Do-it-yourself blind area step-by-step instructions: how to do it right

Before you start building a house, its future owner must understand that it is not limited to the construction of a solid foundation, walls and roof. We also need a foundation blind area, which will protect not only the foundation of the house, the basement, but also the basement (if any) from moisture and subsequent destruction. It is about the blind area of the foundation, and the technology of its manufacture, that will be discussed in this publication.

What is the blind area for, and its components

Before explaining how a do-it-yourself blind area is made with step-by-step instructions, you need to tell in detail what it is for, its varieties, and the materials used to make it.

The main function of this design is that it protects the foundation of the building from moisture ingress, which can eventually cause irreversible damage in the form of cracks and chips in concrete. Not a single house or cottage can do without it. Therefore, it must be done around the whole house, leaving no space.
Modern builders distinguish two layers in the blind area device:

underlying, which performs the direct function of protecting the foundation of the house from moisture and other harmful effects of the soil;
decorative, which serves to give the structure, an aesthetic appearance, and additional protection of the main (underlying) layer.

Depending on the arrangement of the layers of the foundation blind area, it is divided into hard and soft. In the first case, traditional materials will be used, which will include concrete, reinforcing mesh, waterproofing and insulation materials. The decorative layer will need natural stone, paving slabs, or other hard materials. If, on the contrary, the blind area is soft, then clay, a little crushed stone, and sand will be needed to make it.

How to make a blind area

In order to make this structural element of the house correctly, you will need a desire, and some knowledge. In principle, there is nothing complicated, and if you adhere to the technology that will be described below, you can count on good protection of the house from moisture, as well as a beautiful aesthetic appearance of the building itself. To make such a structure around the house correctly, it is necessary to adhere to the following algorithm of actions (first, the option of a hard blind area will be considered, and then a soft one).

First, a trench is dug, the device of which is similar, as in the case of a solid structure.
The next step is to create a sand and gravel cushion. It is no different from the one that is made for a solid foundation.
We must not forget about the expansion joint, around the whole house. How to do it is described above.
The pillow is waterproofed and insulated, and then clay, crushed stone, sand are taken and all this is mixed with the addition of a small amount of water. In this case, a reinforcing mesh is not needed.
When this mixture is rammed and hardens, you can proceed to the decorative element (top layer).
On top of the hardened first layer, a mixture of mixed clay and sand is poured, to which a small amount of cement is added. After that, a stone, decorative tile or other material is laid. Further, all the gaps are sprinkled with cement, and watered. After a while, the top layer is ready.

It is important not to forget that the soft blind area also provides for a minimum slope of 1.5 degrees, and does not provide for heat-insulating seams.

There is nothing complicated in the instructions for creating a blind area. The main thing is to understand its role, and follow the developed algorithm. If at least one element is missing during its construction, be it a pillow or an expansion joint, then it will not last long and will quickly collapse. Therefore, before starting work, you need to carefully familiarize yourself with all the intricacies of the blind area.
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Do-it-yourself blind area step-by-step instructions: how to do it right