Options for constructing a columnar foundation for a frame house

The selection of an appropriate foundation is essential when constructing a frame house. The columnar foundation is a well-liked choice because of its effectiveness and affordability. Columnar foundations use specific concrete columns that are positioned strategically to support the structure, as opposed to traditional foundations that cover the entire footprint. This technique offers sufficient support while requiring less excavation and concrete.

Choosing the column layout based on the load-bearing locations of the house is the first step in building a columnar foundation. Columns are usually positioned at critical intersections where the structure’s vertical loads are concentrated. This targeted approach is appropriate for a variety of soil types and topographies, saving money on materials while streamlining the construction process.

Steel bars are typically used to reinforce each column in this type of foundation, increasing its strength and longevity. By adding reinforcement, the columns are made stronger to bear the weight of the house over time and prevent the building from settling or shifting. In order to guarantee stability and longevity, the diameter and depth of each column are also computed using engineering considerations.

Advantages and disadvantages of such a foundation

Cost-effectiveness is columnar foundations’ primary benefit. A traditional strip foundation’s construction can cost up to 30% of the building’s total cost. An order of magnitude less, or roughly 15–18% of the total building construction estimate, is required for a columnar foundation.

This option foundation also has the following benefits:

1. Possibility to build a foundation without the use of special equipment.
2. High construction speed.
3. Possibility to construct buildings in conditions of deep soil freezing.
4. There is no need to carry out hydro- and thermal insulation of the foundation.
5. The ability to quickly and economically repair the foundation of a house.

Minuses:

1. Foundation pillars cannot be left without the main building for the winter period – they can become deformed without load under the influence of natural factors.
2. If a house built on such a foundation is not heated in winter, the foundation pillars may also become deformed.

Pillar system

A single system of pillars supporting a single, sturdy structure is known as a columnar foundation. The pillars are positioned at locations where the load is greater because of the design:

• under load-bearing walls;
• under wall intersections;
• at the corners of the building.

Conditions are established for the integrity of the foundation to prevent supports from shifting and toppling over. In order to accomplish this, the structure is strengthened with a grillage, a horizontal component that distributes the weight from the building to the foundation supports.

Average norms

For frame homes, monolithic columnar foundations are most frequently utilized. Designers are able to order pillar counts to be calculated.

However, because frame structures are lightweight and do not necessitate paying more attention to the foundation’s strength, thorough calculations are frequently overlooked.

The pillars are merely positioned 1.5–2.5 meters apart.

Grillage

A grillage in the form of a reinforced lintel connects the pillars if they are installed up to a distance of 2.5 meters. Rand beams, which are typically made of prefabricated metal or reinforced concrete products, are used to strengthen pillars that are spaced more than 2.5 meters apart.

Depth

Columnar foundations for frame homes are classified as shallow or recessed depending on depth. The first option can be built in places where the rocks are rocky or sandy. The supports are buried 65–70 cm in this instance.

Typically, 1.5–2 meters is the base depth for conventional buried foundations in areas with deep soil freezing and unstable soil that is prone to movement.

Creating a Project

You can design your own columnar foundation project for a small house that will be built on a site with dense soil and poorly defined relief.

Posts ought to be positioned beneath every high load point. Intermediate pillars are erected if the distance between these locations is greater than 2.5 meters.

The pillars’ depth ought to be marginally higher than the depth at which the local soil freezes.

You will need to order a foundation design from a specialist if you intend to build a large frame house that is larger than 100 square meters, or if the site has high groundwater levels, pronounced relief, or moving soil.

Calculation of the installation depth of pillars and their number

Expert computations consider not only the freezing depth but also variables like:

• amount of snow cover in the building area,
• geotechnical survey data,
• soil bearing capacity,
• specific gravity of the building structure.

S = 1.4 x P/Ro is the formula used in the calculation. The formula involves S representing the total cross-sectional area of all the structure’s pillars, P denoting the building’s total mass, Ro denoting soil resistance, and 1.4 denoting the safety factor.

SNiP 2.02.01-83, the corresponding construction SNiPs, provide the values of P and Ro.

Assume for the moment that a house measuring six by five meters and three meters at the top must be constructed on monolithic reinforced concrete pillars. Tile made of metal for roofing. The location of the site is in Russia’s center. There is 1.1 meters of freezing depth in the loam soil.

We start by figuring out how much the entire building weighs. Next, the Ro indicator is divided. Ro = 3.5 in our instance (for loam). For instance, if the building’s total mass is 31100, we can compute 31100/3.5 = 8886.

The total cross-section of all the pillars is the result (8886). The cross-section of each pillar that needs to be installed, if ten are required, should be 8.88. The formula D = 2√S / π is used to determine the pillar’s diameter. Make use of a calculator.

The diameter in the suggested version will be 340 mm. Accepting a more practical value of 400 mm, we conclude that 9 pillars with a 400 mm diameter will be sufficient for the foundation structure.

Cost of construction

Building a columnar foundation will cost based on a number of factors, including:

• material and cross-section of the pillars;
• number of pillars;
• type of foundation for the pillars;
• soil and topography features on the site;
• the degree of soil abusiness;
• The depth of freezing of the soil.

Using an online calculator, you can determine the total cost and material consumption. You must enter the future foundation’s parameters into the calculator form in order to receive the result.

Tips to reduce the impact of heaving

The volume of soil increases in the winter. We refer to this phenomenon as heaving. A high degree of heaving puts pressure on the foundation’s material, which can cause the subterranean structure to distort and sustain damage.

Heaving can be lessened in a number of ways:

1. Use a material with a smooth surface for pillars, on which there is a minimal effect of heaped soil.
2. Soil insulation around the building.
3. Disposing water from the foundation using a blind area.
4. Soil replacement with sandy.

Materials

The foundation pillars are constructed from a variety of materials.

Blocks 20x20x40

This type of solid concrete block is frequently utilized when building a frame house’s columnar foundation.

Blocks have the benefits of being inexpensive and simple to use. Any vehicle can deliver the blocks to the location, and they are simple to carry and stack due to their small size.

Two-piece pillars made of stacked blocks are used. They are positioned perpendicular to those one row below in each subsequent row. The blocks’ alternating rotation guarantees the pillars’ dependability and stability. You must account for both the height and quantity of pillars when calculating.

You must multiply by two and divide the height in centimeters of one column by twenty in order to determine the number of blocks for that column. However, it should be divided by the height of the block plus the thickness of the cement mortar layer rather than by 20 (the block’s height) in order to achieve the most accurate results.

Tree

Small, light-weight buildings are constructed with wooden beams. Convenience, affordability, thermal insulation qualities, and deformation resistance are among their benefits.

The weakness of wood is a drawback. A properly treated oak post has a 30-year lifespan. Structures made of pine or hardwood have a ten to fifteen year service life.

The number, thickness, and height of wooden pillars must be known in order to calculate them. It is important to consider that wooden posts should be buried 75–115 cm (depending on the type of soil) beneath the external walls and rise about 60 cm above the ground when calculating the height.

You must account for cutting when determining the dimensions of wooden supports.

Pipes

These days, PVC pipes that are filled with concrete mortar while in use are frequently used to build foundations.

The main ways that pipe supports are different from wooden ones and block ones are that they are more resilient to temperature changes and moisture.

However, the plastic poles’ upper portion may break during strong frosts, so you must be careful to insulate the foundation’s above-ground portion. Additionally, buildings weighing more than three tons overall should not use PVC supports.

PVC pipes are classified based on how strong they are and how susceptible they are to outside factors. Every type has a corresponding color available for convenience. Orange and brown pipes work well with columnar foundations.

The following factors are considered when calculating them:

• soil freezing depth,
• above ground level height,
• number of pillars.

Brick

Brick is frequently used for columnar foundations in frame homes. The bricks are either silicate or solid ceramic and have a low absorption of moisture.

Brick pillars have the following benefits: strength, durability, blind areas, and no need for subterranean waterproofing. Brick buildings, however, are less vulnerable to the damaging consequences of heaving forces.

Four brick pillars are arranged in a row. You must multiply the result by four and divide the height of the brick to be used as the future pillar’s height in order to determine the material.

Monolithic concrete pillars

Pylons reinforced with concrete exhibit exceptional strength and dependability.

When building a concrete foundation, the necessary depth of wells is excavated at the support locations, a reinforcement frame is put in place on the sand cushion, and concrete is then poured into the finished structure. For the portion of the pillar that is above ground, formwork is built.

A unique online calculator is used to calculate consumption.

This is a succinct main thesis statement for your article about building a frame house’s columnar foundation: Selecting an appropriate foundation is essential when constructing a frame home. Columnar foundations are a cost-effective solution that can be tailored to various soil types and building conditions. Every approach—from conventional concrete piers to cutting-edge helical piles—balances affordability and structural stability, giving builders and homeowners adaptable solutions catered to their unique requirements and regional building codes.

Step-by-step instructions for creating it yourself

The columnar foundation can be executed simply. You can assemble it on your own if you follow the instructions. The steps for building a monolithic columnar foundation are provided below.

Construction site preparation

Finding the building’s location and orientation is the first task on the site. The building site is then leveled after this.

After that, markings are applied with string and reinforcement. Mark the position of the pillars, the height of the grillage and pillars, and the outer and inner perimeters of the walls.

Drilling and waterproofing

It is necessary to drill tunnels the necessary depth in the locations where the pillars are placed. It will be necessary to install a base plate at the bottom; the pit’s diameter should be twice that of the slab.

Press the pit’s bottom firmly. The next step is to set up a cushion of crushed stone with sand, compacting each layer. Place the base plate on top.

Installation of formwork and reinforcement

On the slab, reinforcing mesh is positioned. Vertical reinforcement at the top. For the portion of the pillars that are above ground, formwork is ready.

Pouring concrete

Concrete (not less than M300) is gradually poured into each of these to a depth of 30 cm. To remove air bubbles and compact the concrete, it is necessary to mix it with an iron rod at every stage.

Grillage installation

The grillage, or connecting frame of the columnar supports, can be installed once the concrete has hardened, which usually takes a few days. It is frequently composed of wooden beams that measure at least 100 by 100 mm for light-frame buildings.

Due to its lack of strength, the bottom trim of the frame cannot be used as a grillage.

Installation of the pick-up

A fence is an ornamental plinth that extends to the building’s base. Any type of building material, including logs, boards, basement siding, and facade slabs, can be used to construct it.

Differences in manufacturing technology

The pillars’ material determines the installation technology. Thus, piece products are laid on cement mortar to install block and brick foundations.

Bricks are typically arranged in four rows, whereas blocks are typically arranged in two rows.

A different technology is used when installing wooden poles; the products are prepared in terms of length and diameter before being installed in holes and strengthened with a cement base.

Bottom trim and floor arrangement

The bottom frame acts as the building’s foundation and connecting element. A log, board, or piece of wood is placed on the grillage along the planned wall’s edge. On top, waterproofing is applied.

Installing subfloors at home starts with the strapping. 50 mm thick edged boards are typically used for flooring.

Possible mistakes

The most typical errors made when developing oneself are:

• incorrect calculation of loads from load-bearing structures;
• construction of a columnar base on moving unstable soils;
• installation without base.

Before beginning work, you should speak with an expert to avoid making the first two errors. Regarding the lack of a sole, this choice is permissible provided that every pillar extends to the bottom.

This page contains a wealth of significant and practical knowledge regarding columnar foundations.

Video on the topic of the article

The following video presents the perfect inexpensive columnar foundation for a frame house:

There are various options available when building a frame house with a columnar foundation, which can accommodate varying soil conditions and construction requirements. Using sonotubes filled with concrete is one of the easiest and most economical techniques. These cylinder-shaped structures are buried deep enough to support the weight of the house. In this method, the frame structure is provided with strong support by filling the tubes with concrete and, if necessary, reinforcing with steel bars.

Perhaps a pile foundation system would be more appropriate in areas with unstable soil or high groundwater levels. Using this technique, piles made of steel or concrete are driven deeply into the ground until they reach bedrock or stable soil. Even in difficult soil conditions, piles ensure long-term stability by evenly distributing the weight of the house and preventing settling or shifting.

On the other hand, a pier and beam foundation combines pile and sonotube foundation components. Under the house’s load-bearing locations, which are usually the intersections of the walls, concrete piers are positioned strategically. The floor joists and frame are then supported by beams that are laid across these piers. This approach minimizes soil disturbance and permits flexibility in design and construction to accommodate uneven terrain.

A frame house’s foundation should be chosen after taking into account various aspects such as soil composition, climate, and cost. Stability, economy, and site-specific flexibility are the main benefits of each technique, whether it be pile foundations, pier and beam, or sonotubes. Homeowners can make sure their house is built on a strong foundation and is ready to endure the test of time by being aware of these options and seeking professional advice.

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