Do-it-yourself columnar foundation. How to make a columnar foundation on your own Foundation pedestals

Only a professional builder can design and implement a columnar foundation with his own hands according to the recommendations of SP 50.100, 22.13330, 32.13330, 45.13330, 27.13330. These grounds are too unreliable; the results of geological surveys should be studied in as much detail as possible.

The technology for installing a grillage along pillars depends on the construction technology of the building for which the foundation is being constructed. Columnar bases are made from structural materials:

• reinforced concrete - pouring into formwork on site, installing the finished product in a 1F or 2F glass;
• wood - logs with a widening base;
• brick - clinker, solid ceramics;
• blocks - wall, only with dense fillers, hollow;
• rubble concrete - stone is introduced into the formwork after partial filling with ready-mixed concrete.

In addition to the strip grillage, a slab structure can be used. This is the only option for a columnar foundation suitable for a brick cottage on sandy soils with a groundwater level (GWL) below 1 m. In all other cases, columnar foundations are created for log houses, half-timbered buildings, buildings made of SIP panels, panel and frame buildings.

Types of columnar foundation by depth

Depending on the geological characteristics of the building site and wall materials, columnar foundations are:

• buried - below the freezing mark, groundwater level, but may not reach the bearing layer;
• shallow - 40 - 70 cm below ground level;
• non-buried - instead of the removed fertile layer, non-metallic material is filled in, the underground part is absent.

The height of the pillars above the zero mark depends on the grillage design and the technological solutions used in the project. The head is embedded into a monolithic grillage at 20 cm, the beams of the prefabricated grillage are installed on top of the piles. Therefore, the height above the surface is always individual. The construction of buried pillars is justified if there is a bearing layer at this level. This type of shallow foundation is stabilized by soil against lateral shift. Non-buried has a minimal construction budget.

Columnar foundation design

The fundamental difference between columnar foundations and piles is the occurrence of the base, as a rule, above the freezing mark, the level of groundwater level, and layers with bearing capacity. Therefore, in any case, the support-column foundation is protected from heaving forces and movements in several ways:

• a sand cushion under the base slab; if the base of the foundation is located below the freezing depth, a sand cushion is not required;
• drainage of soil by drainage system;
• insulation of the blind area and basement.

For the last two activities, open excavation of the soil in the building area is required.

Even with a small depth of the pillar itself, you will have to take into account the thickness of the widening (20 - 40 cm slab) and the underlying layer (cushion of 20 cm sand + 20 cm crushed stone). In addition, you will need a ring ditch for laying drains and access for workers to the lower level. Therefore, the size of the well and trench increases several times; it is inconvenient to carry out work from the ground at depth.

Manufacturing columnar foundations by analogy with bored piles is a gross violation of technology. It is difficult to widen the sole; there are heaving forces underneath it. The side walls without backfilling with sand are subject to tangential forces of the same processes.

Thus, the correct design of a columnar foundation looks like:

• preparation - sand (layer thickness 20-40 cm) with layer-by-layer compaction with a vibrating plate, pouring;
• footing - serves exclusively for laying waterproofing, is a 5 cm screed;
• stepped plate (sole) – distributes loads due to the increased surface of the sole;
• pillar - a vertical post made of monolithic or precast concrete;
• grillage - reinforced concrete products, monolithic structure, timber or rolled metal (channel, I-beam).

Unlike piles, pillars do not have spatial rigidity, so the grillage beams must not just rest on their heads, but must be attached to each pillar to be connected into a single structure.

Step-by-step instruction

Due to the variety of operations for constructing a grillage on pillars, step-by-step instructions are necessary for the individual developer as a guide. If you skip any stage, you will have to redo the work later or return to it, spending more effort and money.

For example, the instructions recommend laying drains at the excavation stage. If you forget about them at the beginning and remember them when landscaping the area, the trenches will have to be dug again, construction will be delayed, and the site will again be clogged with soil. The height of the pillars is selected 20 cm above the bottom of the grillage for walling in concrete.

Below we will tell you how to make a columnar foundation with your own hands correctly.

Geological surveys and calculations

The technology for constructing a columnar foundation depends on the results of geotechnical surveys, wall material, and construction technology. For example, it is prohibited to leave unloaded poles in the winter even if they are tied with a grillage.

Prefabricated loads (the weight of the building, residents, furniture, belongings, wind, snow loads) may not be enough to compensate for the extrusion forces, or the building will gradually sink into unstable soil with excess weight.

Unlike the test screwing of screw piles in the technology of the same name to find the depth of the bearing layer, full-scale surveys are required here, costing at least 30 thousand rubles. The designer needs the following data:

• layered arrangement of layers;
• composition and characteristics of the three upper layers;
• GWL level;
• frost mark.

The cross-section of the pillars should be greater than 40 x 40 cm for concrete or brickwork, 20 x 20 cm or 20 cm in diameter for a monolithic reinforced structure.

Marking and excavation work

Unlike bored piles that reach the bearing strata, it is much more difficult to pour columns into wells. The main problem will be the lack of sand filling in the sinuses:

• after a few years, the soil near the body of the pile will self-compact;
• will gain moisture and freeze in winter;
• heaving forces will pull the pillar out like a carrot from a garden bed;
• if there is a lower widening, the column will rise upward due to heaving forces, and soil will crumble under the base;
• the slab will not allow you to pull out the entire column, but it will no longer be able to get back into place.

We dig holes to widen the columnar foundation.

Therefore, the only correct way would be to mark the trenches, taking into account the width of the base, the drainage contour, and the construction of formwork. Instead of a square shaft of 40 x 40 cm, you will have to remove much more soil, 1 x 1 m minimum. In this case, the thickness of all layers of the foundation pie and the height of the groundwater level are taken into account. If the last characteristic is slightly below a meter, you need to go deeper by 0.6 m, no more.

Preparation

By default, the construction of a monolithic foundation of a dwelling should provide protection from corrosion and destruction. In the absence of oxygen, the only aggressive environment underground remains moisture, which should be removed from the base with drains and stopped at the surface of concrete structures along the entire height with a waterproofing carpet.

Construction is carried out in stages:

• layer-by-layer backfilling - 20 cm of sand with moistening, vibration compaction twice (total height 40 cm);
• footing – screed height 5 cm, no reinforcement;
• waterproofing – 2-3-layer carpet of rolled material on a fiberglass base;

Reinforcement

The technology for constructing an armored belt for a column with an expanded base is as follows:

• knitting reinforcing mesh to the size of the slab, taking into account the side protective layers (40 mm from the formwork to the metal) with a cell of 15 x 15 cm or 20 x 20 cm with a thickness of 12 - 16 mm;
• joining to the mesh rods bent at right angles of 12 - 16 mm, protruding 20 - 30 cm above the base of the grillage (usually 4 pieces in the corners, one in the middle of each side);
• vertical rods are reinforced with horizontal square clamps made of 6–8 mm reinforcement;
• the structure is installed on a waterproofing carpet, which extends 10-15 cm beyond the dimensions of the sole, for subsequent bending onto the side edges of the sole.

It is prohibited to lift the reinforcement structure with metal scraps, bricks, or crushed stone to provide a protective layer.

Widening the pillar

The construction of the sole involves pouring the slab into the formwork. The widening area is twice the cross-section of the pillar, the height of all elements is a multiple of 30 cm. The formwork is simple - four boards fastened with screws, corners or bars at the bottom of the pit or trench.

Reinforcement of the widening and pillar.

The sides of the formwork should be slightly higher than the design level in order to properly level the concrete surface. The permissible error in the horizontal plane is 1 cm. Filling is carried out after installing the reinforcement structure.

Formwork

We install and strengthen the formwork for the columnar foundation.

Drainage and waterproofing

From the perimeter of the building it can be made at any stage, from foundation pit to backfill. To install drains, a circular trench with a uniform slope towards the underground tank is required. Dornite or geotextile is spread at the bottom, and 10 cm of crushed stone is backfilled. Perforated pipes in the filter are laid in it, and inspection wells are installed. After which, the communication is filled with another 10 cm of crushed stone and covered with the remains of geotextiles.

Waterproofing device - several technologies using different materials:

• impregnations - contain penetrating additives that change the molecular structure of concrete, making it waterproof throughout its entire depth;
• rolled materials - Bikrost, TechnoNIKOL and other analogues on a fiberglass base, laid in two layers;
• coatings – epoxy and bitumen based mastics;
• paints – enamels based on bitumen resins.

Most often, combined methods are used to achieve a 50-70 year service life. Rolled coating materials will have to be renewed every 15 years.

Ready-made columnar foundation with reinforced concrete grillage.

backfilling

After installing drainage and a continuous waterproofing layer over the concrete surface, it is necessary to protect the side surfaces from heaving forces. The sinuses are filled with sand; compaction is necessary, since loose soils are extremely unstable. The chernozem of the fertile layer is saturated with organic matter and settles after it rots. Other soils contain clay, which swells in cold weather. Therefore, exclusively non-metallic materials are used, in which there is less heaving.

Owners of land plots, private households, and dacha cooperatives think about constructing a columnar foundation with their own hands when they need to build a small and preferably light structure themselves - a bathhouse, a room for keeping poultry and animals, a veranda, an extension for equipment, a barn. Unlike a strip foundation, making a columnar foundation with your own hands is much easier, and one and a half to two times cheaper. This is especially true for heavy swampy, peaty and waterlogged soils, where sometimes only heavy equipment can cope with this difficult task. But a columnar foundation can be installed by one person with an assistant, quickly and efficiently, without special mechanisms, if he knows how to do it. Therefore the request is “ how to make a columnar one with your own hands step by step instructions» users choose quite often. Let us dwell on this issue.

Types and purpose of columnar foundation

Most often, a columnar foundation is installed for buildings made of wood. Experts do not recommend erecting heavy brick or stone structures on it; the foundation supports under the weight can become deformed and crack over time, which will lead to the destruction of the entire structure. Of course, there are special technologies used in permafrost areas, where the construction of a columnar foundation is the only way to build any structure, but this will require special equipment and knowledge.

Types of columnar foundations.

There are several main types of support-column foundations, united by the same type of construction, but different in the materials used in the construction process.

1. Monolithic reinforced concrete structure is the strongest existing columnar foundation. It can be used for one or two-story residential wooden buildings.
2. Brick columnar foundation is the most common, an example of this is buildings 100 and even 200 years ago. The main condition for its construction is high-quality baked brick. On this basis, it is also possible to build 1-2 storey wooden houses on dense soils, and the cross-section of the columns should not be less than 400x400mm.
3. A block foundation has the same properties as a brick foundation. The only difference between them is the use of materials of different strengths. The most reliable are concrete blocks. The limitation for rubble stone blocks is the high mobility of soils in your area. If rubble material is available, it is better to pour a columnar foundation, a combined rubble-concrete foundation. Concrete, falling between the rubble stones, will secure them and make the structure monolithic and durable.
4. Wooden-post - used everywhere for light buildings. The main task of builders is to give the entire structure durability, for which long-term and reliable impregnation of wood immersed in the ground is carried out. Wooden supports are treated with antiseptic impregnations and bitumen mastics, after which a layer of roofing material is fixed to their surface. Most often, wooden posts with a diameter of 150-200 mm are used to build verandas and terraces.
5. Asbestos columns are used for the construction of both light ones - diameter up to 150 mm, and heavier buildings - diameter 250-400 mm. It is possible to use such hollow structures for formwork, followed by pouring a concrete composition inside the pipe, strengthening it with reinforcing bars.
6. Metal piles are an excellent way to erect a structure on rough and uneven terrain. Finished structures are screwed into the thickness of the earth until they reach dense and stable layers of soil. On an uneven area, it is possible to correct the terrain due to different lengths of the selected piles.

Construction of a columnar foundation with varying degrees of depth

To properly build a columnar foundation with your own hands, you need to calculate its depth in the ground. It depends on many factors, so the recommendations of specialists in your area should not be neglected. Ideally, you need to create a project that takes into account:

• Soil freezing depth;
• geological features of the site's relief;
• underground groundwater level;
• soil composition;
• climatic features of the area;
• weight of the building being erected.

There is a shallowly recessed option, when a depth of 650-700mm is sufficient for installing columns. Such a foundation is recommended for deep groundwater in sandy, rocky and shallow soils that are subject to minimal displacement.

The buried foundation is located at a depth of 1500-2000mm, and often lower. It is recommended to adhere to this depth in areas with deep soil freezing from 450-500mm or with high soil mobility in the construction region. The approximate distance between adjacent columns is 1000-2000mm.

Basic designs of columnar foundations

The construction of a columnar foundation usually does not cause any particular difficulties due to its fairly simple design. The photo shows several options for basic designs for installing a columnar foundation.

• The bottom layer in each of the structures is a sand cushion 100-200 mm thick, designed to remove moisture from the foundation area, which is also drainage.
• The next layer to be poured is concrete, 400-500mm thick, forming a concrete pad.
• Next, you should place the columnar support itself, reliably waterproofed and reinforced with reinforcing bars, to give strength and durability to the entire structure.
• As a rule, the columns are raised above the ground to a certain level to install a grillage or other connecting all the supports of the belt. It will not only tie the structure together, but will also evenly distribute the load between all erected supports.

The grillage for light buildings is usually made of wooden beams with a section of 150x200 or 200x200mm. In the absence of timber, it is possible to arrange a reinforced concrete, metal, brick, rubble-concrete grillage. It can lie directly on the ground, in the form of a strip foundation, or hover above it at various heights of 300-900mm, and sometimes higher. The disadvantage of a high grillage will be the impossibility of building a basement under the building, but residents of flooded areas will appreciate the advantage.

Do-it-yourself columnar foundation step-by-step instructions

1. Preparatory stage

Before building a columnar foundation, you need to select and clear a place, removing all household garbage, weeds, uprooting stumps and undergrowth. After which we proceed to remove the top layer of soil of at least 20 cm and an area exceeding the dimensions of the proposed structure by 2-3 meters.

The next work at the preparatory stage is to compare the topography of the site with filling in the resulting holes and cutting off the hillocks. To do this, use excess soil or a special sand and gravel composition.

Please note that it is not possible to pour a columnar foundation for the future. It is necessary to continue construction immediately after hardening, giving a load to the foundation. Otherwise, the flooded posts may come out of the ground after wintering in the ground.

2. Marking for supports

The most critical stage of work is transferring all calculated values ​​from paper to the ground. First, the corner posts are marked out, the main axes of the future house are fixed, they will serve as a guide for drawing all the main lines for laying the foundation and maintaining the exact dimensions. After this, the location and dimensions of all other foundation supports are determined.

Here you can watch a video with the correctly positioned foundation of a house.

3. Construction of a columnar foundation

This stage begins with the preparation of pits for the installation of supports. Holes can be dug manually, drilled with a hand drill, an excavator operator can be hired for these purposes, and in any other available way. The depth of the pit must exceed the size of the installed support by the depth of the drainage sand cushion (15-20cm).

If the technological process requires formwork, then the width of the pits must be increased for its construction.

After preparing the hole, sand is poured into it and water is poured in to compact it. For a reinforced concrete monolithic structure, the sand is fixed with cement laitance, which helps maintain its optimal moisture content.

For a precast foundation, everything is ready to go. For a monolithic one, it is necessary to make a reinforced frame. For pipes, carry out anti-corrosion treatment and impregnation before installing pipes in prepared pits. Asbestos pipes are immediately ready for use.

Photo of how to properly make a columnar foundation with your own hands.

After the preparatory work, concrete is poured directly, with periodic vibration, to get rid of voids and obtain a strong monolith. This will ensure high strength of the base and increase its service life.

To more evenly distribute the load between all the supports of the house, a grillage or tying layer is created. It can be metal - a rand beam, reinforced concrete, or in the form of a strapping beam. This depends on the type and material of the future building erected on this foundation. Before starting its construction, all parts of the supports protruding above the surface are adjusted in height. The video can be viewed here.

4. Waterproofing works

Groundwater and flood waters cause great harm to the foundations being built and the houses on their foundation. Therefore, it is not enough to make a columnar foundation correctly - you need to reliably waterproof it, making sure to include a grillage. To protect the supports, special bitumen compounds are often used, and to insulate the walls of the building, a layer of roofing material fixed to bitumen mastic and adhesive membranes are laid between the grillage and them. Such work is carried out carefully; the humidity regime in the constructed room depends on it. After which, all the resulting voids around the supports are filled with soil, or better yet, with a sand and gravel mixture. Such work is carried out in several stages, with diligent compaction of the laid layer.

5. Pickup

Buildings built on columnar foundations often do not have a basement. Therefore, the distance from the surface of the earth to the bottom of the building requires additional cladding. This is a kind of basement of the building and a lot depends on its arrangement:

• Floor temperature;
• No drafts from under the floors;
• Protection against moisture and dust getting into the underground.

Before complete cladding, provision should be made for ventilation ducts and the laying of utilities - water supply network, sewerage system.

The fence, after its arrangement, is decorated with brick, stone, facing tiles, decorative plaster - there are no restrictions in this process.

Before starting the construction of the fence, it is necessary to make a screed with a thickness of 180-220mm; it will act as a support for the walls of the building. The height of the fence-base depends on the height of the grillage and the length of the support pillars protruding above the ground. It is better to leave at least 300-400 mm for such, which is, firstly, aesthetically pleasing, but also practical. In areas with floods and high groundwater levels, the height of the intake can reach impressive sizes and this is economically justified. In addition, a house hovering above the ground at a great height looks quite impressive, despite its design, color and materials used in its construction.

Conclusion

We looked at the main stages of the work and learned in more detail how to properly make a columnar foundation with your own hands. But it’s still better to entrust the design of such a foundation and the entire structure to specialists, especially if you plan to build not just a shed or a toilet on a summer cottage, but a 1-2 storey house for the whole family to live in. Such expenses will pay off over time, when the house will stand for decades and will be left as an inheritance to children and grandchildren. For this work, specialists use special software, and today their cost has become more affordable and accessible.

The secret to the popularity of a columnar foundation is that it is quite cheap and suitable for many types of buildings. It is quite easy to build a columnar foundation with your own hands.

This article tells you how to make a columnar foundation, the pros and cons of the foundation, which is better for a veranda, other wooden buildings or a house made of foam blocks.

More about columnar foundation

The basis of the house is the foundation, so you need to take the choice of its type very seriously. The pile foundation is one of the most popular.

Firstly, making a columnar foundation with your own hands is easier than any other type of foundation, and secondly, it is a less expensive option.

The support is made of concrete or wooden piles. They can be made of any material, depending on the weight of the house.

But you need to remember that the structure should not weigh very much, because the pile foundation is still not as strong as a monolithic or simple strip one. It is often built for wooden houses made of timber, since wood is a lightweight material.

This type may also be suitable for buildings made of foam blocks, but to a lesser extent, since this material is quite heavy.

But for a veranda and other small buildings, such a foundation is almost always suitable, you just need to check the type of soil - you cannot build a pile foundation on heaving soil.

Despite the fact that a pile foundation is suitable for almost all types of buildings, in some cases it is not recommended to use it.

For example, if the land on the site is very mobile and there is a lot of groundwater. It is still impossible to use these types of foundations if the total weight of the house is very large (if it is reinforced concrete).

If the site is located in a mountainous area, then the use of such a foundation is also impossible. A multi-storey building should not be built on such a foundation.

For all other types of buildings and soil, the construction of pile types of foundation is completely justified. It is especially good to use a pile foundation if a wooden building is planned.

When designing a building using a columnar base, the most important point is to determine the exact weight of the entire house (it includes furniture, residents, etc.) and the total load (pressure from the weight of the building, wind and snow).

It is also very important to know whether the support can withstand such pressure - then building a columnar foundation with your own hands will not be difficult. Calculation of a columnar foundation is a very important part of the design.

Pile foundations can be built from anything. For example, supports made of plastic pipes for sewerage are often used.

To build a columnar foundation with your own hands, step-by-step instructions are a necessary thing that it is advisable to have with you.

Conventional pile and support-column foundations

A simple pile type of foundation looks like several piles that stand in those places where the greatest load occurs (in the corners of the house, under load-bearing beams, etc.).

Columnar-type foundations are built for structures that do not have basements or cellars. This type of base is especially often made for wooden buildings made of timber. The supporting beams for such a foundation are laid on supports - piles or pillars.

The structure of such a base can be made of wood or stone. To build such a foundation for a house, use the butt part of a tree pillar (the part next to the root). Typically, the diameter of the butt part varies from 18 to 25 cm.

For verandas and houses made of timber, a wooden foundation is most often used.

In addition to the usual columnar foundation, there are several other types of foundations for a house. Among them, a monolithic pile base is distinguished.

Externally, it is a concrete base without seams. It is very durable, and this is its main advantage.

The second type is a prefabricated columnar base. It is built from stones, bricks and reinforced concrete blocks. The main advantage is that construction proceeds very quickly. But due to the not very reliable seams, this design is not particularly durable.

Columnar foundations differ not only in the principle of construction, but also in their depth. There is a shallow columnar foundation and a recessed one.

The first type involves deepening the supports from 40 to 70 cm. Typically, a shallow columnar foundation is made in an area with rocky or sandy soil.

At a recessed base, the supports go to a depth of 0.5 to 1 m, i.e. below the soil freezing zone. Often this type of foundation is made on clay soil, which has a lot of water.

There are other types of pile foundations, which will be discussed in more detail below.

The general construction technology is basically the same, as is the construction of a columnar foundation of any type.

One of the most popular types is the support-column foundation. Most often it is used for the construction of wooden houses from timber.

Its cost is quite low, so the support-column foundation is popular. Often, a support-column foundation is used to build a bathhouse or veranda.

The supports are installed at the corners of the building and under the walls into which windows and doors are built. The distance between the base pillars should be from 1.5 to 2 m.

If a bathhouse is being built, then a cushion of sand is formed, and then a support-column foundation is built directly on it.

The supports are dug into the ground, and then the next ones are attached to them to the desired height. The same method is used to construct wooden buildings from timber.

A columnar foundation is not suitable for a brick house. You can try to make such a foundation for a house from foam blocks, but you need to carefully calculate the columnar foundation so that the piles can withstand the load of the structure.

If the construction of a house is carried out from foam blocks, then everything needs to be calculated correctly so that the construction goes faster.

Sometimes a pile foundation is built from plastic pipes. It is usually made for external sewerage. Such a foundation is not suitable for a veranda or bathhouse.

Even though the supports are made of plastic pipes, they can last about 50 years.

In addition, they withstand frost well, and the base made of plastic pipes is quite strong, but at the same time light. The cost of plastic pipes can be different - gray ones are cheaper, orange ones are more expensive.

Features of a base made of pipes and with a grillage

A foundation with a grillage is often used for brick buildings. The advantages of this design are reliability and stability; such a base is less susceptible to any displacement.

In order for the base supports to hold better, a grillage is made between them (a sole that evenly transfers the load of the structure to the soil).

Quite often, a grillage is used for a shallow foundation.

There are low and high grillages. The first type is located above the soil level, and the second is done at some depth. However, both of these structures distribute the load of the structure well, so the house becomes stronger.

The most commonly used grillage is made of concrete or reinforced concrete. Wooden and metal grillages are used much less frequently and less frequently.

A foundation with a grillage is more suitable for foam blocks at home, since for this type of structure it is very important to correctly distribute the load. For a veranda this type will be too complex, although it depends on the type of structure.

Another popular type of foundation is a columnar foundation made of asbestos pipes. This type is one of the cheapest, like the columnar foundation.

The foundation using asbestos or steel pipes is erected using permanent formwork. This type of base is used for wooden houses made of timber. If you plan to have an attic in the house, then it is better to take asbestos pipes with a diameter of about 20 cm.

The technology for constructing such a base is not very complicated. To begin with, cylindrical holes are made in the ground, after which a frame of reinforcement and asbestos pipes are inserted into them.

Then you need to pour one-third of the concrete mass into the hole, during which a hydraulic cushion is obtained. At the same time, the concrete mixture is leveled (using vibrocompression) and its remains are poured.

At the final stage of construction, it is necessary to treat the pipes with various solutions for waterproofing, since the pipe can retain moisture that gets on it for a very long time.

It is advisable to immediately place a load on such a foundation, otherwise the pipes may come out of the ground a little. This is not scary, but it’s still better to put the load on them right away so that you don’t have to level them later.

Such a base may be better suited for a foam block house. But first you need to make sure that the load will be optimal.

Otherwise, a house made of foam blocks may warp. But for wooden houses made of timber, such a foundation is more suitable, there are fewer risks. This base may also be suitable for a veranda.

Block foundation and strip base

The next type is a columnar foundation made of blocks. Making such a foundation with your own hands is not very difficult.

Most often, this type of foundation is used for wooden buildings - bathhouses, verandas or houses made of timber.

For a house made of foam blocks, this option may not be very suitable due to the fact that the supports are designed for small, lightweight buildings. But a columnar foundation made of blocks is much easier to build than a columnar foundation.

Most often, a columnar block foundation is made from reinforced concrete components. Such construction can be carried out very quickly, since the construction of the base is carried out according to the type of brickwork.

First, the area is properly prepared for construction, then a sand cushion is formed.

After this, waterproofing work is carried out so that the base does not deteriorate from water. Then the water supply is laid.

It should be remembered that this type of base is best secured with thick concrete mortar. Under no circumstances should it be diluted with water.

To make it stand even more firmly, you need to coat the seams that were formed during the construction process with a concrete solution.

It is especially good to make such a columnar foundation with your own hands for a frame house. For a house made of timber, this type may also be suitable, but here you need to know all the possible disadvantages.

The next type is a column-and-strip foundation. This type is monolithic and is most often used to build wooden houses.

To make a columnar strip foundation with your own hands, you use TISE technology (a special drilling rig for making wells).

To build a column-and-strip foundation, reinforcement is placed into the holes and then filled with concrete mortar.

The result is a pole that can withstand heavy loads (up to 15 tons). This type is called strip, because the construction technology is similar to the construction of a simple strip foundation.

Typically, wells are made 15 cm below the freezing area of ​​the ground. This type of construction may take longer than other types because drilling is a difficult process.

In addition, the ease of work also depends on the type of soil and what time of year the laying is carried out. In winter, such work is almost impossible to do.

Another disadvantage of this type is that the lower part of each hole will have to be further expanded in order for everything to be correct.

After the wells are ready, reinforcement is placed in them and concrete is poured. But not completely, but by one third, in order to insert a piece of roofing felt (tar paper jacket) for greater strength of the base. When the concrete solution dries a little, you can pour the rest.

The advantages of such a base are that the supports can withstand a load of more than 10 tons, and they also tolerate low temperatures.

After this, a grillage tape is made, it is reinforced and secured 15 cm above ground level.

In addition to these types of foundation, you can make a columnar brick foundation with your own hands. This type is not used often because it is expensive.

However, brick supports can last much longer than wooden ones. This type can be used for wooden buildings or buildings made of foam blocks. However, the structure should not have more than two floors.

A pile foundation with a shallow depth is also quite popular. Its use is most advisable on slightly heaving or non-heaving soil.

If the house is built on rocky ground, then it is better that it be made of timber. Verandas are also sometimes built using this type of foundation.

This option is not very suitable for a house made of foam blocks, but you can always consult with specialists to make the right choice.

If you know how to build a columnar foundation with your own hands, you can safely start building any building on your country plot, from a small greenhouse or gazebo to a huge wooden house.

Columnar foundation - features and varieties

When you plan to build a residential house made of wood, any outbuilding, bathhouse or garage, the question arises of what type of foundation to choose for them. Anyone wants to spend less money on such an event and at the same time get a truly reliable foundation for future construction. The best option in this case is to install a columnar foundation. It is the simplest to implement and relatively inexpensive.

The foundation we are interested in is suitable for another object that does not exert strong pressure on the ground and does not have basements.

It is not recommended to erect heavy concrete or brick structures on such a foundation.

The structure of this foundation is quite simple - a number of support pillars are placed on the ground in places where the main load will be directed upon completion of the construction of a house or other object. Such places include:

• piers;
• corners of the structure;
• sections of wall intersections;
• heavy load-bearing beams.

Do-it-yourself columnar foundations can be made from natural stone and wood, rubble concrete, brick, concrete, steel and asbestos pipes, and bored piles. It can be prefabricated or monolithic. In the first case, the raw material for its construction is a “mixture” of stones, bricks and reinforced concrete blocks. The monolithic base is made of reinforced concrete, which provides increased foundation strength.

Columnar structures are also usually divided into two types, taking into account the degree of freezing of the ground on which it is installed and the type of soil itself. From this point of view, the foundation is:

• Shallow - the pillars are mounted into the ground at a depth of 0.4–0.7 m. Experts advise using such a foundation when constructing buildings on rocky or sandy soil.
• Recessed - laying of supports is carried out to a depth that is 0.5–1 m below the freezing mark of the soil in a particular area. Pouring and installing such a foundation is recommended for watery and clayey soils, where there is always a danger of the foundation being washed out.

Note that a columnar foundation is built with your own hands using the same technology. Next, we will look at how to make a columnar base yourself using various materials.

Preparing for arranging a columnar foundation - important tips

First, you need to decide on the type of soil that is available on your site where construction work is planned. After analyzing it, you can choose the type of base and installation depth of the support pillars (see above). For a light gazebo, it will be enough to deepen the foundation by 0.4–0.5 m and make it from wood or asbestos pipe products. But a relatively large wooden house will need to be placed on a deeper (about 1 m) and powerful foundation, for example, made of concrete.

After this, you need to calculate the number of pillars that will go to construct the foundation. They must be present in the center and at all corners of any building (even if, in your opinion, it is very small). You will be guaranteed a truly reliable foundation for the building if you place pillars every 2 m (vertically and horizontally) of the structure. The height of the supports is usually taken 0.3–0.5 m above the soil level. It can be increased when there is a likelihood of large amounts of precipitation and flooding.

Next, we begin to clean the area of ​​land where the foundation is planned to be poured. We carry out these works as carefully as possible - we remove all unevenness in the ground, remove debris, add gravel to the clay soil. Then we create a point plan of the planned foundation and mark on it the locations of all the pillars.

You should also move 2 m away from the perimeter of the future building on four sides to mark the area from which the surface earthen layer needs to be completely removed (20–30 centimeters). This is done to eliminate the danger of vegetation growing under the structure. And at the place chosen for construction, it is necessary to pour gravel or, after which you can start digging holes for installing the supports of the columnar foundation.

Formwork for the foundation - how to do it quickly and correctly?

The most common and economical is roofing felt formwork. This is what is most often installed on private farmsteads during the construction of various structures. It's done simply:

1. We take a piece of roofing felt of the required length (we focus on the length of the post, and also add a little length to the scraps according to the level) and twist it in two layers into a tube. It is best to wind the material onto a template, for example, onto a metal pipe (its cross-section should be about 20 cm).
2. We securely fasten the resulting twist with wide packing tape. Sometimes, before this, the roofing material blank is additionally wrapped with stretch film, which increases the amount of rigidity that the formwork will have.
3. We take out the template from the resulting tube. In fact, the roofing felt formwork is ready!

Instead of roofing felt, you can use glassine. The sequence of operations in this case will be similar to that described above. Also, formwork is often made from wooden panels consisting of boards 15 cm wide and 4 cm thick. It turns out to be reliable and of high quality, but its cost, of course, is much higher than a structure made of roofing felt. Permanent formwork can be made of asbestos-cement or steel pipes. Their diameter should be 10–20 cm.

After this, we begin the process of strengthening the columnar base. For reinforcement, you need to use reinforcement with a diameter of 1.2–1.4 cm. It must be installed longitudinally. The function of horizontal jumpers will be performed by metal wire.

If the foundation is made with a grillage (special slabs or beams - the supports of the future building), about 20 cm of reinforcing bars are left above the pillars. With their help, after pouring the concrete mixture, you can easily connect the grillage to the columnar supports.

We make a columnar foundation from asbestos or steel pipes - you can do it!

In this case, permanent formwork made from pipe products of a suitable cross-section is required. The construction of such a foundation is recommended for any buildings, including wooden houses. For the work, you will need pipes with a cross-section of about 200 mm or more if the building is heavily loaded (several floors, large area).

Step-by-step instructions for building a foundation are as follows:

1. We clear the site.
2. We prepare cylindrical pits in which we install a reinforcement cage or pipes and fill them with earth, ensuring the fixation of the supports.
3. We fill the pipe structures used with concrete solution to one third of their length. This procedure is mandatory; it creates the required hydraulic cushion for the base.
4. We raise the pipes to a third of the height and pour the concrete mixture again, leaving about 15 cm of empty space at the top.
5. We completely remove the pipes, and compact the concrete solution that remains in the hole and place a reinforced rod in its center.
6. We are waiting for the concrete to harden.

The connection between the base and the erected walls of the structure is carried out using metal anchors. They should be attached to the lower wall beams and sunk into the 15cm cavity left. You have made a reliable and durable foundation out of pipes. All that is required is to finally concrete the structure.

Construction of a foundation made of concrete blocks and wood - instructions

For frame private houses, various gazebos in suburban areas, saunas and outbuildings, you can make a base from blocks. In this case, the support-column foundation is made with your own hands from concrete elements with geometric parameters of 20x20x40 cm.

The block base device includes the following stages:

1. Site preparation.
2. Digging holes, covering them with crushed stone and creating a sand cushion at the bottom.
3. Installation (using cement-based mortar) of concrete blocks.
4. Carrying out waterproofing measures (using ordinary roofing felt laid on the surface of concrete pillars).
5. Plastering the surface of the blocks.

Block foundations cannot be constructed on horizontally moving soils, water-saturated and peaty soils. It is also undesirable to place overly massive buildings and structures on them.

You can also make a wooden foundation. But the service life of such a foundation will be objectively short. It can be increased by impregnating the wood with special antiseptic solutions. But even in this case, the foundation will last a maximum of a couple of decades.

For such a foundation, it would be correct to use coniferous wood or oak piles. The pillars are immersed in the soil by 0.5–1.5 m. The cross-section of the piles should be chosen larger - from 20 cm. Construction is carried out according to a simple scheme:

1. We clear the area for laying the foundation.
2. We dig holes. Their cross-section is taken to be 1.5 times the diameter of the wood supports used.
3. We install wooden poles at the corners of the planned building, along its perimeter (every 2 meters) and at the points of intersection of the walls of the structure.
4. Place a layer (15–20 cm) of sand on the bottom and compact it as thoroughly as possible.
5. We carry out waterproofing of the lower part of the wooden supports (impregnation with oil, “wrapping” in 2-3 layers of roofing felt or ordinary roofing felt, which it is advisable to glue with bitumen-based mastic).
6. We mount and align the pillars vertically (use a building level).
7. We fill the voids between the pit and the pillar with broken bricks, large crushed stone and sand. These materials should be poured in layers and compacted constantly. The thickness of each layer is at least 10 cm.
8. We level (now in height) the installed supports - we cut off their tops to achieve a completely horizontal plane. This procedure is easy to do if you stretch a cord over the posts.
9. We apply roofing material or a special waterproofing film to the ends of the columnar supports.

Your wooden foundation is ready! Feel free to install a wooden structure on it.

A do-it-yourself columnar foundation is quite easy and economical, but also reliable and of high quality. A good result can only be achieved if all building codes and requirements are met, since any violation can lead to the building being distorted or damaged. The most important prohibition on the construction of a construction project is the impossibility of installation work on heaving soil. There are many videos and literature describing the installation process, but today we will discuss the easiest scheme and learn how to do the work correctly.

Advantages and disadvantages

The main advantage of such a foundation is, first of all, its versatility. This quality is manifested in the ability to install a foundation on any type of site with minor preparatory processes and waterproofing. Bookmarking it is quite simple and does not require special skills, so the process can be done with your own hands. In addition to all this, the device has the following number of advantages:

• A very simple way to construct a building that does not require construction skills and watching thousands of videos in order to complete it;
• Installation does not require specialized equipment and craftsmen on site;
• The design is compatible with all types of soil, except heaving soil;
• It is possible to carry out construction work on a hilly area;
• There is no need for preparatory work with the land area;
• Quite low cost of materials compared to other types;
• The speed of construction of the facility is no more than two weeks;
• Minimal waterproofing;
• Good level of foundation strength;
• Long service life. If all standards are met, the building can last about 50 years.

Attention! Of course, this is not the entire list of advantages of the functioning of the foundation; there are about twice as many of them.

To that huge list of advantages, we must add the real disadvantages that the installation has. So, they manifest themselves in the following characteristics:

• Very low ability to withstand loading pressure;
• With such a foundation, the construction of a basement becomes unrealistic.

As you can see, the list of disadvantages is quite short; if your project does not plan to build a basement, and the building itself is a light-weight structure, then you can easily build a columnar foundation with your own hands.

Materials for work

Another huge advantage of such bases is the ability to choose different materials. Based on video recommendations and literature, we have identified for you the most popular variations of this construction:

• Asbestos pipes. This material has fairly high strength, cost-effectiveness and ease of installation.
• Brick . This is one of the most popular bookmark options. Although it is worth noting that the only advantages that can be highlighted are long service life and durability. However, such material has a number of disadvantages, such as the complexity of installation, the high price of materials and susceptibility to heaving of the earth, which leads to deformations.
• Wood logs. This option is the most economical and is used in construction projects for light types of buildings. Another advantage is the ease of installation of the facility. Among the disadvantages there are such negative characteristics as fragility and the mandatory need for waterproofing and treatment with a special septic tank.
• Reinforced concrete material. Concrete has a very high level of strength and a long service life. It is worth noting that this is exactly the option when quality equates to price. But there is also a drawback, which manifests itself in the complexity of installation work.

Attention! Looking at the above materials, we can say that you can make a columnar foundation with your own hands either from a monolith or a prefabricated structure.

It is worth noting that it is better to opt for a monolithic foundation, since the kit includes it and reinforcement, which increases the foundation’s ability to withstand loads. If you choose a prefabricated type of construction, then in the winter season the pillars may be pushed out, which will lead to numerous repairs. It is for this reason that we still recommend choosing a monolith.

Design features

It is very easy to make a columnar foundation with your own hands, but in order to do the installation correctly we need to know the design features. This section is dedicated to this information. The base of the support points is compacted with a 20 cm cushion of sand, which helps remove precipitation. After this, they need to be filled with concrete mortar - this will create a monolith of the base. The structure also includes a columnar support with reinforcement reinforcement. The poles should rise half a meter above the ground. It is worth considering that they are connected to each other by a grillage.

Attention! A very important and necessary detail of the integrity of the structure is waterproofing, which can be made with roofing felt.

We carry out calculations for construction

Many citizens who plan to erect a building are concerned with the question of how to make a columnar foundation. It is for this reason that this article was written. First. What you need to do is make accurate calculations. For this process, it is better to use the services of professionals, as this is a rather complex and responsible process.

If we consider the basic data, they include the area of ​​the building and its weight. A geodetic analysis of the site should also be performed. In addition to this data, the calculation information must also contain the following list of descriptions:

• Possible amount of additional load on each support;
• Materials needed for work;
• Number of floors in the building;
• The depth of soil freezing and the level of protrusion;
• Data on the course of surface waters;
• Features of the land within the construction project area.

The information obtained will allow you to determine the number of pillars, laying depth, required installation technology, type of grillage and many other data. If you wish, you can do the calculation yourself using a calculator.

Attention! If you have professional level documentation, then registering the project will become much easier.

Stages of construction work for different types of materials

Even at the design stage, we decide on the choice of the necessary material. As we have already found out, the most polar of them are the following types of pillars:

• Concrete;
• Brick;
• Rubble concrete;
• Brick;
• Stone.

After studying the literature and videos on this topic, we determined the simplest method of construction work on the construction of the foundation. Before starting, you need to clear the area and level the surface. If you have clay soil on your site, then you need to add crushed stone, which will add rigidity to the soil. After this, you can begin marking. This action should indicate location points for all structural parts. To summarize everything, we offer you an option on how to make a columnar foundation with your own hands, step-by-step instructions:

• Clearing the site;
• Territory marking;
• Excavation work that can be done with your own hands or using special equipment;
• If you are installing short pillars up to a meter, then you don’t have to strengthen the wells;
• Otherwise, you need to widen the hole and install a spacer. You can also create a reinforced concrete cushion at the bottom, which will make it possible to avoid subsidence of the room.
• Next, formwork should be done. Wooden shields are best suited for this action.
• We carry out reinforcement of pillars. Rods with a cross section of 12 mm will help us in this process. To create horizontal jumpers you need to use wire. In order to avoid problems in the future with tying the grillage, you need to leave a distance of 15 cm above the top of the post.
• When the reinforcement is already connected, you can start pouring the solution. When performing this process, care should be taken to ensure that no voids remain. If they appear, then you need to compact the mixture.
• It is also worth performing waterproofing, which will protect your structure from excess moisture. This task can be accomplished using mastic or roofing felt.
• After all the work has been done, you need to start making a grillage. This element is assembled from reinforcement with jumpers, with the help of which a frame is created and the formwork is installed. Now pour concrete into this form and let it dry.
• The last stage of construction work is the removal of the base, which is mainly made of bricks. It is worth considering that you must leave an entrance for ventilation and communication.

As we found out, a columnar base is a fairly simple laying process that does not require any skills or an hour of studying video instructions.