The correct blind area of ​​​​the foundation is the long life of the house. Concrete blind area around the house - how to do it yourself Why do you need a blind area, and its components

The blind area is the strengthening of the perimeter of the house to prevent the flow of water under the base of the foundation. If you are the owner of a private house and there is no blind area yet, already start thinking about building it. And our step-by-step instructions will help with this. At least we hope so.

We do not claim that our version, which is described below, is the most correct one. Each master can do in his own way. But we take into account general norms and build on the knowledge and experience that we have.

Step one: preparation

According to the standards, the blind area should protrude 20-25 centimeters beyond the lower overhang of the roof. That is, if during rain water flows down the roof, it should not fall on the ground. Even if there is a drain - and something can happen to it (it broke away from the wind, clogged with dry leaves). We decide on the width and carefully study the vegetation around the house. Trees that are located next to the house can undermine the blind area in the future with their roots. This is especially true for young animals, which now do not seem dangerous, but in the future they can cause a lot of trouble. What to do? Cutting down a tree is a shame. Leave as is - there may be problems with the destruction of the blind area by the roots. We have repeatedly encountered similar things and found our way out: when the tree is aged, the large roots in the blind area are cut off when we start to go deep. If the tree is young and planted 2-4 meters from the house, then the owner of the house should monitor its growth. As soon as there are signs that the root has reached the blind area - immediately an ax in your hands and a shovel on top. Having dug up the earth a little literally a meter from the blind area, the root needs to be cut. The tree will not be harmed.

Step two: prepare the place

The width of the future blind area should go a little deeper. A little - it depends on the characteristics of the soil. Yes, you can go deeper. If the ground is hard, then the shovel will become your friend. If soft, you can tamp the soil to the depth necessary for pouring the blind area. Tamping is necessary, as this is a kind of guarantee that the soil will not sag under the weight of the blind area. You need to go deep with the expectation that you will need to pour sand, then rubble, then insulation (optional) and only then pour concrete. We usually do this: sand + gravel - 4-6 cm, insulation - 5-10 cm, concrete screed- at least 6 cm. On average, about 20 centimeters of recess are obtained.

Here you need to understand that you won’t be able to overdo it, but a shortage in the thickness of one of the layers threatens with cracks in the blind area. Let not in the first and not in the second year, but they will appear. And then you realize that the miser pays twice.

Step three: warming

Ideal as a heater polystyrene boards. You can use polystyrene, this is someone who will be “generous” on what. Laying of plates occurs with a tight fit to each other. Even at the stage of tamping and creating a sand-gravel cushion, a slope is attached so that the blind area is of the same thickness and at the same time provide for water flow. It is enough to make a slope with the calculation of 3-5 cm per meter of blind area. Then it will be comfortable to walk, and the water will drain without delay. The insulation is laid in such a way that the edge that is not adjacent to the basement is concreted 4-6 cm. As a guideline, boards or other material can already be installed at this stage so that the concrete does not spread after pouring.

Step four: reinforcement

I had to see a blind area with a reinforcing mesh a little, but they all had cracks and large ones. At the same time, where a reinforcing mesh or thin reinforcement was used, cracks, if any, were insignificant. But the main thing is that there were no differences in the areas of the blind area, which occur when cracking or subsidence due to improper tamping.

You can purchase a reinforcing mesh or use reinforcement, although this is much more expensive and time consuming. Reinforcement should be laid in such a way that the concrete completely envelops the metal. You can do this: after laying the grid, put small bars in some places. But only when the concreting reaches such places, do not forget to remove the bars.

Step Five, Final: Concreting

Do-it-yourself blind area is always difficult at this moment. First, it is desirable to have a concrete mixer. Secondly, you need to be able to prepare high-quality concrete. Thirdly, you need to properly fill and level it. Well, nothing, we will help with advice:

- the optimal proportion is 1:2:3, where 1 is cement, 2 is sand, 3 is crushed stone. Cement M400, sand preferably river or sea, crushed stone of fine fraction.

- Filling should be done in one day, maximum two. If you fill a couple of meters a day, cracking is inevitable at the junctions in the future. So calculate your strengths correctly.

- so that the surface of the blind area is even and as smooth as possible after solidification, use beacons and level with a rule or a smooth rail along the beacons.

- if it is not possible to purchase river or sea sand, use available quarry sand. But it must be washed to remove particles of earth and clay. You can use a concrete mixer: after pouring a portion of sand and filling it with water, turn it on for a couple of minutes. Then turn off the drum and turn it over so that the glass is cloudy water. Ideally, it is advisable to rinse each portion of sand 2-3 times. If you refuse to flush, we do not guarantee a positive result. Over time, the blind area will begin to be washed out by raindrops.

- complete solidification (28 days) and you can remove the formwork. If the work is carried out in a hot summer, then it is better to work early in the morning or in the evening, and in the afternoon, when it dries out a little, water the blind area with water from a well or a well.

Do-it-yourself blind area is a process that will teach you a lot. Try it and don't be afraid that you won't succeed. And if something is not clear - write in the comments and we will not be slow with the answer.

Greetings, friends.

Alexander Alexandrov is in touch with you.

Today I will tell you how do it right with your own hands.

When building a private house, various nuances should be taken into account. Including - prevention of flooding of the foundation by rainwater. The constant flow of water under the foundation can lead to very undesirable consequences. The action of atmospheric moisture on the foundation concrete leads to cracks and other damage. The roots of plants begin to grow into these cracks and produce a destructive effect on the foundation.Sometimes, when building a building, builders for some reason forget the existence of such a problem, and the owner of the house has to solve it himself. Some owners do not realize the need to protect the foundation of the building, and this significantly reduces the operational life of the dwelling.

In order to prevent water from flowing under the foundation, a blind area is made - a special strengthening of the perimeter of the building. With experience construction works, this element of the house design can be done independently, thereby saving on the services of specialists.

So, how to make a blind area yourself?

Why is blind area needed

The blind area is designed to perform the following important functions:

• protection of the foundation of the structure from such destructive factors as moisture, plant roots, and so on;
• drainage of rain or melt water from the walls of the house into the drainage system, for which the blind area is equipped - this design reduces the risk of dampness of the foundation;
• increasing the aesthetics of the appearance of the house, giving it harmony and completeness;
• reduction of heat losses in the cold season.

How is the blind area

The basis of the blind area is the underlying layer, on top of which the covering layer is applied. Often different materials are used to create them. To ensure drainage from the walls of the building, the surface of the blind area should have a slight slope.

The cover layer is often made of concrete.
In this case, the surface of the base layer must be horizontal, while the slope of the surface of the overburden is created when the concrete is poured. The standard slope is five centimeters per meter.

The underlying layer is most often made of clay, crushed stone or gravel. Crumpled clay is the most practical material due to the fact that it does not pass water well. Usually the underlying layer is made with a thickness of 0.25 to 0.3 meters. When using clay, a sufficient thickness for the underlying layer will be from 0.15 to 0.2 meters.

If crushed stone or gravel is used to create the underlying layer, then a layer of sand with a thickness of 0.07 to 0.1 meters should lie between it and the covering layer.

The covering layer is made of durable and waterproof material - natural stone, asphalt, concrete. In some cases, brick or paving slabs are used for this.

Preparation for work

The first step in preparation is to establish the main parameters of the future design. The standard minimum width of the blind area is 0.6 meters. However, when designing it, it is necessary to take into account the following factors, including those related to the features of the architecture and design of the building:

1. The position of the edge of the eaves of the roof of the house: the edge of the blind area should protrude beyond this edge by at least 0.25-0.3 meters. This will prevent the runoff of water from the roof to the ground in the absence of a drain or problems with it.
2. The compatibility of the blind area with the overall design of the building and the surrounding landscape.
3. Features of the soil around the building. So, if the house is surrounded by subsiding soil, then the minimum recommended width of the blind area is one meter. This size provides the convenience of using the blind area as a track.
4. Features of the climate of the area in which the house is located.
5. Materials that are supposed to be used for the construction of the blind area. So, if you make a covering layer of paving slabs, then the slope can be made smaller than in the case of using crushed stone.

After establishing the width of the blind area acceptable in this situation, it is necessary to determine the angle of its inclination. To ensure effective drainage, the value of this angle should lie between two and five degrees.

The slope of the blind area can be created both during the laying of the underlying layer, and during the installation of the outer coating. The choice of one or another approach is determined by the materials used.

Materials and tools

The next step in preparing the construction of the blind area is the calculation of the required volume of materials and the selection of the necessary tools. To lay the bottom layer, crushed stone, sand or clay is needed.

The most common cover material is concrete. If it is planned to use it in the construction of the blind area, then the following tools and additional materials will be needed:

• concrete mixer or mixing trough cement mortar;
• wire;
• reinforcing bars;
• bayonet shovels for digging soil and shovels for working with mortar;
• ruler or tape measure;
• level.

Do-it-yourself blind area

1. markup

The first step in the construction of the blind area is the marking of the territory in front of the building. To do this, you need to drive pegs into the ground along the perimeter of the building at the required distance from the wall and connect them with twine.

2. Digging a trench under the blind area

After this operation, you need to dig a trench between the stretched twine and the wall of the house, the depth of which will be determined by the selected material. As a rule, the thickness of the concrete blind area is 0.25 meters. In this case, the thickness of the surface finish is not taken into account.

After the trench under the blind area is ready, it is necessary to prevent unwanted growth of plants in it, the roots of which may have a destructive effect on the structure in the future. To do this, the soil is cultivated in the trench and near it with special herbicides. If trees grow not far from the future blind area, their roots should be cut.

You can also lay geotextiles, but this is more expensive.

Digging a trench is not always a necessary procedure. If the soil around the house is soft enough, then it will be sufficient to compact it to an appropriate depth.

3. Formwork installation

The next step is to assemble the formwork. To do this, you can use uncut boards with a thickness of at least 20 millimeters. Boards are installed along the outer border of the pit. Wooden blocks can be used as supports.

4. Create an underlay

After mounting the formwork, it is necessary to tamp the bottom of the trench and fill it with clay so that the layer thickness is 50 millimeters. The clay must be compacted tightly, and then a sand layer 100 millimeters thick should be poured onto it, which should also be compacted. In order for the compaction of the sand layer to be of high quality, the sand must be moistened. The final step of this stage of work is the laying of rubble on top of the sand layer.

Tamping the soil at the bottom of the pit is a necessary step in the construction of the blind area. If this is not done, then the blind area in the future may sag under its own weight. In order to completely eliminate the infiltration of water through the blind area, the clay layer can be separated from subsequent layers with a waterproofing material, for example, a film of polyvinyl chloride or polyethylene.

5. Reinforcing mesh installation

After the preparation of the pillow is completed, reinforcement is laid on the surface of the crushed stone layer so that a reinforcing mesh is obtained. In this case, the distance between the bars should be from 100 to 150 millimeters. The intersections of the rods must be tied with steel wire. The presence of a reinforcing mesh ensures the strength of the blind area and its ability to withstand various loads.

Instead of reinforcing bars, you can use a finished reinforcing mesh.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW

An important nuance in reinforcing is to ensure complete envelopment of the reinforcement with cement mortar. To do this, you can lay the mesh on wooden bars, which are gradually removed during the concreting process.

6. Creating an expansion joint

Where the blind area is in contact with the wall of the building, an expansion joint should be created, the width of which should be approximately 15 millimeters. To fill the seam space, sand mixed with gravel or bitumen is used.

To create a heat-insulating layer between the blind area and the wall of the house, you can also use plates made of extruded polystyrene foam or foam. It is important to ensure that the insulation boards fit tightly to each other.

7. Pouring concrete

The next stage of work is the pouring of the concrete solution. To do this, you must first lay wooden slats across the trench so that the distance between them is 2.3-2.5 meters. The purpose of these rails is to create expansion joints that provide normal performance characteristics designs. The width of the rails should be such that their edges coincide with the surface level of the concrete layer. To prevent the destruction of the slats by bacteria and fungus, the wood must be treated with an antiseptic solution and covered with a layer of bitumen.

A standard concrete mortar is prepared from cement (one part), sand (two parts) and fine gravel (three parts). It is advisable to use river or sea sand. If ordinary sand from a quarry is used, then it must first be washed to remove various impurities.

Sand washing is carried out twice or three times. To do this, you can use a concrete mixer. When washing, the sand is poured into a concrete mixer, filled with water and mixed for several minutes. After that, the concrete mixer is turned off and the water is drained. If this procedure is neglected, then in the future it is possible that the blind area will be washed out with water.

Concrete is poured in one layer at once. Otherwise, cracks may appear between areas filled at different times. Therefore, even if it is impossible to pour all the concrete within one day for some reason, then the next day the work should be completely completed.

To prevent the formation of cracks and defects in the future, it is important to ensure the high quality of the cement slurry. Therefore, it is best to cook it in a concrete mixer.

If during the construction of the formwork, hot weather has set in, then best time for work - early morning or evening.

8. Leveling the concrete surface

After the concrete layer is poured and has not yet hardened, its surface must be leveled and the necessary slope created. A rule is applied to perform this procedure. If this tool is not available, you can use an ordinary wooden lath with a smooth and even surface. To ensure evenness, smoothness and the correct slope of the surface, special beacons should be used as reference points.

At the end of the work on creating a covering layer, the concrete surface must be covered with burlap moistened with water. This fabric must be moistened regularly, preventing it from drying out. This will prevent the appearance of cracks in the concrete during its gradual hardening.

9. Finishing and decorative works

The curing process of concrete lasts from two to three weeks. After this time period has passed, and the concrete has gained the necessary strength, you can remove the formwork and proceed to finish and decorate its surface. To do this, you can use sheets of porcelain stoneware, or something else.

Do-it-yourself blind area at home - video

Well, that's all, friends.

Following the data step by step instructions, you can completely make a blind area with your own hands and spend money only on building materials.

Why do you need a blind area around the house? Can you make it with your own hands? The blind area, first of all, plays the role of a kind of protection along with a decorative function. It is installed after the walls are laid out, when the time comes exterior finish. It protects the foundation from atmospheric precipitation or its consequences. The blind area looks like wide band, hermetically adjacent to the outer part of the foundation, enveloping the house from all sides. It is this local area that is subjected to most precipitation that flows from the roof or walls of the building, so it must be reliable, waterproof, strong.

In addition to its direct purpose, the blind area "works" as a heater in the basement of the building.

As for the width of this protective strip, the rule “the more, the better” works here. According to SNiP, the minimum width of the blind area should be at least 80 cm, while the maximum can be any - at the discretion of the owner of the house.

There are certain requirements for the arrangement of this architectural element:

1. The width of the strip should not be equal to the level of the ledge of the roof, nor can it be narrower than its edge.
2. The blind area around the house should be continuous.
3. The protection of the building foundation depends on the strip width.
4. Installation is carried out with a slope from the house of at least 1.5 °.

It should be wide enough so that you can walk freely on it without touching the walls. The most optimal width is 1 meter.

Paving around the house

The blind area of ​​any type consists of two layers - underlying and waterproof. The bottom layer is usually gravel, crushed stone or sand, while the top layer can be made of concrete, natural stone, paving slabs, asphalt.

The optimal slope angle from the house is 3-5 °, if the building stands on ordinary soil, then the width of the blind area should be approximately 20-30 cm more than the eaves. If your dwelling is built on subsiding or swampy soil, then the width should be at least 90-110 cm.

It is worth mentioning that some types of foundations (for example, screw and pile foundations) do not need a blind area at all. They require the installation of a protective coating only in places where water is drained from the roof.

If the house is on heaving soil, then it is better to make a blind area with insulation - this is necessary so that the protection does not let moisture through. AT winter time water freezes, bursts the soil, so the polystyrene foam laid in the blind area is able to prevent this factor. Extruded polystyrene foam is not only impervious to water, but is also characterized by high thermal insulation properties.

Expanded polystyrene is placed between the layers of the blind area (crushed stone or gravel cushion is located below), it is best to pour concrete on top or lay tiles, cobblestone. This method of warming is very effective, shows good results.

Consider the types of blind area around the house:

1. The simplest, but almost unused material for constructing a protective strip is clay. It is an excellent hydraulic lock for the foundation of the house. Now the use of clay is no longer relevant, as new modern materials confidently occupy a leading position in the construction market.
2. A protective strip of concrete is the most common option for arranging foundation protection. It is quickly installed, has a low cost for the price of building materials used, has a long service life, and is resistant to manifestations of natural factors.
3. A blind area of ​​tiles around the house is placed on a layer of sand. The tile is convenient in that it can be picked up under appearance buildings or decorative features suburban area. This type of protective strip around the house is durable, easy to install.
4. Natural stone, laid around the house, looks very beautiful, has a long service life, but requires patience and accuracy when laying.
5. The asphalt coating of the protective strip is used infrequently, due to the lack of decorative effect, the specific smell when heated by sunlight and the high cost.
6. A waterproof protective strip is made only if there is a well-installed drainage system. In this case, much attention is paid to the installation of gutters from the roof, so that moisture is removed at a considerable distance from the foundation of the building. Such protection around the house works more for decoration than for practicality.
7. One of the most expensive types of blind area is made of granite. Respectable appearance, quality, durability are the main criteria for such a method of protection.

It will be ideal if, on the outside of the entire perimeter of the protective strip around the house, drainage system(it doesn't have to be very deep). Such a technique will maximally protect the foundation from contact with moisture.

How to make a blind area with your own hands around the house?

As mentioned above, the blind area consists of two structural layers - underlying and covering. The sub-base provides a level, compact base for the subsequent materials to be laid. The role of "litter" is sand, clay, crushed stone of a fine fraction. The thickness of the litter layer depends on what material the protective strip will be covered with.

The coating fulfills its main purpose - protection against water, and it does not matter what material it is made of.

As an example, consider phased construction blind areas made of concrete:

1. Initially, the marking of the future protective strip is carried out; for its arrangement, we will take as a basis a width of 1 meter.
2. Along the entire perimeter of the house (in accordance with the markings), we remove a layer of soil (20-30 cm) and compact the base.
   
3. If there are plants under the layer of removed soil, then their roots can be treated with herbicides so that later they do not start to break their way through the coating.
4. From the boards we make a removable formwork.
5. We lay a thin layer of clay on the compacted soil, and on top of it a sandy layer (about 10 cm). Clay, sand should be well compacted after laying. In the immediate vicinity of the foundation, the sand is compacted especially carefully.
6. We spill the sandy layer with water, but not very abundantly, since there is clay below.
7. We lay the rubble in a thin layer, about 6-8 cm.
   
8. In order for the future protective strip around the house to be strong, withstand compressive and tensile loads, it must be reinforced. For this purpose, a reinforcing mesh with a step of 10 cm is suitable.
   
9. In the place where the blind area is adjacent to the basement, an expansion joint must be made, sometimes it is called a temperature or deformation joint. This seam performs a kind of protection during soil subsidence. It has a width of 1-2 cm. Thus, this gap between the base and the blind area is filled with a sand-gravel mixture or roofing material, it can also be filled with resin or foamed polyethylene (tow), sealant. It is obligatory to install expansion joints in all corners of the house.
10. How to fill the blind area at home? The construction of expansion joints is simply necessary when arranging the correct protective strip around the house. When pouring concrete mass every 2 or 3 meters, you need to install thin wooden planks, placed by an edge. For these purposes, conventional wooden slats, they must be laid so that the upper surface coincides with the level of the surface of the concrete mass and always taking into account the slope! Wooden elements can be pre-treated protective equipment from decay.
    
11. What kind of concrete is needed for the blind area around the house? The concrete used to create it, in terms of frost-resistant characteristics, should not be inferior to the road counterpart. The M250 or M300 brand is perfect, it is mixed with sand, fine gravel, water until a homogeneous mass is obtained. This mass is laid on top of the reinforcing mesh and wooden ribs, compacted (by vibration or bayonet) and leveled with a rule.
    
12. The concrete blind area around the house, made with your own hands, will become as strong as possible if you use the ironing method immediately after pouring. This building technique has two methods - dry and wet. In the dry method, cement is sprinkled onto a freshly leveled concrete layer. It is sieved on a fine sieve. By tapping on this sieve, it is evenly distributed in a thin layer (2-3 mm) over the entire surface of the protective layer. After the manipulations, this layer is carefully compacted with a plaster spatula. Dry cement draws moisture from wet concrete and, when cured, forms additional reinforcing armor. At wet method ironing, the sifted cement is mixed with water to a doughy consistency, applied to the dried concrete layer with a plastering spatula. The thickness of such protection is 2-3 mm. Sometimes ceresite or liquid glass, but in any case, the strength of the protective layer depends on the quality of the sealing and smoothing.
13. At the final stage, the concrete is covered with a wet cloth, moistened periodically. This protects the concrete layer from drying out until the moment when it finally hardens. After 7-10 days, your concrete blind area will be ready.

You can go the easier way - save time. This method now it is very popular, as it has good protective qualities, it gives an attractive appearance to the house adjoining strip.

To do this, after removing the soil layer, sand is poured to the bottom of the trench, poured from above with liquid glass mixed with a hardener. After hardening, an attractive monolithic surface is obtained, which has high moisture-resistant characteristics.

How to close a crack in the blind area at home?

Cracks or damage to the concrete surface can also appear due to certain circumstances. Shallow cracks can be filled liquid solution cement, larger ones are pre-cut down for the entire length of the damage, cleaned of litter and dust. After cleaning, the crack is filled with a mixture of bitumen, asbestos and sand.

Large damage can also be filled with fresh concrete mass, having previously primed them. Further, the “patch” is looked after in the same way as a regular screed - the surface is moistened until the concrete has completely hardened.

If the damage is serious, then additional reinforcement of the cracks is carried out, followed by their filling with a sand-cement mixture with the addition of crushed stone. After complete hardening, the "patches" are treated with a primer.

Soft pavement around the house

The soft blind area does not have an upper hard coating; instead, crushed stone of various colors is poured in or soil with grass is generally used. Soft blind area soil deformations due to freezing and subsequent thawing are not terrible. When laying such a protective strip, it is not necessary to observe the slope angle. If a layer of expanded polystyrene is provided at the base of the soft coating, then it will additionally help reduce the depth of soil freezing in the foundation area.

The blind area around the house of rubble is done like this:

1. A layer of soil is removed, compacted, then a layer of clay (10 cm) is laid over the entire area of ​​the resulting trench. In order to avoid subsequent swelling, the clay must be absolutely clean, that is, it must not contain sand.
2. Clay is also rammed, a waterproofing film is laid on top of it (with a margin). If circumstances develop in such a way that the blind area moves away from the foundation, then the stock of film will be able to compensate for the shortage of material that has arisen. The film is fixed by overlapping directly on the foundation.
3. Sand is poured over the hydroprotection.
4. The next step is the laying of geotextiles over the entire area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe future blind area.
5. Crushed stone is poured onto geotextiles. The layer of embankment can be from 10 to 15 cm.
6. The geotextile is re-laid, on which decorative crushed stone is poured.

Thus, any do-it-yourself blind area around the house will help to significantly increase the operational life of your home, bring additional aesthetics and attractiveness.

A reliable, time-tested way to protect the foundation from the effects of surface water is to install a concrete blind area around the house. The undoubted advantage of a blind area made of concrete is its low cost and ease of manufacture.

100% protection against moisture, which is provided by a concrete blind area with an integral coating, is not able to guarantee any material (without arranging a multi-tiered "pie"). The condition of the foundation directly affects the position of the entire structure. Therefore, the foundation needs capital protection.

This is precisely the main task of the blind area - protecting the foundation and basement of the house. In addition to the barrier, it performs several other functions. For example, it allows you to organize more convenient movement along the blind area and gives the building a finished look.

Consider step by step how to properly make a blind area around the house of concrete with your own hands. We propose to break down all the stages of arrangement into theoretical and applied.

• In the first part, we will analyze what you need to know and prepare before getting started.

• In the second - how to prepare the bed and properly pour the concrete blind area.

Requirements for the blind area and the rules for its construction

• concrete pavement width, according to SNiP 2.02.01-83 should be 200 mm. more than an overhang roofing material. If there is a drain, its parameters are also taken into account. The same SNiP regulates the width depending on the type of soil. The traditional (optimal) width of the blind area can be considered 1 meter. This width provides freedom of movement and plays the role of a path around the house;

• length. Since the foundation needs protection around the entire perimeter of the house, it is logical that the blind area should also completely encircle the structure. An exception may be only the installation site of the concrete porch;

• depth or level of deepening of the blind area should not exceed half of the estimated depth of soil freezing characteristic of a particular region. This parameter can be viewed in the table or requested information in the architecture department at the location of the object.

  The ability of a concrete pavement to move along with the soil informs it of its function. Otherwise, its role will be reduced to water drainage, which is not enough to protect the foundation.

  Note. The depth of freezing is affected by the presence of communications in the soil.

• concrete pavement thickness. Justified is the minimum thickness of the surface layer of 70-100 mm. If an increased operational load is planned, for example, the movement of a car, the thickness can reach up to 150 mm;

• blind area slope. SNiP III-10-75 recommends what the slope should be - from 10 to 100 mm per 1 meter of width (i.e. 1-10%). The angle of inclination is directed in the direction opposite to the foundation of the house. Slope requirements depend on local rainfall and soil type. In practice, the slope is taken equal to 20-30 mm per 1 m (2-3 degrees). If you do more, then in case of icing, it will be difficult to move along such a blind area;

• border. In the case of a blind area, the border is a decorative element and the decision to install it is made based on the preferences of the owner of the house and his financial capabilities. However, if bushes are planted in the immediate vicinity of the blind area - “root aggressors” (raspberries, blackberries) or trees that differ in a powerful surface root system (poplar, plane tree), then the installation of a limiter is mandatory;

• plinth height. The standards establish a minimum base height of 500 mm for a hard type blind area and a minimum of 300 mm for a soft one. Recall that the blind area around the house made of concrete is of a rigid type;

• deck height from ground level. It is desirable that the blind area is 50 mm above the ground. This recommendation is due to the fact that water should not accumulate on the edge of the blind area and turn into puddles. In winter, this is fraught with freezing and, accordingly, the destruction of the structure.

• concrete deck construction has a specific device diagram, which is shown in the drawing below.

Armed with the above data, you can proceed directly to the installation of a concrete blind area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe foundation.

How to make a blind area of ​​concrete around the house

Material preparation:

• blind area concrete. The brand is an indicator of the quality of concrete, its value ranges from 100 to 1000. It indicates the proportion of cement content in concrete. The concrete class is in the range from B3.5 to B8 and indicates the strength of concrete. So, class B 15, indicates that a cube of concrete pouring with a size of 15x15x15 cm is able to withstand a pressure of 15 MPa.

What brand of concrete is needed for the blind area? To prepare the solution, cement brand M 200 (class B15) is used.

The parameters (properties) of concrete, depending on the brand, are shown in the table.

• sand. What is needed? For the device of the lower layer of the pillow, river or quarry sand is suitable. The main thing is that it does not contain large impurities that can damage geotextiles;

• rubble (gravel). For the blind area, crushed stone of fraction 10-20 is suitable;

• clay or geotextile for a hydraulic lock. In practice, this layer is absent in the base cushion, because concrete drains water well;

• iron cement.

The composition of the concrete solution for the blind area

If it is not possible to use ready-made concrete, you can knead it yourself. For this you need to prepare:

• pavement cement. You should know that the brand of concrete is determined by the brand of cement and its specific gravity as a percentage of the components of the solution. For the blind area, cement M400 Portland cement is used. Cement must be fresh, with each month of storage it loses 5% of its properties. It is easy to check the freshness, just squeeze a little cement in your fist, if it shrinks into a lump - its expiration date is running out, if it crumbles freely - you can work with it;

Note. What kind of cement is best for the blind area? Naturally fresh and high brand. This will save on cement consumption and prepare a good concrete solution.

• sand. To prepare concrete, you need to take sifted and washed from impurities and soil;

• rubble. It is advisable to use crushed stone of a fraction of 5-10 mm. At the same time, crushed stone is better than, for example, small pebbles;

• water. Should be at room temperature;

• additives. Needed in order to give concrete frost-resistant properties. Liquid glass is often used as an additive.

From the tools you will need a concrete mixer or a container for mixing, a shovel, a bucket (it is better to take a plastic one, it is easier to wash), a measuring container (for water), a manual tamping log or a vibrating plate.

Preparation of concrete solution for the blind area

In practice, the solution for the blind area is prepared in portions, after all the preparatory work has been completed. We will give a ready-made recipe for cement mortar and how to mix it correctly.

The composition of the concrete solution includes: cement, crushed stone, sand, water and various additives that increase its strength. The durability and strength of the blind area depends on the ratio (proportions) of these components.

Note. Components are measured by weight only.

The proportions of the solution for the blind area

Note. 1 cubic meter of sand is on average 1600 kg, 1 cubic meter of crushed stone is on average 1500 kg.

Depending on the brand of concrete, the proportions will differ. SNiP 82-02-95 regulates the composition of the mixture for obtaining concrete of a certain grade.

The concrete mixture is very demanding on the amount of water supplied. Its excess reduces the strength of concrete, because. brings cement flour to the top layer of the solution. This leads to the fact that the fortress is distributed unevenly. In practice, it is calculated that water should be approximately half the amount of cement. More accurate data is contained in the table (water-cement ratio (W / C) for concrete).

The order in which the components are added to the solution is also important. Cement is first poured into a mixing tank or concrete mixer and water is poured. By mixing, the so-called cement milk is obtained. Then the rest of the components are added to it. First, sand is poured, in small portions, and then crushed stone (gravel).

Note. Professionals advise maintaining an interval of 5 minutes. between the supply of components. Thus, the mixture is better mixed.

The technology of the blind area made of concrete with insulation

Step-by-step instruction:

Preparation of the base for the blind area. To do this, the top layer of soil is removed, all roots, stones, etc. are removed. The use of a continuous herbicide will eliminate the activity under the substrate. For example, drugs Agrokiller or Tornado.

Advice. Given that the blind area should exceed the edge of the roof slope by 200 mm, it is recommended to use a plumb line to accurately mark the boundary of the blind area.

markup. To do this, we pull the rope over the stakes clogged in the corners. To avoid sagging of the rope, you need to install intermediate stakes (at a distance of 5-6 m from each other).

Advice. How to determine the required angle of inclination of the blind area? Masters install additional beacons (stretch the rope) on the basement of the house. Fastening is made through 1-1.5 meters.

Hydraulic lock device. To do this, lay greasy clay with a layer of 100-150 mm or cover the bottom with geotextiles (roofing material, PVC film, advertising banner, etc.). Please note that the film does not tear, it is better to pour a layer of sand 50-100 mm into the bottom of the trench. A layer of sand of the same thickness is also poured over the film. The sand is leveled, moistened and rammed. In the case of a clay hydraulic lock, there is only one sand layer. When laying the film, its tension should be avoided. It must be able to move freely with the ground.

Note. Masters advise to make high-quality drainage near the hydraulic lock. To do this, you need to dig a trench 100 mm deep and 200 mm wide and fill it with rubble or lay a drainage pipe in it, wrap it with geotextile and fill it with rubble. This will increase the rate of water removal.

It is worth noting that many people ignore this stage of work. In practice, this attitude translates into the fact that the water passing through the expansion joint goes directly under the foundation, and when it freezes, it leads to an increase in pressure on it.

Backfilling of rubble. The layer thickness varies from 50 to 100 mm. The gravel is leveled and rammed. Since crushed stone is difficult to compact, some recommend using a special grate for laying it, which is used in landscape design for gravel paths. We note right away that this will increase the cost of the blind area without special need.

Sand filling.

Laying pipes of communications. To do this, a recess is made in the sand for pipes and storm water inlets.

Blind area insulation. Styrofoam or polystyrene foam is laid on the compacted sand, with which crushed stone and communications are covered. Only hard insulation is suitable for the blind area, but it is afraid of point loads, so it must be laid on a sand cushion.

Advice. Cold bridges can be eliminated by laying the insulation in two layers with an offset.

Reinforcement of concrete pavement. It is carried out by laying a reinforcing mesh with cells of 50x50 or 100x100 mm or knitting a reinforcing cage.

Advice. The chain-link mesh is not suitable for reinforcement - it is too flexible.

If insulation is not expected, the reinforcing mesh is laid directly on the rubble to a height of 20-30 mm. That will contribute to a better distribution of concrete.

Formwork device. Boards or plywood are installed strictly according to the level. In order to level the bursting force of concrete, the formwork is reinforced with stakes that are installed on its outer side. When installing, do not forget that the formwork is removable, which means that all seams will be visible after its dismantling. In this case, the blind area will have an ugly appearance. Therefore, when installing boards, you need to ensure that the internal seams are invisible.

The device of expansion joints. To do this, we install wooden slats, boards (on edge), which are pre-treated with an antiseptic or tarred. The recommended distance between the expansion joints of the blind area is 2-2.5 meters. Expansion joints must be made diagonally at the place where the formwork turns (at the corners). The purpose of the expansion joint is to compensate for the thermal expansion of concrete during operation. They are set according to the level, taking into account the angle of inclination of the formwork, because. when pouring concrete, they are guided by them. As an alternative to wood, Guerlain butyl rubber tapes (10 rubles / m) or a hydro-swellable elastic cord, for example, Penebar Rapid SW45 A / B, can be used.

How to close the seams in the blind area?

According to reviews, those who ignored the formation of expansion joints after the first winter had cracks. Many people think that wood swells and lets moisture through. The resulting cracks can be sealed with special sealants, such as TEKTOR 103 mastic (225 rubles / piece), ISOSEAL P-40 (280 rubles / piece).

Pouring concrete pavement. When pouring concrete, care must be taken to ensure that no air pockets form, and that the cement mixture evenly fills the entire space. It is important that tubercles and depressions do not appear during pouring. Their presence will lead to stagnation of water in these places. If it is not possible to make the entire blind area at a time, part of it is poured, and then work is resumed.

Advice. When pouring the blind area, you can apply a technique for uniform distribution of concrete - bayonet. To do this, the concrete is “pierced” with a rod, and the mortar fills the entire space.

How to pour a concrete blind area around the house - video

Protection of the concrete blind area from destruction

Many are interested in how to cover the concrete pavement around the house. Indeed, without fail, after pouring the solution, the blind area must be protected from heaving, deformation, destruction, exposure to moisture, rain, snow. Consider how and what is the best way to do it.

Ways to protect the blind area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe foundation:

Ironing of the concrete pavement around the house

How to iron the blind area with your own hands?

• Dry method of ironing - freshly poured concrete is sprinkled with a layer of cement (2 mm) followed by grouting. Dry cement sets with concrete mortar and increases its ability to withstand water.

• Wet method of ironing - 12-14 days after pouring (when the concrete dries), you need to walk along the surface of the blind area with a cement-sand mortar (1: 1) with the addition of lime dough (10% of the volume of the mixture).

Covering the blind area with a primer

Deep penetration primers, such as AURA Unigrund KRAFT (90 rubles), are suitable for this. Priming solutions are used when additional finishing is planned. For example, laying tiles or painting. If this is not in the plans, it is better to use a water repellent, for example, Eskaro Aquastop Waterproof W (1200 rubles) or GKZH-11 (195 rubles / 5 l). Concrete hardeners are gaining popularity, such as Monopol 1 (1,600 rubles / 5 kg), Monolit-20M (1,200 rubles / 10 l), Protexil (3,600 rubles / 20 l) or Ashford Formula ($ 120 / 10 l).

Protecting the blind area with liquid glass

A solution of liquid glass and cement is a more budgetary version of a protective composition (primer, water repellent), providing a similar result. A solution with liquid glass is prepared from a mixture of cement, water and liquid glass in a ratio (ratio) of 1:1:1.

Covering the blind area with a layer of enamel

Enamel must meet certain parameters for frost resistance, vapor permeability, moisture resistance, and environmental friendliness. The polyurethane enamel ELAKOR-PU (220 rubles/kg) has proven itself excellently.

Facing the blind area with tiles, stone

Lay tiles (ceramic, clinker, paving), pebbles or natural stone on top of the concrete pavement. In this case, concrete acts as a binder solution.

• near the blind area, it is desirable to install a storm drain, which will drain the flowing water and prevent silting of the site;

• to ensure uniform drying of the poured concrete, the blind area is covered with a film. So, evaporated moisture will linger on its surface. Since it is difficult to cover a wide blind area with a film, it can be moistened periodically. The time to complete solidification with a blind area thickness of 100 mm is 1.5-2 weeks;

• after the concrete has completely dried, the blind area is removed. Here you should be careful, because. removing the blind area can lead to damage to the edges of the blind area.

This procedure for performing work and taking into account all these nuances guarantees a long-term full-fledged functioning of the concrete blind area.

Do-it-yourself concrete pavement repair around the house

The most common problems include:

The appearance of cracks in the blind area

How to fix cracks in the blind area?

Elimination depends on the depth of damage (crevices, crevices, concrete breaks):

• no more than 1 mm. "Self-healing" is used. Such a crack is not dangerous and is usually rubbed from friction during walking;

• no more than 3 mm. Assumes the use of "cement test". Shallow cracks can be repaired (filled) with a liquid cement solution (1 part cement to 1 part water);

• 3-30 mm. Such cracks are considered large. To eliminate them, you can use a special sealant of the type mentioned above TEKTOR 103, ISOSEAL P-40. You can repair the crack with a freshly prepared concrete solution. However, before that, the crack needs to be widened. In cross section, it should resemble a cone. Apply a primer over the entire area of ​​the crack. Any will do, for example, Ceresit ST-17 (450-500 rubles / 10 l). Next, the solution is poured. You can use the so-called hydroseal, a special cement-based mortar that hardens in 15 minutes. As an example, putty Lugato 5-Minuten Mortel (410 rubles 5kg)

• crack depth exceeding half the thickness of the blind area, this is already a split in concrete and refers to significant damage. It is eliminated only by expansion with the subsequent pouring of new concrete.

Stratification of the surface of the blind area over the entire area

In the language of the masters, this process is called concrete dusting or delamination (stratification). Several factors may be responsible for this phenomenon. For example, uneven hardening of concrete happens if you pour a concrete solution on a cold surface (observed when working in early spring) or make a large blind area. Increased air content in the concrete mix. Exceeding parts of crushed stone in the composition of concrete.

What to do if the concrete pavement crumbles?

If the process is just beginning, then the surface should be covered with a “cement paste” or a composition that contains liquid glass (proportions: cement, water and liquid glass - 1: 1: 1).

If the damage has reached a significant scale, then you need to take drastic measures:

1. determine the boundaries of damage to prevent its spread;
2. cut down part of the concrete;
3. cover the edges of the blind area with a primer;
4. apply a new layer of mortar;
5. cover with foil until completely dry.

If you start, you will have to completely dismantle the blind area and fill in a new one. The measures described above will help extend the life of the blind area and save on alteration and reconstruction.

The cost of work on the device of a concrete blind area without material

And the last thing that interests everyone who wants to order the construction of a blind area is the prices for a concrete blind area. If you entrust the work to the masters, then the estimate should contain the costs of the work, which are presented in the table (approximate data at the end of 2015)

At the same time, keep in mind that it is unlikely that you will be able to negotiate a significant discount here. After all given price does not take into account the cost of materials. For a complete picture, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the cost of materials for the manufacture of a concrete blind area for 1 m.

Conclusion

Agree, a good incentive to make a blind area of ​​concrete with your own hands. Moreover, from the above instructions it is clear that this work does not require a special tool, any special materials, only the desire to protect the foundation of the house with a reliable barrier.

Any owner of his own house is concerned about the safety of the foundation of the building. To do this, it is necessary to competently divert water - groundwater and in the form of precipitation. The drainage system easily copes with soil, protects the blind area around the house from precipitation.

The purpose of the blind area

The task of the blind area is to divert rain and melt water from the house. In addition, it can be an excellent track, and in the case color combination with facade decoration is able to give a finished look to the entire structure. It also provides good thermal insulation of the foundation.

By placing a heater under the track, you can count on a certain degree of protection against freezing and, as a result, on reducing heating costs.

Work on creating a blind area should begin after the completion of the wall finishing works but before decorative design plinth. The fact is that there must be a compensation gap between the base and the blind area, which cannot be completely closed.

To prevent water from entering it, you need to make sure that the finish of the basement closes the gap. Water during oblique rain will flow down the walls, but will not fall into the existing gap. This will provide reliable protection foundation from moisture. Additionally, drainage grooves are organized.

Dimensions

Since the removal of precipitation from the foundation should be carried out around the entire structure, the length of the blind area is equal to its perimeter. As for the width, it is necessary to take into account the type of soil in a particular area and the length of the cornice overhang.

SNiPs establish minimum standards on this issue: the width must be at least 60 cm in the case of normal soil and at least a meter if the soil is considered to be subsiding.

If you follow the rules, you can be guided by another requirement - correct blind area 20 cm beyond the cornice overhang.

General principles

As the photo blind areas show, they can have a different structure and consist of different materials, but there are still a few common features that are observed in all types:

• the minimum slope angle is approximately 3%, i.e. 3 cm per meter of blind area;
• between the wall and the protective coating there is a small seam of a couple of centimeters to compensate for the expansion (it is organized using roofing material, strips of extruded polystyrene foam or filled with sealant);
• waterproofing and insulation of the foundation is carried out to the level of the blind area;
• the finishing material of the plinth overlaps the expansion joint and does not touch the blind area (a gap of 1-2 cm remains).

Concrete pavement

Below will be presented instructions on how to make a blind area using concrete mortar. To begin with, markup is carried out around the building. Use pieces of rebar or wooden pegs and cord. After that, the sod and part of the soil are removed.

The depth is determined based on what kind of underlayment will be used and what will be the thickness of the protective layer. The average is 30 cm.

It makes sense to treat the bottom of the trench with herbicides to prevent grass growth. Without processing there is a risk of destruction concrete pavement. Before processing, the bottom is leveled, a slight slope is made and carefully rammed.

The underlying layer is laid while maintaining the angle of inclination, after which it is compacted (preferably using a vibrating plate). Top goes protective covering from concrete. The main thing is not to forget to make a drainage groove.

Do-it-yourself concrete blind area is very common due to the relatively low cost of the material. The underlying layer is made of sand and gravel.

Some rules

To create a strong and high-quality blind area, concrete with crushed granite of fine or medium fraction is used. The brand should not be lower than M150.

A formwork is created along the perimeter of the future blind area. As a rule, one board is enough, which is fixed with pegs and spacers. To avoid the formation of cracks or to minimize it, a reinforcing steel wire mesh is used.

On top of the grid, wooden planks treated with an antiseptic are laid on the edge. Their thickness is 25 mm, their purpose is to be a damper joint that protects concrete from cracking during temperature changes. According to the installed strips, it is easy to level the concrete solution.

The strength and protection of the concrete coating is provided by ironing. A thin layer of cement is poured onto the cement milk (you can do this several times), which is then rubbed with a trowel. The result is an abrasion-resistant surface.

The final stage involves a simple concrete care procedure. The blind area can be covered with a damp cloth and regularly maintained in this state for a week.

A variant with film laying is possible. Given all of the above, the question of how to properly make a blind area with your own hands will not seem so difficult.

DIY blind area photo