How to protect a concrete fence base. Protecting the foundation from destruction - methods of implementation and reasons for concern. Formwork and reinforcement

If you ordered a turnkey brick fence, then under conditions of work in warm, dry weather, the concrete in the trench dug under the foundation will harden in two to three days, and they can begin laying the base. On a site with uneven terrain, it is possible to save a little by using ordinary red brick (the cheapest in cost) for a higher stage of masonry. It will be covered with earth, so it will not be visible. Well, the visible parts of the base when building a brick fence are built from more expensive and high-quality finishing bricks, torn bassoon, which is otherwise called “American” for its method of origin, clinker, etc. These brands make the fence more decorative.

If the base of your brick fence is laid out, for example, from “American” bricks, you need to keep in mind that a void will certainly form between such bricks. To prevent water from entering, you need to fill the sinuses with concrete made in the following proportion: 1 part cement: 2 parts sand: 4 parts crushed stone.

Techniques for protecting the base from moisture:

As the best material for moisture insulation, many builders recommend using aquaizol. It is enough to lay it in one layer, whereas, for example, roofing felt waterproofing should be two layers,
When installing a brick fence, the base should be waterproofed in two places:

directly on the concrete of the foundation strip so that soil moisture does not rise into the boundary wall itself. This layer of aquaizol should be placed so that it does not stick out,
along the base itself, so that the moisture accumulated in it does not creep up the brick wall and destroy it.

If this technology is followed, brick fences do not get wet and last much longer than with a non-moisture-proof base.

Many of our customers have a natural question: how does water get into the base? This happens in the spring during the period of rapid snow melting, during rains, or when groundwater is close to the surface of the site.

If you decide to save on waterproofing, you will definitely experience the folk wisdom - a stingy person pays twice. Your expensive fence will begin to peel and crumble, and, believe me, it will end its service life much faster than its allotted time, and all your money spent on its installation will be thrown away.

If there is a desire to protect your site from neighbors, passersby and to ensure the safety of private property, fences are used. But in order for the fence to be reliable and durable, it is necessary to create a strong foundation. This raises the question - how to pour a foundation for a fence and what are the basic rules for performing this operation. The requirements for the base of the fence are the same as for residential premises, resistance to destruction and the ability to withstand the weight of the structure.

Types of foundations for fences

The most reliable fences are made from brick, iron rods or concrete slabs, due to which the weight becomes quite large. This does not allow the use of non-buried or shallow foundations, due to the unsafe possibility of collapses.

When choosing the type of foundation, it is worth taking into account the bearing capacity of the soil and the level of groundwater. It is important what buildings or roads are nearby. Without high-quality geological exploration, calculations and drawing up a construction plan, a heavy fence poses a danger not only to the owners, but also to passers-by.

There are 4 types of foundations for a fence:

tape;
stone;
columnar;
columnar-ribbon (mixed).

The tape evenly distributes the load from the fence onto the soil and is used for heavy fences. With a foundation height of 50 cm or more, its above-ground part is only 10 cm, and the rest is located in the ground. To create a strip foundation, bricks, monolithic blocks or pouring concrete are used.

Rock foundations use large stones of varying sizes and cement. This is a fairly durable method for fencing. It is little susceptible to destruction and does not require special care.

A columnar foundation is used for lightweight fences due to the fact that the load on the soil is transferred pointwise. It is built from stones, bricks, piles or filled with concrete, and is easy to prepare and construct.

Columnar-ribbon. With this type of foundation, the main load goes on the pillars, and thanks to the strip base poured on top, it is distributed evenly. In this foundation, the strip base is deepened to a maximum of 20 cm. It is built from reinforced concrete or metal piles, which are reinforced on top with cement mortar.

Strengthening the foundation

Any foundation, except the pile type, can be strengthened by digging special supports into the ground. Such supports can be made of special wood, pipes and other materials that add rigidity to the base. This method is very popular for creating a strip base. After special treatment, the supports are buried up to 2 m into the ground, in increments of 2–3 m.

If the fence is planned from corrugated sheets, then strengthening the foundation is necessary. The pipes will not only hold the foundation together, but will also support the fence sheets.

Before applying the anti-corrosion compound to metal amplifiers, they must be cleaned of rust or any other contaminants. If metal pipes are used, they must be coated not only on the outside with moisture-resistant compounds, but also on the inside. Another option for protecting against moisture contained in bonding solutions is to install plugs at the ends of the pipes.

Preparatory work

To pour a foundation for a fence, you need to purchase materials and tools, as well as prepare the area depending on the chosen foundation. The main thing is to have a construction plan with accurate calculations, which will make construction work easier and save money on purchasing and redoing mistakes.

Tools and materials:

Bulgarian;
cement M400;

fittings with a diameter of 0.8 mm;
welding machine or binding wire for reinforcement;

metal pillars, with a diameter of 5 cm, to strengthen the pillars;
profiled pipes for fences made of corrugated sheets;
boards or other formwork materials;
roulette;
pegs for marking the territory;
rope, creates the boundaries of excavation work, the ends are tied around pegs;
level, to check horizontality;
concrete mixer, or construction mixer with a container for creating a solution;
shovels if the trench or hole will be created manually.

The construction of the foundation begins with markings. For this purpose, pegs are installed around the perimeter of the future foundation, four on each wall, and a rope is pulled between them. You should end up with a rectangle of rope. To prevent the rope from sagging, additional pegs are installed. For a columnar foundation, mark the position of the pillars by placing stakes at their corners and fastening ropes across the previous one to create a square the size of the future pillar.

For a strip foundation, an indentation of 30 cm is made on each side of the border for mounting the formwork. If the foundation is of a mixed type, then the trench between the pits for future pillars is 30-40 cm deep.

If a brick foundation is used, then at least 2 m of free space must be provided. This is also necessary for a columnar brick foundation.

If the fence is being built on a slope, then it must be taken into account that the bottom of the trench should be stepped, and the base will consist of several sections. The bottom of each fragment must be absolutely flat, and to prevent slipping, the edges of adjacent sections are connected with pillars.

Creating a strip foundation

Crushed stone from 10 cm is laid at the bottom of the trench, after which it must be leveled. 5 cm of sand is poured on top of the crushed stone and compacted. After this, you can begin installing the formwork. The best option for concreting a fence is removable formwork made from boards. They are strong enough and cheap for private construction. First, you need to mount the boards into panels that will be the walls of the formwork, then lower them into the trench and install lintels so that the foundation is the same width. Creating stops in the trench walls along the entire length of the formwork.

Before pouring concrete, reinforcement must be created. The reinforcement can be welded or tied with wire, this does not particularly affect the result. The finished reinforcement should contain 4 horizontal rods, 2 at the bottom and at the top, as well as vertical rods, in increments of 20 cm. The reinforcement should be 1.5-2 cm smaller than the future foundation so that the concrete completely covers it, to prevent contact with moisture . At the site of the future gate or wicket, a grillage is welded on top of the reinforcement to enhance the load-bearing capacity.

You can watch the video on how to properly pour a strip foundation under a fence.

To prevent the “concrete milk” from seeping into the ground, a thick film or waterproofing is placed on the bottom of the formwork, depending on the funds allocated for construction. If this is not done, the base may become brittle and prone to cracks. If the budget is small and it is impossible to use insulation, the trench is moistened with water so that the earth does not pull it out of the foundation. However, due to the length of time it takes for the concrete mixture to dry, this method is still less reliable.

Pouring the foundation

The mixture for the foundation is created in proportions of 4:2:1, sand, crushed stone and cement, respectively. For a uniform consistency, you need to start mixing with cement and water, after obtaining a homogeneous composition, sand is gradually added, and then crushed stone. If the foundation is not sectional, then it is advisable to fill the mixture within 1 day. Concrete is poured into the formwork to a depth of 5–10 cm, after which reinforcement is installed and pouring continues. It is better to secure the reinforcement at the top until the concrete mixture reaches its top; this will prevent possible distortions that may occur due to the heterogeneity of the concrete during pouring.

With a stepped foundation, the same thing is done only in sections, and the reinforcement at the edge of the bottom protrudes so as to be a continuation of the reinforcement at the top. After the lower reinforcement hardens, install the formwork of the upper section and the connecting column and repeat the pouring. Thanks to this design, a homogeneous foundation is achieved, which prevents possible landslides of the fence.

Before you continue building a fence, just like in the foundation of a house, you need to lay insulating material. The most affordable is roofing felt.

The difference between filling a columnar base and a strip base is only in the final result. In a mixed base, a grillage is welded onto the pillar reinforcement, and then the strip part of the base is poured.

When pouring the foundation, you must remember that it must perform its functions for at least 10 years. A properly constructed foundation will not require repairs for a long time and will allow the installation of a heavy fence and gates that protect privacy from prying eyes.

Even if you have no experience or skills, you can still make a foundation for a fence with your own hands! Because in this matter the main thing is not experience, but an understanding of what needs to be done. And of course, doing the opposite is not possible.

In this article we will look at what type of foundation is optimal to make for a particular type of fence.

Why do they build fences on foundations? In fact, in some cases you don’t have to do them - if you don’t need the fence to stand for a long time. In other situations, at least minimal filling is necessary.

Let's look at everything in more detail.

Foundation for light fences

Lightweight structures can be called those made of metal, wood, or with a small amount of artificial or natural stone. In addition, this category also includes.

Let's get acquainted with everything in order.

Foundation for welded and forged fences

If we are talking about a fence that is made in the form of a mesh, a frame, or from forged elements, or corrugated sheets, then two types of foundation can be made:

Point, exclusively for the supports themselves. As for how to properly make such a fence foundation, then, in general, everything is simple. It is best to make a hole in the ground about 70 centimeters deep and so that the width of each side is about half a meter.
Then you need to insert a support there and fill the entire space with concrete mixture. Just remember to fix each post as vertically as possible so that it does not deviate while the concrete hardens;

. Essentially, this is a trench dug along the line of the future fence, into which supports are inserted and the entire space is filled with concrete mixture.
As a rule, this is done when the pillars and supports are located at a very small distance from each other, and there is simply no point in bothering with filling each individual vertical pipe.
Or, as an option, tape filling is done even when it is planned to make a low perimeter of brick or stone in the area of the lower part of future supports - it simply cannot be laid on the ground.

As you can see, pouring a foundation for a fence of this type is really not a difficult task, but there are still important points here and you need to remember them.

Firstly, do not under any circumstances skimp on the quality of the mixture.. The ratio of cement and sand in the solution should be no less than 1:3.
And it is better to use crushed stone with a fine fraction of 5-20 mm. If the stones are larger, then the finished concrete in this case will not be very strong.

Please note that the mixture should not contain any organic matter: soil, branches, pieces of wood, etc.
If they are, they will rot over time and in this place a void will form in the foundation, a weak point that will constantly fill with water and gradually destroy the entire tape.

Secondly, if you are making a strip foundation for a fence with your own hands and it is not possible to fill it all at once, then do not allow the mixture to be completely poured to the top of the formwork in one place, and not to be there at all in another.
Otherwise, later, in these places, the tape may simply break. This is especially true on heaving soils.

It’s better to pour the mixture in horizontal stripes, one layer on top of the other - it will be stronger.

Now let's talk about the secrets of pouring wooden supports.

Foundation for wooden fences

In principle, any wooden product is afraid of one thing – high humidity. But if the outer part of such structures is constantly painted, treated with various antiseptics and solutions, then what to do with the part that is concreted?

The answer is very simple - take care of protecting the bottom of the supports in advance!

Whatever the depth of the foundation for a fence of this type, it usually does not exceed one meter. This means that, most likely, groundwater will not reach the beginning of the construction, which means everything is not so scary.

Most likely, it will be enough to do a couple of things:

Before pouring concrete, make a moisture-proofing layer of roofing felt along the bottom and walls of the pit. This will to some extent protect the concrete from water penetrating into its structure;
Wrap the wooden supports with roofing felt as well. This will directly protect the tree from rotting.

Advice: it’s better not to waste money and buy not an ordinary roofing material for such moisture protection, but a good one, on a film basis - it is more reliable and will last longer.

In principle, we have looked at how to make a foundation for a lightweight fence, now let’s talk about heavier structures.

Foundation for massive stone projects

It is clear that if there is a stone fence on a foundation that was made in violation of all SNIPs, then the condition of the fence will very soon present a truly depressing sight.

Cracks will appear, vertical deviations are possible, or simply strong subsidence of the entire structure.

To prevent this from happening, remember a few important rules.

And it’s probably worth familiarizing yourself not only with how to pour a foundation for a fence, but also with how to protect the concrete strip from rain and melting snow.

How to make a blind area

In essence, a blind area is a concrete threshold running along the ground, along the entire line of the fence, with a slope. The slope is made in such a way that rain or melt water flows down it away from the overall structure and, accordingly, the foundation itself.

However, the blind area is still not only concrete; you need to know how to properly arrange it in order to achieve the desired effect.

It is most convenient to do the blind area at the stage of pouring the solution, but even if you forgot about it, then in principle it can be done later.

The instructions are very simple.

Along the entire foundation strip (or if it is a point foundation, then along the fence line) a recess is made 15 centimeters and approximately 50 centimeters wide.
We fill the bottom of the dug space with crushed stone. A stone with a fraction of 5-20 mm is optimal.
We compact the crushed stone well.
If the blind area is made simultaneously with the foundation, then rods are released from its reinforcement frame into the niche space, which should be slightly raised above the rubble.
If the foundation and fence already exist, or are partially there, then you need to make holes in the stone with a hammer drill equal to the diameter of the reinforcement and drive its pieces there.
We place a layer of roofing felt under the reinforcement, and it is better not to use paper-based material - buy film roofing felt. Its price is not much higher, but it will be really high-quality material.
Now you need to make formwork along the outer edge of the future blind area. As a rule, in this case, the formwork can be made from almost any old boards, since its height will be no more than 5-7 cm.

In general, now you can pour concrete. Just don’t make the solution too thin - remember that you need to make not just a concrete “threshold” along the fence, but make it with a slope!

It turns out that it is not enough to just make fences with a foundation - it is also important to take care of the blind area and the protection of the main structures. Only with such a careful approach will the product last a truly long time and without problems.

Conclusion

As you can see, laying a foundation for a fence is not a very difficult matter - everything can be done independently. There would be desire, effort. We hope that our review was really useful to you.

And even if you don’t do anything yourself, you will at least know what to pay attention to.

All the best to you!

During operation, the underground part of the house is subject to significant loads, so its construction should be approached responsibly. Timely identification of weak soil layers, carrying out calculations and following installation technology will help get rid of a lot of problems, including uneven settlement of the building, which is fraught with deformations and destruction of the entire structure. First of all, the foundation must be protected from moisture, since water is its main enemy. Its negative impact causes destruction of the underground part of the house and the basement, characteristic cracks appear on the walls, and doors and windows stop closing.

Signs and causes of destruction

The cause for concern for the residents of the house, as a rule, is obvious signs of a violation of the integrity of the ground part of the building, determined visually. These include:

cracks on the outside of the walls and basement;
failures of the base of the floor covering;
longitudinal tears in the wallpaper;
numerous peelings of plaster in areas located at a short distance from each other;
soil failures near the base;
partial destruction of the foundation, including delamination and leaching of walls in the basement.

In addition to visible traces indicating that the process of foundation destruction has already begun, there are hidden signs. They can only be identified through special examinations or completely by accident. This is the insidiousness of invisible problems, which may later turn out to be insoluble.

Deformations of the foundation, as well as the plinth, are possible for several reasons:

high groundwater level;
the presence of quicksand or heaving soils;
heterogeneous soil composition;
sharp temperature changes on both sides of the zero mark;
constant dampness near the base;
humid climate.

Most problems are related to the presence of water. But besides natural factors, there are also human irresponsibility. One of them is associated with non-compliance with the foundation construction technology due to ignorance or negligence, and the other is due to excessive savings.

Developers must realize that the foundation is the basis of the future structure, so reasonable decisions should be made in matters of frugality.

So, errors related to:

with gross miscalculations;
with the wrong choice of design;
with insufficient compaction of the base;
using low-quality materials;
with lack of waterproofing;
with incorrect installation of reinforcement;
with violation of technological processes;
with unprofessionalism of workers.

A responsible approach to the construction of the underground part of the building will help to avoid many problems and ensure the long life of the house. If there are difficult hydrogeological conditions on the site, as well as with increasing loads, it is recommended to periodically perform a visual inspection of the external walls, base and internal partitions. This will help to identify negative processes that have begun and take timely measures to eliminate them.

Main types of protection

For the foundation and plinth the following is provided:

thermal insulation required for houses with basements;
waterproofing that prevents water from penetrating into structural elements and the building itself;
chemical protection that prevents destruction associated with the aggressive effects of an acidic or alkaline environment.

Thermal protection involves installing internal or external insulation of basement walls. It should be noted that its effectiveness is directly dependent on the quality of the waterproofing layer, which protects the foundation from moisture penetration. The fact is that wet walls increase heat loss, and the result can be peeling of concrete or plaster from the inside of the basement.

Backfills and layers located between the foundation wall and the soil poured into the sinuses of the trench or pit help to insulate the wall from the outside. The materials used are:

mineral wool;
foamed polystyrene boards;
expanded clay, etc.

To prevent the heat insulator from collapsing under the influence of frost heaving after the first or second winter, the sinuses are filled with sand and gravel. A layer of heat-saving bulk materials will help protect the outer surface of expanded polystyrene or mineral wool from freezing to the ground in winter.

The question of how to properly protect the foundation and plinth from the effects of groundwater and capillary moisture absorbed into the thickness of concrete through microcracks and pores can be answered unequivocally. This requires reliable waterproofing, which is made from various materials - there is a wide choice. Based on the method of application, they are divided into several groups:

pasting - rolls, including film;
coating – bitumen, cement-polymer;
sprayed - penetrating;
mounted - membrane.

The installation of a functional drainage system helps to reduce the groundwater level at the construction site, and a properly constructed blind area helps to remove precipitation from the base and foundation.

A decrease in the strength characteristics of reinforced concrete and concrete foundations often occurs due to exposure to an aggressive environment containing acids, salts or alkali. Protection in this case is carried out using special compounds applied in a production environment or locally. These can be special paints, primers, varnishes or putties. Coatings prevent corrosion of concrete and steel rods due to direct contact with soil saturated with mineral and chemical elements.

Options for the necessary protection of the foundation and plinth are considered at the design stage. Specialists take into account specific conditions and draw up a feasibility study. As a result, recommendations appear for the use of materials and technology for performing work.

Comments:

Making a strip foundation for a fence is considered one of the best options in the construction of fences. will provide the structure with strength and strength. Such a base can be made if it is planned to install a fence with brick pillars and forged metal elements. Fences that are installed on a concrete strip will last much longer and be more reliable.

Basically, a strip foundation made of corrugated sheets is made with metal piles so that the structure does not sag and is stable for a long time.

Strip foundation for a fence made of corrugated sheets: tools and materials

You will need:

roulette;
level;
rope or twine;
cement;
sand;
crushed stone;
water;
buckets;
shovels;
reinforced rods;
acetone;
ammonia;
roofing felt or any waterproofing material;
metal grid;
container for mixing concrete mortar;
wooden boards, pegs;
metal piles.

The standard proportion of the components of a concrete solution to make a foundation for a fence made of corrugated sheets is 1 part cement, 3 sand, 5 crushed stone. Water must be added until the solution reaches the desired consistency. It should be noted that the strength of the strip foundation for the fence will depend on the brand of cement. To ensure that the concrete strip is durable and strong, it is better to use cement of a grade not lower than M200.

It cannot be said that the technology for constructing a base for a fence is very complex: even a person who does not have construction skills and knowledge can apply it.

The strip base is a reinforced concrete strip that runs along the entire length of the fence; the main task is to maintain the same cross-sectional shape along the entire length.

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First stage: marking and trench

First of all, to make a strip foundation for a fence with your own hands, you need to level and clear the area on which the foundation for the fence will be built from debris and vegetation. It is advisable to mark using pegs, tape measure and twine to understand what dimensions the future fence will have. To do this, you need to drive wooden pegs in the corners around the perimeter and stretch the rope between them. Marking is carried out according to the site plan. Then you need to dig a trench. For strip foundations, it is recommended to make a ditch 25 cm deeper than the soil freezing line, but not deeper than 60-80 cm from ground level. The width of the trench depends on how massive the fence will be, what the pressure force of the structure will be, but in any case, the width should be 10-15 cm larger than the future fence. If the fence is not very heavy and the soil has a slightly heaving structure, then it can be done.

Along the entire length of the trench, at a distance of 2 m, you need to dig separate holes for metal piles. The depth of the pits is 20-30 cm lower than the depth limit of the trench itself. A fence with metal supports is much stronger, so strip foundations are made with piles.

In the future, it is necessary to level the walls of the trench and pits so that they do not crumble, it is advisable to compact them. A sand cushion should be laid out from gravel (crushed stone) and sand in equal proportions along the entire length of the ditch at the bottom, not forgetting about the holes for the piles. The height of the pillow is 10-15 cm. A prerequisite for the strip foundation under the columns to be strong is that the pillow must be moistened and compacted.

Waterproofing material is laid on top of the sand cushion. In the pits under the piles, roofing material (dense polyethylene) is installed rolled into a pipe.

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Formwork and reinforcement

The foundation for a fence made of corrugated sheets as formwork has a wooden box without a bottom. Moreover, the formwork scheme is quite simple, but the appearance of the foundation for the fence will depend on how seriously the builder approaches the issue of its assembly. If the boards are not connected accurately, there are cracks and defects, this can lead to leakage of the cement mortar. After hardening, unsightly flaws will remain on the outer sides of the foundation. The dimensions of the wooden box must be identical to the dimensions of the trench. There is no need to make separate formwork for pits for metal piles. In the future, iron mesh will be installed in them. The finished formwork is installed along the entire length of the fence.

Experts recommend covering its walls with polyethylene before pouring the formwork with concrete mortar. In this way, leakage of the solution can be prevented. When installing the formwork, it is necessary to maintain parallelism and check how level it is installed using a level. It should be taken into account that wooden boards will withstand a large load when pouring concrete, so they need to be fastened together as firmly as possible.

In order for the strip foundations for fences to be strong and strong, it is necessary to make a reinforcement frame. It can be called the skeleton of the structure. Reinforcing bars connected to each other will help withstand load and deformation. To build the frame, you will need ribbed (diameter 10-16 mm) or smooth (6-8 mm) steel rods. The reinforcement frame will subsequently be located in concrete, so wooden supports should never be used. The wood that remains in the cement body will play the role of a spacer wedge, that is, it will absorb water, which will lead to deformation of the concrete structure.

For a strip foundation, reinforcement is mainly used from two belts, which must be connected by transverse rods. Stages of construction of a single rigid frame:

transverse rods that have the same length must be laid, taking into account the same design step;
the lower chord of the frame is formed from two rods of longitudinal reinforcement;
vertical reinforcement is tied to the upper rods;
For fastening, you can use ordinary wire or plastic binding clamps.

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Pouring concrete solution

When making the foundation for a fence with your own hands, you need to treat this stage as responsibly as possible. Experts recommend first filling the holes under the metal piles, in which roofing felt and metal mesh (frame for the holes) are already installed, with cement mortar, and only after the mortar has dried (after 2-3 days) filling the strip foundation with concrete mortar. Metal columns must be fixed and checked with a level after pouring.

You can make cement mortar, as well as pour it, yourself or using special equipment - a concrete mixer and a concrete pump.

In the case when the depth of the foundation does not exceed 60 cm, the wooden box rests on trenches. But when the cement being poured rises above the ground level, the pressure of the concrete solution on the walls of the formwork increases, which leads to the panels tipping over. To avoid such difficulties, experts recommend strengthening with spacers that part of the formwork that rises above the ground, and pouring earth and sand around it, first compacting it.

In some cases, after the concrete solution has hardened, you can notice that the reinforcing bars move in the cement block, which very often leads to the destruction of the structure. This happens due to the fact that oily and varnish stains remain on the steel rods, which interfere with the strong adhesion of the metal surface to the cement mortar. To avoid this, it is necessary to treat the rods with ammonia and acetone before pouring the foundation with cement.