How to make a blind area. Concrete blind area around the house - how to make it yourself. Installation of a rigid blind area

Protection of the foundation is the main measure that guarantees its long-term operation in the future. For this, three main technologies are used: construction of a blind area and. Making a blind area around the house with your own hands from concrete is not difficult if you know all the nuances of the process.

What is it? This is a thin concrete strip that is poured along the entire perimeter of the building with a slope towards the street.

Its purpose is to remove precipitation that flows from the roof of the building as far as possible from the foundation structure. In this case, the width of the blind area is made at least 1 m.

More often this indicator is taken because it is optimal. After all, the length of the overhang of the cornice is no more than 0.5 m.

Construction technology The construction of a concrete blind area must be approached from the position that this is, first of all, an element that will be in contact with natural loads.

It will always be exposed to the negative effects of moisture and water, sunlight and wind. Therefore, when the question is asked which concrete is best to choose for the blind area, you need to understand that it must be of a grade no less than the concrete used to construct the foundation itself.

That is, not lower than M 400. There is no need to purchase a whole machine of concrete solution for the blind area. It is kneaded with your own hands right at the point of use. Therefore, it is very important to strictly follow the recipe of the mixture, which consists of cement grade M 400, sand and fine crushed stone.

Their ratio in solution is 1:2:3 with the addition of water in a volume of 0.4. Instead of concrete, you can use asphalt mortar based on a concrete mixture.

It uses bitumen instead of a cement binder. That is, a mixture of sand and crushed stone must be mixed with hot bitumen. Mix it all thoroughly while hot and fill the path around the house. In this case, like asphalt, the solution will have to be rolled with a heavy roller. Because this is not a concrete plastic mass that can be spread with a trowel or spatula. With asphalt concrete pavement there are more problems in terms of construction. But from a consumption perspective additional materials it is simpler and cheaper. After all, asphalt concrete is, in fact, a kind of waterproofing.

This means there is no need to use additional waterproofing materials.

Before you make a blind area around the house with your own hands, you need to apply markings to the ground. As mentioned above, main indicator in in this case- width of the structure.

We set it aside 1 m from the outer surface of the base. Next, we draw a line parallel to the walls of the house along the entire perimeter of the building.

In principle, this is the marking from which you will need to start when starting to dig a trench. It is best if the line is marked with twine tied to pegs that are installed at the corners of the building.

Excavation

Now a trench is dug manually around the perimeter of the house using shovels to a depth of 30 cm. The bottom and outer plane of the trench must be leveled. The first is horizontal, the second is vertical. But you cannot demand maximum evenness here, because all this will be filled with concrete mortar, which will need to be leveled.

Bookmark additional materials

Basically, if construction site If the soil is clayey, then there is no need to lay any additional layers under the concrete solution. If the concrete blind area around the house is poured according to all construction canons using a solution that was made exactly according to the recipe, then this structure will meet the requirements of the structure being laid.

But SNiPs clearly set tasks for each layer being laid, which will bear certain loads and protect the foundation from destruction. Therefore, under the concrete mortar itself, it is necessary to lay these layers of different building materials.

1. The bottom layer is sand. It is laid with a thickness of 10 cm. It must be leveled and compacted using water. Instead, you can put fatty clay 5-7 cm thick.
2. Waterproofing is being applied. Here either hot bitumen or rolled material (roofing felt or roofing felt) is used. In the second case, the material is laid in two layers. In this case, it is necessary to carry out the installation so that the edges roll material were laid on the surface of the base, as if cutting it off from contact with the blind area. The thing is that the concrete blind area is a floating structure.
3. Over waterproofing material backfilling with sand or crushed stone is done small fraction. The thickness of the layer is 10 - 15 cm. It is also leveled and compacted.
4. Now we need to install . This is a removable structure made of a board 100 mm wide, which is installed on an edge and supported from the outside with pegs. There is no need to lower the formwork into the trench; it is mounted on the surface of the upper soil.

Fill

Everything is ready, you can pour the concrete blind area around the house. But let us remember that the construction of a concrete blind area is an inclined plane from the wall. The tilt angle is 5 - 10 degrees. That is, with a structure width of 1 m, the height difference between its edges will be 5 - 10 cm. The edge of the base should be higher than the outer edge. In this case, the latter must be at least 5 cm above the ground level.

With these values, the concrete solution is poured so that it fills the formwork to the middle of the installed board. Therefore, from this level along the base, a horizontal line is drawn 5 - 10 cm higher. The line can be marked with a fishing line, which is attached to two self-tapping screws screwed into the edges of the base part of the foundation.

Concreting is done using buckets. This must be done continuously. The volume of concrete work depends on the size of the perimeter of the house. As practice shows, if the perimeter of the house is large, then all preparatory work is carried out on the first day, and concrete work is carried out on the second day.

The most difficult thing in this process is to accurately set the angle of the surface. Therefore, it is recommended to install every 1.5 - 2.0 m wooden slats cross section 20 x 20 mm. Firstly, they will create compensation gaps between sections of the blind area. Secondly, it will be easy to use them to level the concrete solution along the slope. Therefore, the slats are installed immediately in place with an inclination. From the outside they are attached to the formwork with self-tapping screws; at the base they are installed on supports (metal or wood).

The solution is poured between the slats and a long rule (2 m) is pulled towards itself. In this case, the rule is laid on two adjacent slats. And since they are laid at an angle, the solution will accordingly be leveled at an angle away from the foundation. Each area must be pierced with shovels or any available materials. For example, metal fittings, pipes, shovel handles, and so on. If you have an electric vibrator, that's best.

The main purpose of vibrating the solution is to remove air from its mass that gets there during the mixing process. When concrete hardens, the air remaining inside its body is pores and cavities, which reduce the strength of the resulting structure.

Two hours after pouring and leveling the concrete mixture, it is recommended to iron the blind area. It is simply covered with cement and the material is rubbed into the concrete mass with a trowel or trowel in a circular motion. Of course, you can paint the blind area after the concrete has hardened, but this is an additional investment. cash. Moreover, they are considerable.

So, the concrete blind area was poured with your own hands. After 5 - 7 days, you can remove the formwork and slats for expansion joints. The installation sites of the latter are covered with cement-sand mortar.

Video

Video about how to make a blind area with your own hands.

The question of how to properly make concrete blind areas with your own hands, we emphasize the word “correctly”, must be approached from the perspective of the type of soil at the construction site. In addition, it is necessary to take into account whether this concrete structure will be used as a pedestrian path. Therefore, builders approach the construction of a blind area taking into account many factors. Here are some recommendations:

1. If on a site, then the depth of the trench should be at least 50 cm.
2. If the blind area will be loaded as pedestrian paths, then you need to lay a reinforcing frame into the concrete body. This can be any metal mesh, for example, chain-link, or mesh for plaster. To do this, it is better to pour concrete in two stages. A mesh was laid out along the wall, concrete was poured in a layer of 5 - 8 cm, a reinforcing frame was laid, and a second layer was poured with a slope. If there is no mesh, you can use pieces of reinforcement that are assembled into a lattice and tied with wire.
3. An expansion joint must be made in all corners of the blind area. To do this, the lath is laid diagonally from the corner of the foundation, and not across, like all the others. To make it easier to pull the slats out of the frozen foundation mass, they must first be treated with waste technical oil.
4. If an insulated concrete blind area is being constructed, then an additional layer of thermal insulation material. Most often, expanded clay or perlite are used for this, but polystyrene foam boards can also be used. The insulation is laid over the waterproofing and covered with another layer of roofing material on top.
   Since the width of a roll of roofing material is 1 m, which corresponds to the width of the blind area, it will be necessary to lay waterproofing material in two strips under it. Because 30 - 40 cm from the width of the material will cover the base part of the foundation. The length of the roll is 10 m. It rolls out along the structure, and in most cases this size is not enough to cover the entire length of the blind area. Therefore, adjacent strips laid lengthwise are overlapped with each other with an offset of 10 - 15 cm.
5. Instead of board formwork, curbs are installed immediately if there is a need to decorate the concrete strip.
6. Storm drainage is constructed before the start of work related to the construction of the blind area. If the water collector falls into the structure of a concrete strip, then it must be correctly installed and secured with a pipe through which precipitation will be drained outside the site.

Conclusion on the topic

Regardless of whether the blind area is poured from asphalt concrete or from ordinary concrete mortar, the main requirement for them is the strength of the structure and the angle of inclination away from the foundation. Everything else is chosen based on budget, soil type and need.

A blind area is a simple element that can significantly extend the life of a building. This is also an indispensable part of decorating the local area.

The blind area around the house with your own hands looks presentable, combining or matching the materials from which the sidewalk and driveway to the garage are paved.

When answering the question of how to make a blind area around the house with your own hands and why it is needed in general, it would be useful to list the functions of this structure.

1. Protective. A properly constructed blind area with your own hands protects the foundation from prolonged contact with the foundation. The design provides for water to be drained directly into the sewer system.
2. Decorative. The blind area around the house gives the building a complete and solid look.
3. Preventing soil swelling. Reducing soil freezing will prevent soil swelling. What's the benefit? There will be no soil shifts around the foundation, which means its integrity will not be compromised.
4. Thermal insulation. The blind area of ​​the house significantly reduces freezing of the soil and foundation as a whole. Thanks to this, the floors will be warm and the heat will not leave the house.
5. Protects the base from dirt.

Where a blind area may be needed

The blind area must be built not only near each permanent structure, but also near small buildings. This will create a slope for water to drain and protect the foundation. Its importance is not at all exaggerated, since this structure, created from concrete and bulk materials, has already established itself as reliable protection of the foundation for many years. This means that having learned how to properly make a blind area around the house, you will not spend extra money on repairing the basement, and the walls will not crack from constant exposure to moisture.

What types of blind areas are there?

The blind area is built taking into account how you intend to use it in the future. The first thing you need to decide is whether it will serve only a decorative function or whether it will also be used as a sidewalk. In the first case, the slope can be made large, and in the second - minimal. Depending on their characteristics, blind areas come in different categories.

Types of blind area:

• multi-layer and two-layer;
• cast, prefabricated and bulk;
• soft and hard blind areas.

The following materials can be used:

• wood;
• tile;
• concrete;
• reinforced concrete slabs;
• bricks;
• cobblestones;
• asphalt.

3 conditions of effectiveness

In order for your home blind area to be effective in protecting the foundation from excess water, the following conditions must be taken into account.

1. The first and most important rule is that the blind area should be made with a slope towards the site. The amount of slope is affected by the type of coating. A reliable concrete blind area must have a slope of at least 5-10 degrees.
2. Its width should exceed the roof overhang by 30 centimeters. On heaving soils it is made no narrower than one meter, on sandy ones - at least 0.6 meters.
3. The correct blind area is built around the entire house without gaps. Since the settlement at the blind area and at the foundation is different, it is necessary to construct an expansion joint, which is filled with sand, filled with bitumen or filled with sealant.

Popular methods for constructing a blind area

When covering the facade with panels, siding or stone cladding, a lot important role The blind area plays a role, as it is the basis for installing the cladding.

In its absence, a noticeable gap appears between the casing and the ground level. This probably shouldn’t even be discussed, because no one will finish their façade without a previously constructed blind area.

Concrete is the easiest option

The technology involves the creation of 2 layers. The first layer is the underlying layer. It is necessary to create a smooth, compacted base. The following materials can be used for this: fine crushed stone, clay and sand. The choice of materials for creating the underlying layer depends on what materials will be used for the second layer. The coating must be waterproof and resistant to moisture.

1. Marking. The required dimensions of the structure were discussed above. The earth is removed and compacted around the entire perimeter of the building. The ground is prepared exactly to the marked width. For a concrete structure, the earth is removed to a depth of at least 25 cm.
2. Formwork. To create the formwork, a 20 mm thick board is used. A layer of clay is placed on the compacted earth, which is also compacted. After which a 10-centimeter layer of sand is laid. To ensure a good seal, it is spilled with water. Now a 60 mm layer of crushed stone is laid.
3. Reinforcement. The use of reinforcing mesh increases the stretching of the blind area in tension and compression. In addition, it will be quite difficult to destroy it - maintainability and vandal resistance increase. Reinforcing mesh is purchased and delivered to the site. The mesh is usually sold in sheets of 2x6 meters, which is very convenient. You can split it in half so that the width is 1 meter, this is ideal for reinforcement. You can saw the mesh with an ordinary grinder into fragments measuring 1x2 meters. You can cut into 3-meter pieces, but due to their large weight, carrying them is very inconvenient. The mesh is mounted in the formwork so that the distance from it to the crushed stone cushion is 2 cm. This is done in order to position the mesh inside the concrete, and not on the pillow. There shouldn’t be any difficulties, because no matter how you compact the pillow, pebbles will always remain above the surface. The cut mesh fragments must be laid overlapping. Excess wires are bent or cut off with a grinder. Reinforcement is the fastest and easiest stage. 2 people are enough for this.
4. Pouring concrete. When poured with concrete, the mesh can bend greatly - the concrete will begin to squeeze it out. You will need to quickly compact the area or, after hardening, start cutting off excess fragments. It should be noted that this is not an easy procedure.

Waterproof option

If you are planning to make a drainage system, then a permeable system is suitable for you. This is the simplest option. Geotextile material is placed in a compacted trench, on which expanded clay, pebbles, gravel or crushed stone are laid.

Geotextile material is used to prevent crushed stone from being pressed into the base. Having chosen such a blind area, you must be prepared for the fact that it will have to be adjusted regularly, and it is not very convenient to walk on it.

Using paving slabs

To create a solid layer, crushed stone with sand can be used, on top of which the tiles are laid. It is impossible to do without creating a drainage system. You can also create waterproofing at the base of the blind area to drain water into the sewer.

1. Let's prepare the base. The ground is dug to a depth of tile size + 10 cm. To create a waterproof effect, clay is used, which is laid at an angle to a height of 10 cm.
2. A layer of PVC waterproofing is laid on top of the clay. The waterproofing is attached to the wall using a metal strip. Next, sand is laid in a layer of 4 centimeters, which is leveled and compacted.
3. Only now can you begin laying paving slabs. The solution should consist of concrete and water in a ratio of 1:4. The solution should be very thick. The tiles begin to be laid from the corner. After laying, 4 tiles are removed and a mortar layer of 4 centimeters is laid in their place. We install the paving slabs into place using spacers and a hammer.
4. After laying all the tiles and removing everything wooden spacers it is necessary to fill the seams with sand. To fill the sand as densely as possible, the tiles are watered. Even a well-made seam must be periodically covered with sand during operation.

Repair of concrete blind area

We have already figured out the question of how to make a blind area with our own hands, but what to do if it breaks? If damage is discovered, repairs must be made as soon as possible to prevent structural damage from spreading. Repair should begin with determining the boundaries of the damaged area.

Several significant potholes can be combined into 1 damage. The damaged asphalt surface is cut down to its full depth using wedges and cleaned of dust. The edges, walls and bottom are lubricated with liquefied bitumen and filled with concrete. The new coating is laid slightly higher than the old one, which will ensure best connection plots.

To repair peeling cracks and potholes, the following are used:

• fine-grained concrete;
• cement-sand mortars;
• sealing pastes;
• rubber bitumen mastics.

Why do you need a blind area around the house? Can you make it yourself? The blind area, first of all, serves as a kind of protection along with a decorative function. It is installed after finishing laying the walls, when the time comes exterior finishing. It protects the foundation from precipitation or its consequences. The blind area looks like a wide strip, hermetically adjacent to the outer part of the foundation, encircling the house on all sides. It is this local area that is exposed the largest number precipitation that flows from the roof or walls of the building, so it must be reliable, waterproof, and strong.

In addition to its direct purpose, the blind area “works” as insulation basements building.

As for the width of this protective strip, the rule “the more, the better” applies here. According to SNiP, the minimum width of the blind area should be at least 80 cm, while the maximum can be any - at the discretion of the owner of the house.

There are certain requirements when arranging this architectural element:

1. The width of the strip should not be equal to the level of the roof overhang, and it cannot be narrower than its edge.
2. The blind area around the house must be continuous.
3. Protection of the building foundation depends on the width of the strip.
4. Installation is carried out with a slope from the house of at least 1.5°.

It should be wide enough so that you can easily walk on it without touching the walls. The most optimal width is 1 meter.

Construction of a blind area around the house

A blind area of ​​any type consists of two layers - underlying and waterproof. The bottom layer is usually gravel, crushed stone or sand, and the top layer can be made of concrete, natural stone, paving slabs, or asphalt.

The optimal slope angle from the house is 3-5°; if the building stands on ordinary soil, then the width of the blind area should be approximately 20-30 cm larger than the cornice. If your home is built on subsiding or marshy soil, then the width should be at least 90-110 cm.

It is worth mentioning that some types of foundations (for example, screw and pile) do not need a blind area at all. They require the installation of a protective coating only in areas where water drains from the roof.

If the house is located on heaving soil, then it is better to make a blind area with insulation - this is necessary so that the protection does not allow moisture to pass through. IN winter time water freezes and expands the soil, so polystyrene foam laid in the blind area can prevent this factor. Extruded polystyrene foam not only does not allow water to pass through, but is also characterized by high thermal insulation qualities.

Expanded polystyrene is placed between the layers of the blind area (a crushed stone or gravel cushion is located below), it is best to pour concrete on top or lay tiles or cobblestones. Similar method insulation is very effective and shows good results.

Let's consider the types of blind areas around the house:

1. The simplest, but almost never used material for constructing a protective strip is clay. It is an excellent hydraulic lock for the foundation of a house. Now the use of clay is no longer relevant, since new modern materials confidently occupy a leading position in the construction market.
2. A concrete protective strip is the most common option for arranging foundation protection. It is quickly installed, has a low cost for the price of the building materials used, has a long service life, and is resistant to natural factors.
3. The tile blind area around the house is placed on a layer of sand. The tile is convenient because it can be matched to the appearance of the building or decorative features summer cottage. This type of protective strip around the house is durable and easy to install.
4. Natural stone laid around the house looks very beautiful and has a long service life, but requires patience and care when installing.
5. The asphalt coating of the protective strip is used infrequently, due to the lack of decorativeness and a specific odor when heated sun rays and high cost.
6. A waterproof protective strip is made only if there is a well-installed drainage system. In this case, much attention is paid to the installation of drains from the roof so that moisture is removed at a considerable distance from the foundation of the building. Such protection around the house is more decorative than practical.
7. One of the most expensive types of blind area is made of granite. Respectable appearance, quality, durability are the main criteria for this method of protection.

It will be ideal if a drainage system is installed along the outside of the entire perimeter of the protective strip around the house (it does not have to be very deep). This technique will maximally protect the foundation from contact with moisture.

How to make a blind area with your own hands around the house?

As mentioned above, the blind area consists of two structural layers - underlying and covering. The underlying layer provides a smooth, dense base for laying subsequent materials. The role of “bedding” is sand, clay, and fine crushed stone. The thickness of the bedding layer depends on what material the protective strip will be covered with.

The coating fulfills its main purpose - protection from water, and it does not matter what material it is made from.

As an example, consider the stage-by-stage construction of a concrete blind area:

1. Initially, the future protective strip is marked; for its arrangement, we will take a width of 1 meter as a basis.
2. Along the entire perimeter of the house (in accordance with the markings), we remove a layer of soil (20-30 cm) and compact the base.
   
3. If there are plants under the layer of removed soil, their roots can be treated with herbicides so that they do not subsequently begin to make their way through the coating.
4. We make removable formwork from the boards.
5. We lay a thin layer of clay on the compacted soil, and on top of it a sandy layer (about 10 cm). Clay and sand should be thoroughly compacted after installation. In the immediate vicinity of the foundation, sand is compacted especially carefully.
6. We spill the sand layer with water, but not very much, since there is clay below.
7. We lay the crushed stone in a thin layer, approximately 6-8 cm.
   
8. In order for the future protective strip around the house to be strong and withstand compression and tension loads, it must be reinforced. A reinforcement mesh with a pitch of 10 cm is suitable for this purpose.
   
9. In the place where the blind area is adjacent to the base, you need to make an expansion joint, sometimes called a temperature or deformation joint. This seam provides a kind of protection during soil subsidence. It has a width of 1-2 cm. Thus, this gap between the base and the blind area is filled with a sand-gravel mixture or roofing felt; it can also be filled with resin or foamed polyethylene (rope), sealant. It is mandatory to install expansion joints in all corners of the house.
10. How to fill a blind area at home? The construction of expansion joints is simply necessary when arranging the correct protective strip around the house. When pouring concrete, thin wooden boards placed edgewise must be installed every 2 or 3 meters. For these purposes, ordinary wooden slats are optimally suited; they must be laid so that the upper surface coincides with the level of the surface of the concrete mass and always taking into account the slope! Wooden elements can be pre-treated with anti-rotting agents.
    
11. What kind of concrete is needed for the blind area around the house? The concrete used to create it should not be inferior to its road counterpart in terms of frost-resistant characteristics. Brand M250 or M300 is perfect; it is mixed with sand, fine gravel, and water until a homogeneous mass is obtained. This mass is laid on top of the reinforcing mesh and wooden ribs, compacted (by vibration or bayonet) and leveled using a rule.
    
12. Concrete blind area around the house, made with your own hands, will become as strong as possible if you use the ironing method immediately after pouring. This construction technique has two methods - dry and wet. With the dry method, cement is sprinkled onto a fresh, leveled layer of concrete. It is sifted on a fine sieve. By tapping on this sieve, it is evenly distributed in a thin layer (2-3 mm) over the entire surface of the protective layer. After these manipulations, this layer is carefully compacted using a plaster spatula. Dry cement draws moisture from wet concrete and, when hardened, forms additional reinforcing armor. With the wet ironing method, sifted cement is mixed with water to a dough-like consistency and applied to the dried concrete layer using a plaster spatula. The thickness of such protection is 2-3 mm. Sometimes ceresite or liquid glass is added to such a solution, but in any case, the strength of the protective layer depends on the quality of compaction and smoothing.
13. At the final stage, the concrete is covered with a wet cloth and periodically moistened. This protects the concrete layer from drying out until it finally hardens. After 7-10 days, your concrete blind area will be ready.

You can take an easier route - save time. This method is now very popular, as it has good protective qualities and gives the adjacent strip an attractive appearance.

To do this, after removing the soil layer, sand is poured into the bottom of the trench and poured from above liquid glass mixed with hardener. After hardening, an attractive monolithic surface is obtained, which has high moisture-resistant characteristics.

How to repair a crack in the blind area of ​​a house?

Cracks or damage to the concrete surface can also appear due to certain circumstances. Shallow cracks can be filled with a liquid cement solution; larger cracks are pre-cut out along the entire length of the damage and cleaned of debris and dust. After cleaning, the crack is filled with a mixture of bitumen, asbestos and sand.

Large damage can also be filled with fresh concrete after priming it. Next, the “patch” is cared for in the same way as a regular screed - the surface is moistened until the concrete hardens completely.

If the damage is serious, then additional reinforcement of the cracks is carried out, followed by filling them with a sand-cement mixture with the addition of crushed stone. After complete hardening, the patches are treated with a primer.

Soft blind area around the house

The soft blind area does not have a hard top covering; instead, crushed stone of various colors is filled in, or soil with grass is generally used. The soft blind area is not afraid of soil deformation due to freezing and subsequent thawing. When laying such a protective strip, it is not necessary to observe the slope angle. If based soft covering If a layer of expanded polystyrene is provided, it will additionally help reduce the depth of soil freezing in the foundation area.

The blind area around the house made of crushed stone is done like this:

1. A layer of soil is removed, compacted, then a layer of clay (10 cm) is laid over the entire area of ​​the resulting trench. To avoid subsequent swelling, the clay must be absolutely clean, that is, free of sand.
2. The clay is also compacted, and a waterproofing film is laid on top of it (with a reserve). If circumstances are such that the blind area moves away from the foundation, then the supply of film will be able to compensate for the resulting shortage of material. The film is fixed by overlapping directly onto the foundation.
3. Sand is poured over the waterproofing.
4. The next step is laying geotextiles over the entire area of ​​the future blind area.
5. Crushed stone is poured onto geotextiles. The embankment layer can be from 10 to 15 cm.
6. Geotextiles are re-laid, onto which decorative crushed stone is poured.

Thus, any blind area around the house, made with your own hands, will help to significantly increase the service life of your home and add additional aesthetics and attractiveness.

After the foundation has been erected and the main construction has been completed, an important stage remains in finishing the base of the house - installation of the blind area. As a rule, this stage is not delayed for months or years, since the absence of such an important element can lead to the gradual destruction of the foundation. In this article we will figure out how to properly make a blind area around a house to protect its foundation from destruction.

The foundation blind area is a strip of concrete or other material located around the perimeter of the house with a slight slope from the base. The main purpose of this structure is to drain rain and melt water from the foundation, insulate and strengthen it, as well as partially compensate for ground movements. The structure of the blind area also includes drainage.

As a rule, ordinary concrete is used for its construction, but a blind area lined with paving slabs or porcelain tiles will give the area around the house an aesthetically complete look.

Most often under country houses poured – a reinforced concrete strip on which the load-bearing and interior walls. Since concrete is a porous material, it actively absorbs water. This is fraught unpleasant consequences– the appearance of fungus on the base and loss of frost resistance of the foundation due to constant cycles of freezing and defrosting.

If during the construction of the foundation were not carried out or the materials have worn out over time, the base is waterproofed before installing the blind area. Sometimes this requires digging it out to its full height: shallow foundation– within half a meter, buried – below the soil freezing line (in middle lane more than one and a half meters).

If the basement of the building is in use, in addition to waterproofing it is desirable . At high level groundwater Foundation drainage is required. To do this, perforated pipes are laid in a ditch prepared for waterproofing the base and making a blind area with a slope towards the sewer collector.

Before moving on to considering the types of blind areas, let's talk about the basic rules for installing such structures. The width of the blind area recommended by building regulations is at least 20 centimeters from the projection of the eaves overhang to the ground. On average, the width is selected within 1 meter. The slope of the blind area from the base is up to 10 degrees, this is quite enough to drain water from the foundation and for ease of walking.

The method of constructing a strip depends on the terrain, climatic conditions, soil specifics, type of foundation, stylistic design of the house and landscape design. There are about 20 varieties in total. Let's consider the main types of blind areas.

Blind area made of crushed stone or gravel

Such a blind area has an advantage in price and ease of construction, but loses in performance characteristics and service life. This option is designed for an average of 7 years of operation. A blind area made of crushed stone is not capable of providing a sufficient level of foundation insulation and acceptable drainage. In addition, such a surface is inconvenient to move on. The only advantages of a blind area made of crushed stone are ease of installation and low cost.

Below is the procedure for constructing a gravel blind area:

Concrete blind area

A concrete blind area is more complex than a gravel or crushed stone base, but it is the most durable and performs its functions better. The concrete base completely removes all water from the base part of the foundation, but the only drawback is that under strong mechanical stress, the concrete can crumble and wear out.

The procedure for pouring a concrete blind area is described below:

From the given instructions it is clear that a concrete blind area generally consists of a layer of sand cushion, a layer of insulation and a layer of reinforced concrete. The thickness of such a blind area is at least 25-30 centimeters. This is enough to prevent the foundation from freezing.

The process of installing a concrete blind area is clearly shown in the video:

Blind area made of paving slabs

Despite the fact that a concrete blind area will cost less than a tile installation, paving slabs is much more attractive appearance, while maintaining high wear resistance.

When building such a blind area, there are two options. In the first case, a concrete strip is installed as a cushion for laying the tiles. The sequence of actions is the same as when installing a conventional concrete blind area. At the final stage, the tiles are laid as a finishing coating. This method is excellent in all respects, except labor intensity and price.

In the second case, a sand and gravel cushion is used as a base for such a blind area. We will analyze this method further.

After installing the blind area from paving slabs, all that remains is to fill the seam between the tiles. To do this, you can use regular sand, or fill the seams with cement mortar.

After laying for several days, it is undesirable to apply heavy loads to the blind area. This is necessary for the final uniform shrinkage of all layers of the blind area and giving it strength.

For a better understanding, we offer you a video with step by step installation paving slabs around the house

Strips made from materials such as crushed stone, stone, paving slabs are perfect for columnar foundations, for example for . Such a blind area will remove most of the moisture from the piles and will not require a large construction budget.

The blind area surrounding the house plays a very important role in ensuring long and comfortable use of the house. It protects the foundation structure and the soil around it from water ingress. The accumulation of moisture near the house when snow melts or during precipitation can erode the top layer of soil and reach the foundation. If it manages to seep to the base of the foundation and damage it, then it load bearing capacity and strength will be reduced, which may result in the destruction of the house. It is especially important to do it correctly when using a shallow base, in which the sole is close to the surface, so moisture can easily reach its depth.

The width of the blind area should be as wide as possible, since it should protect the base.

As a result of getting wet, the strength of the sole decreases, and it begins to sag unevenly, destroying the foundation. However, even if buried foundations are used, it is also necessary. It must always be done, regardless of the foundation design, soil type and other conditions.

Preparing to create a blind area around the house

How to properly make a high-quality one so that it lasts as long as possible and becomes reliable protection for the foundation? To do this you need to select suitable material good quality and strictly follow technology.

First of all, you need to choose the width. Since it must protect the base, its width should be as wide as possible.

Scheme of the blind area around the house.

In addition to its protective function, the blind area around the house is also erected as a path along the perimeter of the building. This also needs to be taken into account when choosing its width, so that in the future you do not have to walk on it sideways. Based on the above, we can conclude that the most optimal width of a properly made blind area around the house that meets all standards and requirements is within the range of about 1-2.5 m.

The blind area around the house must be made with a certain slope, which will ensure that water flows away from the walls of the building. Building codes determine the slope to be 50-100 mm per 1 m of width. This means that the edge of the blind area around the house, the width of which is 1 m, will have a height of 50-100 mm near the wall of the house, and its other edge will be located flush with the ground. The resulting slope is good for draining water from the building: water will flow down it quickly enough, but it is difficult to walk on such a blind area. However, if you make the angle of inclination smaller, then the water will flow much more slowly or even linger on the surface, but walking will be much more comfortable. A compromise between efficiency and comfort is considered to be a slope of 15 mm per 1 m of width. When walking, such a slope is almost unnoticeable, and the water completely flows down and does not linger on the surface.

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Materials and covering for the blind area around the house

Scheme of the blind area.

In order to properly make a blind area around the house yourself, you need to prepare the appropriate materials. There are several popular options for its manufacture, which use various materials, but the most common is a concrete blind area.

The manufacturing technology is quite simple. First of all, the area for the blind area is cleaned, after which reinforcement bars with a diameter of 6 mm or more are laid in the form of a mesh. The rods are connected to each other using binding wire. Next, formwork made from wooden boards. At the end, the formwork is filled with concrete mortar.

To make a blind area around the house yourself, prepare the following tools and materials:

• Shovel;
• Hydraulic level;
• Wheelbarrow for transporting crushed stone and removing soil;
• Manual tamping;
• Waterproofing materials;
• Insulation;
• Sand;
• Crushed stone;
• Clay;
• Reinforced mesh with 10x10 cells or reinforcement bars.

Before starting work, it is advisable to carry out the necessary preparatory actions, for which you should organize free access to the house from all sides, as well as prepare the previously listed tools and materials.

The next stage is carrying out marking work. It is most convenient to carry out this procedure using wooden or metal pegs (driven in around the perimeter of the future) and a cord stretched between them. In this case, you need to ensure that the blind area has the same width at all points (usually around private houses with a width of 1 m).

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Concrete blind area around the house with your own hands: step-by-step instructions

Scheme of the construction of a concrete blind area.

The durability of the foundation, as well as the amount of money and time spent on constructing the structure itself, depends on the blind area, made in accordance with all rules and regulations. It is better to take care of creating a blind area immediately after completing the construction of the house.

The blind area around the house consists of 2 structural layers. The first of these is the underlying layer. The main task of this layer is to create a compacted, even base for the coating. Material used: sand, clay or small crushed stone. Layer thickness – up to 20 mm. The choice of material for the underlying layer depends entirely on the material of the second layer, i.e. coverings. The main purpose of the coating is resistance to the destructive effects of moisture and water resistance. Material used: clay (it can be used both as a base layer and to create a coating), asphalt mixture, concrete, small cobblestones. Layer thickness – up to 100 mm.

Diagram of a concrete blind area.

This is true for any type of blind area around the house. The following will provide instructions for constructing a blind area using the example of the most popular option – concrete.

To prepare the concrete mixture, you need to take M400 cement, crushed stone and sand in proportions 1:4:2.

Make markings for the future blind area around the house. The minimum width of the structure was discussed earlier. Remove and compact the soil around the perimeter of the building. Usually the soil is removed during the zero cycle construction work. When constructing a blind area, it is necessary to prepare the ground specifically for the width of the future structure in accordance with the markings made. It is necessary to take into account what material will be used during construction. To do this, you need to remove the soil to a depth of about 25 cm (“on the bayonet of a shovel”).

The next step is making formwork from boards. For formwork, boards with a thickness of 20 mm are used. A small layer of clay is placed on the compacted soil. The clay is leveled and compacted. A layer of sand about 10 cm thick is laid. The sand must be thoroughly compacted, for which it should be additionally spilled with water. Try not to overdo it. Remember that there is clay below. Sand near the foundation must be compacted especially carefully. Now you need to lay crushed stone in a layer of 60-70 mm.