Foundation waterproofing and its construction

Many people, even those far from the construction industry, are well aware that the structure of any building consists of a foundation, walls and a roof. The base plays a large role, since it is the quality of its manufacture that largely determines how long the house will last and how reliable it will be. During operation, the foundation is also subjected to various loads. In winter, it is affected by low temperatures, and in spring, when the ice begins to melt in the soil, moisture affects it. In addition, groundwater, which rises to the surface in spring, also affects it not in the best way. Therefore, in order for the foundation to serve for a long time, it is necessary to take care of its protection when building a house.

Where to begin

It should be noted that not only the foundation needs protection from moisture, but also the basement, therefore, when work is being carried out on the construction of a country house, it is necessary already at the stage of construction of the foundation, to think about its protection from moisture. When performing waterproofing work, it is necessary to provide reliable protection from groundwater, as well as from moisture that oozes through the capillaries of the materials from which the foundation is made. If the groundwater on the site is located below the foundation slab, then in this case it is enough to perform waterproofing work on the basement floor screed. In addition, measures must be taken to cover the concrete base of the house from the outside with heated bitumen.

In some houses, the situation develops in such a way that the basement is located below the level at which the groundwater is deposited. Here it becomes necessary to create a waterproofing layer that does not have any breaks and which is able to withstand the serious pressure of groundwater. When carrying out work on waterproofing the basement, the first important step that the owner of the building must take is to take the necessary measures aimed at lowering the groundwater level. To do this, first, earthworks are carried out, after which perforated pipes are placed in trenches around the entire perimeter of the house. With their help, water coming to the house will be diverted to low-lying places on the site. For example, natural ravines or arranged gutters.

Clay castle

Another important point that has a positive effect on the high-quality waterproofing of the basement is the construction of a clay castle. This structure is a ditch that is arranged around the foundation. When waterproofing the basement, it is necessary to arrange a sub-floor. Note that there are certain nuances in its creation. He falls asleep with clay, which is then compacted. The very same layer of waterproofing in the basement is arranged as follows: first, the outer surface of the base of the house is processed, on which two materials are alternately applied. The first is hot bitumen, and the second is a layer of roofing material. The result is a kind of flaky cake, which, nevertheless, provides reliable protection against moisture.

We take into account the strength of concrete

When installing a concrete screed in the basement, it is necessary to make it so that it has good waterproofing properties. In its composition, a water-repellent layer must be present. At the same time, when preparing concrete for the screed itself, additives can be added to its composition, which will make the base material resistant to moisture.The inner surface of the wall in the basement must also be treated with special materials with waterproofing properties. When choosing the thickness of the impregnation, it is necessary to build on the hydraulic load on the structure. If the groundwater level in the area where the structure is located is rather high, then in this case the thickness of the floor covering must be seriously increased. In this way, it is possible to compensate for the increased pressure of the water.

An important point is the protection of the walls of the building from such loads as capillary moisture. In order to cope with this problem, it is necessary to arrange a reliable barrier on the border of the basement and the lower part of the wall. One of the modern solutions that allows you to successfully cope with this problem is the spray-like application of a special coating with moisture resistant properties based on expanded polystyrene. Although this technology is relatively new, it is already in demand in the construction market.

Competent work to protect the foundation from moisture ensures a good condition of the structures of the building and their long-term operation without losing their strength and other operational characteristics.