Basement walls made of poured concrete or concrete block really act as retaining walls for a home. Concrete block construction and poured foundations withstand enormous amounts of tension forces. Use reinforcing steel to strengthen the foundation walls.
Concrete and concrete block construction information is readily available. Here are some pamphlets, magazines and books about concrete block.
Water infiltration in a foundation can cause all sorts of problems. A waterproof foundation leads to a structurally sound home. Backfilling too soon and too aggressively can cause foundation cracks that weaken your house. Also, make sure the ground slopes away from your foundation. Pipe water from sump pumps away from the home.
The following manufacturers make foundation waterproofing compounds for residential construction.
A waterproof foundation is essential for any residential home. Many foundations, however, are not completely waterproofed. Damp proofing a foundation simply slows down the water penetration and does not completely waterproof a foundation.
Two structural alternatives to house foundations and footings are piles and piers. Piles are driven deep into soil while piers are columns cemented into the ground. In certain soil conditions, these two alternatives may be best to use.
House foundations and footers are subject to all sorts of forces which can cause them to fail. Cracks in concrete footings could possibly lead to collapse of the entire structure. Among the forces acting on residential footings and foundations are gravity, soil swelling and frost heaving.
House foundations and residential footings are crucial to the success of a building. Footings and foundations, when properly designed, withstand all the forces of a house. These foundation footings should be constructed from durable materials.
Pier foundations resemble wood decks or a common table. The actual foundation is a series of vertical columns, or piles, that transfer the building load to the soil. Beams are built on top of the vertical columns that hold up the walls of the house or structure. These specialized foundations work great around trees or in other locations where it is difficult to dig a traditional foundation.
Poured wall foundations and wood can coexist together for a beautiful finished basement. Poured wall foundations provide permanence that wood foundations sometimes do not. The wood can be used for the floor trusses with wood I joists that span large distances without structural beams in your basement.
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