After the construction of the house is completed, when it is ready to move in, you can do the blind area. At this time, it is likely that the materials at the base of the building may be damaged by precipitation and external negative factors.
The need for a blind area
The blind area not only carries an aesthetic function, but also protects the house from sedimentary moisture and uneven washing. Leaving a building without this part of the structure is especially dangerous in winter. The soil is saturated with moisture, which, when the temperature drops, begins to crystallize and expands. The heaving forces press on the foundation, which subsequently becomes the cause of its destruction. In some cases, the construction of the blind area also requires thermal insulation.
Blind area requirements
Before you fill the blind area around the house with your own hands, you need to familiarize yourself with the main requirements. Firstly, it is important to ensure that there is a seam between the system to remove moisture from the building and the building itself. To do this, the hollow space is filled with sand. Secondly, it is important to ensure that the width of the blind area is 60 cm minimum. This value increases to 1 m when it comes to soils prone to subsidence. Thirdly, to determine the width of the blind area, it is necessary to add 30 cm to the length of the roof overhang.
Blind parameters
If you wondered how to properly fill the blind area, then you should be interested in its parameters. For a good moisture removal, the width of this part of the building should be 30 cm or more greater than the width of the eaves of the roof. The blind area is usually used as a track around the house. In order to operate it comfortably, the width should be 1 m or more. It is important to ensure the correct angle of inclination, which usually varies from 3 to 10 °.
Preparation of tools and materials
Before you fill the blind area with your own hands, it is important to take care of the presence of certain tools and materials, among them:
- sand;
- cement;
- boards;
- rule
- spirit level;
- crushed stone;
- sealant;
- putty knife;
- capacity;
- bayonet shovel.
As for the sealant, it should be preferred polyurethane variety. This material will be needed to form the expansion joints. Choosing boards, you should find those whose width is equal to the thickness of the blind area. The spatula can be replaced with a trowel if the first is not at hand.
To level the solution, you need a rule. With self-mixing of concrete, care should be taken about the presence of a container. To expose the formwork from the boards, you must purchase or find in your arsenal an alcohol level. Before pouring the blind area, it is important to take care of the presence of a bayonet spade, with it you will carry out excavation work, removing the soil layer.
Preparatory stage
If you, too, were among those who thought about the question of how to properly fill the blind area of the house, then you must mark the structure along the entire perimeter of the foundation. To do this, on the external and internal corners of the wall, it is necessary to note a certain distance, which will determine the width. In these places, pegs are driven in, between which a rope or a thick thread is stretched. In the marked area, it is necessary to remove the topsoil, going deeper by 0.25 m.
It is recommended to remove the excavated soil, because otherwise it will interfere with the work. If there are no recesses on the site that need to be filled, the soil is immediately taken out of the territory. When builders are wondering how to properly fill the blind area around the house, they must follow the technology. Having familiarized yourself with it, you will be able to understand that along the edge of the formed trench it is necessary to install a removable formwork, which is well attached.
At the bottom of the trench, a 10 cm layer of sand is laid, which is abundantly watered with water for tamping. The next layer will be crushed stone, which is laid in a thickness ranging from 5 to 8 cm. A reinforced metal mesh should be used to strengthen the structure. It is laid on crushed stone and fixed. In the process of counting the number of reinforcing mesh, it should be borne in mind that the edges of the sheets when joining should go at each other by 15 cm.
How to eliminate cracking
If you have a question about how to fill the blind area around the house, then you should also take care that the structure does not become covered with cracks over time, which is especially common in winter. To eliminate this problem, builders make the system block. To do this, every 1.5 m, 10 mm wooden planks are installed on the rib. Their upper edge should coincide with the surface.
Before installation, the wood is impregnated with a water-repellent composition. After the concrete is poured, the slats will play the role of beacons along which leveling is carried out. In order to facilitate further work, the elements are installed at the required angle.
Grouting
At the next stage, you can proceed to the main stage - filling the formwork with a solution. You can order ready-made concrete, but in this case you will need a large capacity tank for temporary storage of the mixture. It is almost impossible to cope with the transportation of concrete from the tank to the blind area alone. To do this, enlist the help of 3 people at least.
Although it is possible to independently prepare the solution, it will take more time. However, in this situation, you can work slowly, while saving money. After the formwork is filled with mortar, it is necessary to smooth the surface as a rule. At the final stage, after the solution has dried, the base will iron. To do this, sprinkle it with dry cement, which is then rubbed a little. If you are not sure that you know everything about how to fill the blind area, then carefully follow the instructions. After performing all of the above actions, it is necessary to leave the structure until the mixture sets. Sometimes concrete is wetted with water at the solidification stage, which eliminates its cracking.
Additional work instructions
If you have a question about how to fill the blind area, then at the first stage you should tackle the soil, which is well compacted around the perimeter. To do this, remove the vegetable layer, and then lay a layer of crushed stone. In order to outline the boundaries of the future design, you can simply dig up the territory where the blind area will be located.
At the next stage, boundary boards are installed. Sand after wetting is well compacted, and then a layer of rubble is poured on top and concrete is prepared for pouring. The latter should be filled in parts. Sealant can be poured into the space between the joints, as well as the blind area and the house. 20 minutes after filling the formwork, you can sprinkle the surface and smooth it. Paving stones or tiles are laid next. In this situation, it is not necessary to sprinkle concrete with cement.
Blind repair
If during operation you notice cracks or damage in the blind area, it is necessary to repair it until the deformation changes become more noticeable. First you need to determine the boundaries. If the base has several cracks or holes, then they are combined into one problem area. Concrete is extracted from it, lubricated with bitumen around the perimeter and a new layer of mortar is laid. The top of the blind area is leveled, proceeding to what you need from the edges, gradually moving towards the middle.
Seams are sealed with special putty. It should contain bitumen, asbestos and ground slags. After the crack, sprinkle with dry sand. If the damage is minor, then liquid cement is poured into them. This approach is less time consuming than removing the entire layer.
Is it worth doing an asphalt pavement
Before you fill the blind area, you should think about the technology. Some decide to lay asphalt concrete pavement. However, when performing work, you may encounter some difficulties. They are expressed in the need for compaction of the material, where considerable effort should be applied.
To keep the asphalt in a suitable condition for pouring, a temperature of 120 ° C should be ensured. Without special equipment, this is quite problematic. Asphalt emits harmful impurities when heated, so many consumers abandon such technology, tipping their choice towards the traditional concrete structure.
Conclusion
To date, several varieties of the described construction are known. And before you flood the blind area of the house, you should certainly get acquainted with all of them. Among them, it is worth highlighting the concrete structure, the system of stone, paving slabs and gravel. Craftsmen make even a waterproof blind area. It is used if there is a drainage system around the house.
For this purpose geotextile material is laid, which is covered with gravel or pebbles. The material does not allow crushed stone to dig into the soil and excludes subsidence. The disadvantage of this design is its heterogeneity and the complexity of the seal. The surface of such a coating will be inconvenient to move. Therefore, the most durable and multifunctional solution will be a concrete blind area, which, with the right device, will not sag over time.