The technology of laying the blind area around the house. Concrete pavement around the house - how to do it yourself

Specific information on blind areas existed in the Manual for SNiP2.02.01. When editing the SNiP, which turned into a joint venture, there was confusion with the design manuals for these standards. Therefore, information on the size and configuration of the blind area is often taken from technological maps.

The main purpose of the horizontal waterproof strip around the cottage with a 3-degree outward slope is to protect the basement and underground load-bearing structures of the foundation from surface water. When making it yourself, the blind area must be of a certain width, have insulation on heaving soil and a built-in storm drain with an unorganized roof drain.

Foundations operating underground or in direct contact with the ground are exposed to aggressive environments. Even with high-quality waterproofing, moisture is harmful to concrete, so storm, flood and waste water should be diverted from the supporting structures with your own hands.

The classic blind area has a design:

• compacted soil or underlying layer of non-metallic material adjacent to the base;
• concrete screed, a strip of waterproof material (asphalt) or paving with paving slabs / paving stones with a transverse slope of 3 degrees outward, with a width slightly larger than the overhang of roofing material above the facades.

In addition to the main purpose, the blind area can solve several more problems:

• increase in the perimeter of non-freezing soils adjacent to the foundation;
• use as a garden path to save land area;
• collecting storm water and transporting it to an underground reservoir.

To make a blind area with your own hands correctly, you need to have at least a general idea of ​​​​the design and manufacturing technology of the foundation and take into account the recommendations below.

The main mistakes of individual developers

When erecting a buried foundation of a house, a foundation pit is torn off on the site, the sinuses of which are later covered with inert materials. In order to make independently a shallow or non-buried foundation on clay soil without violating the joint venture, it is necessary to carry out a set of measures to reduce heaving forces. Therefore, the heaving soils of the base are replaced by an underlying layer of crushed stone or sand.

In any of these options, a man-made zone is created in which perched water inevitably collects, since the permeability of non-metallic materials in the underlying layer and backfilled sinuses is much higher than that of natural soil. Therefore, any moisture near the basement of the dwelling will accumulate underground, destroy concrete structures. The blind area tape should be wider than the sinuses of the pit and the roof overhang, and a storm drain (trays, gutters, point storm water inlets) should be integrated into its outer edge.

When making a blind area with their own hands, an individual developer often makes mistakes:

• clay castle - this material really does not let water through from the outside, but absorbs it and increases dramatically in volume when it freezes, resulting in the destruction of a concrete screed or asphalt;
• insufficient width - in the absence of a roof drain, water flows freely erode the soil near the edge of the blind area, penetrate into the ground, cause damage to the foundation of the house, in the concrete structures of which multiple cracks open;
• rigid connection of the blind area with the foundation - residual heaving forces cannot push a heavy floating slab, MZLF tape or grillage pillars to the surface, but easily raise the blind area, which tends to break the foundation or tilt it;
• the lack of insulation is especially important for dwellings of temporary and seasonal use, houses with overlapping along the logs, since the soils adjacent to the concrete structures freeze and swell.

Be sure to make expansion joints.

The existing opinion that the blind area should be created at the stage of landscaping or landscape design after the construction of the building frame and roof is erroneous. Even during the construction season, heavy rainfall is possible. With a “long-term” foundation, the foundation remains unloaded in the winter. These factors negatively affect the resource of the underground structure, so the blind area should be poured immediately after the completion of the zero cycle, waterproofing and insulation of the outer edges of the tape, slab or grillage pillars.

A properly made blind area should adjoin the foundation through the damping layer. A special elastic band must be installed between these structures.

Important! If the basement of the cottage is lined after concreting, the blind area, siding, panels or other finishing material should not rest on the screed, but should be fixed to the crate from a bar or profile. A damper layer is also required between the blind area and the cladding.

Manufacturing technology

It is most difficult for an individual developer to make a warm blind area on their own, so this technology will be considered:

• slotted formwork is an incorrect technology, as it does not allow waterproofing and insulating the outer surfaces of concrete;
• when excavating soil from trenches (MZLF), a pit (floating slab) or pits (columnar grillage), the width of the working is always greater than the size of the foundation, since it is necessary to lay sewer drains from the outside, provide access for workers from the inside to install the formwork and apply waterproofing (total, + 1 .2 m outside, +0.8 m inside);
• at the same time, a fertile layer rich in organic matter is automatically removed, on which it is forbidden to pour concrete screeds due to possible shrinkage of the soil.

Scheme of a modern blind area.

Therefore, the developer needs to perform several operations to create a blind area:

• backfill with sand (on dry ground) or crushed stone (at high groundwater level) with a thickness of 0.4 m;
• lay a layer of 10 mm high-density extruded polystyrene foam (EPS or XPX brand) with a slope of 3 degrees outward ();
• mount the formwork along the perimeter of the blind area (width 0.7 - 1.5 m, depending on the roof overhang);
• glue a damper tape around the perimeter of the base to create a gap between the screed and the base;
• lay the mixture inside the formwork and create a 3 degree slope;
• provide care for concrete (wet compress from sawdust or a covering plastic film in the first three days);
• seal the resulting gap with sealant to prevent leaks.

Advice! If the construction technology is not violated, a pillow made of non-metallic material under polystyrene foam is not needed. The base layer has already been laid under the drainage and footing of the foundation.

A blind area may be required in already operated cottages, for example, when buying real estate. In this case, you should pay attention to the design of the existing foundation and correct the shortcomings in the construction of the blind area of ​​the house in order to make it right:

• there is no drainage - it is necessary to dig trenches around the perimeter of the cottage, create a general slope of 4 - 7 degrees, lay perforated corrugated pipes, loop the system, mount manholes in the corners of the house;
• there is no heat-insulating layer - the blind area must be insulated to prevent freezing of adjacent soils.

The main nuances when concreting the screed around the dwelling are:

• the gap between the base and the blind area is sealed with sealant;
• it is not necessary to reinforce the screed if the soil is not heaving or measures have been taken to reduce heaving forces (drainage, underlayment and insulation);
• in the places of installation of storm water inlets, a local slope is made in their direction;
• stormwater trays of two adjacent facades should have a single slope to a common storm water inlet.

Advice! If the building has an extension, there must be an expansion joint between the main and additional foundations. Therefore, the blind area is strictly forbidden to be rigidly connected to the base.

FAQ

The most demanded advice from professionals is how to make the blind area at home correctly for different foundation designs or restore it, what width and thickness to pour the screed.

Do I need to connect the blind area with the foundation

Before pouring the screed around the perimeter of the outer walls with a slope to remove moisture, you need to understand what should not be done in any case. For example, an individual developer often reinforces the blind area, for which he installs rods in holes in the basement. Such a rigid connection is fraught with consequences:

• in winter, heaving forces will arise;
• they will not be able to pull the heavy foundation out of the ground, but the reinforcing bars are easily bent and lift the screed;
• during spring thawing, a gap is formed under the blind area, into which water freely penetrates.

In foundations, the lower reinforcement belt is necessary to compensate for tensile loads from the weight of the dwelling. The upper belt compensates for similar loads, but from the heaving forces directed in the opposite direction. There are no such efforts in the blind areas, therefore it is enough to make a screed with a thickness of 5 cm or more without reinforcement, without wasting the budget in vain.

The blind area has moved away from the foundation, what to do

There are several reasons for opening a gap in the base/screed junction:

• heaving forces - on clay and loam, the damping layer (sand and gravel) is not enough, frost enters under the insulation from the outside, the blind area periodically rises, falls to a new place in the spring;
• moisture ingress - if the gap between the basement and the blind area is not sealed with sealant, during the off-season, water collects in it during the day, which freezes and expands at night, moving the screed away from the building, the next day the amount of water increases, and so on daily;

There are several repair options:

• you can make a metal tide (usual valley), fixed to the base, preventing the penetration of moisture into the damper seam;
• a properly cleaned and degreased gap is smeared with a sealant, which is used to process the seams of a panel house.

You can reliably close the gap between the foundation of the house and the blind area by restoring this junction:

• the screed near the basement is partially destroyed and the cladding of the facade of the house is dismantled (only near the ground);
• half of the polyethylene film is glued onto the base or bitumen-based roll material is fused (TechnoNIKOL, Bikrost);
• the second half is wrapped horizontally, the destroyed part of the screed is poured on it.

Important! If you do this operation from the outside, the waterproofing will be torn off when cleaning the blind area of ​​the house from snow.

I have a house on stilts, how to make a blind area

During the operation of pile and columnar hanging grillages, the building does not have a full-fledged basement. To protect the underground from getting wet, the penetration of dirt and animals, and to reduce heat loss in the floors of the lower floor, a pick-up is needed, also called a false base. The adjoining of the blind area to this structural and architectural element of the building differs from the previously considered options for foundations (slab and tape):

• when using the foundation of a house from a hanging grillage on piles or poles, an underground is formed in which there are no heat sources;
• therefore, the blind area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe foundation is not insulated - apart from cost overruns, this does not give anything.

It is possible to correctly arrange the interface node, regardless of the width of the screed, using the following technology:

• a crate for panels or basement siding, purlins for sheet materials (DSP, flat slate) are attached to piles / pillars;
• racks of the crate do not reach the ground by 10 - 15 cm, so that heaving forces do not act on them;
• a piece of rolled waterproofing is attached to the crate or girders with one side vertically, bent at a right angle outward horizontally, wound under the blind area;
• on top of the waterproofing, you need to pour a screed with a transverse slope or pavement, paving slabs are laid out.

Thus, the foundation receives the design of a false base and the absolute tightness of the lower junction. The snow melted in the spring on the blind area cannot penetrate the underground through the waterproofing material between the wall cladding and the blind area.

Following the above recommendations, an individual developer can choose a blind area technology that matches the foundation of the dwelling, depending on its design. Or repair the screed, seal the gap between it and the basement of the building.

The article was prepared with the participation of TECHNONICOL specialists

It is difficult to overestimate the importance of the blind area, especially in regions with high groundwater levels and heavy rainfall. Nevertheless, for many, it still remains a desirable, but optional element. Last but not least, this is due to the complexity of the device of the classic monolithic "pie". Relatively recently, a simplified, but no less reliable version of the blind area has appeared, which does not require cubic meters of concrete. Together with the specialists of TECHNONICOL, we will consider the most relevant aspects.

• What is a blind area and its purpose.
• What is a soft blind area.
• Soft blind area device technology.
• Questions of portal participants and answers of experts.

What is a blind area and its purpose

The blind area is one of the most important structural elements of the building, which is a strip of impenetrable coating that runs along the entire perimeter next to the base.

The main task of the blind area is to divert water from the foundation and prevent the soil from getting wet in this area, and later freezing.

Without a blind area, the base will regularly come into contact with moisture, which will adversely affect its strength and durability.

In addition, with heavy precipitation, the absence of a blind area will contribute to the pollution of the facade. Also, the coating serves as a sidewalk, on which you can move around the building in any weather. As for the aesthetic side of the issue, the house, edged with a blind area, looks much more attractive and takes on a complete look.

Alexey Tsybenko leading technical specialist of the direction "Engineering waterproofing" of the Technical Directorate of TECHNONICOL Corporation

Unfortunately, the importance of the blind area is often underestimated, not all builders pay enough attention to it. And the owner in the future may face such negative consequences as cracks on the facade of the building. When there is no blind area, rain and melt water can naturally accumulate at the base of the foundation. In addition to the direct destructive effect on the base of the structure, heaving of soils can also occur, which is fraught with deformations.

What is soft blind area

Both ordinary and insulated blind areas are of two types:

• monolithic;
• soft.

In the first case, this is a coating with a continuous, concrete finish layer, in the second, on the contrary, it is a permeable coating, but with a sealed base. Monolithic (hard) blind areas are most often concreted or asphalted, while soft ones can be either with a gravel layer or with tiles laid in a floating way, sometimes they are even planted with lawn grass. A hard blind area removes water from the finishing inclined surface, while on a soft one, water freely penetrates through the top layer, and penetration into the ground is prevented by a waterproofing layer from which it is drained into the drainage.

Unlike hard blind areas, soft ones are not in danger of destruction due to heaving, and they are easier to equip, since there is no concreting stage.

The most popular soft type of blind area on heaving soils, so in most cases they are insulated, based on XPS sheets. However, they do it without insulation, when the choice is dictated not by the need to prevent swelling, but by the desire to simplify the process.

zip FORUMHOUSE member

I really don’t want to bother with pouring a concrete blind area, and the final result will certainly not please the eyes. I want to arrange it easier: a sand cushion, waterproofing on top, and paving slabs on top, with a slight slope. It will turn out, as it were, both a blind area and a path.

chicken FORUMHOUSE member

The idea is correct. This method is now often used. A thick (about 0.6 mm) high-pressure polyethylene membrane is used as a waterproofing layer. As a top layer, you can not only lay tiles, but pour gravel, pebbles, sow a lawn, etc.

However, a standard soft blind area cake includes the following layers:

• preparation;
• insulation;
• waterproofing;
• drainage;
• geotextile;
• finishing layer.

The minimum width of such a blind area is 60 cm, the maximum depends on the roof overhang - the coating should protrude from it by 15-20 cm. On heaving soils, a canvas of at least a meter wide is recommended. The depth depends both on the type of soil and the presence of insulation, and on the type of finish layer, but, on average, it is 30-40 cm.

Soft blind area device technology

The main element of the soft blind area is waterproofing - it must be strong enough and withstand the load from drainage and the finish layer. Geotextile prevents mixing of the drainage and finishing layer, which is fraught with silting and deterioration of throughput, so its importance should not be underestimated either. Today, manufacturers produce special two-layer membranes - a profiled base made of high-strength polyethylene (HDPE) and thermally bonded geotextiles.

Geotextile attached over the "spikes" of the polyethylene base provides filtration and rapid drainage of water. That is, one membrane is both waterproofing, drainage, and geotextile, which greatly simplifies installation.

Plus, it can be beneficial.

Alexey Tsybenko

The two-layer membrane not only instantly removes the filtered liquid from the foundation, but also simplifies the choice of the finishing layer. Why expensive coatings when you can fill with gravel or cover with fertile soil and sow with lawn grass? The polyethylene from which it is made cannot be damaged by plant roots.

The technology of a soft blind area based on such a membrane is not complicated by special operations.

Training

The soil is chosen to the required depth, leveled, rammed. Filling is carried out with a layer of building sand with a slope from the walls, if the soil is very loose, sometimes compacted clay is used instead of sand.

Warming

Insulation plates are laid on top of the backfill to prevent freezing of the soil under the blind area. Since there will be a membrane and a finishing layer on top of the insulation, additional fixation is not required.

Waterproofing

The membrane is rolled out along, over the insulation, with a layer of geotextile upwards, with an overlap on the wall by 15 cm and going beyond the edge of the insulation so that it completely covers both the XPS and the sand cushion. To seal the coating, the segments of the membrane are overlapped - a layer of geotextile is separated from the spikes of the membrane and the pieces are fixed on four spikes (at least 10 cm), firmly inserting them into the grooves. It is desirable to glue all seams with a special double-sided tape. After that, the geotextile is returned to its place, and the joints are also glued with adhesive tape at least 50 mm wide. After laying, the membrane is fixed to the wall using special fasteners; some members of our portal use mastics.

Finishing layer

Gravel or soil substrate is poured over the membrane, a layer of sand is poured under the tile or natural stone. The border is used with gravel backfill or with tiles / stone.

Answers of experts to the questions of the portal participants

Soft blind areas are quite popular among our craftsmen, and various questions often arise during their construction. Who, if not experts, will give exhaustive answers.

Cosmos02 member FORUMHOUSE

For a soft blind area, I also bought a drainage pipe, but I didn’t lay it along the edge, to collect water from the membrane, as I thought at first. I thought this: when I have a tile, then from the pipe from the roof funnel, along the open tray (with a grate), the water will also go to the edge of the blind area into the tray. And from those trays to a certain point "A" to gather, from where into a ditch, also in an open way on top. That is, it turns out that all the water from the roof will 100% go away and not fall on the blind area. There remains water from the slanting rain that falls on the tile: some of it will flow down the tile into the tray on the edge of the blind area, it’s already good, and some will penetrate through the seams, crushed stone and sand onto the membrane and roll down 1.7 meters from the foundation. So maybe you should not be afraid of this water and not make a drainage pipe to collect it?

Alexey Tsybenko

All right. Drainage of water falling from the roof onto a soft blind area can be organized in several ways:

• "Open" surface removal of water, by means of the trays already mentioned, which can be made in the form of molded plastic and concrete products. Such a system for collecting and transporting water from the roof to the blind area minimizes its spread over the surface of the blind area, and this, in turn, preserves the durability of the coating.
• "Closed" lead without the use of special products presented above. The water that gets from the roof to the blind area is drained along the surface of the drainage membrane, the edge of which can be connected to the annular drainage of the site or to the wall drainage of the foundation, or simply connected to the adjacent territory of the site, where water is drained in the same way as from the surface of the classical concrete pavement.

The specialist notes that, due to the variety of options for surface drainage, including atmospheric water (oblique rain), it is possible to refuse the use of drainage pipes when constructing a blind area.

Mitroshka FORUMHOUSE member

I study the proposed options for soft blind area. Here, explain the following points to me: on the proposed schemes, the waterproofing layer is laid with a slope from the foundation and, at best, descends into the drainage ditch, and in most cases it simply ends, or even slightly rises upward with a trough. And all this at a depth of 30 cm. instead of diverting rainwater to the side, we drive it through sand and rubble into the ground until waterproofing and get a near-foundation ditch with water?

No, we don't.

Alexey Tsybenko

The considered option of a soft blind area using drainage membranes involves the formation of a slope from the walls of the building of at least 3 ° to organize the drainage of water entering the surface of the blind area. It is thanks to the formed slope of the earthen base that when laying the profiled membranes, the water falling on their surface flows down unhindered. The distance to which water is drained is equal to the width of the blind area, it is usually 800-1000 mm, but in any case, this distance covers the width of the filled sinuses of the pit. Thus, water is “discharged” to the area adjacent to the house (unless measures are taken to collect water from the roof to the surface of the blind area, such as a plastic sewer system or pairing of drainage membranes with ring or wall drainage). Therefore, by definition, there is nothing to say about any “near-foundation moat with water”. Therefore, as natural, the soil of the adjacent area does not apply to either the near-wall or the near-foundation space.

Mitroshka FORUMHOUSE member

In the case when the waterproofing goes into a drainage ditch filled with crushed stone in the spring, all this crushed stone is a monolithic ice block, and the drainage does not work, i.e. at the moment when the GWL is as high as possible, such a blind area, again, does not work?

It depends on what to expect from the blind area.

Alexey Tsybenko

A blind area, following the example of the outer walls of a building, is formed not to protect the foundation from groundwater, but to protect the foundation from atmospheric water (rain, snowmelt), therefore, it is pointless to lay foundation protection against groundwater on the blind area, regardless of their level of occurrence. In the case when the drainage membrane of the soft blind area is associated with the sprinkling of the annular or wall drainage, drainage from its surface is carried out, regardless of the time of year. A plastic drain in a drainage trench is located below the freezing level of the soil. For Moscow, for example, the freezing depth, depending on the soil, ranges from 120 cm for clay to 132 cm for sand. Water in a plastic drain located at this level not only does not freeze, but is also freely transported along the slope to the catchment area.

The device of the blind area around the building is done immediately, as soon as the work was completed to complete the finishing of the outer walls, but before the finishing of the basement was started. This is due to the fact that it is necessary to overlap the expansion joint between the track covering and the wall of the building so that water cannot get there due to the protruding surface of the base.

As for the screw, deep columnar or pile types of foundation, in this case there is not even a need to make a blind area, but it is done for the most part so that it serves as a footpath or as a decor for arranging the yard.

Design features of the protective coating

Such a coating must be created around the entire perimeter of the building, since it is necessary to protect the foundation from all its sides. As for the norms and requirements that apply to it, they are all described in SNiP 2.02.01-83, which says that regardless of whether the blind area around the house is done by hand or with the involvement of specialists, its width on normal soil is not should be less than 60 cm, and on soils that tend to sink - from 100 cm.

In any case, the width of the coating should not protrude from the cut of the roof by at least 20 cm. The maximum width is not established by the regulations.
The hard coating must be laid only on a dense base, which has a thickness of at least 150 mm. It is very important to pay attention to the fact that the slope of the blind area from the building should not be less than 0.03%, taking into account the excess of the lower edge above the planning mark of no more than 50 mm. As for storm water, they must be discharged into special trays or stormwater drains (storm sewers).

A good insulated blind area, which should fully fulfill all its functions, consists of 3 layers:

1. Waterproof (top).
2. Underlying (sand with crushed stone or gravel).
3. Warming (polystyrene foam).

Sometimes experts use another layer, which is used as geotextiles, the main task of which is to provide reliable waterproofing from groundwater. Groundwater can bring problems every spring, so the use of such a layer is quite relevant. Among other things, it will protect against the germination of weeds.

Materials for the top layer

Before you make a blind area around the house, you need to decide on the materials that will be best suited for these purposes. There are a large number of materials that differ in their capabilities.

• Among the most commonly used, economical and simple materials, clay is common. It is able to create a sufficient hydrobarrier. Most often it is used in rural areas, but with regard to modern buildings, the use of clay has long been abandoned, as more efficient technologies have replaced it.
• A more modern and common option is a blind area made of concrete pavement. Without investing a lot of money, such a blind area can be done very quickly, with your own hands. Concrete has a high service life and strength. Among other things, to improve its appearance, you can cover it with paving slabs or other coatings.
• The blind area can be finished with paving slabs, which are laid on a mortar or cement-sand mixture. Often it is used to create a single decorative style of the courtyard. The tile is quite durable and will not cause any problems when laying.
• You can also use paving stones, which are also suitable for these purposes, if you lay it on a sand cushion, after tamping it. It has a pleasing appearance to the eye, but it stands several times higher than paving slabs and has some difficulties during installation. When using this material, it is imperative to seal the seams in order to completely seal the top layer.
• In order to enjoy the blind area for many years and not think about repairs, it is recommended to use natural stone. But it is worth noting that such material can only be available to fairly wealthy people.
• As for asphalt, it is very rarely used due to the fact that it emits an unpleasant smell in the summer heat and does not have a high level of strength if it is made by hand. And buying from the factory will cost much more than a concrete blind area around the house.

Along the entire perimeter of the blind area, it is necessary to lay trays for draining water. Such trays are made of asbestos cement or ceramics. Last but not least is a well-made gutter. For some works, it is recommended to invite specialists if there is not enough theoretical or practical knowledge.

How to DIY

To start work on the creation of a concrete version of the protective coating, it is initially necessary to prepare a certain list of materials and tools, which includes:

geotextiles, which in principle can be replaced with clay;

• Portland cement 500 or Portland cement 400;
• reinforcing mesh with a cell diameter of 10 by 10 cm;
• washed or river sand;
• processed board or bitumen to process it;
• crushed stone fraction no more than 4 cm or gravel;
• polystyrene boards.

Once all the material has been prepared, you need to take care of the necessary tool for the job:

• a hammer;
• concrete mixer;
• hacksaw;
• rammer or, if possible, a vibrating plate;
• mason's trowel;
• shovels: shovel and bayonet;
• rule for plaster;
• capacity for concrete;
• level.

To properly make a blind area with your own hands, step-by-step instructions will help you avoid mistakes and unnecessary costs. The whole process begins with the fact that you need to carefully markup. Marking should be done around the entire perimeter of the building. As soon as this stage is over, you can remove 30 cm of soil and tamp the bottom.

The next step is to spread geotextiles on the rammed bottom or, if clay is used, then it must be tightly tamped to about 6 cm thick. On top of this, a mound of sand 5 cm thick should be made, and this layer must also be tightly tamped. Sand plays the role of a protective layer so that crushed stone does not damage the waterproofing layer.

Now is the time to put together formwork from the boards along the edge of the trench. Some use sheet material for these purposes in the absence of boards. When preparing the formwork, it is imperative to make its height 5 cm higher than the expected level. Now is the time to start backfilling a layer of crushed stone with gravel, which must be compacted to a thickness of 8 cm and sprinkled with sand on top. A lot of sand is not required, it is necessary so that during the pouring of the concrete mixture it does not penetrate into the voids between the rubble.

Before making a blind area, it is necessary to provide for expansion joints 1-2 cm wide. This is necessary because in hot weather the concrete layer can expand, and at very low temperatures it can break. This seam will prevent such a situation. Such a seam is made using a waterproofing material 1-2 cm thick or roofing material.

Among other things, approximately every 100-200 cm at all corners of the house across the blind area, it is necessary to make pieces of boards up to 3 cm thick and install them. This is necessary to compensate for possible expansions.

Naturally, before installing such cross rails, they must be carefully treated with a bitumen composition so that they do not rot. It is necessary to install such rails so that their upper edge is flush with the concrete poured in the future.

concrete layer

To maximize the strength of concrete, it must be additionally reinforced with a metal mesh. The most optimal cell size will be 100 × 100 mm. Some craftsmen use wire with a diameter of up to 8 mm for these purposes. In fact, it can also be used, but only in this case it is necessary to bind all the individual elements together.

Once all the preparatory work has been completed, you can begin to prepare the concrete mixture and proceed with its pouring. You can purchase ready-made concrete of the M200-250 grade, but you should understand that this will significantly increase the overall estimate.

Before pouring the blind area around the house with your own hands, you can prepare concrete in the ratio:

• gravel - 4 parts;
• sand - 2.5 parts;
• cement - 1 part.

Water is best added to the concrete mixer as a last resort in small portions and kneaded until a homogeneous mass of medium density.

Filling the blind area is as follows. The process must be approached as responsibly as possible. The mixture is laid on top of the reinforcing mesh so that the slope of the blind area to the building is at least 3%, and the mesh should be slightly above ground level. Thus, we obtain a formula in which an increase in the level of 3 cm should be for every meter of width.

To remove air bubbles from the concrete solution, it is necessary to use the so-called bayonet. In order to level the surface as much as possible, it is necessary with the help of a construction trowel and a plastering rule to carefully compare the surface with a constant control of the slope angle, using a level.

To make the surface even more durable, you can use a special ironing technology. To do this, it is necessary to sprinkle an even layer of dry cement through a sieve onto the surface of the wet mortar, which has not yet had time to set. If you do this without a sieve, then you have to use a spatula and rub it gently.

If the blind area is done in dry and hot weather, then the following steps must be performed. So that the concrete does not dry out, namely, it seizes, it is necessary to cover it with a wet cloth and water it with water after certain periods. The first 3-4 days you can not stand on it. Only after this time will his top grab, and it will be possible to step on the blind area without fear of damage.

paving slabs

Before you properly make a blind area around the house from paving slabs, you must first make another base for it. This is due to the fact that tiles do not have the same level of strength as concrete.

The base must be very solid. The first layer of clay must be increased, after which a mixture of sand and cement will be laid, on top of which the tiles are laid.

It should be noted right away that in the case of paving slabs, the trench should have a depth of 45 cm. Only in this case it will be possible to obtain a high level of stability. As a bottom layer, clay must be compacted so that its thickness reaches 30 cm. This will provide normal protection in the spring in case of a rise in the groundwater level. On top of this layer, a border is installed along the edge of the trench, which should not be higher than the level of laying tiles along the edge of the blind area.

Gravel or crushed stone is used as the second layer, which also needs to be well compacted to a level of 10-15 cm thick. This layer should be level with the ground. It is necessary to lay geotextile on top of it so that not a single plant can grow through it. Now you can start pouring a mixture of sand and cement, and then start laying the tile itself.

It is very important to follow the technology exactly.

paving stones

What is pavement pavement? This is one of the best materials for these purposes. It looks great and is thicker than the previous material and better resistant to external influences. It is noteworthy that due to its properties, paving stones can be laid directly on the sand. The trench can have a depth of 15 cm. It is enough just to lay the geotextile, then put a curb and compact the sand so that it does not reach the end of the trench a little. Now it is enough just to lay the material.

Attention! Despite the ease of installation and good appearance, it is necessary to remember the high cost of paving stones.

After laying, it is necessary to seal the masonry with cement mortar, which must be laid in the seams between the stones. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that the curb is not located above the upper level of the coating.

soft option

To learn how to properly make a soft blind area around the house, you first need to understand the term itself. This means crushed stone, pebbles, cobblestones, gravel and other materials, under which there is a layer of sand (sometimes clay is used), which are covered with plastic wrap.

Among all the existing modern options, this is the most economical type of coating, but it should also take into account the short operational period, which does not exceed 5 years. As soon as this period has passed, it will be necessary to repeat the procedure for laying a soft or any other blind area again.

It is worth paying attention to the slope of clay and polyethylene. This moment is important due to the fact that water is not drained by the top coating, but directly by the waterproofing layer.

Warming scheme

It is very important to learn how to properly make a blind area around the house, to think about its insulation. This is especially true for regions with traditionally low temperatures and for almost the entire territory of Russia in winter. Thanks to the insulation, it will be possible not only to keep the foundation intact, but also to keep the heat in the house.

For insulation, it is necessary to take high-quality material that does not rot, has a sufficient level of density, hydrophobic and durable. Under these parameters, polystyrene foam or polystyrene is best suited.

Insulation work must be carried out in 3 steps, which must be done in the course of creating a blind area:

• On clay or a thin sand cushion, it is necessary to lay a waterproofing or roofing material in such a way that part of the roll extends to the side walls.
• The second step is to insulate the basement wall. To do this, it is necessary to fix thermal insulation on it. When fixing the sheets, it is necessary to connect them as tightly as possible with grooves, and when this is not possible, then it is necessary to seal them using mounting foam.
• As for the horizontal layer, it must be laid directly on the lowest layer. To save money in this case without losing quality, you can use a layer of foam, and fix polystyrene foam on top of it. When laying, it is necessary to control that the seams between the layers do not coincide vertically.

On the Internet, you can find tips that with this type of insulation, you can use expanded clay instead of crushed stone, but this can even do more harm. The problem is that empty cavities remain in bulk expanded clay, where moisture will begin to appear over time, which will negatively affect the thermal insulation properties.

Operation and repair of the blind area

Now you know why you need a blind area around the house, why it is very important to properly care for and, if necessary, repair it. Over time, chips or cracks may appear on the surface of the concrete. Often this situation occurs due to subsidence of the soil, with the wrong selection of expansion joints or the use of poor quality materials.

To repair such cracks, it is necessary to use sand, asbestos and bituminous primer, which are mixed into a homogeneous mixture, but before that it is necessary to slightly enlarge the crack and clean it of dust using water pressure. After it dries, it is necessary to pour the mixture inside.

If the damage is too large, then it is necessary to increase them even more to the extent that they can be filled with a new portion of concrete. If necessary, damage can even be additionally reinforced with a rod or wire. After the place dries, it must be treated with a primer.

The blind area is a continuous concrete coating that is located around the perimeter of the building. The do-it-yourself device is carried out at the final stage of building a house, when the building has already been erected. If it is supposed to finish the basement with any decorative coating, the blind area is equipped only after the completion of the finish.

Why is a blind area needed?

For the manufacture of structures are often used: asphalt, tiles or paving stones, as well as other decorative coatings, but the most common and cheapest option is concrete. Cement serves for a long time without the need to repair the coating, it has high technical and operational characteristics.

In the absence of construction experience, you might think that the blind area has an exclusively decorative role, but it is intended for a number of practical tasks.

To prevent all negative phenomena and consequences, a blind area is used

Blind area functions:

• decorative. Improves the appearance and overall attractiveness of the structure, creating a complete design;
• protective. With the correct formation of the structure, it creates high-quality protection against water ingress to the foundation. It is a protective element that does not allow moisture to come into contact with the supporting base of the house. It is important to equip the element at an angle so that water and thawed snow enter the sewer system;
• heat-insulating. The purpose of the design is little known, but important, as a significant amount of heat escapes through the base. The blind area restrains heat loss and prevents soil freezing. Temperature containment prevents the appearance of additional loads on the base;
• earth swelling protection. Thanks to concrete, it is possible to reduce the depth of soil freezing, respectively, swelling will decrease significantly. Soil shifts do not appear under the foundation, which reduces the risk of deformation.

Paving around the house

Do-it-yourself foundation blind area is laid in two key layers:

There are also intermediate stages that are important in the process of building a blind area with your own hands:

• clay leveling layer;
• double sanding: after the clay layer and before laying the tiles;
• laying rubble to prevent shrinkage.

A more economical option has differences - the device is 1 layer of sand and a surface screed.

In order to achieve the best result and fulfill the tasks set, the blind area of ​​​​the foundation with your own hands must be carried out in strict adherence to the rules:

• the width of the structure must exceed the length of the protruding part of the roof overhang. If sandy soil prevails on the site, it is recommended to increase the width by 30 cm more than the eaves, in total the value should exceed 60 cm. Most often, the width is up to 80 cm, but when arranging on heaving soils, it is recommended to arrange a blind area up to 100 cm;

It must be hermetically sealed to the outer part of the foundation.

• slope is bound to form. The arrangement of the blind area with a slope begins with the first or second layer. The direction of the slope is always away from the building. Which slope of the blind area to choose in a particular case depends on the type of coating. If it is planned to pour concrete, a slope of 3-10 ° is sufficient, for paving stones - 5-15 °. Regardless of the material, the slope must be at least 1.5°;
• the design must necessarily be solid and located around the entire perimeter. It is highly undesirable to make gaps, they reduce the quality of the final product;
• it is forbidden to build a house connected with a blind area with a reinforcing cage. Both systems have different degrees of draft. To compensate for the movement of the house, a seam of 1-1.2 cm should be left. It is better to cover the gap with sealant, bitumen and fill it with geotextiles. The easiest option is to fill it with sand.

When is a blind area needed?

A do-it-yourself blind area around the house with any type of construction will help to achieve the listed functions, but the durability of all coatings differs significantly. The most durable and reliable is a monolithic product, but it requires financial, time and physical costs. Similar problems are typical for asphalt.

A relatively simple option is a cement-filled base, it is easy to perform and affordable. An important advantage is reduced to effective thermal insulation. Existing disadvantages: it is used exclusively for stable soils, monolithic options have low decorative performance.

The blind area also has architectural, aesthetic functions in the perception of the house as a whole.

The blind area with soft gravel and similar coatings is easy to perform, but frequent repairs are required. The term of operation does not exceed 7 years. Based on the fragility of the coating, it is laid as a temporary material. The best solution is to use semi-rigid structures, one of the most popular materials is tile.

Laying paving slabs on a concrete base includes several basic rules:

• a high bend of the waterproofing is performed, preferably to the level of rubble. This will help prevent sand spraying;
• pillow thickness - 30 cm, for clay soils - 20 cm;
• installation of gutters for water drainage;
• the crushed stone layer is laid 3 times thicker than the sand layer;
• the second layer of sand increases by 2 times in comparison with the first sand layer;
• the slope level should be maintained at about 4 cm.

Varieties of blind areas and their purpose

You can make a blind area at home with your own hands from various materials, but all of them are conditionally divided into 3 groups:

• hard. It includes monolithic concrete structures, as well as other coatings with a bulk manufacturing method: asphalt, cement mortar. The monolithic version serves for a long time, sometimes up to 150 years, but is relatively expensive. Warming of the foundation and blind areas is carried out exclusively when using hard types of blind areas;

More reliable and durable blind area with waterproofing in various designs

• semi-rigid. The litter is a pillow with a multi-layer laying of loose substances, and paving stones or tiles are laid on top. Less common are natural stones, porcelain stoneware, reinforced concrete slabs, etc. Bulk options are simple to use, lower costs, but are not used for heaving soils;
• soft. It is based on a multilayer pillow, which is covered with a layer of rubble on top. It belongs to the cheapest and most time-consuming option for manufacturing a blind area, but the coating lasts only 5-7 years. A significant advantage is the ability to operate in any region, regardless of climate and soil type.

It is optimal to use semi-rigid options, because their replacement is required every 20-30 years and they are unpretentious to installation conditions. They are easy to repair and do not require significant expenses for arrangement. Among all varieties, semi-rigid blind areas have the best appearance.

Determination of blind area parameters

For the final selection of the type of construction and its characteristics, the technical parameters of the product should be taken into account:

• width. 20 cm more from the end of the roof slope, more often counted from the drain;
• depth level. The main influence is exerted by the depth of soil freezing in winter. It is recommended to lay the pillow below the freezing level. The minimum depth is 10 cm, but in the presence of loads, the layer is increased to 15-20 cm;
• incline. The degree of slope depends on the amount of precipitation in the region and the ease of use of the track. It is optimal to arrange a slope of 2-3 °;
• height. To prevent flooding of the house, it is better to make a blind area 5 cm higher from the soil. It is better to equip the edges with borders to protect against mechanical damage and the negative influence of the rhizome.

The blind area around the house is a simple, but much prolonging the life of the building, its structural element

Preparatory work

For the formation of the blind area with your own hand, it is important to prepare well:

1. Conduct markup.
2. Complete earthworks.
3. The use of loose mixtures that are laid as bedding.

We carry out the marking of the territory for the installation of a blind area

Wooden and metal pegs are marked on the site. 1 m is measured from the basement and rods are driven in at the corners of the structure to a depth of 50 cm. A rope is pulled between the bars.

If you plan to build a large building, it is recommended to install intermediate pegs at a distance of 2.5-3 m.

Earthwork stage

Land removal is carried out manually, ordering an excavator is economically unprofitable and pointless. According to the drawn up markings, a trench breaks out to a previously selected depth. Layers are removed evenly, now it is not necessary to make a slope.

The blind area in the general sense is a cornice attached to the wall, covering the horizontal angle between it and the ground or floor

The foundation of the building and the blind area have different expansion coefficients and shrinkage rates, in order to prevent the destruction of structures, a gap of about 1 cm is left between them. After digging the required depth, a damping layer is laid using polyurethane tape. To prevent the earth from shrinking, the bottom should be tamped with a manual or specialized tool. The device can be made by hand from a rod and a flat thick sheet at the end. To reduce time, a log will come in handy.

Laying a pillow under the blind area

At the bottom of the dug trench, waterproofing is necessarily laid, which is covered with a layer of sand (100-200 mm). The thickness of the layer directly depends on the type of blind area and the depth of its occurrence. Sand is important to level and compact. To simplify the work, you can fill the area with water, then the sand is easier to compact, but then you have to wait for the material to dry before further work.

For areas with a high level of water occurrence, it is recommended to install a drainage system - this is a tube with numerous holes on top, which is laid around the perimeter of the entire building. It is connected to the sewer, better storm water.

A layer of gravel of fraction 2-5 is poured on top of the sand, and crushed stone with a similar grain size is poured on top. A crushed stone pillow will help reduce the consumption of concrete in the arrangement of the outer layer. Crushed stone can be replaced with other types of stone, including broken bricks, the main thing here is that the material is homogeneous.

The blind area of ​​​​the foundation is a low, but wide basement cornice with a slope lying on the ground

How to make a blind area around the house?

The type of installation is somewhat different depending on the type of blind area and the material used. The soft structure does not need auxiliary work, and for the arrangement of a rigid blind area, 2 waterproofing films will have to be laid.

Installation of a rigid blind area

The installation of hydro- and thermal insulation should precede the pouring of the concrete mixture. Insulation helps to increase the life of the structure. When choosing a material, it is worth considering resistance to moisture and high strength to mechanical damage. The most commonly used foam and polystyrene boards.

The formwork is mounted before laying the insulating films. For the formation of formwork, wooden panels covered with waterproofing from the inside are suitable. The tree will be protected from moisture that enters the pit along with concrete. Otherwise, the wood will absorb some of the water and dehydrate the cement. Lack of moisture in concrete will lead to cracks and rapid wear.

Installation is carried out as follows:

If the procedure is carried out in cold areas, it is better to lay 2 layers of insulating material with a bandaging of the layers. The technique prevents the appearance of cold bridges.

Before pouring the formwork, a frame should be made or a reinforcing mesh should be used. The metal base is made of a rod with a cross section of 8-10 mm and cells of 10-15 cm. To protect the metal from corrosion, all reinforcement must be in the concrete layer. The frame is installed on plastic supports, then it will be in the depth of the solution.

Concrete with the brand M400-M500 is laid. One-time pouring of the entire perimeter will help ensure the strength of the structure. Before mixing the solution, care should be taken to ensure that the concrete flows quickly. It is also convenient to use special machines with a ready-made solution.

At the pouring stage, it is important to take care of creating a uniform layer, the entire composition should be gently smoothed out. At home, a shovel or mop will help smooth concrete. After laying, the mixture is pierced, this helps to remove air. When the layer can be driven out, the surface is leveled. The edges of the formwork act as guides.

At the end of the work, it is recommended to sprinkle the surface with a small layer of cement, it will increase the quality of the solidification of the material. Additionally, the blind area is covered with polyethylene. Once every 2 days, concrete should be moistened with water. Full solidification occurs after about 28 days.

The blind area should frame the house with a continuous tape: any gap will pull harmful factors to itself, which will entail an increased weakening of the foundation

Installation of a soft blind area

For the device of a soft type of construction, a layer of waterproofing is initially laid, which is lined on top of a sand cushion. One of the best insulation options is Rubemast, it is wear-resistant. Installation is carried out with an overlap of 15 cm, it is important to ensure that the film enters the walls. All joints are smeared with bituminous mastic, tightness ensures that the joints are heated with a burner.

A mixture of crushed stone and sand (about 10 cm) is poured on top of the insulating material. On top of loose layers, leveling and tamping are required. Throughout the entire process of arrangement, a slight slope of the surface should be maintained. The top layer is crushed stone with a fraction of up to 5 cm, it is additionally compacted.

Do-it-yourself semi-rigid blind area: step by step instructions

It is possible to manually create a semi-rigid structure even in the absence of rich experience. It is installed most often on a pillow of sand with crushed stone, followed by a layer of sand (8-10 cm). Before starting work with paving slabs, you should understand the layout of the elements and decide on the direction of laying. Any type of layout can be selected, the result will not worsen. The main rule is to create as small butt joints as possible in thickness.

Laying technology:

How to repair the blind area?

If a person did not know how to properly lay tiles or pour concrete, as well as in case of ignoring the recommendations, the blind area will turn out to be defective. They may appear immediately or over time, but in each case, repairs will have to be carried out.

Recovery work directly depends on the type and complexity of the defect:

• cracks up to 1 mm can not be repaired at all, damage does not lead to critical changes, operational parameters remain at the same level;
• cracks up to 3 mm can be easily eliminated with a cement mortar, the proportion with water is 1 to 1. The solution creates a high-strength layer for the full protection of the foundation. Before pouring concrete, the crack should be cleaned of dirt and dust, and treated with a primer. Alternative options - applying a sealant or putty;
• Holes larger than 3 cm are not always repairable. It is better to initially determine the maintainability and strength of the blind area. In case of significant damage, it is worth removing the top layer of concrete and re-compacting the pillow. Then the screed is re-formed;
• cement crumbling is removed with a water-cement composition.

In general, taking into account modern construction achievements, semi-rigid blind areas should be preferred.

• before that, it is important to carry out the stage of drawing up a drawing, calculating the load and preparing the site. The stage of pouring concrete from a technological point of view is not difficult if you complete the preparation;
• if the region has a high occurrence of groundwater or a weak bearing capacity of the soil, this is one of the best solutions;
• with a limited area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe free plot, you can arrange a workshop or garage in the basement. Previously considered to save space and improve building performance;
• when building premises with a low load, it is effective to use block construction. much easier than brick, and in addition it will be warmer and lighter. An even lighter material with lower thermal conductivity is a foam block, but before you build a bath from foam blocks, you should take care of insulation;
• light and dimensional blocks will help to quickly build housing, you can build a house from aerated concrete with your own hands in a short time, and at the operation stage, the owner's payments for heat carriers are significantly reduced.

Conclusion

The blind area can be done with your own hands, but, despite the simplicity of the design, you should take it responsibly. Properly made rigid coating can serve up to 150 years, and semi-rigid construction - up to 30 years, and if the rules are not followed, the wear rate increases significantly.

In order to prevent the erosion of the soil around the house by rain and melt water, as well as to divert precipitation from the foundation, a blind area is made around the house. These works must be carried out before the final finishing of the basement. More specifically, decide for yourself. But it is undesirable to delay: leaving a house or a bath without a blind area for the winter, you can have several cracks in the foundation in the spring.

The blind area around the house is a simple structure. However, it greatly extends the life of buildings. Water during the autumn bad weather seeps to the foundation. In frosts, it freezes, increasing in volume, which creates excess pressure. As a result of this load, cracks appear in the foundation, into which water also penetrates. Freezing, it makes them even wider. For some time without a blind area - and the base requires serious expensive repairs. Sometimes the damage is so severe that it cannot be repaired.

But these are not all the functions that a protective coating around the house can perform. In some cases, it is used as a track. Sometimes, by laying insulation and a layer of waterproofing under the blind area, it is possible to improve the performance of the building and correct some of the shortcomings made during construction in heat and. In addition, from the point of view of decor, it serves as a logical conclusion in the design of the house.

What is the blind area made of

The cheapest option is from concrete mortar. But it takes more time to build such a design. Especially on heaving soils: a special cushion and reinforcement is required. All the time until the solution gains strength, you can’t walk on it, and this is at least four to five days.

Other types of protective belt covering around the house are paving slabs, paving stones, bricks, natural stone, porcelain stoneware, etc. There are a lot of options today. The main thing is that they have the following properties:

• did not pass water;
• did not crack when freezing / freezing;
• had high resistance to abrasion;
• have aesthetic appeal;
• had a long service life.

There is another material for the blind area, but it is rarely used in private housing construction - asphalt is laid around the house. As for the attractiveness (as in the case of concrete), the question is moot, and the rest of the characteristics are simply excellent.

But protective coating is not everything. More materials will be needed. What exactly - depends on the option you choose to implement. We can say for sure that sand and gravel will be required. You may need waterproofing and slab insulation.

Dimensions

Since the main task of the blind area is to drain melt and rainwater, its width should be at least 20 cm more than the roof overhang. But experts do not recommend doing it less than 60 cm - moisture can seep to the foundation.

The width of the protective belt also depends on the type of soil. If these are normal soils that drain water well, then 60 cm is enough. If the house stands on loam, other heaving or unstable soils, the width should be up to 1 meter.

The main parameters of the blind area for the normal drainage of water from the foundation

But the blind area should also deepen. Its depth depends on the type of soil, on the functions that it will perform and on the thickness of the top finishing layer.

If the house stands on normal, non-fluffy soils (not clay or clay-containing soils), and they won’t walk on the surface, it’s enough to make a bed of sand 10 cm thick. Tiles, stone, etc. can be laid on top. This means that the depth of the trench will be about 10-20 cm - it already depends on the thickness of the finishing material. Only for the coating, which is made up of fragments, a border is needed. So you dig in edge stones around the perimeter, strengthen them, only then pour sand on the bottom of the trench.

If the formwork is to be used as a walkway, a heavier weight-distributing underlay is needed. At the bottom of the ditch, first, crushed stone of a medium-sized fraction of about 15-20 cm is laid, and sand is already on it, and only then a finishing coating.

What else is required is compliance with slopes: the decline comes from home. So moisture will drain into the drainage system or the soil located around. The amount of slope depends on the type of protective coating used. For concrete and asphalt, the slope is 3-5% (for 1 meter, the height difference is 3-5 cm). When laying stone, tiles, porcelain stoneware, the slope is 5-10%.

Work order

After the dimensions are chosen, they proceed to the actual device of the blind area. In the general case, this occurs in several successive stages.

Marking and soil removal

The selected width is set aside along the perimeter of the building. Here it must be said that in those places where they will walk, it can be made wider.

Mark out, usually by driving in pegs. Stretching a twine or cord between the pegs, outline the scope of work. Throughout this area, it will be necessary to remove the sod and part of the soil. At the same time, the roots of the plants are removed. Often treated with chemicals that prevent plant germination. If this is not done, germinating, they will destroy the coating.

Expansion joint device

It is very important to remember when performing that the blind area and the foundation should not be connected. To do this, it is necessary to leave an expansion joint around the perimeter of the foundation, about 2 cm wide. In practice, these are either foam plastic strips 2 cm thick, or a folded roofing material in two layers attached to the foundation.

An expansion joint is necessary so that when the soil moves under the blind area, it does not press on the foundation. If this is not done, instead of preventing destruction, it will create pressure, which will sooner or later lead to cracks in the walls.

Backfill and finish coat

If you follow the "folk" technology, a layer of clay is poured onto the bottom of the trench. It will prevent moisture seepage. It is rammed, already at this stage creating a slope from the foundation. This backfill is suitable for any type of soil. Let it be hard and long rammed, but it will not conduct water. If you use sand for the blind area of ​​a house standing on clay soils, most of the water will be just under the foundation.

Things will go faster if you use a tamping machine. If there is none, they take a log of medium diameter, saw off 80-90 cm. The height should be such that you do not have to bend over - your hands should be free to reach the top edge. On the one hand, they fill the cross member - the handle. This deck is rammed, raising and lowering it.

Then a layer of sand is poured. It is spilled with water and also carefully compacted. With normal soils and if they will not walk along the blind area, paving slabs or paving stones can be laid. When using concrete as a protective coating, it will also be necessary to pour and compact a layer of crushed stone, arrange formwork and expansion joints, expand the reinforcing belt and only then pour the solution. So the production of a concrete track takes a lot of time.

Blind area insulation

If a blind area is made around a house with a basement or basement, it is necessary to make it both heat and waterproof at the same time. Insulation is necessary for any slab foundation - it will prevent the soil from freezing under the slab.

Some experts argue that in central Russia and in the north, insulation is necessary in any houses with seasonal residence. The fact is that in a heated house, the heating itself prevents the foundation from freezing. And if the blind area is insulated, then only for the purpose of saving fuel. In a house with seasonal residence, additional measures must be taken to extend the life of the building. And that's why. Any material can endure a certain number of freeze and thaw cycles. After that it starts to collapse. In the absence of insulation in one season, the foundation will freeze and freeze as many times as the weather changes - in autumn and spring, the weather often alternates between warm and cold weather. What this state of affairs will lead to is clear: after some short time, destruction will begin.

For thermal insulation, a heat-insulating layer is attached to the base to the entire depth of the ditch (or better, the foundation). It is also laid on the bedding under the protective coating. To insulate the blind area around the house, the following materials are used:

• expanded polystyrene;
• foamed polyurethane;
• Styrofoam.

Insulation with extruded polystyrene foam

This material is one of the best for insulating foundations. At the same time, it retains heat and does not let moisture through: its hygroscopicity is close to zero. Its disadvantage is that it melts easily. But for the insulation of the foundation and formwork, this disadvantage is insignificant.

It is advisable to spread a plastic film on horizontally laid out plates - it will protect the joints of the plates from water leakage.

Formwork with polystyrene is done in this way:

1. Compacted coarse-grained sand with a layer of 15 cm.
2. Ruberoid. At the same time, it must be brought to the walls by 15 cm.
3. Polystyrene plates, joints are glued with sealant. The layer thickness is 10 cm. It can be either one slab, or two 5 cm each. If there are two slabs, they need to be glued with overlapping seams - this will be more reliable protection against moisture penetration.
4. Polyethylene film 200 microns.
5. Sand layer. It is carefully rammed, trying not to push through the plates.
6. Protective material.

Any film can be used as a protective material. But a reinforcing mesh (metal with a cell of 10 * 10 cm) is additionally placed under the concrete, and only then the solution is poured under the slope.

Foamed polyurethane

It is sprayed from special devices. It does not rot, practically does not absorb water, the operating temperature range is from -60 o C to +150 o C. It is applied quickly - all work can take three to four hours, but the use of a special apparatus entails payment for services. They are not cheap - one of the components of the composition is toxic. So for all its attractiveness, this method is used infrequently.

Foam insulation

This is the cheapest of the heaters. It has good heat-insulating properties, does not let water through, and also has good sound-proofing properties. Its only drawback is its low mechanical strength. When using it, an additional reinforcing belt is required. The sequence of actions is the same as when insulating with polystyrene, only two differences:

• pour sand on top of the insulation in a thicker layer, ram it only by patting it with a shovel, while walking on the foam is impossible;
• under a tile or paving stone, a reinforcing belt is also needed, which is covered with a second layer of sand from above.

Despite the low price, polystyrene is not the best choice: it is too afraid of loads. If the path will be walked, it should not be used. To reduce the cost of insulation, you can use it for sticking to the foundation, and buy polystyrene foam on the formwork itself. This will be the best option.

Waterproofing

Waterproofing is necessary for heaving soils and the absence of insulation of the foundation and blind area. In this case, the less water there is under the building, the less likely it is that heaving forces will harm your building.

The sequence of layers for waterproofing is as follows:

• A layer of waterproofing - an ordinary dense polyethylene film 200-300 microns thick - clay is laid. It does not need to be pulled - there must be some freedom of movement so that it does not tear during seasonal shifts of the soil. The height of entry to the foundation is 15-20 cm. It is nailed to the foundation with a clamping bar (if wooden, then it must be treated with hot drying oil so that it does not rot). But this is done later, after laying a layer of sand and geotextiles. So for now, fix the film on the wall, for example, with a few nails.
• 10-15 cm of sand are poured onto the film. He is rammed. Geotextiles are laid on top. For a blind area, it is a godsend - it allows moisture to pass through, redistributes the load, does not tear, does not allow different layers to mix, is not damaged by insects and rodents, and does not allow plants to germinate. And all this is some kind of woven or non-woven membrane (they come in different types). Lay the geotextile so that it overlaps the film laid below, and attach both layers with a plank to the foundation. On the other hand, it must cover the entire remaining height of the dug trench.
• Then there are two options:
  1. To save money, you can fill the remaining cake with crushed stone, and lay a reinforcing layer on it - a metal mesh made of steel bar with a step of 10 * 10 cm. Concrete can be poured from above.
  2. When using paving stones or tiles, the cake will be more difficult. On the compacted rubble, it will be necessary to lay another layer of geotextile. On it - lay another layer of sand, and already lay protective and finishing tiles on the sand.

Two options for the blind area - from concrete and tiles, rubble stone, etc.

This design wicks away water very well.

Soft hidden blind area

Modern waterproofing materials allow you not to make a protective coating around the house. They effectively retain and divert water, while the cost of such a cake is much less. In this case, they speak of a hidden blind area. And all because immediately from the foundation you can sow grass or arrange a flower garden, and all the water-removing layers are located in the thickness of the rock.

For the device of a soft blind area, profiled membranes are used. They have a non-linear structure - low height protrusions and depressions.

Do-it-yourself soft blind area around the house is easy to implement. The only thing that can cause some difficulties is a rather large amount of earthwork. The width of the ditch is desirable from 1.2 m to 1.5 m. But the depth can be small - about 25-30 cm.

The procedure for installing a hidden soft blind area is as follows:

• First, they remove the soil, immediately form a slope of 3-5% from the house.
• They are treated with chemicals from plants.
• The profiled membrane is rolled out over the entire width of the blind area, one edge is led a little onto the wall and fixed, the second is simply left free.
• A layer of geotextile is rolled out from above. It is laid in the same way - one edge is fixed on the wall. Both layers of waterproofing materials can be fastened together with one clamping bar.
• Pebbles or a large fraction of screenings are poured onto geotextiles and rammed.
• The next layer is medium and fine screening, and on top is sand. Each layer is rammed separately.
• Fertile soil is poured from above and plants are planted.

Despite the apparent unreliability, this design removes water even better than those made using traditional technologies. And the work, as you can see, is not complicated and expensive. If necessary, you can lay tiles or paving stones on a layer of sand. Then the look will be more traditional.

There is one caveat: if the soil on the site is clay (namely clay) or your house is on a slope, it will be necessary to supplement the structure with a drainage pipe. It is laid at a distance of 1.2-1.5 m from the wall of the house, at the level where the bevel of the geotextile ends (you can lower it a little lower). But at the same time, the membrane and geotextiles should cover it from below and from the outer side so that the collected moisture flows through the perforation into the pipe, and then is discharged through it into the sewer or drainage system.

Features of concreting

When constructing a concrete blind area around the house with your own hands, it is necessary to take into account some of the subtleties of the technology.

Firstly, the composition of the solution must be frost-resistant. Why is clear. You can buy ready-made mixes, but it's not cheap. You can use additives that increase the frost resistance of concrete. In the simplest case, add more cement. Make a solution based on: one part of cement, three parts of sand and gravel.

Secondly, to avoid the appearance of cracks, it is necessary to make expansion joints. For this, boards with a thickness of 25 mm are usually used. They are treated from rotting with hot drying oil or. Then they put it on edge, setting the required slope, approximately every 2-3 meters. Secure with metal pins or wooden pegs. When pouring the solution, they can be used as beacons. In the future, the slats will ensure the mobility of the formwork during seasonal soil movements.

And thirdly, to give the surface greater strength and a more aesthetic appearance, it is sprinkled with dry cement, which is rubbed with a trowel. Do this after the filling is completed. This process is called concrete ironing. The surface after that becomes strong, smooth, with a slight sheen.

Results

Making a blind area around the house with your own hands is not the easiest, but far from the most difficult task. There are many solutions that will improve the performance of the building and extend its life.