Concrete foundations are very important in the construction of houses or other infrastructures especially if they are to be built above a troublesome soil. Foundations must be done correctly because this will determine the stability and safety of the building. The kind of foundation you will use will depend on the structure that you want to build above it. It is important to keep in mind that no matter how beautiful and strong a house is inside, if its base is not done or built correctly, it will easily corrode and get destroyed as time goes by.
We recommend that you read “Choose The Correct Concrete Foundations” by AAA Concreting for more information on selecting the appropriate concrete foundations.
There are three types of concrete foundations and choosing the right one is very important because this will be the base of your building.
#1 T-shaped
This is a traditional concrete foundation which is usually used in freezing soil or cold places. This is done by making a T-shaped footing that will support the foundation. To do this, the frost line is first identified, after which, a footing is then placed below this frost line while the walls are then added on top of it. The footings are capable of providing extra support at the base of the foundation because they are wider than the walls. The walls will be built after the t-shape foundation has been placed and cured, once all of these are ready, the slab will now be poured in between the walls.
#2 Slab-on-grade foundation
Unlike the t-shaped foundation, slab-on-grade foundation is preferred in places where the ground does not freeze. This kind of foundation is made up of a thick layer of concrete called slab. When making a foundation using this technique, the slab is poured making sure that the edges are poured with extra slab to make them thicker. The purpose of this is to make a space for the footing that shall be placed after. Rods are also placed in the edges to strengthen the footing.
Slab-on-grade foundation are placed above crushed gravel in order to improve drainage, this is also commonly used as a foundation in grounds that do not freeze. In case it shall be used in a ground that freezes, insulation must be provided so that it won’t be affected by frost heaves. A wire mesh is also placed in the concrete to provide added resilience, durability and prevent cracking of the foundation.
#3 Frost protected
This technique is not only used for heated structures but it is also useful in preventing the ground or soil from freezing. It makes use of 2 layers of polyesterene insulators. The first one is placed outside the foundation wall and the other one is found at the base of the wall, above the gravel. These insulators maintain the heat in the foundation’s footings and prevent heat from escaping through the edges of the concrete. This style also makes the slab stay in place protecting the concrete from cracks due to shifting slabs.
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