Foundation for steps made of bricks. Do-it-yourself brick porch: step-by-step instructions, interesting options and recommendations. Side walls of steps

The porch is certainly an important element in the construction of the house. But what materials should the porch be built from? In this article, we will consider the main material for making a porch - this is a brick. Therefore, a brick porch has the following advantages, such as:

Durability - any building, including a porch, is an important one, because having a solid porch you can not worry about the loads that it will have to experience.
Durability - brick is the most durable material, which is why a building made of brick can stand for 50 - 100 years.
Frost resistance is a characteristic to withstand defrosting and freezing and at the same time not succumb to deformation.
Aesthetics and attractive appearance - it is the construction of this material that will not scare away guests with its ugliness.

Do-it-yourself brick porch

Step-by-step technology for making a porch

Step 1

So, at the base of the porch, it is necessary to lay a reinforced concrete pillow with a depth of about 40 cm. This is done so that the porch does not deform under the influence of frost and does not lose its appearance, as the builders say (it did not start playing).

Step 2

We mark on the wall with a pencil the lines on which we will align when laying bricks - this is necessary so that the porch turns out to be as even as possible and there are no various distortions. We make the length of the step equal to 30 cm and a height of 16 centimeters. Please note that the height of the first step is made taking into account the addition of sand and tiles, so initially the first step will be slightly higher than the others.

Step 3

We lay a platform for the porch of brick, where it will be possible to lay a cinder block - we will lay a cinder block, but often it is not always possible to lay a cinder block, because there is a small height between the steps.

Step 4

In the meantime, we are making a side wall to do everything on a level, by the way, the side wall can be immediately overlaid. Facing brick will give a finished look to our design and will please the eye.

By the way, we advise you to lay the blocks remaining after the construction of the house in the foundation of the porch - this will fill the place and dispose of excess cinder blocks.

Step 5

We lay the last row of steps. To do this, again, we mark 30 cm from the top edge in order to understand the length of the step.

We lay the last row of steps, for this we do everything strictly according to the level and you can still tie a thread for stricter horizontal compliance

Step 6

The final step will be the laying of the very last step, please note that it will look a little different than the others - this is due to the fact that we create a special curb in order to pull our porch as best as possible using a monotonously flooded sweep of sand and concrete - this will give reliability and stability to the structure.

The upper step is made in such a way that it can be fastened with sand and concrete and give a single whole to the structure

In conclusion, I would like to add that if you make a porch of facing bricks, this will give it a more beautiful and attractive appearance, but add some fragility to the structure. What do you think of this porch? answer in comment.

Video - do-it-yourself brick porch

The height of the porch should be 50 mm lower than the threshold

Important: If the porch is completely lined with bricks and blocks, without backfilling, construction should begin from the top platform, and only then add steps.

To avoid typical masonry mistakes, watch the video on how to fold a brick porch.

The final stage

If the top layer of steps is made of facing bricks or paving stones, then such a porch does not need finishing. But in practice, they usually lay out a rough version of brick first, and only then a decorative finish is made.

Photo of a granite porch, according to GOST, such a cladding will last more than a century

The steps of a brick porch can be laid out with clinker tiles, porcelain stoneware, paving slabs, etc. In a rural house or in a country house, facing made of rubble stone or wood will look beautiful, and in a cottage, a brick or block porch can be finished with granite, marble, onyx.

Beautiful porch of a brick house

The material mainly depends on the design of the porch, and the financial capabilities of the home owners. But at the same time, we should not forget about expediency and compatibility, it is unlikely that polished granite trim will be appropriate in a bathhouse in a country house made of rounded logs, but finishing a porch with natural stone in this case will look advantageous, and even original.

The porch is an integral part of any home. For its construction, brick is most often used. This material gives the structure a beautiful appearance and provides strength. To build a brick porch with your own hands, you first need to familiarize yourself with the diagram, prepare the necessary tools and materials, and follow the instructions.

Required Tools

Of the tools, first of all, you need to prepare building level, without which it is impossible to do. To form the future foundation is used shovel, and for bricklaying - rubber mallet, 2 spatula: regular smooth and serrated, as well as capacity for mixing the solution. Used for cutting tiles Bulgarian.

Necessary materials

The main material for the construction of the porch is brick. It is best to opt for ceramic, which is strong enough and able to withstand heavy loads. It is not recommended to use used material. Such a brick can chip and crumble, which will lead to the destruction of the porch.

In addition to the main material, you must purchase secondary:

Components for the solution (M400 cement, sand, crushed stone, water).
Primer.
Efflorescence solution.
Ruberoid.
Grouting paste.
Wooden pegs.
Rope.
Reinforcing rods.
Ceramic tiles.
Glue for tiles.
Formwork boards (length about 3 m, width 35 mm).

Scheme of a brick porch

Before erecting a brick porch, it is necessary to prepare the necessary sketches of the future structure.

You can consider an example of how the finished porch will look like in a section.

The simplest design consists of 3 steps if the foundation of the house is low. If necessary, their number can be increased. Before starting work, it is necessary to accurately calculate the width of the steps, as well as their height. The convenience of further operation depends on this.

To calculate the size of the steps, several factors must be taken into account:

Length not less than 300 mm.
Height not less than 160 mm.
The height of the first step is usually higher than the rest due to the construction of the foundation.
On a piece of paper, draw a porch in three views: front, side and top, indicating the dimensions of all steps. You also need to draw each brick so that you can calculate how much material it will take to build a separate structural element.
Make the slope of the steps about 3 0 so that moisture does not accumulate on them during precipitation.

If the house was built in places where there is a large amount of precipitation, then a high foundation was probably provided. Therefore, the number of steps will be greater, and the house will look more solid due to this. In drier and warmer areas, low plinth structures are built, so on average 3 steps will be used to build the porch.

The height of the finished paved surface (the foundation that protrudes above the ground) must be at least 20 cm so that precipitation does not fall on the porch.

Brick steps are laid row by row on the finished foundation. In some cases, it is planned to fill the foundation for each individual step, which is lined with brick from above. This method will cost much less, but it is not a fact that such a design will turn out to be ideal with an attractive appearance. Moreover, the concrete inside can crack due to moisture absorption. Therefore, it is best to follow the instructions for building a porch only from bricks.

Where to begin

The construction of the porch begins with the creation of a solid foundation.

The durability of the structure depends on the quality of the work done at this stage. Based on the drawing of the porch, marks are placed on the site in front of the front door for the width of the structure and length (distance from the entrance at the beginning of the first step). You can use wooden pegs by placing them at the 4 corners of the future structure and pulling a rope between them.

A pit is digging along the marks. Its depth should be the same as for the foundation of the house. If the foundations of these two buildings are made at different levels, then cracks will appear between them over time, which will lead to the destruction and distortion of the buildings. But at the same time, it is not necessary to rigidly connect 2 foundations. It is enough to drive reinforcing bars into the foundation of the house at the basement level.

After that, layer-by-layer backfilling of the foundation is carried out:

Sand - 20 cm.
Crushed stone - 20 cm.
Concrete - 5 cm.
Reinforced concrete.

Each layer should be approximately 20 cm. A mixture of mortar 5 cm high is poured on top of the rubble. Then, time is waited until it solidifies and a reinforcing mesh is installed.

The fittings used are ribbed, about 12 mm thick. It is easy to knit a mesh from such material.

It is assembled from rods by hand. Only it is not recommended to fasten it by welding, otherwise rust will appear at the joints.

Concrete 20 cm thick is poured on top of the grid and left to dry. In the cool season, this process can take up to 4 weeks, and on hot days, a week is enough. To ensure faster drying, you can add a plasticizer to the potting mix

The thickness of the layers may vary depending on the depth of the foundation. The main thing is to keep the proportion. You also need to take into account that the flooded foundation protrudes 20 cm above the ground.

Step-by-step instructions for building a brick porch

The erection of a porch on a prepared foundation consists of several stages:

Creation of waterproofing.
Pouring a thin layer of cement mixture.
Brick laying.
Seam finishes.

Waterproofing is provided by laying a layer of roofing material on the finished foundation.

It is best to use roofing material folded in half. This material will well protect the brick from the damaging effects of moisture. It is necessary to provide horizontal (on top of the porch foundation) and vertical (on the side of the house foundation) waterproofing. After that, a thin layer of cement mixture is poured, after which a brick is laid on top.

After that, a solution of cement and sand is mixed in a ratio of 1: 4. The solution will be needed for laying bricks. First, the bottom row (first step) is laid. Each brick is well lubricated from below and on the sides with mortar using a spatula, then it is tightly laid on the foundation. It is necessary to monitor the evenness of the masonry. To do this, before laying out on the foundation, you can draw lines along which it will be easier to navigate.

Adhering to the traced scheme, the second and subsequent rows of bricks are laid. After completion of work, the remaining mortar is immediately cleaned off the brick, otherwise it will be difficult to get rid of it later. Then the surface is treated with a special solution from efflorescence. Such material can be purchased at any hardware store. The tool perfectly protects the brick from efflorescence, which can appear even after a year. In addition, a shiny and beautiful appearance of the building is provided.

After these works, the porch is left for 3 days to solidify the solution. During this period, the strength of the porch is enhanced.

Many prefer to leave the porch in this form. But for additional protection, it is recommended to perform cladding. For this you need:

Re-priming the brick surface.
Dilute tile adhesive.
Perform tiling.

Tile adhesive hardens very quickly, so it must be diluted in small portions. On top of the brickwork with a notched trowel, a not very thick layer of glue is applied and tiles are laid. The material that comes out at the seams is immediately wiped off. A grinder is used to cut tiles. After laying the tiles, after 2 days, grouting is done with a thin spatula.

You can see one of the examples of the construction of a brick porch in the video. The video shows how to make only external brickwork with internal concrete pouring. Masters provide for the further construction of support pillars for the construction of a canopy over the porch.

Following the advice of professionals, you can complete the construction of a brick porch with a minimum number of errors:

Work in dry, warm weather. Due to this, the materials will not be saturated with moisture.
Pre-draw the future design.
Make a slight slope of the steps so that the water flows down without lingering on the structure.
When laying bricks, each subsequent row is lightly tapped with a rubber mallet. Due to this, the air accumulated in the solution comes out and the bricks are stacked more tightly to each other. Read also Reinforced brickwork with your own hands
If tiling is not supposed, then the seams are lined with grout from above. After hardening, it prevents the penetration of moisture into the structure.
It is recommended to make a canopy over the porch, which will provide additional protection for the structure from precipitation.
It is better to choose a brick for the porch the same as for the foundation of the house.

Some projects provide for a flower bed in the porch for the house. But at the same time, it must be borne in mind that between the flower bed and the porch wall, waterproofing with the help of roofing material must be made. This will protect the structure from moisture.

Building a porch for a brick house is quite simple if you delve into the process of work. The main thing is to provide a solid foundation, good waterproofing and purchase high-quality bricks for work. Properly drawn up scheme and calculation of dimensions will ensure durability, beautiful appearance and convenience during operation.

Almost every private house in front of the front door has a platform with a small canopy and steps, called a porch. This architectural structure protects from the weather, facilitates access to the front door and serves as a decoration for the home. It can be made from many different materials, but below is information on how to make a brick porch - a private house - with your own hands, because it is this artificial stone that has sufficient strength and is easy to install.

Stage 1. Foundation

The construction of a brick porch should begin with the construction of the base. Moreover, if the installation of this auxiliary element of a residential building begins after the completion of the construction of the latter, it is important to firmly connect both foundations with each other.

The bases should lie at the same depth and represent, as it were, one solid structure. In this case, when the soil shrinks, the process will occur in the same way for both the house and the porch.

If this rule is not observed, the subsidence will occur separately, which is fraught with the appearance of cracks in the base of the structure and the complete destruction of the structure created by oneself.

In rare cases, it is not possible to equip the foundation at the same level as the house. Then you need to act according to the following scheme:

it is desirable to place the lower edge of the porch support in the ground below the level of its freezing;
with a high occurrence of groundwater, a trench can be dug to a depth of about 80 cm, but at the same time it is not necessary to firmly connect the foundations of the house and the porch, it is enough to drive in a few pieces of reinforcement and fill them with concrete.

Now let's take a closer look at how to cast a reliable foundation in order to attach a porch to a brick house:

Dig a pit of the length and width you need. After the earthworks are completed, the bottom of the pit is leveled and a crushed stone cushion 10 cm thick is poured, which is carefully rammed.

Reinforcing mesh installed. It must be made from reinforcing bars 10-12 mm thick, which should be twisted with a wire into a mesh with a cell width of 20-25 cm.
Preparing concrete mortar and pouring the foundation slab. The ratio of cement sand and crushed stone is standard (1-2-5). Take care of the correct set of strength. During hardening, the surface of the concrete monolith must be moistened from time to time with water or covered with a plastic film that prevents the rapid evaporation of moisture.

After drying, several rows of brickwork are performed on top. You can use rubble brick, the price of which is low. The upper part must be carefully leveled with cement mortar.

Stage 2. Waterproofing

We continue to build a brick porch with our own hands. So that the foundation you made does not collapse from the action of precipitation and groundwater, it must be carefully waterproofed.

Note!
Many novice builders completely in vain do not pay due attention to this stage.
However, waterproofing should not be neglected in any case.
If the porch of a brick house is not protected from water, moisture penetrating the pores of building materials will quickly destroy the structure.

The work is carried out in two stages:

Protection of horizontal surfaces. For this, the selected material (most often an ordinary roofing material is used, but you can pick up something more effective and expensive) is laid on the foundation. It is necessary to equip two layers located perpendicular to each other.
Treatment of vertical surfaces. If you are building a porch for a private house made of bricks, the basement of the dwelling is also subject to additional waterproofing. It is necessary to lay sheets of roofing material or waterproofing in those places where the structural elements of the extension will adjoin the wall.

Do the work carefully so that after the construction is completed, the roofing material layer does not peek beyond the masonry, as this will spoil the visual perception of the facade of the house.

Stage 3. Selection of materials

Before you build steps for the porch, you need to decide on the type of artificial stone used.

Some inexperienced craftsmen think that low-quality building materials can be used to build auxiliary buildings, including an extension to the front door. For example, remnants from the construction of a house, waste from the dismantling of old structures, defective elements, and so on.

Doing this is strongly discouraged due to the poor quality of the building materials mentioned above. The porch, despite its seeming insignificance, constantly experiences significant external loads, so increased attention should be paid to its strength.

The use of used or broken bricks can lead to the fact that the structure you have erected will quickly collapse and you will have to start work with a clean face.

The best choice for work would be facing decorative bricks. But you can also use high-quality rubble, which is tiled with ceramic tiles at the last stage of construction.

Stage 4. Making steps

Having finished with the pouring of the foundation and its waterproofing, having purchased the necessary materials for further work, you can begin to make steps for the porch with your own hands from brick.

But before that, it is desirable to determine their sizes:

According to the current building regulations, the step width should be 30 cm. Then the resulting staircase will be convenient for the average person to use. However, this parameter may vary depending on the design of your porch.
The standard height of each step is 15 cm. This is a masonry two bricks high.

The number of steps depends on the height of the basement of the house. Be that as it may, it is necessary to calculate this parameter so that a person stands on the upper platform in front of the front door with the same foot with which he started climbing the stairs.
Take care of a fairly spacious area in front of the entrance. Its area should be such that a person can open the door without going down the stairs. At a minimum, it is inconvenient, and at a maximum, it is dangerous.

It remains to tell how to lay out the steps:

The laying of the first row is carried out directly on the waterproofing layer. The outer edge, as already mentioned, can be made of expensive facing bricks, the inside can be filled with rubble.

Starting work on the next element, make sure that the previous one does not collapse. Don't be in too much of a hurry to finish building. It is better to monitor the quality of work: check the horizontal and vertical, carefully seal the seams in the brick, and so on.

Some builders fill the surfaces of the steps with concrete, believing that in this way they will protect the structure from moisture penetration. You don't need to do this. It is enough to perform a thorough hydrophobic treatment at the last stage of construction or use waterproof material for cladding.

Stage 5. Canopy

A small roof over the entrance to the house and stairs is not only an attractive architectural move, but also the protection of the home and the porch itself from the adverse effects of the natural environment.

As a material for the manufacture of the roof, you can use:

Profiled metal sheets. Not the best material, although quite inexpensive. The fact is that during the rain, thin steel will make a loud noise that will not bring pleasure to the inhabitants of the cottage.
Polycarbonate. This option is more popular. The roof made of two-layer plastic is distinguished by its attractive appearance, light weight and ease of installation. In this regard, you do not need to design powerful supports.

Advice!
The roof of the porch can be decorated with the same material that was used in the construction of the house.
So the extension to the entrance and the dwelling itself will form a single architectural ensemble.
The design of your land will benefit even more if you make a gazebo and a carport in the same style.

Stage 6. Decorative design

The final stage of construction is giving the self-built porch an attractive appearance.

In principle, if you used high-quality and expensive building materials - for example, decorative bricks - the building itself will look great.

Otherwise, you will have to make additional efforts:

In most cases, extensions to the front door are decorated with tiles. When facing steps, make sure that a material with a non-slip surface is used, otherwise it will be dangerous to use the stairs.
You can use other design options. Be sure to consider the design of the facade of the house, otherwise the porch you built will look alien.
Do not be afraid to use additional accessories: wrought iron railings, tubs with natural flowers, sculptures, curly balusters and so on.

Conclusion

Now you have enough information on how to make a brick porch with your own hands. It remains only to put the acquired knowledge into practice, having issued the entrance to your own house at your own discretion. Having finished the work and gained the necessary experience, you can safely proceed to the construction of more complex buildings: a garage, a bathhouse, a barn, and so on. Learn more about our topic in the video in this article.

When building a small private house with their own hands, many do not pay much attention to the arrangement of the porch. As a result, after a couple of years we get a warped porch with many cracks. In order to prevent such an incident from happening to the owners of private houses, when building a porch, certain rules should be observed:

Mandatory arrangement of a solid and reliable foundation, laid to a certain depth.
You can not ignore the process of waterproofing the supporting structure under the porch.

By adhering to these basic requirements, you can get a porch that will last not only years, but decades. But as practice shows, these details are mostly ignored. And after completion of work after some time, the structure begins to shrink. As a result, cracks form. In bad weather, water gets into such cracks, which destroys the structure even more. In winter, the presence of moisture in the cracks is fraught with disastrous consequences. The thing is that freezing, the water expands and, thus, expands the cracks. Of course, under such conditions, the structure will not be able to serve for a long time.

We build a porch with our own hands

The porch for a private house can be built from various materials. It can be concrete, brick or blocks. These materials are the most reliable. But working with them requires a lot of work. Let's get acquainted with these technologies in more detail, and give an example of how to properly build a porch of bricks or blocks with your own hands.

Foundation under the porch

Like any solid structure, the construction of the porch begins with the arrangement of the base under the porch. It is best if the laying of the foundation for the porch is designed along with the foundation for the house. Then it will be a single structure. The connection between the bases will ensure the reliability and durability of the operation of the porch. If you equip the base separately, then cracks can form at the points of their connection. In the event that, nevertheless, the base under the porch is arranged separately, it is necessary to strictly adhere to the technology in order to exclude the occurrence of various kinds of violations. Also, you can not save on materials. An important role is played by the depth of the foundation. It depends on factors such as soil type and groundwater availability. Ideally, the depth should be the same as the depth of the supporting structure of the house. If there is no groundwater, then the depth can be no more than 80 cm. It is not very hard to tie the foundations together. Maximum mount several reinforcing bars into the wall at the level of the plinth. The diameter section of reinforcing bars must be at least 12 mm. At the bottom of the recess, a mesh for reinforcement is laid and everything is poured with concrete.

After the mortar has completely solidified, it is necessary to lay brickwork. The surface is carefully leveled with a cement-sand mortar.

Arrangement of waterproofing

The next step in arranging the base under the porch with your own hands is to ensure its reliable waterproofing. Although many assume that you can do without it, thereby dooming your structure to destruction. It is protection from water that will ensure the quality of work on the arrangement of the future porch. Do-it-yourself waterproofing is not difficult, and the benefits are enormous. Protection against moisture is equipped with two types: vertical and horizontal. Used for this roofing material. With horizontal insulation, the roofing material is laid on the brickwork in two layers. Vertical waterproofing is provided between the plinth and porch. This is done so that moisture from the basement is not transferred to the porch.

We form steps

Let's move on to the arrangement of steps with our own hands. A brick porch should consist of brick steps. They are laid directly on the waterproofing. A good facing brick is laid on the outside of the steps. The inner part is laid with rubble bricks. It is possible to lay the steps only with rubble bricks, but in this case they should subsequently be faced. Brickwork has some advantages over concrete steps. The disadvantage of concrete is that it is able to absorb moisture, and in the cold season it is fraught with destruction.

What dimensions should the steps for the porch of the house have? And in what quantity to equip them? There are building standards that say that the length of the steps should be 30 cm, in extreme cases it should correspond to the length of the brick. The optimal height corresponds to 15 cm or two rows of brickwork. The number of steps depends entirely on the height of the basement of the house. The usual standard porch consists of three steps. But if the level of the base is made higher, then the number of steps increases accordingly.

Important! The seam between the rows of masonry should be one centimeter.

What kind of brick should be used

For the arrangement of a brick porch, it is necessary to use very high quality material. At least its front part. Many, for the sake of economy, try to purchase used material. This option is certainly acceptable. But it should be understood that in this case the quality of the material will be reduced. After all, when dismantling old buildings, bricks are not sorted. And among them comes across a brand of material not suitable for the construction of the porch. For such work, a red brick of a grade of at least 150 is suitable.

Arrangement of a concrete porch

Now on sale there is a large selection of artificial blocks: aerated concrete, foam concrete or expanded clay. This material differs from brick in large sizes, so building a porch from blocks can be much faster. The installation method remains the same as in the case of rubble bricks.

Preparation for work

We carry out all preparatory work following the example of a brick porch device. Laying the foundation, waterproofing and applying beacons is absolutely no different. But we stock up on fragments of blocks and broken bricks. We will use all this instead of rubble bricks.

Block porch masonry

We begin to lay out the blocks with our own hands in the form of the letter P. In the places that are allocated under the steps, we lay out the halves of the blocks in two rows. We proceed to the laying of the second row. We carry out the side sections first. From the edge of the first we retreat to the width of the step. To equip the steps, we lay a row and an additional row behind it. It serves as a support for the next step.

Important! To make the rows even, you must first put the corner blocks and pull the thread between them.

Lay out the third row in the same way. As a result, we got a porch with a void in the middle. We deal with it in two ways:

fill with rubble and pour concrete;
put in blocks.

We finish the arrangement of the porch with our own hands by pouring a cement-sand mortar of its central part

Porch protection

A porch built from blocks, unlike a brick structure, must be lined. Since expanded clay is a fairly soft material. And since it is still a street structure, which is subject to various types of mechanical loads, then it should be protected from destruction. At this stage, you have to think about the choice of material for facing the steps.

Facing material for a street structure must have certain qualities:

it must not slip;
be resistant to moisture, alkali and acids;
tolerate temperature changes;
influence of bacteria and fungi;
easy care.

What material is best. The best option is a stone or tile of different types. Any of the above materials has sufficiently high qualities for facing a street building.

It goes well with finishing materials for the facade of the house such as brick, stone, siding, wooden beams or logs.

The next factor in protecting the integrity of the porch is to reduce the influence of natural conditions on it. To do this, they equip it, thus partially protecting it from adversity: the formation of ice, getting wet in the summer.

Under such a canopy it will be convenient to open the door in bad weather. And if you approach the arrangement of the canopy creatively, then it can become a real work of art that will favorably decorate the facade of the house.