What kind of foundation for a bath is better to choose, installation features

Whatever the structure, the reliability of the foundation always determines its durability. It is not an easy task for any builder to understand correctly what foundation is better for a bath. Especially a lot of trouble brings a complex ground (peat or puchinisty).

What factors influence the choice of the foundation?

Even in the process of designing a bath, first of all an objective assessment is given to the following factors, which can negatively affect the quality of the foundation, if it is incorrectly chosen.

1. Depth of freezing of the earth. It depends on the region and everyone knows. Dirt swelling occurs in winter, when groundwater begins to freeze. These signs of heaving can be seen through cracks in the nearby asphalt or on hills on the ground.
2. Characteristics of the soil are usually known, if a number of houses are erected and you can ask the builders. If it is problematic, the top layers are cut off until firm layers appear. A reliable remedy for abrasion is the deepening of the base to the level of freezing with backfilling from gravel and sand. The latter is always used, since it helps to equalize the loads. Underestimation of the abruptness can lead to a displacement of the foundation. Even a slight deformation leads to the appearance of cracks on the walls, the displacement of slopes and openings. For a normal soil, a depth of 0.5 m is sufficient.
3. Groundwater level. Water has a destructive effect on concrete, it is necessary to create a drainage or to establish a structure on piles.

Foundation under the bath with their own hands: which is better

To make the right choice of the basis for the bath, you need to familiarize yourself with the features of each type.

1. Tape foundation

When choosing which foundation under the bath is better, most stop on this form. It requires a small cost, and you can do it yourself. Uniform loading and simple construction create a reliable basis for the erection of small buildings.

For heavy walls, a buried foundation under the bath is made. Which is better if the house is made of wood? It is more suitable shallow (50 cm) because of small loads.

The foundation is integral and prefabricated. The first one is preferable, as it does not require additional equipment, and the monolithic structure is highly reliable. For a bath a wide range of materials is possible:

• reinforced concrete;
• But;
• Butobeton;
• brick.

The assembly support is laid out on the cement slurry from the blocks. For the foundation of the bath is suitable masonry made of full-bodied red brick.

2. The column foundation

If the first place is the economy and speed of erection, the pillars come to the fore in the question of what kind of foundation under the bath is better. This option is widely used also for building extensions to the house and erecting farm buildings from wood and foam concrete. It is best suited for problem soil.

Piles fall to the depth until the bedding of strong soil. They cost more than poles, but the principle of production is similar. For this, wells are made, reinforcement is installed and concrete laying is carried out.

From above is made a reinforced concrete grillage, but for lightweight structures it is possible to make it from a bar. To gouge the top layers of the soil did not affect the construction, a gap is created above the ground level. Also, it is necessary to provide reliable protection of wood from moisture.

3. Plate foundation

Monolithic reinforced slab perfectly aligns loads with uneven ground displacement. The foundation and the building are not deformed. An equalizing layer of sand filling is created from below. For a bath it is rarely used, because it is designed for heavy loads and is the most expensive in terms of material consumption.

4. Base on screw piles

Recently, screw piles, installed in a short time, are gaining popularity. They do not need preliminary preparation of the territory and drilling of wells, which reduces material and labor costs. But you will have to spend money on buying piles and installing with the help of special equipment. It is also possible to install manually, if they enter the ground well. In general, screw piles are a good budget option for the construction of a bath. Installation takes only 1-3 days, after you can immediately start building.

Which is better to make a foundation for a bath. The erection of the base

For each type of foundation requires its own construction technology.

1. Preparation of plot for construction

The plot for construction is prepared in all cases, except for the screw foundation, where excavation is not performed. The chernozem is removed by 15 cm, the base is leveled, and the marking is done.

2. The order of mounting the ribbon foundation

When a construction firm overstates the price of work, the customer begins to think about which is better to make a foundation for the bath with their own hands. The tape monolithic base is suitable here due to the simplicity of manufacture as follows.

1. Digging trenches. Their dimensions depend on the condition of the ground and the loads.
2. Preparation of the basis. Making a cushion of sand. The thickness of the layer for a shallow foundation is 300 mm.
3. Installation of the formwork is not less than 50 cm high. It is important to make the upper horizontal level even, so that later it would be easier to lay out the walls.
4. Laying a small concrete layer on the bottom and installing the battens from the fittings. Filling the entire formwork.
5. Waterproofing of the foundation surface. The easiest way is to cover it with two layers of roofing material.

3. Installation of columnar foundation

In order not to ponder over what is the best foundation for a bath and how to make it, you can immediately stop at the option with pillars as the most famous and simple.

The columnar base is made as follows.

1. Calculation of the number of supports (for an average bath - a minimum of 8 pieces and separately for internal walls).
2. Drilling pits to a depth of at least 1 m.
3. Making a cushion of sand 250 mm high.
4. Laying out the pillars of brick, buta or casting of concrete.
5. Checking the horizontal level throughout the foundation.

4. Mounting the screw base

To find the foundation under the bath, which is better suited to the problem soil, everyone immediately remembers the screw piles. With their use erect structures even in swamps. After screwing into the ground on them, you can immediately build the building as follows.

1. The choice of screw piles. Their length should be greater than the depth of freezing, but not less than 1.5 m.
2. Piles, whose length does not exceed 2.5 m, can be screwed manually. With this cope 2 people, and the third should ensure that there is no distortion.
3. After all the supports are screwed into the ground, the range finder checks the horizontal level.
4. A concrete solution is poured into the metal pillars of the piles.
5. When the concrete solidifies, the pile should be welded to the piles and a horizontal grillage from the channel, which connects the base to a monolithic structure with a uniform distribution of loads.

5. Manufacturing of grillage for columnar and screw foundations

When deciding which is the best foundation for a bath to choose, one should not forget about grillage, which is its important part. It is also selected, based on the characteristics of the structure, costs and skills.

The reinforced concrete grill is the most reliable and profitable base of the building. For its installation, materials will be required:

• Armature;
• Wire for strapping;
• Concrete solution;
• Panel formwork.

On the installed piles, a metal reinforcement mesh is tied in steps of 15-30 cm along the entire perimeter of the structure. It is attached to the mortises inserted into the holes drilled in the top of the piles, if they are screwed. Also, the armature is inserted into the poles and bandaged with longitudinal whips. With concrete piles, the whips are bandaged with the armature protruding at the ends.

The formwork is completely installed and aligned along the top edge. Then the concrete is poured: first inside the pillars, and then - into the formwork. The ends of the piles are inside the monolith.

Grillwood from a bar is often used for wooden buildings. The material is pre-dried, corner elements are selected and cuts are made for jointing with a lock. Then the angles of the future grillage are outlined and the strapping begins with one of them. The beam joins staples or corners, and to the heads of piles - with the help of bolts.

Grillage from the channel is made for stone houses, because it can withstand the load well. It is well welded to the head of the screw piles.

Some useful tips

When the foundation is laid for a bath, expert advice is needed to avoid mistakes.

1. The foundation under the stove in the bath is made separately from the base so that their deformations do not affect each other.
2. For a complicated terrain, screw piles are better suited.
3. The layer of the pillow under the foundation is isolated from the silting by geotextiles.
4. The bathhouse is equipped with a tapping of drains with collection in an underground tank without a bottom, with the possibility of care in the ground.

Conclusion

The foundation for a bath is easy to pick up due to a wide variety of designs. But there is no unambiguous answer to the question of what kind of foundation is better for a bath. The choice of the appropriate type is determined by the features of the structure, the properties of the soil and the capabilities of the builder.