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People who are far from the problems of construction often consider the blind area to be a convenient path around the house. My friend knows that nothing is done just like that. He is finishing construction country house and he is interested in the blind area with his own hands, step-by-step instruction how to do it right. The question: why is this necessary, he asks me all the time.

Blind area of ​​the house

A blind area around the building, made with your own hands, protects the foundation

Vadik and I finished finishing the basement of his house. Until the coming rainy autumn you need to do the rest of the exterior work yourself. The first question he asked: what is a blind area and what are its functions?

Marking the width of the future trench around the house, I explained step-by-step instructions and the purpose of the blind area:

• the blind area protects the foundation from moisture and destruction;
• she serves additional insulation perimeter buildings;
• it is diverted from the base along it rainwater and the melting snow flows down;
• since it is necessary, architects use it as an element of exterior design.

The blind area protects the foundation from moisture and destruction

Restoration of an old building begins with finishing the foundation and blind area. Without this, it is impossible to get rid of dampness not only in the basement, but also on the first floor. Insulating the top layer of soil around the perimeter reduces freezing of the soil near the foundation. A high-quality path around the house saves energy on heating, keeping the building warm. The work is not difficult and you can do it yourself.

Step-by-step instructions for creating a blind area with your own hands as an element of outdoor design

Blind area around the house

Designers use the blind area as an element of the composition. It emphasizes the line of the house, separating it from the lawns and yard. Constructed from the same material as the plinth finish, the walkway visually makes the building taller. The facade becomes complete. The structure seems more massive. There are step-by-step instructions on how to do everything yourself without paying for the work of specialists.
To create a unified ensemble of the house and the surrounding landscape, the same covering of paths around the yard and blind areas are used. Material and color are selected according to architectural style building. The tiles can be massive, natural, artificial stone. For wooden buildings choose a coating close to sand and natural tones. Avant-garde is emphasized by bright colors and non-standard forms. Strict glossy finishes and sharp corners suit techno.

Dimensions and slope of the path around the house, do it yourself

Vadik and I walked around the house, marking the roof line on the ground. The roof has a complex configuration and varying degrees of slope and overhang. We chose the largest size and added 20 centimeters. We marked the width of the future blind area, which we will make with our own hands. The same size was laid off from the walls of the building at the corners perpendicular to the plane of the base. Using a cord, we marked the lines, continuing them at the corners to the intersection node.
The width of the blind area must be at least 60 centimeters. In this case, the size is checked by the eaves overhangs. Water from the roof should not fall onto the ground, but flow down the path. You should retreat 20 - 25 centimeters outward from the drainage border. The resulting value is measured from the foundation. We defined largest size and marked it along the entire perimeter. Different width blind areas are possible. But she looks worse. After all, the design of our home is also important to us.
Water should not get into the junction of the path and the foundation. Therefore, a slope is made from the base. The edge should be higher than the ground.

Scheme of the blind area design

The depth of the ditch under the blind area is calculated according to the height of the layers that will be poured into it:

• 10 cm – clay for compacting and leveling the base;
• 15 cm compacted sand;
• 20 cm crushed stone;
• 10 cm sand under the tiles.

Now my assistant received step-by-step instructions and began to dig a trench with his own hands along the foundation around the house to a depth of 55 centimeters. To prevent the edges from crumbling, he immediately installed formwork - knocked down boards. The edge of the shield should protrude several centimeters above the ground surface if the blind area is being filled.

Construction of a blind area made of ceramic tiles

Preparatory work, perimeter insulation: step-by-step instructions

On soils with normal moisture content, you can omit the clay and make the gravel layer smaller. In our case, the house is located in a lowland, there is a river nearby and enhanced waterproofing is needed. The connection of the blind area to the base of the house must be tight. To do this, the surface of the foundation is completely cleaned.
They poured clay onto the bottom with their own hands and, using a square, immediately compacted it with an inclination away from the building. The difference in height was 2 - 3 centimeters per width. Waterproofing was laid on top, following the step-by-step instructions. You can use regular film. Vadik decided to play it safe and make it last forever. The strip of roofing felt was cut 20 centimeters larger and bent along the line adjacent to the foundation.

Insulation and waterproofing of the blind area

Now at our building reliable protection from destruction by water. All moisture that comes from the soil will flow down the slope of the waterproofing.
The sand was poured in an even layer and compacted, maintaining the angle of inclination. Pressure bar I attached a knot of roofing felt on clay and geotextile laid on top of sand to the base of the house. The porous fabric will allow moisture to pass through and hold the gravel, preventing it from pushing through the sand. In the same way, the second layer of material was laid on the crushed stone. If the blind area is filled with concrete, then the thickness of the crushed stone layer is greater, up to the very top of the trench. To ensure good shrinkage, we poured water over everything and waited a few days.

Insulation of the blind area with foam

Filling the blind area with your own hands, step-by-step instructions

In areas with deep freezing of the soil, you can put insulation on the crushed stone yourself. It will be mineral wool or polystyrene foam, it is up to the owner to decide. Hygroscopic material needs protection from moisture. It is covered with a film and a metal mesh is laid on top. Along the abutment line, the waterproofing is attached to the surface of the foundation. The angle of inclination must be maintained on all pillow materials. This protects the base from destruction.

Filling the blind area with cement mortar

The blind area is poured along the beacons. The cords are stretched along the foundation and along the edge of the path at surface level. Every meter, a bitumen-impregnated board is installed and its upper end is positioned at the level of the marks. The solution is poured over it and the slope is determined. These strips remain in the concrete and serve as compensators for the linear expansion of the screed due to temperature changes. In places where there is a node of water supply and sewerage pipes, it is necessary to make bends under the path in advance.
It is difficult to do a large amount of work on concreting a blind area yourself. I use slats to separate them and fill a meter between them. Then I level it after all the work is completed and rub it in with dry cement - iron. I cover the junction of the plinth with the blind area with ebbs in the color of the finish. This prevents collapse and improves foundation design.

Step-by-step instructions for laying tiles with your own hands

Blind area from paving slabs

My friend is not limited in funds and makes it with his own hands construction works to protect the building to improve your level. Therefore it is important for him appearance yard He developed the design for the façade, turning the building into a castle. The protruding part of the foundation and the base are lined with natural stone. For the blind area I bought slabs of the same material.
We poured sand onto the second layer of geotextile and compacted it. Then I started laying out the tiles. Vadik poured water and filled the gaps. Working with paving slabs requires skill. My auxiliary worker was afraid of ruining everything and simply helped me. Once everything was in place, we secured the flashings, protecting the junction.

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The blind area is a waterproof stone strip around the building, one edge adjacent to the base and sloping away from the house, ensuring the drainage of storm and flood waters from the foundation.

The construction of a blind area made of paving slabs is very popular

Thus, the blind area is important element construction of a house, the construction of which cannot be neglected. There are several types of blind areas that differ from each other in design and materials, but perform one task - protecting the foundation of the house from water. However, if the surface of the structure is properly finished with paving slabs, the blind area can also serve as pedestrian path

and decorative element of the home interior. Knowing the technology of this design, it is not difficult to make and equip it with your own hands.

1. Let's break down the full scope of work on constructing a blind area into stages and consider technologies that allow finishing it with paving slabs:
2. Marking.
3. Waterproofing.
4. Installation of curbs.
5. Sand pillow.
6. Crushed stone preparation.
7. Reinforcement..
8. Concrete base
9. Laying tiles.

Filling paving joints.

Marking The width of the blind area of ​​the house should be greater than the value

In order to correctly project the contour of the roof onto the ground with your own hands, lower a construction plumb line to the ground from a ladder attached to the wall of the house and drive a peg at the point of contact. 2 points are projected from each straight section of the roof. These points are moved from the walls of the house another 30 cm, pegs are driven in and a control cord is pulled over them.

First you need to decide on the width of the blind area and make the appropriate markings

The design horizontal line of the upper finishing mark of the paving slabs is applied to the outside of the building around the perimeter. Then, parallel to it below, another line is drawn - the level of pouring the concrete base. The distance between these lines should be equal to the thickness of the tile plus 2-3 cm.

Bayonet shovel you need to make a cut in the turf along the control cord and remove the soil to a depth of 25-30 cm around the building from the walls to the cut line.

Along the outer perimeter of the resulting new base, a trench is dug 25 cm wide and 15 cm deep to install curbs, after which the surface of the base and the bottom of the trench in it are leveled and compacted.

Stages of preparing the surface for the blind area

Waterproofing construction

Strips of roofing material are laid across the dug trench with an overlap of 10 cm over each other in such a way that the roofing material repeats the profile of the base - it descends from the ground into the trench, comes out of it and, passing across the base of the future blind area, forms an overlap 30 cm high on the base. The surfaces of the overlaps of the roofing felt strips are covered with bitumen mastic and glued together.

Construction of an expansion joint on the plinth

To the base along the perimeter, over the roofing material overlaps, using dowels-fungi, do it yourself butt-fasten strips of extruded polystyrene foam (foam with a solid structure, without balls) 2-3 cm thick.

The width of the strips should be 30 cm, the upper edge of the strip should run along the line of the upper level of the tile marked on the base. Expanded polystyrene will not only evenly press the roofing felt to the surface of the base, but will also take on the stresses that will arise in the concrete due to temperature fluctuations.

Insulated blind area

Installation of expanded polystyrene on the base, in addition to the method of damping deformations, is part of the technology for constructing an insulated blind area, which is carried out in areas with a high level of soil freezing. The technology for constructing an insulated blind area also includes a number of other works, for example, insulating the base to a great depth and adding expanded clay under it in a conical manner.

The insulated blind area of ​​the house prevents the formation of condensation on inner surface basement, which is important when using a technical underground room.

The construction of a blind area from paving slabs is made using curbs that prevent the paving stones from sliding down an inclined surface and give completeness to the finishing of the structure. Curb stone is produced different sizes. For arranging a blind area, stones of the format 1000x150x300 and 850x150x300 mm (length x width x height) are convenient, requiring the efforts of two people during installation, but ensuring high structural strength. When arranging a blind area with a figured configuration of the outer edge, the curbs are cut into 2 or 4 parts using a grinder with a dry cutter.

Crushed stone of the 20-40 mm fraction is poured into the bottom of the trench on top of the roofing material in a layer of 5-7 cm, leveled and compacted with a tamper made by hand from a piece of log or timber. The border is laid on a layer of cement-sand mortar 5 cm thick, applied to a compacted crushed stone cushion in the trench, and leveled along the control cord and bubble level.

It is necessary to make a “curb lock” - the solution flush with the soil base of the blind area is placed in a trench on both sides of the curb between the stone and the roofing felt.

Level of the top edge of the curbs

The design position of the upper plane of the stone can be of two types:

• flush with paving slabs;
• 5-7 cm above the level of paving stones (blind area-sidewalk).

In the first case, the curbs are installed without a gap, with a preliminary application of a continuous layer of mortar on the end of the stone and its installation close to the adjacent product. The top mark of the curb should be 5-7 cm below the tile mark line marked on the base. This corresponds to a slope of the blind area of ​​5-7%. Excess mortar that appears is removed with a trowel, and the joints are rubbed down.

When installing borders above the tiles, every second joint is made with a gap of 5 cm to allow water to drain. The level of the upper edge of the curb in this case should approximately coincide with the level of the edge of the tile adjacent to the base of the house.

Sand cushion device

Sand is poured over the waterproofing and leveled with a layer of 10 cm. It is better if the sand is wet - this will improve the quality of its subsequent compaction with your own hands. The sand will evenly and without damage press the roofing felt to the compacted primed base, and will also preliminarily mark the profile of the crushed stone cushion.

To do this, you will need to pour a ball of sand and compact it tightly.

Construction of crushed stone cushion

Crushed stone of a fraction of 20-40 mm is laid on top of the sand layer, leveled with a layer of 8-10 cm and compacted. Compaction is carried out so that the subsidence of crushed stone into the hidden cavity does not lead to subsidence of concrete.

The profile of the crushed stone layer should repeat the profile sand cushion, that is, it should have a slope of 5-7% away from the building.

The concrete base around the building is reinforced with a flat steel mesh with a cell size of 15x15 or 20x20 cm from reinforcement with a diameter of 6-8 mm. The pieces of mesh are laid sequentially in a row with an overlap on each other in 2 cells, fastening the overlaps with knitting wire with your own hands. Plane installed reinforcing mesh should be positioned so that after laying the concrete it is under a layer of mortar of at least 3-4 centimeters. The mesh should also not have stressed areas, which, after pouring concrete, will bend outward from it.

Especially on heaving soils: a special cushion and reinforcement are required

Construction of transverse expansion joints

Due to temperature changes, the blind area of ​​the house is subject to significant linear changes sizes, which is fraught with swelling. Therefore, the technology includes not only the arrangement of a longitudinal expansion joint between the plinth and the blind area around the house, but also the installation of additional transverse damping joints in the structure.

To do this, damping partitions-spacers are installed between the curb stone and the building on top of the reinforcement perpendicular to the plinth in increments of 1.5-2.0 m around the building. The same partitions are installed diagonally at the corners of the base. Spacers can be made with your own hands from strips of extruded polystyrene foam or boards soaked in used motor oil. The thickness of the strip or board should be 3 cm, the width should be the thickness of the concrete pad, and the length should be the width of the blind area in the installed location.

Concrete preparation

In the compartments between the damping partitions, flush with their upper edge, concrete is placed in a layer of 5-7 cm, made by hand in volumetric proportions of 2: 4: 8: 1 (M500 cement, sand, crushed stone, water).

Only after completing the previous steps can you begin to prepare the concrete mixture

The design slope of the mortar surface during compaction and leveling should be made at 5%.

After a few hours, the set concrete around the house is covered plastic film to avoid premature evaporation of water and loss of foundation strength. It is correct to begin laying paving slabs after a week, when the concrete has gained approximately 70% strength.

The blind area paving stones are laid on cement-sand mortar, made in volumetric proportions 1:3. For a base area of ​​approximately 0.25 square meters. apply a layer of mortar 1-2 cm thick. The tiles around the building are laid from the curb to the base, that is, from the bottom up, so that they do not slide down an inclined slope. Having laid the tile on the mortar, press it slightly to the base and tap it with a rubber mallet and set it in place. A fixed gap of 2-3 mm is left between the tiles. Cutting and fitting of paving stones is done with your own hands using a grinder with a dry cutter.

Traditional technology for laying paving slabs on a sandy base will ensure surface mobility

Filling the seams of paving slabs

Three days after the completion of laying the paving stones, they fill the joints of the pavement with their own hands. To do this, you need to make a dry cement-sand mixture in a ratio of 1:3, which is poured in half-bucket portions onto the blind area tiles. Using a hard broom, sweep the mixture along the plinth around the house, filling the joints of the tiles. After filling all the joints, gently water the surface with water from a garden watering can, just to moisten the dry mixture in the joints.

After a day, the procedure is repeated, but without wetting with water. The mixture should not fill the joints flush with the surface; the joints should be clearly marked. The dry mixture, due to its hygroscopicity, will harden in a week, picking up moisture from the air and the fresh concrete base.

To remove excess roofing material overlap, you need to make an incision around the building on the waterproofing along the edge where the paving stones meet the polystyrene foam of the base. In the same way, excess roofing material is removed from the outside of the curbs.

• Date: 08/29/2014
• Views: 2246
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• Rating: 39

Modern construction technologies have improved so much that often the blind area made around the building is practically indistinguishable from the base and looks like a natural continuation of it. Often it looks like a path or a beautiful sidewalk laid around the perimeter of the building. However, despite the sometimes excessive decorative look, its main task still remains to protect the foundation of the building from storm and flood waters.

The tightness of the junction of the blind area to the base: why is this important

To effectively ensure water drainage, the blind area is always performed with a slight slope in the direction from the foundation of the building. This slope can vary from 3º to 7º. And it is vitally important for the entire building to ensure a tight connection of the blind area to the foundation along the entire perimeter of the building. If the tightness between the base and the surface of the blind area is broken, then in this case rainwater will inevitably fall into the gap between the base and the blind area, saturating the soil and the foundation material itself with water.

If due to a leak in the adjoining blind area the building will enter in winter with excess moisture inside the foundation and in the soil around it, then in winter due to freezing, deformation of the foundation will inevitably occur.

And this is fraught with cracks in the walls of the building, or even destruction of the foundation itself.

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Standard scheme for making a blind area

When using almost the same materials as when. This is sand, gravel (to reduce the cost of materials, it is often replaced with large crushed stone or broken bricks), as well as working surface material: asphalt, concrete, cobblestones or paving slabs.

The structure of the blind area itself (or, as it is often called, “pie”) has remained unchanged for decades, if not centuries. First, a cushion is made of sand, then of gravel (or of materials replacing it) and a finishing layer with expansion joints.

In order to properly arrange and ensure reliable connection of the blind area to the foundation, you need to take a very responsible approach to all stages of its arrangement. At the first stage, you need to remove the top fertile layer of soil. And although construction textbooks give figures - 15 cm on normal soil and 30 cm on heaving soil, ideally it is better to remove the soil until you get to the sandy or clay layer.

However, if the thickness of the fertile soil layer on the site is 1-1.5, or even 2 m, then performing such a task becomes problematic. Usually a depth of 50-60 cm is sufficient, but given that such a trench has to be dug along the entire perimeter of the building, the work will not be easy. However, it must be done in such a way that there are no plant roots left in the soil, since even a small root, when germinating, can break through asphalt or concrete, destroying all your efforts to create a complete blind area.

The blind area must have a slope so that water flows into the ground.

Next, a ball of sand is poured into the dug trench and compacted tightly. Sometimes, to better compact the sand, it is poured with plenty of water. Even better is to replace sand with clay, if possible, since clay is waterproof. However, clay is suitable for a pillow only if the content of sand particles in it does not exceed 10%, otherwise heaving will occur. Clay needs to be compacted even more thoroughly than sand. It is best to use a vibrating plate to compact it.

Having arranged a sand or clay cushion, they proceed to filling the trench with gravel or crushed stone. You can also use broken brick, although it is not as reliable as the listed materials. The main task of this pillow is the absorption and removal of capillary water, the accumulation of which in any case cannot be avoided.

If this is not done, then, accumulating under the waterproof canvas of the blind area, this moisture will freeze in winter and tear it. This will be especially felt in the area where the blind area adjoins the house. Important detail: if the site has a high location groundwater, then you need to take care in advance to protect the gravel bed from silting. To do this, it is best to separate the sand and gravel cushion with geotextiles.

After completing the arrangement of the gravel or crushed stone layer, the perimeter of the future blind area is outlined by the installed curb stone. In the space limited on one side by the base of the building, and on the other by the curb, the blind area itself is arranged. It can be made of asphalt, concrete, brick, cobblestones or paving slabs. In the first two cases, its working surface must be reinforced.

At the final stage of constructing the blind area, it is imperative to install expansion joints. Such seams are needed to minimize deformation of the working surface. They are done every 1.5-2 m along the entire length of the blind area. For their installation, you can use damper tape, foamed polyethylene, but most often in private construction they use boards impregnated with resin and laid on edge with a thickness of 15-20 mm.

To arrange and seal the blind area you will need the following tools:

• bayonet shovel;
• shovel;
• vibrating plate;
• concrete mixer;
• rubberized mallet (if arranged);
• Master OK;
• bullet urethane sealant.

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Why does the base not fit tightly to the blind area?

Unfortunately, during construction, little attention is paid to the issue of sealing the contact of the blind area with the building's base. And they only realize it when a gap of several centimeters appears between the base and the blind area, and water pours into it with might and main during rain.

Why does this happen? When constructing a blind area, there is an unwritten rule: the wider it is, the better for the foundation, especially for its underground part. In any case, the width of the blind area should be at least 20 cm greater than the projections of the roof slopes. Therefore, in most cases, its width ranges from 60-90 cm, and in the case where the building is built on easily compressible soil, the width can exceed 1 m.

Let's remember school course physics. Any physical body When heated it expands and when cooled it contracts. And the laid blind area is no exception. Therefore, the slightest violation of the blind area laying technology can lead to very sad consequences.

For example, an insufficiently compacted base can lead to subsidence of the soil under the blind area, and incorrectly executed expansion joints or their absence threaten the destruction of the blind area. But most often, the processes of alternating heating and cooling of the blind area lead to the fact that the laid blind area simply moves away from the foundation, forming a gap, sometimes several centimeters wide.

This happens because the base is not adjacent to the blind area, but is made as a single system. with temperature changes, although it is an insignificant value, nevertheless it is quite enough for a crack to appear at the junction of the blind area and the plinth, which will only increase over time (and, accordingly, with new heaving of the soil).

That is why, when making a blind area, it is necessary to install not only longitudinal expansion joints, but also an expansion joint along the perimeter of the foundation at the point where the blind area adjoins the foundation. Such an expansion joint is made using a damper tape, or one-component pulirethane sealants are used to create it. For these purposes, you can use emphymastics, hermaflex 147 or Sikaflekx Construction.

During the construction of a new building and during the operation of an already built one, the question often arises of the need for waterproofing and protection from destructive atmospheric exposure such structural elements as the plinth and blind area.

Let us recall that a plinth is usually called a wall or foundation enclosing the underground of a building, located above ground level. If the foundation is strip, then the base is its top part protruding above the surface of the earth. If the foundation is columnar, then the plinth is the walls that are installed between the pillars or above them (i.e., grillage).

Towards external wall the base can be protruding, recessed, or be in the same plane with it. However, a lot has been written about this on the Internet.

In our opinion, the most reliable is a sinking base, because... its shape allows you to cover the waterproofing layer installed to protect the walls from external influences and ensure the drainage of water from the walls during rains.

Blind area - simply put, this is a building element made in the form of a strip (the width of the blind area depends on the type of soil and the extension of the eaves of the roof, but not less than 100 cm) made of concrete, asphalt or other material, running along the perimeter of the building, with a slope in the direction from the building.

The main task of the blind area is to protect the foundation from external influences.

If the blind area does not perform this task, then rain and melt water will constantly flow down the foundation and destroy it.

Conclusion: In order for the blind area to protect the foundation of the house, it itself must be protected from external influences. Thus, the issue of waterproofing comes first, as in the case of the base.

If the question is about the construction stage, then the ideal option is to add the Megatron Additive waterproofing additive to the concrete.

Read more about waterproofing technology at the concreting stage here.

Also, for waterproofing the basement and blind area made of concrete, you can use Megatron Penetrating waterproofing.

The principle of operation of the Megatron Penetrating material is described here. The main thing is that “Megatron Penetrating” works inside the concrete and protects the entire thickness of the concrete from water! For bricks, Megatron Penetrating only provides an armor layer.

Note that concrete surfaces, treated with the Megatron Penetrating material, can be further refined: glue and mixtures for gluing tiles, sandstone and stone have good adhesion to penetrated concrete.

Another effective waterproofing option: the use of elastic polymer-cement coating waterproofing"Megatron Elastic".

This material is used for waterproofing concrete, stone and brick structures, on which hairline cracks have formed or may form. Of course, finishing work is possible in the future.

A simpler option: installing a rigid waterproofing coating on cement based material "Megatron Coating".

If the building’s base is damaged (brick crumbling, concrete corrosion) and not only waterproofing, but also repairs are required, then one of effective options– use of the Megatron Repair material. The material has strong adhesion to concrete, brick and stone and is highly waterproof. During the work process, the structure of the plinth and (or) blind area is restored using the Clamp, after which the final waterproofing is performed.

Another option, the simplest and cheapest, but not the most durable, is the use of a water-repellent liquid or water-repellent agents.

Hydrophobizers are special compounds on an acrylic or organosilicon base, giving the treated porous surface (concrete, brick, sandstone and other materials) water-repellent properties and frost resistance. As a result of hydrophobization, water stops penetrating even into pores and cracks up to 1 mm wide.

Find a water repellent here.

And still very important point, which is worth paying attention to.

No matter how well the blind area is made, over time a gap will form between the blind area and the base. As people say, “the blind area moves away from the house.”

In addition, out of ignorance or for other reasons, when pouring a blind area, they forget about expansion joints. As a result, cracks appear, water gets into the seam where the blind area meets the foundation and into the cracks that appear, and freezing and thawing, “tears” the blind area and makes the foundation accessible to water.

Therefore, cutting seams and sealing them is one of the conditions for the efficiency, reliability and durability of the blind area.

To seal expansion joints in the blind area and connect the blind area to the plinth, we recommend using polyurethane sealant Tenalux.

An example of sealing a blind area to a basement wall in Kharkov can be seen here.

Thus, there are many technologies and materials for waterproofing and protecting the blind area and basement. The main thing is to approach the issue competently.

You can select materials for waterproofing and protecting the blind area and plinth yourself.

Consultations, purchase and ordering of waterproofing services here.

Any building should have a blind area around the foundation. But often because wrong technology execution of work or due to excessive soil mobility, a gap forms between the foundation and this structure. To eliminate the problem, you need to repair the crack using one of the methods recommended by experts. And since a lot of materials for such work are produced nowadays, it is worth choosing the most suitable one for each specific case.

How to seal the gap

Initially, the blind area and the foundation are not rigidly attached to each other due to the uneven shrinkage of both structures. Be sure to leave an expansion joint in the form of a small hole, running along the perimeter around the base of the house. It's being sealed up different materials, covering the outside for sealing from external influences.

Eliminating the gap between the base and the blind area can be done using the following materials:

• polyurethane sealant;
• construction foam;
• damper tape;
• expanded polystyrene (extruded only);
• bitumen mastics;
• transverse reinforcement with additional finishing solution.

The main materials used to seal the gap between the basement floor and the blind area are polyurethane sealant, polystyrene foam or medium-thick foam. Quite often foams, damper tapes or bitumen mastics are used.

Many owners prefer to save money and eliminate the defect by filling the expansion joint with cement mortar. This will not help the matter, since next spring or in a couple of years the crack will form again, but it will become much larger.

It is worth remembering that the gap between the foundation and the blind area should always remain. Otherwise, the pressure of the structure on the base of the house can lead to premature destruction of the foundation.

Basic methods of sealing a gap

There are several ways to eliminate the hole between the adjacent structure and the foundation. Each option has its own characteristics and is only good for sealing at a certain time.

The first method is to seal the gap between the blind area structure and the foundation using polyurethane sealing materials.

• They perform the function of maintaining the required temperature regime between these two structures. You need to do it like this:
• coat the hole with primers;
• carefully blow material into the crack formed;

hide the work site using decorative finishing.

This method is suitable for structures that have served for several years. You can also use transverse reinforcement of the blind area to connect it to the foundation of the house. For this purpose in finished design

1. Drill transverse holes in the structure, going 10 cm into the base of the house.
2. Insert metal rods into the resulting holes.
3. Fill all holes with solution.

This simple construction will prevent the expansion joint from spreading to a large width. This method is used both for the initial connection of the blind area and the foundation, and for connecting the seam during the operation of the building. The rods will secure both structures at a certain distance.

Quick ways to seal emerging holes

A good option would be to blow construction foam into the crack that forms. This should be done according to this scheme:

• tie the blind area and base with metal rods;
• blow out the gap with construction foam;
• strengthen the joint with mesh;
• hide the work site with special borders or finishing materials.

Another way is to eliminate the gap between the foundation and the adjacent structure. This method is very simple and you can do it yourself:

1. The crack is filled with bitumen-based mastics.
2. One of the cement sealants is installed.
3. All materials are covered thin layer concrete mortar.

One of quick ways eliminate the gap between the blind area and the foundation - seal it with foam plastic materials. Work must be done in the following sequence:

• prime the junction of structures with water-based mastics;
• place the foam tightly in the gap;
• strengthen it with chain link;
• apply a thin layer of cement mortar to the material;
• hide work areas with finishing materials.

Many owners prefer traditional old methods of eliminating seams and cracks. To do this you need to purchase a regular mineral wool. And then do the work according to this scenario:

1. Treat the gap with waterproofing mastics.
2. Place cotton wool in the holes, rolling it into a tight roll.
3. Secure the wool with a metal mesh.
4. Finish the joint with finishing material.

Choose which one options will do for each specific case it is worth it to the owners themselves. After all, all the methods boil down to one thing: the gap will not be visible, and the blind area will continue to perform its functions effectively.

Sealing the gap when constructing a blind area

After the blind area is completed by one of available methods, it is worth starting to process the expansion joint. Simply, seal the gap between the base and the blind area. There is no need to tightly tie structures together. It is better to bind them using soft porous materials.

Work can be done according to this scheme:

1. Prime the hole running around the perimeter of the house.
2. Place the prepared materials into the gap.
3. Secure the material with mesh.
4. Hide the seam with trim.

It is necessary to prime before work. This will prevent the structure from getting moisture into the small cracks that form during the shrinkage of the blind area during the first years.

The material for sealing the gap is selected in accordance with the future finish. But you can hide the place of work with various elements.

If the blind area is made of tiles, then the finishing should also be made of the same material. For structures made of stone or paving stones, a thin border running around the perimeter is perfect. For classic blind areas from concrete solutions it is appropriate to close the gap with the same solution, applied in a thin layer using the technology proposed earlier. A soft designs connected to the base using sealants, covered with soil on top.

The blind area has moved away from the base

After the first year of operation of the house, the blind area often moves away from the base. This occurs due to shrinkage of the structure or violation of construction technology. You can help the trouble both when the blind area has moved away from the base of the house, and when the structure has sagged in some places.

In cases where the structure has moved far away from the base, it is worth first establishing the reason for this action. Often a gap is formed not due to soil mobility, but due to a disruption in the working process of the structure. In this case, you need to make the blind area again, completely dismantling old design and creating a new one.

If the reason for the formation of a gap is excessive heaving of the soil, then it is worth slightly reinforcing the blind area itself, creating a connection with the foundation using rods. This will prevent the gap from increasing in size, always remaining at the same level. And the crack itself that appeared in the base area should be repaired soft materials, allowing you to save temperature regime and freedom regarding both designs.

The clutch material is masked with finishing borders, slopes or decorative elements. This will add beauty to both the base and the entire building as a whole.

Started building a house.
The soils are bad, so I will build on a monolithic slab.
House made of aerated concrete + facing brick.

1. Consultation is required on heat loss (cold bridges) at the junction of the slab and the wall.

For clarification, I am sending you a diagram.

In order to close the base insulation I will use sawn building brick(on edge) + tile.

I'm worried about the cold bridge over the base insulation along the foundation.

Inside the slab there will be a mound of expanded clay + 100 mm of insulation and a water heated floor.

I just don’t understand whether to do something about this or not to be afraid of it...

2. Question about the blind area and its insulation.

I plan to make a hidden blind area using a polyethylene bubble membrane (.PLANTER - TechnoNIKOL).

The issue of attaching it through the waterproofing made is not clear to me + insulation of the base is 100 mm EPS (via Planter) /

I also wanted to insulate the perimeter around the house under the blind area (Planter).

The builders are talking. that this is wasted work and wasted money.

Pictures sent to Oleg Pada

Sincerely, Alexander

A 2m high basement is sufficient for storing storage rooms and for installing boiler equipment. Higher basements are uneconomical both during construction and during further operation (in particular, when heating in winter time). The thickness of the basement walls and their planting depth are determined taking into account the lateral pressure of the soil, its condition and the groundwater level (Table 1). The basement walls are laid out of stone, brick, concrete - in dry soil; in heaving and wet soils - only from concrete and reinforced concrete (with the use of mineral additives). Basement walls made of brick, stone and concrete blocks are reinforced through 0.4 m of masonry and reinforced concrete belts are installed along the top of the wall.

Table 1. Minimum thickness basement walls in non-heaving soils

Thermal insulation materials for the basement

It is recommended to use expanded clay, mineral wool, and foam plastics for basement insulation. It is better if the thermal protection is located and made on the outside of the wall using foam plastic, which has lower thermal conductivity and less water absorption.

The basement must be waterproofed, regardless of soil moisture. In highly moist soils, ordinary coating of basement walls with waterproof mastics or bitumen will not be enough; glued waterproofing using roofing felt or polyethylene is required. When the groundwater level is higher than the basement floor, laminated waterproofing is made of several layers of roofing material on bitumen mastic. To prevent groundwater pressure from damaging the integrity of the floor and waterproofing of the basement, a counter-pressure structure in the form of concrete or reinforced concrete slab. For guard vertical waterproofing In the basement, a protective wall of concrete or brick is made from possible destruction (Fig. 1, 2). The ceiling above the basement is best made of reinforced concrete, and if the basement floor is wooden, load-bearing beams above the basement should be left open and the insulation placed above them.

Every basement must have ventilation; ventilation that extends beyond the roof is most effective.

In heaving soils, basement walls should be constructed from monolithic concrete and reinforced concrete (these materials are also used during the construction of a septic tank), and their thickness must be increased by 1.5-2 times in comparison with the thickness of the basement walls given in Table 1.

Blind area to protect the basement and foundation

To drain water running off the roof away from the house and protect the foundation from penetration surface waters arrange a blind area, which should be at least 70cm wide and 20cm wider than the cornice, so that water flowing from the roof does not erode the soil and stagnate under the house. On subsidence soils, the width of the blind area around the house should be at least 1 m and at least 30 cm wider than the foundation cavities to be filled.

The blind area is arranged with a slope of at least 5°; it consists of an underlying layer and a waterproof concrete coating with a thickness of at least 8 cm. Around the foundation, the soil is removed to a depth of 10-15 cm and a layer of soft clay is laid, which is well compacted.

Except stone or concrete blind area you can arrange a “living” and relatively cheap blind area around the house. To do this, a plant layer and soil 1 m wide and to a depth of 0.5-0.6 m are removed around the perimeter of the foundation. The base of the resulting excavation is compacted and covered with coarse sand 10 cm thick. This will serve as a drainage layer. Then a layer of greasy crumpled clay 20-30 cm thick is laid. The clay is carefully compacted, giving it the desired slope away from the house, equal to 0.1 of its width (at 1 m the slope is 10 cm). A layer of turfy fertile soil 10-15 cm thick is laid on the clay, and on top of it is turf (preferably meadow), cut into pieces 20x20 cm and 5-10 cm thick. At first, the turf is regularly watered to help it take root faster. In the first 2-3 years, the plant layer of the blind area is regularly trimmed whenever the grass reaches a height of 10 cm.

Concrete blind areas are the most effective, as they are less susceptible to destruction under natural influences. Asphalt concrete blind areas also performed well. They retain moisture well, removing it outside the site. It is advisable to install blind areas with insulation in houses where there is ground floor or basement. They improve the temperature regime and protect the underground space from high temperature fluctuations.

There is nothing secondary in construction. To all structural elements buildings and structures must be approached responsibly.

One of the final types of work at a construction site is the installation of a blind area. It is carried out upon completion of the construction of the house, in parallel with the construction of an external staircase or entrance to the garage, but after the facade of the building or at least the basement has been finished.

Blind area- this is a strip 0.6-1.2 m wide, adjacent to the foundation or plinth of a building with a slope, “descent” from it. The slope of the blind area must be at least 1% (1 cm per 1 m) and no more than 10% (10 cm per 1 m).

Do you need a blind area?

The main task of the blind area is to drain surface “rain and melt” water from the walls and foundation of the house. The blind area prevents the penetration of surface water to the base of the foundation, and is also decorative element external landscaping, forming a sidewalk around the house.

In addition, the blind area prevents the lawn or plants from growing close to the walls of the house, preventing excessive moisture in its structures and damage to the foundation by the roots of trees and shrubs.

Design of the blind area

The traditional blind area consists of two main layers - decorative coating and the underlying layer.

Substrate

The underlying layer serves to create a compacted and level base for further laying of the blind area covering. The following is used as a base layer: sand, crushed stone, clay. The choice of material depends on the top covering of the blind area.

Decorative coating

The covering of the blind area must first of all be waterproof and difficult to be washed away by water.

In the old days, the blind area was made of clay: they dug a shallow trench around the perimeter of the house and filled it with clay, which was compacted with a slope away from the house and moistened, creating a waterproof layer over the surface of which rain and melt water flowed.

Today, when constructing a blind area, clay is replaced with concrete - it makes it possible to obtain a monolithic surface without cracks, which is especially important when there is no confidence in the presence of waterproofing of the foundation. If the foundation is properly insulated, then you can use piece materials– paving slabs (paving stones), crushed stone, slabs.

Blind area device

Blind area level

The height of the base depends on the type of material from which the blind area is made. If it is gravel or crushed stone, it is enough to raise the base to a height of 30 cm. If it is hard and flat surface(for example, concrete or paving slabs), the height of the base must be increased to 50 cm.

Blind area width

The width of the blind area is set depending on the type of soil and the extension of the eaves of the roof. On ordinary soils, the width is taken to be 20 cm wider than the cornice (but not less than 60 cm), so that water flowing from the roof does not erode the soil and stagnate under the house. On subsiding soils, 20-30 cm beyond the border of the slopes of trenches or pits excavated under the foundation, but not less than 90 cm.

Slope of the blind area

For cobblestone and crushed stone blind areas, the transverse slope from the axis of the house is taken within 5-10% (5-10 cm per 1 m of width). For concrete and asphalt 3-5%. Moreover, the steeper the slope, the better the water is drained and the more inconvenient the blind area becomes as a walking path around the house.

The gap between the wall and the blind area

When constructing a blind area, you should remember the gap between it and the wall. Its purpose is to protect against damage and destruction of the waterproofing of basement walls. If there is no gap, then the blind area made of paving stones or slabs under the influence of frost will put pressure on the wall, and as a result of walking on it, it will settle and damage the insulation on outer surface foundation wall. May also be harmed facing material, for example, tiles on the plinth crumble.

To prevent this, it is necessary to leave an expansion joint 1-2 cm thick and fill it with sand, extruded polystyrene foam or sealant.

Drainage around the blind area

Only a blind area of ​​3 or more meters wide can guarantee complete drainage of water from the foundation and its “dry mode”, which, of course, is not always realistic, so it is worth using additional protection - a storm drain and drainage system.

For rigid blind areas such as concrete and slabs, surface linear drainage is suitable - a drainage groove or gutter along the outer line of the blind area made of stone, concrete, plastic or asbestos-cement pipes, sawn in half lengthwise. And don't forget about their deviations!

Ready-made drainage elements equipped with upper protective grilles (plastic or polymer concrete) are good. Ready-made drainage trays with a drainage pipe and an upper grid, adapted for installation in the prepared plane of the foundation blind area.

Blind area made of paving slabs
(paving stones)

One of the most commonly used materials for blind areas is concrete paving stones. It is resistant to frost and temperature changes. Paving stones are available for sale different colors and shapes: rectangle, square, hexagon, wave, etc. The edges of the paving stones can be smooth or chamfered, which significantly reduces the risk of chipping the edges. Paving stones are produced with a thickness of 4-10 cm, a width of 6-20 cm and a length of 10-28 cm. For the construction of a blind area, elements with a thickness of 4-6 cm are most often used.

Stone paving stones is natural material and compared to concrete it does not have such a variety of shapes. Usually this is a cube or parallelepiped made of gray, red or yellow granite, as well as black basalt. Of course, it costs much more than its concrete counterparts.

Laying the blind area

Before starting work on constructing a blind area around the building, all work that could lead to damage to the blind area must be completed, namely:

• the roof, eaves overhangs and canopies over the entrances were installed;
• metal-coated window openings;
• all fastenings are installed drainpipes and fire escapes.

Pegs are driven into the corners of the building, on which the height of the junction of the blind area and the plinth is marked, and according to these marks, the cord is secured along the entire perimeter of the building. A second line of pegs is installed along the outer edge of the blind area. They mark the height of the outer edge of the future concrete covering blind areas.

To drain rainwater, the blind area is made with a slope (at the base the coating thickness is 15 cm, and at the opposite edge 10 cm). The transverse slope from the base of the building is - 5% (5 cm per 1.0 m width).

First of all, it is necessary to determine the width of the blind area, which depends not only on the wishes of the customers. This parameter is largely determined by the type of soil and the width of the eaves of the roof. On ordinary soils, the blind area should be 20 cm wider than the eaves overhang (its minimum width is 60 cm). If the building is built on subsiding soils, the width of the blind area should be at least 90 cm. Sometimes it is made 1.0 m wide or more - in this case, the blind area, as a rule, serves as a path around the house.

The construction of the blind area begins with removing vegetation around the house and removing the plant layer to a depth of 15 cm. Carefully remove any remaining roots so that later sprouts that emerge do not destroy the coating.

Along the stretched twine, which marks the longitudinal line of the edges of the blind area, a rectangular trench (trough) is manually torn off to construct the base for the blind area. The bottom of the trough is compacted.

Crushed stone grade M400 is manually scattered onto the prepared bottom of the trough in a layer of 15 cm at the base and 10 cm at the opposite edge, leveled to give the layer a design slope of 5%. The thickness of the crushed stone layer in a loose body must exceed the design by the loosening coefficient. A crushed stone surface is considered prepared when the mobility of individual particles is not felt.

On the prepared crushed stone base, a leveling (installation) layer of dry sand-cement mixture 3 cm thick is manually installed. Installation of the prefabricated blind area covering is carried out along the leveling layer. A tight fit of the slabs to the base is achieved by settling them when laying and immersing the slab in a mounting layer of dry sand-cement mixture for the final landing of the slabs to a given level.

Styling paving slabs should be carried out from any conditional line: the edges of the plinth, parallel to which the seams are located, or a verst row laid perpendicular to the plinth, in both directions or one way from it. The edges of the slabs are aligned using a stretched wire or cord located along the row being laid. The slabs are laid in transverse rows from edge to edge towards the slope.

To maintain the slope and evenness of the coating when laying paving slabs into the blind area, you must:

• arrange a milestone row along or perpendicular to the base;
• start laying the slabs from the edge of the blind area and lead towards the slope towards the base;
• level the laid slabs by lightly tapping them with a rubber (wooden) hammer wooden spacer lying on the tile.

The leveling of the laid slabs is carried out by lightly tapping with wooden tampers. Recesses in the seams of adjacent slabs should not exceed 2 mm. The bead of sand-cement mixture formed at the edges of the slabs is cut off using a hand template.

The width of the seam between the plates should be 3-5 mm. The seams between the slabs are filled cement-sand mixture in a ratio of 1:3.

Concrete blind area

Concrete blind area is one of the cheapest and simple solutions. It is this material that allows the blind area to be waterproof.

The blind area should be at least 5 cm thick (recommended 7-10 cm). The concrete used for the blind area must correspond in frost resistance to road concrete and the grade must be at least M200.

A blind area made of monolithic concrete should be installed on a sandy base, compacted to a density coefficient of at least 0.98. The minimum preparation thickness in this case is 10 cm.

Expansion joints

The concrete blind area must not only be separated from the wall by an expansion joint, but also separated expansion joints every 6 m of its length. Practice shows that solid fill cracks in the first winter. For seams, a board tarred or treated with an antiseptic, 15-20 mm thick, laid on edge, is suitable.

Top surface wooden slats located at the level of the concrete surface, taking into account the slight slope of the blind area from the house. After this, concrete is laid, and the slats serve as so-called beacons along which the concrete surface is leveled.

Reinforcement of the blind area

To increase the service life of a concrete blind area, especially on heaving soils, it is recommended to reinforce it. This is necessary so that the blind area works in both compression and tension. Concrete works in compression, and reinforcement works in tension.

Reinforcement is performed with a metal mesh with cells 100x100 mm or iron rods, laid overlapping.

Ironing of the blind area

At the final stage of making a concrete blind area (about 1-2 hours after pouring the next section), in order to further strengthen the surface, it should be reinforced. Freshly poured concrete is sprinkled with cement, creating a layer 3-7 mm thick, and rubbed with a trowel. As a result, the material is protected from precipitation by a very durable and stable top layer, which has a characteristic dark blue, steel tint.

To prevent concrete from crumbling as it dries quickly, its surface should be covered (for 2-3 days) with damp burlap or plastic film.

After the concrete has hardened, it is necessary to seal the seam between the blind area and the wall of the house, for which bitumen or sealant is suitable.

The blind area works in the most unfavorable conditions for concrete, so it is good and correct to use only high-quality cement or concrete, to which it is advisable to add it for protection against freezing.

Asphalt blind area

The base for the asphalt concrete blind area must be compacted with crushed stone (15 cm) or gravel with a particle size of 40-60 mm and pressed into the ground with a roller or tamper. Places itself on top asphalt pavement(3 cm).

The construction of a blind area made of asphalt concrete is quite complicated and this material cannot be called popular in private construction. In summer, when the heat is too high, the asphalt can soften and emit an unpleasant odor.

Crushed stone blind area

Blind area made of crushed stone - the most cheap option coverings. This perfect solution at high level groundwater and in the case where drainage is carried out around the building, since crushed stone facilitates the penetration of surface water. Instead of crushed stone, you can use gravel, pebbles, and expanded clay. It is recommended to use a crushed stone fraction of 8-32 mm.

A special geotextile material is laid on compacted continental soil, and crushed stone is scattered on top of it - without backfilling with sand. Geotextiles prevent coarse granules from mixing with the soil and preventing weeds from germinating. The thickness of the crushed stone layer is about 10 cm.

However, if there is unorganized drainage from the roof (that is, when water flows not through the gutters, but directly from the entire slope), the coating will have to be regularly corrected.

It should be taken into account that granules of the same size cannot be compacted tightly, therefore, walking on them will be uncomfortable.