According to all building codes, it is recommended to make the basement monolithic by pouring concrete formwork with the reinforcing cage . Or assemble it from pillows and FBS blocks. Reinforced concrete is a material that does not collapse from moisture, but only gains strength. One drawback - it looks unpresentable. Eliminate it now easier than ever, finishing materials every day more and more. The ground floor can be plastered from the outside, painted with moisture-resistant paint, covered with siding, and use basement facade panels.
The latter method combines profitability, ease of installation, the possibility of insulation and ventilation of the ground floor, beauty, originality of design. In terms of chemical composition, basement panels are found in vinyl, fiberglass based on polyester, and other materials characterized by durability and stability of painting, fire-fighting properties. Outwardly, they look like rubble stone, clinker bricks, wood, porcelain stoneware and more at the choice of the builder.
Usually basement panels are 1 × 0.5 m in size, so installing such a cladding takes a little time. They have grooves. During assembly, each next one is connected with the previous one by a lock. This is another saving item: installing basement panels is so simple that you can actually do all the operations yourself. The space between the cladding and the wall can be filled with insulation or leave an air gap for ventilation of the facade. After installation, the siding is closed on top by low tides. Rectangular openings for ventilation grilles are cut in the cladding.
Basement panels are used not only for finishing the ground floor, but also for the entire facade of the building. In this case, parts imitating masonry or natural stone are used. Due to their low weight and reliability of fastening (using mounting profiles and screws), the durability and stability of such a facade are guaranteed. Unlike, for example, natural stone trim. Limestone eventually falls off the wall under the pressure of its own weight; it has to be repaired. Finishing the facade with panels is a work on the principle of "made and forgotten".
Advantages of paneling :
- not afraid of water;
- does not require antiseptic treatment;
- light weight;
- It has a stable color that does not fade in the sun;
- provides additional heat and sound insulation of the building;
- not destroyed by temperature changes.
If the facade has darkened, just wash it. Most likely, this is dust. The integrity of the coating during temperature differences is ensured by tolerances in the castle joints and horizontally increased mounting holes. That is, when expanding or contracting the plastic, the surface does not break in the place where the panel is attached to the mounting profile.
Basement panels are represented by several dozen manufacturers: Russian and foreign. Therefore, the buyer has a large selection not only in terms of consumer and external properties of the goods, but also in price.