundation on concrete blocks, which is guaranteed to serve you for a long time. However, in order for such a foundation to last as long as possible, it is necessary to choose high-quality concrete for pouring, which will not crack from the scorching heat and will not become wet due to rain.

How to make a foundation yourself

If you decide to take such a step as building a house, of course, you need to start with the foundation. You can purchase posts for a change house, which will guarantee you quality for a long time, however, you can do everything yourself, the main thing is to follow all the instructions so that everything goes smoothly and without consequences for the future home.

The foundation installation process is usually divided into three stages: preparation of the base, leveling the surface, direct installation of the foundation.

And so in order to establish the foundation, it is necessary:

A foundation on stilts is the strongest foundation

I would like to talk separately about this type of foundation, such as a foundation on piles. This type is perhaps the most reliable, since metal piles are screwed deep into the ground, ensuring complete immobility and safety. This type of foundation is used in cold regions of our country, where temperatures reach very low levels.

The pile installation mechanism is as follows:

First, piles that satisfy all the customer’s preferences are selected.
Then prepare the area
After this, the piles are screwed or driven into the ground.

Piles are the strongest foundation for, because... are located deep in the ground, ensuring complete immobility. This method is also used because of the frost resistance of this installation, so often people living in the north choose this particular installation mechanism.

Do it yourself or hire a construction crew?

When building a house, most amateur builders want to do everything themselves, including the foundation.

However, before pouring concrete for the foundation, think carefully about whether you can start and finish the job on your own, without additional help. If you are not confident in your strengths and capabilities, it will be easier to turn to specialists who know a lot about this matter. It may be a little more expensive, but for your money you will get high-quality work and reliable support for your future home.

A change house is a small mobile structure designed to perform multiple functions. This building can be used as a dining room, a country house, a construction trailer, and it is possible that a room for temporary residence can be arranged. Change houses are characterized by fairly easy installation and transportation, but for the normal functioning of the structure a strong and reliable foundation is necessary.

Types of foundations for cabins

For flawless operation of the cabin for a long time, you need to correctly determine the type of foundation. However, when choosing, it is important to remember that the building is intended for temporary use, therefore, the foundation should be the least expensive. To build a cabin, you can use the following types of foundation:

is a solid closed base. However, for temporary buildings, the use of such a foundation will be irrational, since the strip foundation is permanent, and in most cases the change house needs to be moved from one place to another.
The pile foundation is also particularly durable. Piles are installed in areas where the soil is characterized by weak bearing capacity, or. For temporary buildings, pile foundations are used very rarely, since in most cases the installation of piles requires special construction equipment.
A monolithic slab will become a reliable foundation for a cabin on soft soils, but high construction costs cause the rare use of such a foundation for temporary buildings. In addition, the monolithic slab base is also capital.
A base in the form of pillars can be called an ideal option for building a change house. The costs of a columnar foundation are insignificant; in addition, the pillars can be dismantled without much effort and moved to another location of the shed.

Preparatory work

Any construction process requires careful preparation. In the case of constructing a foundation for a cabin, before starting work, you must do the following:

Determine the location of the future building.
If necessary, clear the designated area of bushes, trees, stumps and large debris.
Remove the top fertile layer of soil.
Mark the area. Most often, for this purpose, pegs are installed in the corners of the future foundation and a cord is pulled between them. The cord also determines the diagonals of the foundation, which will help determine the correctness of the foundation angles.
Along the perimeter of the cord, marks are made of the places where it is planned to install supports, and the distance between them should not exceed 1.5-2 meters. Also, the support should be located at the intersection of the diagonals.

Do-it-yourself columnar foundation for a cabin

A column foundation is considered the least expensive, as it involves the use of a small amount of materials. The pillars can be prefabricated or monolithic.

For the construction of a prefabricated columnar base, red brick or is used. The process looks like this:

At the locations of the supports, remove the soil to a depth of about 15 cm.
The holes are filled with a mixture of sand and gravel, watered and compacted well.
Next, pillars made of bricks or blocks are built on the sand and gravel bed. The laying is carried out using cement mortar and mandatory bandaging of the seams. You can also strengthen the pillars by laying reinforcing bars between the rows.
During the installation process, it is necessary to control the height of the pillars; the upper part of all supports should be at the same level.

Monolithic pillars involve the production of formwork and subsequent filling with concrete mortar. To make such supports, you must do the following:

Holes are drilled in the marked places.
Formwork is installed in them. This structure can be made of boards, asbestos-cement pipes or roofing felt sheets. When using wooden formwork, you must ensure that the boards fit tightly to each other and do not allow concrete milk to leak out of the solution. Sheets of roofing felt are rolled into a roll, and the joints are glued. You can find out more information in our previous article. At the same time, asbestos-cement pipes are considered the most profitable option, since they do not require additional manufacturing work.
Next, the support is reinforced; for this, a frame of reinforcing rods is placed inside the formwork structure, which are tied with soft knitting wire or connected by welding. The distance between the rods should not be more than 10-15 cm. When installing the frame, it is necessary to leave a gap between the rods and the walls of the formwork. In this case, the concrete solution can protect metal elements from corrosion.
The entire structure is filled with freshly prepared cement mortar. Just recently we talked about...
When constructing a monolithic columnar foundation, it is also necessary to control the same height of the supports.

The final stage of construction of a columnar base is waterproofing the supports and installing the piping. In most cases, to waterproof pillars, pieces of roofing felt are used, which are laid on the top of each support. The strapping is laid directly on the roofing material, using a beam with a cross-section of 10*10 or 15*15 cm. We recommend reading the article about. The strapping is necessary to connect the disparate supports to each other. To prevent premature destruction, wooden elements require mandatory treatment with an antiseptic solution.

Making a foundation for a cabin with your own hands is not difficult; the main thing is to choose the right type of foundation, use high-quality materials and carry out the work in accordance with building codes and regulations.

A change house is a structure for temporary residence that does not require a capital foundation. But if the change house is installed as a country house, bathhouse, workshop and there are no plans to move it to another place, then it would be advisable to take care of laying the foundation. The foundation will give the structure stability, prevent its deformation and extend the life of the structure. To build a foundation, it is not necessary to call in professionals or use expensive equipment, because you can do everything yourself - the main thing is to choose a simple, inexpensive and effective method of laying a foundation.

Do you need a foundation for a cabin?

Laying the foundation provides many undeniable benefits.

Increases the strength of the structure, preventing soil shrinkage.
Improves sound and thermal insulation.
By insulating the base of the cabin from the soil, the service life of the structure increases.
Improves aesthetic appeal.

The construction of a foundation is especially important for structures mounted on soft, unfavorable soil, as well as for premises with a large weight (warehouses).

Block foundation for a cabin

Installation of a change house on blocks

A foundation on blocks is the most common and inexpensive type of foundation for a change house. To create a foundation from blocks, you need to pour a mixture of sand and crushed stone onto an area previously cleared of vegetation. This is necessary to level and harden the surface. At a distance of no more than 1.5 m along the perimeter of the building, install columns made of blocks, 20–40 cm high. To improve waterproofing properties, it is recommended to place a piece of roofing material on each column.

To improve the strength of the foundation, a small foundation tile can be placed under the base of each block, which will prevent the block column from sinking into the soil. After this, the block foundation is considered complete.

Foundation for a shed made of tires

A foundation made from car tires is the cheapest and best way to install a lightweight structure. The step-by-step instructions include several steps.

Clear the area of vegetation.
Dig a pit 30-50 cm deep, taking into account a 20 cm indentation on each side.
Compact well with crushed stone.
Mark the area.
Lay down the tires.
Fill the space between them with sand and crushed stone.
Install formwork around the perimeter and fill with concrete.
Drop the surface.

Tire foundations can be made on clay soil, soft ground and in areas with high seismic activity.

Pile foundation for a cabin

Pile foundation technology is used in places where the soil topography is uneven or in areas with unfavorable soil prone to flooding, swelling, etc. There are several methods for installing piles.

The driving method is based on deepening piles using a pile hammer.
The drilled method is more accessible for independent execution. Using a hole drill, recesses are made along the perimeter of the building into which the formwork is inserted, reinforcement is laid and concrete is poured.
A pile-screw foundation requires the presence of screw piles of the required diameter and length. The piles around the perimeter of the cabin are screwed into a dense layer of soil. Then they are connected to each other by a channel or I-beam.

How to make a foundation for a cabin with your own hands

The construction of any type of foundation must be approached taking into account the natural landscape, soil composition and weight of the structure. There are several basic ways to install a shed on a full foundation: use blocks, car tires or piles for this purpose. Each type of foundation will have its pros and cons. For example, for a flat, hard surface it is better to use blocks or make a strip foundation.

But for wetlands or areas prone to flooding, screw piles are more suitable, which will give stability to the structure. On soft soils, it is advisable to use tires that absorb uneven deformations that occur during temperature fluctuations.

Foundation for a cabin on stilts, video tutorial

As you know, nothing is as permanent as temporary. Anticipating this, when building a temporary house for various household needs on a summer cottage, construction site or in any suitable place, it is necessary to think in advance about where to place the change house so that over time the base does not become the weakest link of the object.

The foundation is the basis

Even if you install a household house for only a few months, followed by its subsequent movement after the workers to another site, you cannot place it on bare ground. The fact is that the soil tends to settle and move under the influence of internal processes and atmospheric phenomena. Even the simplest foundation for a change house will provide her with:

Stability.
Safety.
Sustainability.
Safety.

A well-thought-out foundation of the structure will evenly distribute static and dynamic loads on the ground, protecting the building from premature destruction, deformation and erosion by groundwater. Those planning to lay a foundation for a cabin with their own hands must first calculate many parameters so that the installation work on the foundation itself does not cause the destruction of the entire structure. Among them:

Soil quality and composition.
Weight of the building.
Availability of groundwater.
Seismic situation in the region.
Choosing the optimal material and type of construction for the foundation for a change house.
Temporary or permanent structure.

It must be borne in mind that it is not a fundamental structure being built, and therefore there is no point in investing extra funds. It is optimal to calculate the most budget-friendly option for the basis. Everything that an amateur struggles with for a long time and irrationally is easily given to a professional. Therefore, the first thing you need to decide is whether it is worth spending your time and nerves on an unknown matter. Maybe it’s better to order a service from specialists?

Types of foundations for cabins

Depending on the functionality of the future trailer, a base for it is selected. If you need a storage room or temporary shed on a garden plot, then it is meant to install the structure in one place only once. In this case, we advise you to take a closer look at the shed on screw piles as the most reliable option.

It is better to place the mobile trailer on an inexpensive base, which, moreover, can be disassembled and taken with you. In this case, a welded metal shed is often used, which is placed on concrete blocks. Plus, low installation and dismantling costs. To make the right choice, you need to explore your options.

On screw piles

One of the simple and uncomplicated ways is to erect a temporary structure on the piles that are supposed to
screw into the ground. Here you will need to spend a little money, this is not the cheapest option, but having done the job well once, you won’t have to save a rickety house. For mobile structures, this method is not very convenient, but summer residents may take a closer look at it, especially in a relief area.

It is important to know exactly how to choose screw piles for a change house, but here the main parameter will be that the number of piles corresponds to the weight of the future structure and the absence of problems with the soil. According to the norm, for every one and a half meters of the contour it is necessary to screw in one screw pile under the change house. As for the soil, the ideal soil is one in which there is loam at a depth of about 2 meters.

The foundation for a change house on screw piles is an ideal solution on clay soil

On pillars

Unlike a pile foundation for a cabin, the pillars are not a stationary support. If you have a flat area with hard, stable soil, and you plan to move the temporary shed from time to time, this may be your option. Moreover, it refers to low-cost methods of installing the base.

Pits of the required size are prepared, the bottom is reinforced, a concrete pad is poured with the ends of the reinforcement extended. A week later, the frame is attached to the left reinforcement and the formwork is installed. After this, the pillar is installed directly, for which both red brick and concrete are suitable. The shed frame is then placed on the poles.

In this case, you use either a prefabricated or monolithic method of foundation on pillars. This option is more labor-intensive than a screw foundation for a cabin, but no special equipment is needed.

On concrete blocks

An ideal option for construction and road crews, rotational expeditions and other mobile work teams are foundation blocks for change houses, which are “easy to lift,” inexpensive and quick to install. A parking space for the trailer is allocated, contours are marked, standard blocks are installed, and the horizontal is determined by the level. If necessary, the soil is added or dug up. You can park a trailer.

other methods

Creativity in a Russian person is not just a national trait. This is a way of being. And even in such a non-creative matter as the construction of a foundation for a temporary shelter, its “kulibin” appears in each individual case. Here are some options:

Optimal for everyone - foundation on blocks

Who can know exactly what will happen in a year, five, ten years? Will this trailer be needed in this particular place over time? Rhetorical questions. It is not possible to install piles under a cabin or use other methods everywhere. Some things are expensive, sometimes the ground doesn’t allow it, sometimes the necessary equipment is not available. And only the foundation for a shed made of blocks has no contraindications.

Let's focus on the choice of concrete blocks. There is no need to purchase bulky FBS (foundation wall blocks) unless the temporary shed is eventually going to be converted into permanent housing. These materials are large in size. It is better to choose a concrete block for the change house of the FBS 4-2-2 brand with dimensions 20x20x40, whose weight does not exceed 40 kg. For insurance, the blocks are fastened together with tile adhesive.

It is better to exclude aerated concrete, expanded clay concrete and foam concrete due to their high hygroscopicity. The material must be free of voids. If you already have exactly these, you shouldn’t buy whole ones. The voids can be filled with concrete. Of no small importance is the price of blocks for a change house, the most budget-friendly of all the options under consideration, except for car tires.

Step by step to installing a block foundation

If you decide to make the foundation for the cabin yourself, then our step-by-step instructions with photos will help you.

We will measure, if not seven times, then once, but very carefully, the parameters of the change house on the ground. First, we will clear the site from the top layer of soil, branches, roots, and debris. Let's start building the foundation:

The site is marked by installing corner pegs.
A cord is stretched between the pegs around the perimeter and diagonally to accurately determine the angles.
The places where the blocks are installed are marked at a distance of 1.5 - 2 m from one another and at the center of the intersection of the diagonals.
Holes are dug in the places where the blocks are installed, which are lined with geotextiles.
Pillows of sand or sand-gravel mixture are filled, spilled and compacted to a depth of approximately 15 cm.
A layer of crushed stone of 20 - 25 cm is poured.
Two blocks are laid level and soaked in tile adhesive.
Two more blocks are laid across the top.
The order is repeated in all places marked for blocks.

The block base for the change house is ready. You can do all the work yourself. However, this will take up a lot of precious vacation time. Invite professionals!

Consult with our managers, our prices for foundations are more than reasonable.