You decided to build a bath, but do not know where to start? Of course, the first step is to prepare the foundation - the foundation for the bathhouse. Do-it-yourself construction is not a problem, because there are a great many designs. But which is better to use in the construction of baths? We will try to figure this out.
It does not matter what you build - a bathhouse or a barn, the first thing you do is laying the foundation. He takes on all the load that the walls, roof, floor and all other parts of the building create. In our article, we will consider the most popular foundation designs, try to highlight all the pros and cons. After all, one should not forget that almost half of the total budget is spent on the foundation. And this is even if you will build the foundation under the bathhouse with your own hands.
Beginning of work
Regardless of the type of foundation chosen, the first step is to prepare the site. The site should be clean and even. Nothing extra should be on it. All stumps that are in the ground must be uprooted, then remove large boulders, get rid of garbage. Grass is recommended to be pulled out or mowed. If desired, chemicals can be treated. The main thing is that the roots and stems do not remain in the soil. When you're done, you can start building the foundation under the bathhouse. Do it yourself is quite simple, and takes a little time.
Site preparation
Now you need to remove the whole turf - this is the fertile topsoil. Put it aside so as not to interfere. Only after cleaning can you start marking. This is not a very complicated matter, the main tool is metal rods (even fittings are suitable) and strong inelastic twine. The most important thing is to correctly mark the corners. If you do this for sure, then there will be no problems during construction. When marking, pay attention to the fact that all sides of the foundation should be larger than the perimeter of the structure by about 5-10 cm.
What to look for when choosing a foundation
Before you make the foundation bay under the bathhouse with your own hands, you need to prepare. In order to determine the type of foundation that will work perfectly with a particular structure, you need to pay attention to all the little things.
The first thing to consider is the following factors:
- The depth at which groundwater lies.
- Type of soil in a particular area.
- The maximum depth to which the earth freezes during the winter period.
- Necessarily take into account the properties of the material from which the bath will be built.
- The total area of construction.
Only after a detailed analysis of all these parameters can we conclude what kind of foundation is best used in construction.
What types of foundation can be used
In the construction of baths often use shallow tape structures. They are simple, the material leaves quite a bit, but this is not the only type that can be used in the construction of baths. Therefore, we will try to find out which foundation is better for a bathhouse.
You can also pay attention to the following:
- Columnar - ideal for construction on stable soils. Such constructions can be used only if the soil does not move and landslides do not occur.
- Pile-screw type is one of the foundation options, which is ideal for areas with strong elevation.
- Pile-grillage foundations are recommended for use on unstable soils that are prone to shedding and shear.
- Monolithic structures are the most versatile and reliable. But you need to take into account the fact that their cost is quite high. But despite the high cost, the quality of the foundation is on top. A monolithic slab made of reinforced concrete allows you to evenly distribute the load from the building. As a result, there is no subsidence of the soil, and the structure does not crack or deform.
During the construction of the bath, you can use any design discussed above. But still, the foundations of the tape or column types are most often erected. Here we will talk about them in more detail.
How to arrange a column base
Pretty quickly you can build a columnar base under the bath. You can do all the work yourself, but it’s better if you order ready-made concrete, and don’t knead it in place. The fact is that you need all the elements to be solid. If you start pouring a fresh solution onto an already dried one, you will get an uneven design. But now let's talk in more detail about the column foundation.
Such structures are ideal for lightweight structures made of logs, gas and foam concrete, profiled timber. But before starting work, make sure that the bearing capacity of the soil has a good indicator. And if logs or beams are used in the construction of the foundation, then they must be covered with a layer of waterproofing. Also treat with antiseptics to prevent wood from decaying.
Materials for the manufacture
You can choose any material for the construction of columns. But the most popular are:
- Brick.
- Concrete poured into pre-prepared formwork wells.
- Asbestos-cement pipes (this is generally an ideal option, but you must do waterproofing).
- Large diameter metal pipes.
- Solid concrete slabs.
- Wooden bars or logs.
It is worth noting that both roofing material and pipes for sewage can be used as formwork. This is a good material, strong enough, allows you to make good columns of concrete and reinforcement. Of course, such formwork will be non-removable.
It should also be noted that any material needs waterproofing. And it doesn’t matter if bricks or concrete slabs are used. It is necessary to apply mastic based on bitumen or roofing material on the base. To simplify the work, the latter is allowed to be heated - in this case it will envelop the material well and stick to it reliably.
Initial stage of construction
Refer to the design of the bath from a bar or foam block, make sure that you are not mistaken with the choice of foundation. Most often used in the manufacture of pillars are asbestos-cement or metal pipes. They are durable, and working with them is a pleasure. Therefore, we will consider the process of building a foundation from just such a material. At the initial stage, you need to do the following manipulations:
- Mark the area and install reinforcement or pegs of any other material in the corners. Pull the rope between the stakes.
- In all corners (including those that are formed with interior partitions), you need to install the foundation supports. There will be pillars. It is also necessary to install them under the walls, especially if their length is large enough. And do not forget that the foundation for the furnace in the bath should be separated from the main one.
- Make holes in the ground with a drill or other device. The diameter of the well for installing the support should be 3-5 cm larger than that of the pipe. As for depth, it is impossible for a well to reach groundwater. As a rule, a depth of 0.5-1 m is enough. A bathhouse is a small structure, a small load is placed on the support.
- At the bottom, you definitely need to make a sand and gravel pillow. Fill the well at least a third of the depth. Be sure to moisturize and tamp the sand cushion to increase its density.
That's all, carry out similar actions with all the wells, only then proceed to the next steps.
Final installation of the foundation
Now that all the wells are ready, you can continue to work on the production of columnar foundations. Such manipulations need to be carried out:
- Install the pipes in the holes. Do not forget to wrap them in ruberoid or grease with mastic. This is an important stage in the construction of the foundation.
- Between the walls and the pipe, be sure to fill the entire gap with soil or sand. The pipe must be aligned vertically using a plumb line or level. Only subject to compliance with all the rules will it be possible to make the right foundation for the bathhouse.
- Make a kind of cage from several pieces of reinforcement that needs to be placed inside the pipe. It is desirable that the fittings fit into the sand cushion. So it turns out to achieve maximum strength.
- Pour cement mortar into the pipe. To prevent air bubbles from forming, punch the solution with a metal pin. It is necessary that the solution is poured to the upper edge of the pipe.
The solidification of the solution lasts about a week, in some cases longer. Then it is necessary to apply a layer of waterproofing on top of the posts. If necessary, strapping is done.
The simplest construction of a column foundation costs less than a strip foundation. To withstand a small structure of wood or a foam block, a margin of safety is sufficient at such a base. But when using cinder blocks or bricks, you need to think about a more massive foundation.
Features of the strip foundation
This type of foundation is used in the construction of small buildings - garages, summer kitchens, baths. Despite the simplicity and cheapness of the foundation, a lot of preparation work will have to be done. First of all, you should study the soil at the construction site. The trench parameters directly depend on this. The worse the soil and the heavier the building, the larger the foundation should be. In particular, now we will talk about the depth of the foundation under the bath.
If the soil can be called stable, with normal humidity, not friable, then trenches with a depth of 0.4 m are enough. If the soil is unstable (peat, sand, chernozem), then the depth should be increased to 0.7-0.8 m. As for the width of the trench, it is necessary that it be like this:
- When building light structures - about 25 cm.
- For buildings made of brick or stone - 35 cm.
Note that the trench needs to be increased by about 5 cm so that formwork and insulation can be made without problems. And now let's move on to the construction of the foundation.
First stage
Immediately pay attention to what is indicated in the design of the bath from a bar or log. It will clearly indicate what types of foundations can be used. And if you decide to build a strip foundation, but do not know where to start?
The initial stage is not much different from the one that was during the construction of the column foundation. And if in more detail, then you need to perform the following actions:
- Level the area and find a low point on it. It is from her that we will begin to build the future foundation for the bathhouse. So that during operation, rainwater and melt water do not spoil the bath, you need to make a small bias. In this case, the water will go away from the building (for example, into the drainage system). The slope should be done about 2 degrees. Direction - in any direction (but not to the north).
- In all corners, you need to install metal rods and pull the rope between them. During the construction of the strip foundation, you should get two contours - from the outside and from the inside. Therefore, you pull two parallel twine. Between them there should be a distance equal to the width of the future trench (the width of the strip foundation under the bath and the spare 5 cm are taken into account).
- Do earthwork - dig a trench. In the event that the earth is too loose, the trench should be in the form of a trapezoid. The bottom of the resulting pit must be made perfectly flat - check it using the building level.
- Make a pillow of gravel and sand. With its help, you can ensure maximum stability of the base. All ground movements will be smoothed. The procedure is quite simple - pour a layer of sand, watered it with water and rammed. Then lay a layer of gravel, also ramming it. And continue to fill the pit until it is half full.
In the event that the construction is carried out on unstable soils, it is necessary to additionally strengthen the foundation. On a pillow you need to lay one layer of stones or brick.
Completion of construction
Well, the trench is ready and almost full. Now you can continue to work:
- Install the formwork. It can be made from any suitable planks. Please note that the fasteners must remain on the outside. Gaps between parts of the structure are not allowed. If you make an even formwork, you will not have to subsequently grind the finished foundation.
- At a short distance from the bottom of the trench, it is necessary to lay the reinforcement rods. It will be better if you are not too lazy and make a "cage". Try not to use a welding machine, use wire to knit reinforcement.
- From the inside of the formwork, it is necessary to lay the roofing material or film - this will protect against moisture.
- At one time, pour concrete inside the formwork. Try not to take breaks.
After a week, you can dismantle the formwork, the base will be quite strong. But it will be possible to build a bath only after 3-4 weeks, not earlier. Be sure to consider all the features of the design of a bath from a bar or log in order to properly make the foundation.