Calculation and pouring of the foundation for facing bricks

With the introduction of new standards for thermal protection of buildings, even stone houses with walls two bricks thick do not meet these requirements. Owners of private houses can leave everything as is, but it is better to insulate it and refinish the facade. And if the walls are made of bricks or building blocks, the problem arises of how to line the house with facing bricks if there is no space on the foundation.

Creation of brick cladding

Before you start laying bricks, you need to mark the location of doors, windows and, if any, other architectural details.
This is necessary in order to minimize material costs. Based on these measurements, lay out the first row of bricks. Each brick laid with a butt must be pinned to the required size, since when cladding walls of half a brick, the masonry should be carried out no more than 8-10 cm. If the extension is more than 6 cm, the cladding and the wall are tied together with nails, the length of which is 100 mm. It happens that this length is not enough, then it can be increased using steel wire with a diameter of 2 mm.

When using sand-lime bricks for cladding a house, the offset should not be more than 6 cm, especially when laying the cornice. It is correct to cover the newly laid masonry with insulating material. This will protect the seams from the solution being washed out of them in case of rain.

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To create a solution with which the masonry will be carried out, the following proportions must be observed: cement - 1, lime paste - 1, sand - 4. To bring the mixture to normal, you need to add water at the end of the batch. All ingredients must be added in the following sequence:

1. Water.
2. Lime.
3. Cement.
4. Sand.

Having made the first batch, gradually adding water, you can calculate how much is needed to create the desired consistency, and next time fill the entire volume with water at once.

If you need to unstitch the seams, it is important to know that the surface of the mortar dries quite quickly. The correct seam should not be thicker than 13 cm

You can check the size using a ruler.

There should be lintels at the cladding openings; it is best if they are made of concrete, which ideally matches the color of sand-lime brick. In the absence of concrete lintels, hidden ones can be built. To create them, steel reinforcement with a diameter of 6-8 mm is most often used. The rods are inserted into each brick row under the opening right up to the eaves.

The gap that appears can be hidden with expanded clay or other heat-insulating material. Just don’t put roofing felt in the gap, which will interfere with the heating of the cladding in the cold season. The cladding work has its own characteristics and rules, so if you are not sure that you can do it yourself, it is best to contact professionals who will do it quickly and qualitatively. At the same time, your home will be reliably protected from cold, rain and other natural vagaries.

Carrying out cladding work

When finishing the basement, a gap of about 2-3 cm is left between the foundation and the brick for air ventilation. If necessary, fill the gap with insulation, but still leave room for ventilation to prevent moisture accumulation. In the bottom (first) row of masonry, at a distance of 1 m from each other, it is recommended to leave the seam between the bricks empty. This is also done for thermoregulation.

You definitely need to worry about fastening the base of a brick house with the lining. This can be done in 2 ways:

• Using anchors. They are fixed in the load-bearing wall at one end, and the other is placed between the cladding masonry.
• Using dowels and wire. The dowel is driven into the foundation, wrapped with wire, the other end of which is fixed in the masonry.

The connecting elements should be located at a distance of 50 to 70 cm from each other horizontally, and every 4 rows - vertically. In those places where there are openings, the ligaments should be placed more tightly. All work is done using cement mortar: take 1 part 500 grade cement to 4 parts sand. Or a solution with the addition of lime: 1 part cement, 8 parts sand, 2 parts lime. Having finished laying out, we must not forget about the low tide if the base is protruding. This will prevent moisture from getting between the wall and the finish, and as a result, prevent the destruction of the foundation.

Preparing the base for cladding

To reduce costs and time, there is an acceptable compromise. The foundation body can be made of any material. Most often, a reinforced concrete monolith or block structure is made, but the cladding can be made of brick. For this purpose, manufacturers have long mastered and launched the production of facing stones of various types, sizes and qualities.

The body of the base can be made of any material, and the cladding can be made of decorative brick

The decision to use these materials should be made at the level of foundation formation. This moment is very important, since it is not enough to just stick stone cladding on the wall; it also needs to be supported on something.

Of course, you can put a metal strip on the side of the foundation, but it will weaken the waterproofing and will collapse over time in wet conditions. Therefore, the surest way is to lay out a special ledge with your own hands.

When constructing formwork for pouring the foundation of a house, you need to correctly calculate the size of the supporting part for the cladding device. When carrying out measures to waterproof the foundation, the seat for the cladding cannot be missed. It must also be carefully insulated.

This process is necessary both for the finishing itself and for the entire building, as it will best protect the entire structure from moisture penetration. By the way, such work can be done with your own hands. Typically, waterproofing of vertical surfaces is carried out with bitumen-based mastics.

Cladding technology

The technology for forming the cladding is slightly different and depends on the building in which it is created - a new one or an existing one. It is worth considering each of them in more detail.

During the construction of a new building

The foundation is laid across the entire thickness of the wall being built, i.e. for brick and gas block. Waterproofing the base is also done for the entire wall. Next you can start laying the walls. Decide for yourself what to put first: brick, gas block or all at the same time. But brickwork has a large number of seams in height, but you need to understand that they are noticeably thicker, but the blocks can generally be laid with glue. This creates a difference in shrinkage, but it is not significant unless we are talking about buildings with many floors.

Fastening aerated concrete and brick when cladding a new building

Fastening facing bricks to aerated concrete is done using conventional reinforcement. You can make it yourself from a rod or wire of the required diameter. In addition, steel tape is suitable for these purposes.

But in any case, you need to pay attention to the following points:

1. The sum of the cross-sectional areas of the reinforcement is no more than half a square centimeter per square meter of new masonry.
2. The number of reinforcement products per square meter is 3-5 pieces.
3. Near corners or openings at a distance of 20-25 cm, you need to make another row, the step of which is 25-30 cm.

Instead of connections, you can also use factory-made products, which at the same time provide for fastening the insulation.

When installing ties, it is necessary to ensure high-quality anchoring - that is, they should be immersed in the solution, alternating it at approximately a distance of 10 diameters.

Cladding the external walls of an existing building

In such a situation, it is necessary to build another foundation for the masonry. It doesn’t matter which type is chosen, the main thing is that it can cope with the additional load, i.e. withstood the walls, ceilings, roofing, etc., which are already supported by the foundation.

When forming such a cladding, the connections are secured with dowels. It is better to make through holes in the wall and mount the rods with washers from the inside. The rods can be attached to blind holes. Try not to use a standard solution; epoxy resin-based glue is suitable for this case.

Self-anchoring bolts are suitable for fastening, because they are almost instantly and quite efficiently attached to aerated concrete blocks and the seams located between them.

Stage two: External (external) wall insulation

Insulating the walls of a house is done in order to save heating costs. With external insulation of the facade with modern thermal insulation materials, it is possible to achieve savings in heating or cooling costs of the house up to 50%, provided that the finishing is done correctly.

Insulating a house from the outside is a set of measures that includes vapor barrier, waterproofing, finding the dew point, laying an insulating layer and external decorative cladding.

The advantage of external insulation is that you can use mineral wool or polystyrene foam of any thickness without worrying about reducing living space inside the house. In addition, it is convenient to carry out work and environmentally safe.

Developers use internal insulation instead of external insulation, usually in one case: if the facade of the house is of decorative value (log frame, wood carving, etc.).

The main material for wall insulation in Russia is, of course, mineral wool.

Types and characteristics

Decorative facing bricks, which can be used to decorate the base of a house, are available in four designs. Depending on the raw materials used and manufacturing features, it can be:

• ceramic;
• clinker;
• hyper-pressed;
• silicate.

Each type is distinguished by certain properties and has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Ceramic

Ceramic brick

It is produced by firing a mixture of clay and pigment, which gives the material a particular shade. Ceramic bricks for cladding the foundation of a house can be either solid or containing voids. Due to their lower weight, products of the second type can reduce the load on the supporting structures of the building.

Ceramic bricks are characterized by the following:

• resistance to fire and low temperatures;
• strength;
• the ability to maintain its parameters for a long time;
• low thermal conductivity coefficient;
• environmental Safety.

Among the disadvantages of the material are the high cost and the tendency to form a whitish coating on the surface, which reduces the attractiveness of the building from the outside.

Hyper-pressed

It can be obtained from crushed limestone with the addition of cement and dye by pressing under high pressure. This type of brick is not fired, but is not inferior in strength to clinker and ceramic analogues. It is resistant to low temperatures and can be easily machined, and its low thermal efficiency is compensated by insulation. Thanks to its interesting texture, reminiscent of natural stone, finishing the foundation with hyper-pressed brick allows you to embody any design ideas for home decoration.

Clinker

Clinker brick is both beautiful and reliable

It is a modified version of ordinary brick, which is made from a special type of clay by processing at high temperatures. The result is a material of increased strength with a dense structure.

It absorbs a minimal amount of water, withstands intensive use and is used as a base finish, and is also used for paving paths and framing window and door openings. The main disadvantage of clinker is its high thermal conductivity.

The use of sand-lime brick is not advisable because, along with its low cost, it is characterized by increased moisture absorption and poor resistance to low temperatures.

How to choose facing material?

If the house stands on a standard monolithic foundation, lining with ordinary brick will do. You need to pay attention that the building material has smooth edges and does not crumble - a sure sign of a used stone. When choosing a material, weather conditions are taken into account: in the southern regions, white silicate is suitable, and in areas with heavy rainfall, clinker is suitable. To strengthen the foundation, it is better to take a solid version, and the design of the brick should match the style of the entire building. Characteristics of this building material:

• minimal water absorption (non-porous);
• frost-resistant (indicated on the certificate);
• lasting.

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Methods for expanding foundations

Each type of foundation has its own expansion methods. But they all have a common approach - there must be a rigid connection between the old and new foundation using metal anchors and embedded elements.

Expansion of slab foundation

To “top up” the foundation for brick cladding of a house that stands on a slab, there is only one way of incrementing - driving anchors along the end of the slab.

Although there is a “classical” method, when concrete is broken along the perimeter of the base, choosing a “quarter” measuring 20-30 cm. In this way, the reinforcement is exposed in order to weld a new frame to it. But in this case it is not suitable.

The technology for expanding the slab using anchors looks like this:

1. At the end of the slab, markings are made for anchors in two or three levels - depending on the number of meshes in the reinforcement cage. To prevent the anchors from getting into the reinforcement, indentations are made from the top, bottom and side edges by an amount slightly larger than the protective layer of concrete - about 6-7 cm. The distance between the anchors depends on the thickness of the rod and the size of the cells of the slab's reinforcement frame. In low-rise construction, with a rod thickness of 12 mm, the cell size is usually 200 mm, and the anchor spacing is the same.
2. According to the markings, holes are drilled with a length equal to 35 diameters of the reinforcing bar (for 12 mm - at least 400 mm). The diameter of the drill should be 2-4 mm larger than the diameter of the rod. It is necessary to drill at a slight inclination towards the horizon and in different directions - in this form, the anchors jam better under load.
3. The rods are cut to the required size - the length of the anchorage plus the width of the foundation overhang for facing the house with brick.
4. Clean the holes from crumbs and dust - clean with a metal brush and blow through with a compressor.
5. Fill the holes with a solution based on polymer-cement compositions or epoxy resins (chemical anchoring).
6. The rods are inserted to which the new reinforcement cage will later be attached.

Expansion of strip foundation

A monolithic strip foundation is expanded using the same technology as a slab. But if two or three rows of anchors are enough for a shallow foundation, there will be more of them for a deep foundation.

A prefabricated strip foundation made of blocks or rubble stone is also expanded by pouring a monolithic strip around the perimeter of the house. Prefabricated foundations have a shorter service life and can withstand smaller loads, so this expansion method allows you to strengthen the foundation and improve its load-bearing capacity. A monolithic tape along the perimeter is akin to a reinforced concrete cage, with the help of which old foundations are strengthened.

Expansion of pile foundation grillage

If a brick house stands on stilts, then solving the problem of how to clad a house with brick if there is no space on the foundation can be done in two ways:

• Additionally, install a bored pile foundation around the perimeter, and rigidly tie the grillages together. Steel beams - using welded connections from rolled steel. Drill holes in reinforced concrete beams, install embedded elements (reinforcement outlets, dowels, anchors) and weld them together.
• Strengthen each support and expand the existing grillage.

The second method is only suitable for a shallow bored pile foundation, and it is similar to the method of strengthening a pile foundation with a reinforced concrete cage:

• during the work, a jack is installed near the pile, which should take the load;
• Around the pile, soil is removed to a greater depth than the heel of the pillar (to the thickness of the crushed stone-sand preparation);
• in cross-section, the pit must have a margin of at least 40 cm than the corresponding size of the pile;
• pour a layer of crushed stone and sand onto the bottom;
• the support is drilled in several places;
• anchors are inserted and wedged into the holes;
• install formwork;
• install the reinforcement cage and tie it to the anchor outlets;
• Concrete is poured and compacted.

Dimensions

There are two size standards used in our country:

1. Russian - brick comes in three types: single 250x120x65 mm; one and a half 250x120x88 mm; double 250x120x138 mm. The length and width do not change, the only difference is the thickness.
2. European – rarely used: DF-240x115x52 mm; 2 DF-240x115x113 mm; NF-240x115x71 mm; RF-240x115x61 mm; WDF-210x100x65 mm; WF-210x100x50.

Work order

In order for the work to be completed in the shortest possible time, you should count and prepare consumables, prepare access roads, clear the work site and prepare tools.

Materials and tools

The set of tools and materials needed to expand the foundation are practically no different from those needed when carrying out standard concrete work to pour the main foundation. You should prepare:

• shovels (bayonet and pick-up), trowel;
• measuring instruments (tape tape, level, water level) and marking devices (pegs, construction cord);
• electric tools (grinder and hammer drill);
• axe, hammer, wood saw;
• cement, sand, crushed stone, reinforcement, formwork boards, binding wire.

Making the foundation

The place for the additional foundation is thoroughly cleaned, the formwork, if any, is dismantled, only cleaned soil is left, and markings are carried out. Add 20 cm to the width of the future additional foundation - this will provide space for formwork and simplify work in the trench. Using pegs and a cord, the building is demolished, focusing on the width.

A trench is dug to a depth of up to 0.5 m; this should be done carefully, trying not to “injure” the soil at a given depth, since loosened soil, even carefully compacted, subsequently gives sediment.

In the old foundation, at a distance of 10 - 15 cm from the upper boundary, holes for reinforcement are drilled with a hammer drill. The pitch between the holes is 50 cm, the depth is 15 - 20 cm, the diameter corresponds to the reinforcement (10 -12 mm). The reinforcement is cut into segments of 30 - 35 cm and hammered into the holes, leaving 15 cm outside. This reinforcement will serve as a kind of anchor fastening, ensuring rigid adhesion of the old and new foundations. After this, the trench is cleared of crumbled earth, a sand cushion is poured onto the bottom, which is spilled and compacted.

Preparing the reinforcement frame

The formwork is made from planed boards and installed at a given distance (30 cm), secured with struts. Then they begin to reinforce the future foundation. You can tie the reinforcement directly into the trench, but given its small width, it is wiser to prepare sections of the reinforcement cage at the top and then secure them in the trench.

After this, you can begin pouring concrete, which is best ordered from a specialized enterprise.

After 2 - 4 weeks, when the concrete has completely set, the formwork is dismantled. Then the foundation is protected with waterproofing, the remaining ditch is filled with earth, after which you can begin to clad the house.

How to prepare the surface?

At the preparatory stage of work, the construction site itself is prepared. Equipment for mixing concrete is set up in advance and a sufficient availability of water is checked. Install additional lighting for work in the evening. Before starting work, prepare the surface for cladding. Dirt and dust are removed from the surface of the foundation, which makes it possible to examine defects in the structure and cracks in detail, and rub them with special mixtures. Next, the following algorithm is performed:

Pouring the foundation

When all the measurements have already been made, you can move on to how to pour the foundation itself. For it to be durable, the sequence of actions must be as follows:

The foundation is made of brick on a concrete strip base.

1. First you need to make the formwork and install it in the right places. You can use planed boards. It is necessary to calculate the level of the foundation, and the formwork itself should be located about 30 cm higher. You need to check that the boards are wet. If this is not possible, it is recommended to use polyethylene film. The edges need to be secured on the outside.
2. Next you should prepare the fittings. It must be laid in the foundation itself. Metal pins should be installed approximately 4 cm from the base of the building. This distance should also be to the formwork. Between the reinforcements you need to make a distance of 60 cm. It is recommended to tie the rods together. This will increase the strength of the frame.
3. Now you need to start preparing the concrete. The formwork is filled with this solution. Experts do not recommend immediately filling the entire depth with the solution. This needs to be done in several passes - 2-3.
4. The layer should be approximately 20 cm thick. After each layer you need to wait 2 days. If this procedure takes place in fairly hot weather, then the layer must be covered with an additional pillow. This will work as a waterproofing solution so that the moisture in the concrete will be retained and the setting will be much more effective.
5. You also need to think about the communications that will be routed through the foundation layer. For example, sewer and water pipes may come out. Experts do not recommend embedding such structures directly into a concrete wall. It is better to make a special belt for them or wrap certain areas on the pipe with film so that during the process of pouring the foundation itself, their integrity is not compromised.

There are times when a house that is planned to be faced with brick does not have a foundation. Then you need to arrange the base on which the finishing will be done.

After such preparatory work, you can begin the process of lining the walls with brick.

We make calculations

Even when laying the foundation of a house, you need to think through all the nuances of the cladding. But there are cases when initially some parameters of the house are thought through, but then the supply of material is not enough. In such a situation, you will have to additionally top up the foundation.

If you plan to clad the entire house, it is recommended to use a strip foundation. Moreover, in such a situation you won’t have to deepen it too much. The columnar type of foundation is used extremely rarely. Usually the depth is then made the same as at the base of the building.

Formwork diagram.

When marking the base of a house for brick cladding, the following parameters should be taken into account:

1. Thickness of the cladding layer. It is recommended to make 120 mm - this is the best option.
2. Base projections - present or absent. They are required to make window sills, niches, etc.
3. Indicators of the distance of the facing layer from the walls. The optimal parameters are approximately 20-30 mm. This will make the mason's job easier.

As a result, the width of the foundation for facing a house with brick is approximately 250-300 mm. But the depth should not be less than the zone where the soil freezes.

Cladding the basement level with bricks

Cladding the basement with brick is an excellent solution if the building is built from a similar material. This is how it acquires integrity and solidity. Decorative or red fired brick can be used for work. It is not recommended to use silicate products due to their lack of resistance to moisture and unpresentable appearance.

Scheme for finishing the base with brick or stone.

Clay brick for the plinth itself is an excellent insulation material. It can be attached directly to the foundation or by building a wall next to it to create a ventilation gap.

The gap is filled with insulation or left empty, since air is an excellent heat insulator. The finished structure looks very beautiful and solid. It does not require any care or maintenance. But finishing the basement with brick creates an additional load on the building structure. Such a solution should be considered at the design stage.

Since the brickwork cannot simply hang on the plinth, proceed as follows:

1. A separate strip foundation is made for the brickwork in close proximity to the existing one. You can provide a small protrusion on the foundation at the design and pouring stage. This will significantly save time and effort when carrying out finishing work.
2. Gluing the brick to the base is carried out using temporary supports made of timber or cement blocks. The supports are removed immediately before installing the blind area. It is made from asphalt or concrete. After hardening, the blind area takes on part of the weight of the brick cladding.

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It is somewhat easier to work with decorative material. The facing brick is light in weight, which does not have a significant effect on the structure. In addition, there is a huge variety of models of this material.

Today you can purchase facing tiles in the form of individual strips or in the form of plinth panels that imitate part of the brickwork. Lightweight materials based on polystyrene or polyurethane foam are used as the basis for facing tiles. It is fixed to the foundation with polymer glue, which creates an excellent protective layer for concrete.

Finishing the base with panels

Finishing with siding has a number of advantages that must be used during construction. As a rule, the panels are mounted on a steel or wooden frame, which creates additional volume. It is advisable to fill the empty space between the panels and concrete with insulation. For this purpose, polystyrene foam or basalt wool is used.

Decorative siding is made from metal, polyvinyl chloride, cement-based mixtures and composite materials. The front layer of the panels can be imitation stone, natural wood or colored fabric. The resulting surface is sufficiently durable and presentable in appearance. A brick building takes on a completely new style with siding trim.

Scheme of finishing the base with panels.

The sequence of panel cladding is as follows:

1. Carrying out markings. For this, a tape measure, level and marker are used. The size of the frame mesh should be adapted to the parameters of the insulation material.
2. Drilling holes in concrete. Installing plastic dowels in them. A puncher and a hammer are used.
3. Frame assembly. To do this you will need a screwdriver, a hammer, a level and a steel profile. It is not advisable to use wood as it has a limited service life.
4. Installation of insulation. The best option is to glue it to concrete. To increase the reliability of fastening the insulation, anchor bolts with wide heads are used.
5. Fastening the panels. This is quite simple to do, since all siding models have a system for fixing parts together.

You can cover the base with panels in just 1 working day. This design is lightweight and does not weigh down the foundation at all.

Classification of raw materials

There are several signs of classification of bricks:

• by structure,
• evenness of edges,
• sizes.

Regarding the structure of the material, solid and hollow bricks are distinguished. In the first case, the brick is filled from the inside, which increases strength and reliability. At the same time, it is much heavier than its analogues. A hollow brick is hollow inside: the opposite happens here.

The reliability and strength of the material is lower, but at the same time its weight is reduced, and this type of brick costs less. Strength is not a key indicator when finishing, so experts recommend choosing hollow bricks.

If we consider the evenness of the edges, then ordinary and facing materials are distinguished . In the first option, the edges of the brick will be uneven - if you choose this type for finishing, you will need additional plastering. For jointing, it is better to use a facing type of brick with smooth edges.

If we consider the product on the Russian market, bricks are made in two main sizes: according to Russian and European standards. Most often, Russian sizes are used, which differ only in the width of the bricks (single - 65 mm, one and a half - 88 mm, double - 138 mm).

Why is it important to finish the base?

It is wrong to think that finishing of this kind is only a design decision. It performs some other functions:

• Despite the fact that the foundation is the strongest part of the house, it also needs protection from external factors. Finishing minimizes the influence of precipitation, sudden temperature changes and high humidity, direct rays of the sun;
• Since the foundation is located closest to ground level, it is most susceptible to contamination, not only by dust and soil residues, which are harmless, but also by various aggressive substances that cause destruction of concrete joints. The plinth finish not only prevents this process, but also cleans well;
• This material also protects the base from biological life forms: mosses, fungus, mold;
• The basement finishing should also include insulation under the outer layer of material;

Insulating the foundation is an important point. On the one hand, the entire internal space of the building is located higher, and there is no need to insulate it. But that's not true. The foundation is a kind of cold accumulator. Even a well-insulated floor will not save you from penetration of low temperatures from the foundation. A significant part of the heating is wasted just like that. But that's not the worst thing. In winter, due to severe freezing, the foundation collapses regardless of the material, be it stone, concrete or brick.