To design a foundation for a log house means to decide on the design, as well as the dimensions of the foundation. There is no point in building a massive monolith for a wooden house, but it is also extremely unsafe to overestimate the capabilities of the supporting structure. It is important to decide what type of foundation to choose and provide a sufficient margin of safety, but for this you need to go through a number of preparatory stages.

Preparatory work

The foundation for a 6x6 log house does not require the entire complex of standard preparatory work, especially if a shallow type of support is chosen. Typically, houses of this size do not have significant mass, especially if they are made of wood. The density of wood material can fluctuate in the range of 500-1300 kg/cm3, which at its peak is comparable to the density of lightweight concrete. If geological surveys have already been carried out on the site, the data from the report can be used to calculate the bearing capacity of the foundation for the log house.

For shallow foundation structures, the values ​​of the groundwater level and the depth of soil freezing are not important. This data will be needed to a greater extent to determine the appropriate type of support.

The site should be laid out only after planning. It is worth noting that for strip supports, two marking lines are made - along the outer edge and along the inner, and for pile supports only along the center line. Depending on the type of soil, you should decide on the choice of foundation design for the log house.

For waterlogged, subsiding and weak soils, pile driven or bored foundations are more suitable. For non-subsidence and non-heaving soils, it is rational to install strip foundations. Both the first and second types of soil foundations work well with columnar and slab foundations.

Which of the foundations for a 6x6 log house is better, and how to determine the dimensions of the supporting structure, we will consider further.

Pile foundation structures

The calculation of a pile field includes determining the load-bearing capacity of an individual pile, the arrangement of pile columns in the perimeter of a wooden house, as well as determining the geometric dimensions of the underground and above-ground parts of the supporting structure. If you do not plan to further increase the number of storeys of the house or significantly increase the load, you can drive piles with medium density.

The frequency of driving piles varies from 0.5 to 2 meters. The minimum distance between piles should be at least two to three diameters of the pile column, and the maximum - seven diameters. The calculation of bearing capacity is associated with the determination of geometric dimensions, so the latter are taken empirically, after which a comparison is made of the design load of the house with the load limit on the pile.

The construction of a grillage for pile supports requires a separate discussion. Since the pH level changes at the junction of metal, wood and concrete, an aggressive environment is formed, leading to the development of corrosion. You should be very careful and carry out a full range of measures to protect the wood and install a waterproofing layer.

The dimensions of the grillage must correspond to the transverse size of the wall structures - it is important to maintain the alignment of the elements, since load displacement, or the so-called eccentricity, can lead to loss of stability or destruction of the structure. Typically, the height of the grillage does not exceed twice the width, which ranges from 300 to 600 mm.

Driven piles

Cast-in-place piles are installed in pre-constructed wells. They can be installed using an auger drill or dug by hand. The depth of laying cast-in-place piles starts from one meter, which puts them in some comparison with columnar foundations, but unlike them, a cast-in-place foundation for a log house is characterized by a low grillage, up to half a meter high.

Cast-in-place or bored piles are concrete immersed in the ground, reinforced with longitudinal rolled metal rods. Sometimes, to strengthen the lateral surface of wells, casing pipes are used or the walls of the well are sealed with a clay solution supplied under pressure.

The technology for installing cast-in-place piles involves constructing a pile field with a frequency of no more than two pile diameters. This is due to the fact that cast-in-place piles operate as hanging piles, that is, they rest on the side surface of the drilling hole. The dimensions of such pile columns usually do not exceed half a meter, and the ratio of width and depth is always greater than one to two.

Screw-in piles

The foundation for a log house on screw piles does not require a set of works related to site planning. The entire cycle of earthworks can be simplified before the development of man-made inclusions at the drilling points, since it is important to maintain the verticality of screwing the piles, which can be hampered by mechanical inclusions of the upper bulk layer of soil.

The size of the foundation structures should also include the size of the blind area. Pile supports with a high grillage - from 0.5 meters above the zero ground level require the installation of a drainage system, as well as a special approach to the installation of ebb and flow systems.

The geometric parameters of the piles are determined taking into account the bearing capacity. Typically, manufacturers grade the characteristics of the maximum load on a pile according to the type of soil in which the structure will operate. This value will determine the pitch of the piles, their size and other indicators depending on the mass of the overlying structures.

For screwed piles there are no restrictions on soil conditions - they show good endurance in both water-logged and soft soils, when working on slopes and in swampy areas.

Strip foundation structures

Strip foundations occupy a significant segment of the individual housing construction market, and differ in the type of device and depth of installation. This is not just a classification for the sake of additional nomenclature - the principle of operation of the structure and the technological processes associated with the construction of the foundation depend on the depth of the foundation. Determining the geometric dimensions of a strip foundation for a log house is very simple; for this you need to follow a certain methodology.

Shallow tape

Shallow strip supports are characterized by low strength. But such a foundation for a log house is an excellent option for an economical and reliable solution. Cheaper than a shallow foundation can only be a non-buried strip or pile foundations, but they are not always suitable in terms of soil type and strength. The average depth of the shallow belt is 50-60 centimeters, which is almost always in the zone of soil freezing.

Strip foundations can be either prefabricated or monolithic. Prefabricated structures are limited in the choice of transverse dimensions by the parameters of the original elements. The dimensions of monolithic foundations for a log house are not standardized and depend on the dimensions of the formwork structures.

Standard sizes of foundation blocks range from 300 to 1200 mm and are graduated in increments of 300 mm - this parameter will determine the width of the foundation slab. Whatever the depth of freezing, the foundation for a shallow log house will be located in the zone of soil freezing, which obliges the developer to install drainage systems to drain groundwater - otherwise neither a high base (from 400 to 1500 mm) nor durable concrete will save the structure from destruction under the influence of frost heaving.

Deep laying tape

It is necessary to use a deeply buried strip foundation for a log house measuring 6x6 m only if a two-story wooden house is being built or the groundwater level is in the freezing zone, which immediately makes the soil highly heaving. The depth of laying a capital strip foundation can range from 0.8 meters to almost infinity. A reasonable depth of the foundation base is 2.5-3 meters, taking into account the structure of the basement floor.

The width of the tape will depend on the width of the wall structures. The minimum cross-sectional dimensions are in the range of 300-400 millimeters, depending on whether a prefabricated or monolithic structure is used.

It should be understood that prefabricated strip supports consist of two types of blocks - a foundation slab (a trapezoid with a top from 300 to 600 mm) and a foundation block, the width of which corresponds to the upper edge of the foundation slab.

The width of the base of the slab is always greater than the width of the block, so a trench of appropriate dimensions should be constructed. After installing the supporting structure and lateral waterproofing, the soil is backfilled and compacted.

Non-recessed tape

The advantage of non-buried foundations is that they stand on the surface layer of soil, which eliminates the impact of frost heaving on the side walls of the foundation slab. Preparing the site for installation of a non-buried tape involves creating a solid foundation.

After this, the formwork can be installed. The height of the above-ground part of the foundation is determined taking into account the mass of the wooden house. The bearing capacity of well-prepared soil allows you to build a foundation for a log house with a height of at least 30 centimeters. Thus, we can assume that the minimum vertical size of a non-buried foundation, taking into account the prepared cushion, is 0.8 meters.

The dimensions in the plan must correspond to the dimensions of the house in the axes, while it is rational to arrange the foundation taking into account the presence of 10-centimeter protrusions of the base in and out of the walls. With an average thickness of wooden walls of 400 mm, the width of the foundation will be 420 mm - this size should be divided in half and the resulting value should be placed on both sides of the center lines of the walls.

Columnar foundation structures

The dimensions of the columnar foundation are determined depending on the number of support points. Be sure to install posts at corner points and at the intersection points of walls. The dimensions of an individual pillar are determined depending on the pitch. The minimum column spacing is one meter. More is possible, less is not rational.

Columnar foundations are often confused with pile foundations, but they are fundamentally different both in the mechanics of their work and in their design dimensions. Firstly, columnar supports use a high grillage, and the above-ground part of the structure makes up up to 90 percent of the total mass, which will never be found in pile supports.

Secondly, the cross-section of the column is rarely less than 30 centimeters, when the diameter of the piles can be only 10-20 cm. Thirdly, columnar foundations can be made according to the principle of brickwork from small-piece elements, which fundamentally changes the installation technology. Thus, the dimensions of the columnar support will be a multiple of the number of masonry elements per size of the end side.

Most often, columnar foundations are made from hollow metal pipes, which are driven into the ground and subsequently concreted. Sometimes they are made of monolithic reinforced concrete. It is the ratio of the underground part to the above-ground part that determines whether a foundation is piled or columnar.

Watch the video on how to make a foundation for a log house with your own hands.

Slab foundation structures

Slab foundations are direct successors to a solid monolithic grillage. Determining the size of a slab foundation for a log house is not difficult. If a 6x6 house is planned to be placed on a solid foundation, then the dimensions of the slab will be similar. It is important to fit within the perimeter of the house, and a small protrusion beyond the outer boundaries of the wall structures will not interfere with the work of the foundation - 5-10 centimeters of reserve will be enough. It is not recommended to leave the wall overhang, since it is important to rest the entire wall base on the edge of the foundation. The depth of the slab foundation is another important dimension.

Insulation of a slab foundation is a very important stage, since it often serves as both a support and a ceiling for the first floor. Whatever insulation is chosen, it will not affect the dimensions of the foundation in plan - the vertical size of a slab foundation is calculated based on the load-bearing part, without taking into account the insulation and protective structures.

Typically, such foundations for a log house tend to be prefabricated, and in order to save money, floor slabs are laid on the ground, the dimensions of which depend on the parameters of the material used.

Typically, these are hollow-core floor slabs with a thickness of 220-250 centimeters. If you plan to fill a monolithic slab, you should take a minimum thickness of 30 centimeters.

Concrete works well in compression, but practically cannot withstand tensile loads, so reinforcement is laid - this thickness will ensure uniform distribution of two rows of flat reinforcement frame and leave room for a protective layer of concrete, which should not be less than 1.5 cm.

Many people choose houses made of rounded logs for individual suburban construction. And this is not surprising, because such a building has an extremely aesthetic appearance.

Properly laid and processed log is a fairly durable material. But the strength of a house depends not only on the material from which it is made. The strength of the entire structure primarily depends on the foundation.

What foundation to choose for a log house?

In individual construction, the following foundation is usually used for a log house:

1. Strip foundation
2. Slab foundation
3. Columnar foundation

Each of them is good in its own way and has its own characteristics. When building a house from a log, you need to choose some type of foundation and build a strong and beautiful house on it. So, let's choose.

Strip foundation for a wooden frame

The foundation is called strip foundation because it is a wide concrete strip laid under each wall of the future building.

The width of the foundation strip should be slightly wider than the width of the wall. This is usually 30-40 cm. The depth of the strip foundation can be very different. For example, for small buildings such as a garage and barn, a depth of up to half a meter is quite acceptable. If a house is built from a log without a basement on non-heaving soil, the depth of the foundation can be 60-80 cm.

If you plan to make a basement, garage or ground floor under the house, the depth of the strip foundation should be up to 2 meters or more.

If an underground room is being built, trenches are no longer dug, but a foundation pit is dug. This increases costs.

The cost of building a deep strip foundation is sometimes equal to half of the total cost of building a house.

How is a shallow strip foundation built?

Site marking

The site where the log house will be built is being leveled. The top layer of soil with grass is removed to make marking easier.

The markings determine how smooth the walls of the log house will be, so this stage must be approached with all responsibility. Mark the area with ropes. They are tied to wooden or metal pegs.

It is the ropes that will mark the line along which the trenches will be dug.

Construction of trenches

Trenches for the foundation of the log house are dug 30-40 cm wide and 60-80 cm deep. When measuring the width, it is taken into account that the trenches will contain formwork. After they are dug under each wall of the future house, they are lined with polyethylene.

If this is not done, then:

• A cushion of sand will silt up at the bottom of the trench
• As the concrete dries, some of the water from it will go into the ground.

Both of these negatively affect the strength of the foundation.

After the polyethylene is covered, sand is poured into the bottom of the trench. It must be washed. Grains - large or medium. The sand cushion is carefully compacted. To do this, it is watered and compacted using a tamper - a heavy wooden block.

Then the formwork is made from wooden boards. Usually boards with a thickness of 25 mm are taken. Reinforcement made of metal rods with a diameter of 10-12 mm is mounted inside the formwork. The rod is fastened together like a lattice with 30 cm cells. Knitting wire is used for fastening.

Now everything is ready to pour the concrete.

Pouring concrete into formwork

A concrete mixture is prepared from cement, sand and crushed stone. The ratio of components should be 1/3/5. It is best to use a small concrete mixer. Because you need to prepare enough concrete to fill the entire foundation at once. There should be no seams on the concrete foundation strip, as they reduce the strength of the structure. It is necessary to ensure that the concrete is evenly distributed in the formwork and between the reinforcement bars. You can use a vibrator or an ordinary bayonet shovel.

Drying the foundation

The strength of the concrete tape also depends on how properly it is dried.

During drying, you need to ensure that the concrete does not dry out. To do this, cover it with a wet cloth in hot weather. If it rains, the structure is covered with cellophane.

Slab foundation

Such a foundation is made on heaving soils.

In case of heaving, the foundation slab moves along with the soil, and the building remains intact.

How to build a slab foundation?

Preparing the site

In the place where the house will be built, the site is cleared. The foundation should be slightly wider than the building itself.

Then a small pit 20-30 cm deep is dug. Sand is poured into the pit. As for a strip foundation, the sand should be coarse or medium-grained. This will be a sand cushion under the concrete slab. It is carefully compacted. To do this, the sand is poured with water and compacted in any available way.

To avoid damaging the cushion, a 10 mm thick cement screed is placed on top. Roofing felt is laid on top of the screed, thus providing waterproofing. The roofing felt seams are soldered with a blowtorch. The material must protrude beyond the foundation in such a way that after making the concrete slab, it can be bent onto it.

DIY foundation for a log house

After installing the cushion, the formwork is installed. Made from boards 25 mm thick. Inside the formwork, reinforcement is made of metal rods. Their thickness is 10-12 mm. The rods are knitted in the form of a lattice and fastened with knitting wire. The lattice is placed parallel, one above the other.

Insulation is done at the ends of the foundation. Now you can start filling. The composition of the concrete mixture is the same as for making a strip foundation.

The concrete is processed with a vibrator or bayonet shovel so that it is evenly distributed between the reinforcement bars. The concrete slab must gain its strength over at least one and a half months.

Waterproofing is again done on top between the foundation and the log house.

Columnar foundation for a log house

Such a foundation has been known for a long time. In order to make it, large holes were dug and rubble stone pillars were placed in them. The pillars were in the shape of a cone with the tip up. Then the hole was filled back up with earth. The earth was compacted. The tops of the stone cones were tied together with logs. A house was being built.

Today, instead of stones, reinforced concrete structures are used. To facilitate the work, the piles are driven into the ground using a special construction machine. Since it is impossible to do without special equipment, this method is rarely used in individual construction.

But concrete piles are being replaced with screw piles, which can be screwed into the ground by hand.

Construction of foundations on screw piles

Such piles have been used in construction for one and a half hundred years.

Each structure is a metal pipe, one end of which is pointed.

Above the tip, metal blades are welded to the pipe. Their configuration may vary for different piles.

The metal is coated with a special zinc-based primer, which protects it from corrosion.

Pile foundation allows:

• Build a house on a slope
• Build a house on soft soil
• Build when groundwater is close to the surface

How to install piles

As always, it all starts with the markup.

First, the number of piles is calculated. The calculation is based on the diameter of the pile and the mass of the building that will be built on this foundation.

When everything is calculated, the places where the piles will be installed are determined.

The site does not need to be cleared. This is the big advantage of a pile foundation - it can be installed in any landscape.

In the places where the piles will be screwed in, small holes are dug. Each pile is driven into the ground much like a screw is driven into a plank of wood. This can be done using technology or manually.

After all the piles are screwed in, they are cut to the same level and tied with a metal channel.

When screwing piles, you need to take into account that the end of the pile must rest in dense soil. The pile foundation is ready. You can start building a house.

It is very important to build the chosen foundation with high quality. After all, the strength of a wonderful house made of rounded logs depends precisely on the foundation.

Video foundation for a log house

This is what the foundation for log houses looks like

For the construction of residential private houses, bathhouses and outbuildings, the most common type is still log houses made of natural or rounded logs, as well as sawn or laminated timber. The basis of any type of structure is the foundation. The types of house foundations, their features and do-it-yourself installation technology will be discussed later.

Types of foundations for log houses

Log structures are installed on various types of foundations, the choice of which depends on specific soil, weather and operating conditions. The most common types of foundations for log houses are:

1. The strip foundation is a closed reinforced concrete strip located under all the walls of the frame and load-bearing partitions. This type is the most common in various regions of our country.
2. A columnar foundation for a log house consists of individual supports made of bricks or blocks and buried to a level located below the soil freezing level. It is used when necessary to support small log houses in the form of gazebos, bathhouses, etc.
3. Screw foundations have recently become increasingly popular due to the combination of a number of positive qualities:

• unlike other types, they are all-season, which allows installation work to be carried out at any time of the year;
• a pile foundation for a 6x6 log house can be installed turnkey in one working day. No other type can boast of such installation speed.
• Such a foundation for a log house can be made even with your own hands without the use of specialized construction equipment.

Types of foundations for log houses

1. The pile type of foundation is the most powerful and allows the installation of buildings of large area and number of floors. Its significant disadvantage is the need to use specialized equipment for installing piles and drilling holes in the ground.
2. It is advisable to use a slab foundation for a house made of timber in cases where work is carried out on unstable, weak soils that are subject to severe seasonal heaving. In this case, the structure will “float” on the concrete slab as if on a raft, which is why this type of foundation is often called floating.

Of all the options listed, the most widespread are strip foundations, divided into buried and shallow. We will tell you in more detail about the technology for making them yourself.

Manufacturing technology of strip foundations. Selecting a base type

As noted above, the strip foundation can be recessed or not recessed. In the first case, the base of the concrete base of the house will be located at a depth of 1.5 - 2 meters, in the second - no more than 0.5 meters. The specific choice of a particular foundation for a log house depends on the characteristics of the soil and the estimated mass of the structure.

The foundation for a 6x6 log house of a two-story house must have a large margin of safety, so it is advisable to deepen it. In the case of building a small bathhouse 4x5 meters on strong clay soils, you can save on the thickness of the base by making it no more than 0.5 meters high from the base.

Having made a choice in favor of one or another type of strip foundation, you can begin further work on installing it yourself or by specialized construction teams. Main stages of the process:

• Marking at the construction site;
• Making a pit;
• Filling the bottom of the finished trench;
• Production and installation of formwork;
• Installation of a reinforcing frame in a trench;
• Pouring concrete and caring for it in the first days.

Marking the construction site

Before marking the future foundation, it is necessary to correctly determine the size of the foundation for a 6x6 log house or other dimensions. Ideally, log or beam walls should lie exactly in the middle of the future strip at a distance from its edge of no more than 0.15 meters. Its width most often ranges from 0.3 to 0.5 m. Taking into account the thickness of the building material, the internal perimeter of the future strip foundation should be 5.8x5.8, and the outer one - 6.2x6.2.

It is also important to correctly orient the future building according to the cardinal directions, the direction of the facade and the distance to existing buildings and the boundaries of the site. According to GOSTs, a house under construction must be located at a distance of at least three meters from the fence with its neighbors, and at least five meters from the front street. To comply with fire safety rules, the house must be 3 meters away from existing buildings on the site.

Marking the area for construction

Based on the obtained parameters, we mark out the future trench with our own hands. To do this, it is convenient to use wooden or steel stakes at least 0.5 meters long and a nylon cord or thick nylon fishing line. The rods are driven into the soil at the corners of the future house at a distance from each other equal to the width of the trench for filling.

The driven supports are tied with one type of cord or another along the outer and inner perimeter. Thus, boundaries are obtained within which it will be necessary to remove soil to the selected depth of the strip foundation.

Ground work is traditionally among the most energy-intensive in construction, especially when done manually. The width of the trench does not imply the use of specialized construction equipment when installing a strip foundation under a log house. In this case, all ground work will have to be done manually.

Digging a trench by hand

The volume of the trench is divided into separate sections depending on physical capabilities and gradually dug out. To install the foundation for a log house in a shorter time, it is better to invite assistants for ground work or hire a team of unskilled workers for a small fee.

At this stage it is necessary to give the ditch the correct geometric shape. This will help achieve maximum strength characteristics of the future strip foundation. The walls of the recess are carefully trimmed in a vertical plane, the bottom is leveled in a horizontal plane while checking the water level. If there are roots of trees or shrubs, they must be carefully cut down.

Filling the bottom of the trench

Filling the bottom of the finished trench with seeded river or construction sand helps to partially compensate for seasonal soil heaving. The standard thickness of the sand cushion in a compacted state is 15-20 cm. It is performed as follows:

Filling the bottom of the trench with sand

1. A layer of sand is poured onto the bottom of the trench;
2. For better compaction, it is advisable to moisten the sand cushion by sprinkling or spraying. A simple watering can or watering hose is suitable for this purpose.
3. The sand bed is compacted manually or using a mechanical device called a vibrating plate. It is not worth purchasing the latter for one-time use; it is better to rent it from specialized companies for a couple of days. To do the work yourself, make a simple tamper from a meter-long piece of timber or log with a plywood platform nailed to one end and a handle to the other.
4. The surface of the backfill must also be located in a horizontal plane, which is checked with the same hydraulic level.

Production and installation of formwork

As a rule, a strip foundation for a log house is made in such a way that it partially rises above the soil surface. In shallow types, this value is usually 0.5 meters. In order for the poured concrete to obtain the required shape, special collapsible containers are made, called formwork.

The main materials for it are edged boards with a thickness of 20-25 mm, sheet wood materials - chipboard, OSB or plywood, as well as special steel sheets with stiffeners and a special fastening system related to professional equipment.

It is not difficult to make formwork for the foundation of a log house with your own hands. The most available in this case are edged lumber of coniferous species - pine or spruce. They are sawed along the length of the future foundation of the house and connected into dense panels, the width of which is equal to the height of the strip foundation above the soil. Particular attention should be paid to the correct installation of formwork.

Mount it along the edges of the ditch so that the bottom of the shield is partially buried. Outside and in the upper part, the formwork is fixed with a sufficient number of ties and spacers made from the remains of boards and bars. The main task is to avoid destruction of the formwork after pouring concrete, since the load from the poured mixture is significant.

Laying the reinforcing frame

A self-made foundation for a log house must have maximum strength. To help achieve this, a reinforcing frame is designed to be installed in the trench before the foundation is poured with concrete. The main material for its manufacture is smooth and corrugated steel rods with a diameter of 8 to 16 and even 20 mm.

Laying a reinforced frame

In order to properly reinforce the foundation for a log house, you will need to make a large-mesh volumetric network consisting of long longitudinal rods and short transverse ones. When performing this process yourself, you must follow the following rules:

• The distance from the elements of the reinforced belt to the boundaries of the strip foundation must be at least 5 cm. This will ensure the safety of the reinforcement and protect it from corrosion.
• The rod can be connected either by welding or by twisting soft knitting wire;
• The distance between the transverse rods is chosen to be about 50 cm;
• To reinforce corners and joints, L-shaped rods bent at 90° are used.

Unlike a columnar foundation, which is laid using mortar, a strip foundation is poured with a ready-made concrete mixture of sand, cement and crushed stone. You can make it yourself using an electric concrete mixer or order a ready-made one with delivery to the construction site.

It is not practical to buy a concrete mixer for installing one strip foundation. It, like the vibrating plate, can be rented for several days. Ready-made concrete from a nearby factory will cost more than the cost of making it yourself. But it is supplied ready-made and in the required volume, which significantly reduces the time of pouring the strip foundation.

Pouring the foundation with concrete manually

Professional builders recommend completing the entire foundation of the house in one step. When using a concrete mixer, it may take a full daylight hours to produce the entire required volume of the mixture, so the choice of how to produce concrete is up to you, dear reader.

It usually takes several weeks for a strip foundation to reach full mechanical strength. During the first seven days, it is necessary to properly care for the poured base. It must be protected from the scorching sun with a thick thick cloth, which must be slightly moistened daily. After achieving the required characteristics, you can install the log house and continue building the house.

Wooden log houses were used very actively by our ancestors. Centuries have passed. Today, the construction market is filled with many new materials that are superior to logs. But wooden buildings do not disappear from our lives.

Many people try to build themselves a wooden house.

For its proper construction, a foundation for the frame is required. It is a very significant element of any home. This also applies to its cost.

The foundation for a log house can be strip, columnar or rubble. A deep strip foundation is constructed when the future structure has heavy walls or ceilings. The foundation depth is selected 25-30 cm below the level to which the soil freezes in the area.

Ideal for building houses from timber. Its depth is only 50-70 cm. For a bathhouse, 40-50 cm is enough. The main advantage of a strip foundation is that it allows you to equip an underground room in the house without the threat of flooding.

Built for a log house with your own hands, it allows you to save on building materials. But only light verandas, small frame buildings, and baths can be built on it. The materials for such a foundation are reinforced concrete piles, wooden poles, metal, asbestos and plastic pipes. Recently, developers are increasingly giving preference to foundations made of screw piles.

Rubble foundations for the assembly of a log house have not proven themselves due to high material costs.

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Site preparation

The construction of any type of foundation begins with marking the site. The site for the construction of a strip foundation must be level, with a slight slope to allow rain and melt water to drain in one direction.

The first step is to remove the top layer of soil. For further marking, use wooden pegs or pieces of reinforcing bars. They are driven into the ground at the corners of the future foundation. A fishing line is stretched between them. It marks the boundaries of the foundation trench. The width of the trench exceeds the thickness of the future log house wall by 100 mm.

After marking the boundaries of the trench, be sure to check the corners using a tape measure and a laser level, if available. The diagonals of the resulting rectangle are measured. They must be equal. The discrepancy in the sizes of the diagonals should not exceed 20 mm, otherwise the log house may turn out crooked.

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Stages of construction of a strip foundation

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Construction of a columnar foundation

The columnar foundation is reliable and very economical. It does not require a large amount of building materials and waterproofing. Its disadvantage is that it cannot be equipped with a basement. Such a foundation can only be built on dry soils. Assessing the condition of the soil is quite simple. You need to dig a hole at the construction site. Its depth can be 1-1.5 meters.

If the soil consists mainly of garden, forest or swamp soil, it is better to build a strip foundation in this place. If the soil consists of coarse sand, fine gravel, rocks, clay or loam, then on such soil it is possible to build both strip and. If the soil composition mainly includes fine-grained sand, quartz and rocks, absolutely any foundation can be built on it, including a columnar one.

Pillars are installed under each corner of the log house, which are dug to a depth equal to or greater than the freezing point of the soil. In the spaces between the corner posts, it is recommended to install intermediate supports at intervals of about 2-3 meters. At the bottom of the recesses under the pillars, the same sand cushion is laid as for a strip foundation.

The material for such structures can be glued or profiled beams, galvanized logs that can withstand considerable loads. Such a columnar foundation can be 2-5 times cheaper than a strip foundation. Ideal for baths and other light buildings. The procedure for constructing a columnar foundation:

• you need to select suitable supports. Their diameter should be 200 mm. A hole is dug or drilled for each post. Its depth exceeds the soil freezing level by 30 cm. Diameter - 250 mm;
• A sand cushion is placed at the bottom of the pit. Its thickness is 20 cm. The sand must be moistened and compacted;
• Using a grinder, cut asbestos-cement pipes into pieces of the required length. The length should be such that the pipe rises 40 cm above the ground;
• the pipe is wrapped in a layer of roofing material and lowered onto a sand cushion. 40-50 cm of fine crushed stone is poured along the edges. Using a building level, the support is leveled vertically. The remaining space inside the pit is filled with pre-prepared concrete;
• to give the support greater strength, 1-2 reinforcement bars are placed inside the column and the cavity is filled with concrete, which is carefully compacted;
• the remaining supports are installed in a similar manner.