Step-by-step instructions for beginners on how to properly make a blind area around a private house with your own hands

Do you want to improve your home’s appearance and usability? A crucial first step in safeguarding your foundation and guaranteeing appropriate drainage is to construct a suitable blind area—also referred to as a perimeter or apron—around your home. Over time, this straightforward but essential task can stop soil erosion, water damage, and even structural problems.

The process of creating a blind area entails erecting a concrete or gravel barrier that extends beyond the walls of your home. In addition to helping to control water runoff, this gives your property a polished, tidy appearance. This tutorial will take novices step-by-step through the necessary procedures to construct a blind area around their private residence.

It’s crucial to comprehend a blind area’s purpose before you start. It acts as a barrier to prevent water from getting near the foundation walls. This lessens the possibility of moisture seepage into the crawl spaces or basement, preserving the structural integrity of your house. Furthermore, a well-constructed blind area can simplify maintenance duties and improve the visual appeal of your property.

Planning is the first stage of this project. Measure the outside of your home where the blind area is to be installed first. Take into account elements like the land’s slope and the distance required to divert water away from the foundation. Depending on local building codes and topography, a blind area typically stretches from the outside walls of the house by 0.5 to 1.5 meters.

Excavation is the next step after layout planning and measurement. Make sure the trench you dig is deep and wide enough to hold the materials you’ll be using, and dig it along the designated perimeter. Make sure this trench is level and compacted to create a stable base as it will be the foundation for your blind area.

The next step is to select your materials after excavation. Common materials for constructing a blind area are gravel, paving stones, or concrete. While gravel offers better drainage and is simpler to install, concrete is more resilient and offers a strong barrier against water. Make sure the material you select is appropriate for the soil and climate in your area.

Finally, filling the trench with your selected material requires pouring or laying it down. Pour concrete into the trench evenly, mixing it as directed by the manufacturer. To guarantee a level finish, use a trowel to smooth the surface. Fill the trench to the desired level if you’re using paving stones or gravel, and compact the material to keep it from shifting.

Before putting your blind area to heavy use, give it enough time to settle or cure. Your blind area will continue to shield your house from damage for many years to come if you perform routine maintenance, such as removing debris and looking for cracks or erosion.

The feasibility of self-production

The blind area is thought to be required for any building that is supported by a foundation. Nevertheless, experts suggest building it next to homes on piles. It is easy for rain and melting snow to get beneath the structure and create a swamp, with all the associated problems.

As a structural component, the blind area is simple to use and doesn’t require any specialized knowledge; all that is needed is adherence to the procedure and precision in parameter calculation.

Why this component is necessary and why building it should not be delayed:

1. Waterproofing. In fact, the blind area is an artificially created slope away from the base of the building. Precipitation that falls in the immediate vicinity of the walls of the building, and without it, is absorbed into the ground, penetrates to the concrete foundation and washes away the building material, creating cracks. As a result, the house changes position, tilts, and the cracks rise higher.
2. Thermal insulation. Water that freezes inside the soil expands and creates pressure on the foundation. The blind area is an additional insulation of the top layer of soil, it does not let oxygen in, retains heat on the floor, basement and first floor. Due to the lack of full air circulation in the soil, microorganisms do not multiply.
3. Finished look. This element of the building is one of the final touches, it looks like a frame around the house and completes the process.
4. Convenience. The blind area is used as a path around the house; you can put a ladder on it to get to the facade, etc.P.

There are three types of blind areas: semi-rigid, soft, and hard. The latter are simpler to work with by hand; they are composed of a finishing material (lawn, drainage), a cushion, and waterproofing.

Cement mixtures, asphalt, or concrete are used to fill the rigid blind area. Although it can be built by you, there are issues. In addition to the fact that this coating appears somewhat rough and ages poorly, you will need to rent equipment and possess the necessary operating skills.

A semi-rigid blind area is the best choice. This is a very thin layer of paving slabs and concrete mixture. The material is long-lasting, attractive, and comes in a variety of hues. It won’t be a problem and is less expensive to do yourself.

What rules and nuances need to be taken into account during construction??

What you should be aware of beforehand:

1. Work on the construction of the blind area is carried out before the cladding of the base and after the completion of finishing work on the walls. Reasons: an expansion joint must remain between this element and the wall of the building. This distance is 2-3 cm, given in case of shrinkage or physical changes in the material from which the house is made (applies to wood). The plinth cladding will cover the seam and water rolling down the walls will not get into the joint.
2. Lay out a blind area around the perimeter of the entire building, with the exception of the porch.
3. Width depends on the ground. For elastic up to 1.5 m, for loose up to 2 m. In any case, the coating must exceed the width of the roof overhang by 20 cm (the standards are indicated in SNiP 2.02.01-83).
4. The depth is equal to half the depth of soil freezing in a particular region. For central Russia it is 30-40 cm, in the south up to 20 cm.
5. It is necessary to have a slope of 2-3 degrees from the wall of the building already at the stage of digging a trench. The top covering is also laid at an angle, otherwise the meaning of the blind area is lost.
6. It is necessary to lay a layer of waterproofing and thermal insulation, the layers should rise 20 cm to the building wall.
7. The bottom of the trench is sprayed with chemical compounds that prevent plant growth and the proliferation of microorganisms (herbicides).
8. Gutters and drainage pipes are used to drain water from the base of the building. Depending on the amount of precipitation in the region, they are laid in the corners of the house and additionally along the perimeter of the blind area. They work as a preventative against puddles and the formation of swamps at the junction with the soil.
9. The expansion joint is not left empty; elastic material (roofing felt, foam plastic, etc.) is placed inside.) and covered with a strip of sand.
10. If the blind area is planned to be made of concrete, damper joints must be installed along the entire perimeter at a distance of 2-3 meters. These are boards 2.5 cm wide, they are placed vertically so that the concrete is not monolithic along the entire length and does not crack from frost.

To ensure that the component fulfills all of its requirements and protects the building’s foundation, you must approach the construction of a blind area with preparation.

Making a blind area around your home can help shield your foundation from water damage and is a simple do-it-yourself project. For novices, this article offers simple, step-by-step instructions that cover everything from assembling supplies and prepping the surface to pouring concrete and adding finishing touches. You’ll be able to successfully finish this crucial home improvement project and keep your house dry and safe with clear instructions and helpful advice.

What tools and supplies do you need to prepare??

Instruments:

• a bayonet shovel for digging a trench and a shovel for laying materials;
• vibrating machine for compacting the bottom of the trench (needed when laying concrete);
• usually plumb lines;
• tape measure, pencil, thread and pegs for marking;
• a sharp knife to cut materials;
• bucket;
• gloves.

You will need a trowel, a rule, and a container for the mixture (or a concrete mixer) in order to create a concrete blind area. Use a mallet and mounting guide crosses when laying tiles.

Resources:

• boards for equipment and damping joints;
• roofing felt or other elastic material for laying an expansion joint;
• sand;
• thermal insulation (foam complex);
• drainage pipes;
• waterproofing from PET film or roofing felt, as an option PVC membrane;
• crushed stone;
• geotextiles.

You will need a mixture of sand, cement, and water to lay concrete.

The correct technology for constructing the simplest and most cost-effective design option with photos

A soft blind area is the most straightforward and affordable way to fortify the local soil and safeguard the foundation. Its distinguishing characteristics are the top layer of crushed stone, gravel, or lawn, and the lack of concrete in the structure.

Detailed building instructions:

1. Where to start: mark the location of the blind area with pegs, stretch the thread along the entire perimeter. Measure the correct width relative to the roof overhang.
2. Remove the fertile layer of soil, compact the bottom (it is advisable to use a vibrator). Already at this stage it is necessary to make a slope so that all subsequent layers lie correctly – at an angle from the wall of the building.
3. Along the outer edge of the trench, a depression is made along the entire length with a shovel. A storm drain will be laid into it, and drainage pipes will be installed in the corners of the building. Drainage needs to be given special attention, especially in areas where there is heavy rainfall. One of the options: installing rainwater inlets directly into the blind area and draining water downhill through plastic channels to a specially designated place outside the site or to a storage tank for further use.
4. Place clay at the bottom of the trench (at an angle), layer thickness up to 20 cm, compact well. Wait for it to dry (wet it periodically to prevent cracking).
5. Lay the waterproofing layer – lay it with an overlap of up to 20 cm on the wall.
6. Sprinkle a layer of sand on top, 10 cm is enough.
7. Lay geotextiles, which serve as a layer between sand and crushed stone, preventing their mixing.
8. Fill with crushed stone in an even layer up to 15 cm thick.
9. We make the finishing layer from any material you like. It can be: crushed stone, gravel, lawn. Multi-colored granite chips look beautiful.

Laying a layer of thermal insulation is advised in areas with harsh winters. After the pillow has been laid, place it in front of the geotextile. Apply:

• penoplex (durable, durable),
• polystyrene foam (inexpensive, insulates sound),
• foamed polyurethane (not amenable to mechanical and chemical influence, installed using special equipment, expensive).

It is crucial to consider weather patterns and adhere strictly to the technological process in order to prevent deformation and raising of the blind area during the winter.

Overlapping layer of waterproofing:

10 cm of sand:

Diagrammatic representation of a soft blind area:

One alternative for covering a soft blind area with a drainage pipe is:

Interior drainage of the blind area:

Possible errors in construction and how to avoid them

Typical errors

1. No slope. In this case, at least the top layer of the structure will need to be redone and create the necessary angle for the water to flow down.
2. Edge line of the blind area below ground level. In this case, water will accumulate and form puddles. It is recommended to level the soil at the junction and lay drainage pipes at an angle away from the house. They will carry precipitation to a safe place.
3. The bottom of the trench must be flat and compacted, the clay layer must be free of impurities and construction debris. Otherwise, the top layer will be deformed, and there will be ways for moisture to penetrate.
4. No expansion joint. Its presence is necessary for the smooth shrinkage of the building.
5. Insufficient width. A narrow blind area is useless; water from the roof must fall on it. Therefore, the width needs to be increased if it is not enough.

It is preferable to arrange drainage on top of the completed blind area if drainage pipes were not installed beforehand. It is possible to create a groove and partially bury the cut pipe in the earth. Maintaining the slope and sealing the joints are crucial.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages of working for yourself to establish a blind area

• financial savings;
• compliance with all necessary standards, a higher level of responsibility than that of hired workers;
• guarantee of correct use of materials (without foreign mixtures and debris);
• the result will fully fulfill its functions.

Cons: Since the procedure requires a lot of labor, doing it by yourself is not recommended. The structure will not last long and repairs will be necessary if the technology is not used.

This section contains a wealth of pertinent and helpful information regarding the blind area’s design.

A useful and satisfying project that can shield your foundation from water damage and improve the appearance of your house overall is creating a blind area around it. This task can be successfully finished by even beginners if they follow the detailed instructions. It’s easy and manageable to build a blind area if you have the right supplies and equipment.

To begin, measure and mark the perimeter of your home, making sure it extends a minimum of one meter beyond the foundation. To stop weeds, dig a trench in the ground and cover it with geotextile fabric. To create a sturdy base, add a layer of gravel or sand for drainage and compact it. In order to create a strong, weather-resistant surface, install formwork to define the edges and then pour concrete. To make sure that water runs off properly, slope the blind area away from the house.

Take your time and focus on the details as you go along. A successful blind area that lasts for years depends on careful planning and execution. Don’t forget to maintain and inspect your work on a regular basis to ensure it stays in good shape. You’ll be able to effectively protect your home and earn useful do-it-yourself experience with this guide. Savor the satisfaction of finishing a project that improves the appearance and functionality of your house.