Step -by -step instructions for the construction of a columnar foundation with your own hands

Constructing a columnar foundation is a useful and effective method of supporting a variety of structures, including tiny houses and garden sheds. This kind of foundation is renowned for being easy to use, reasonably priced, and suitable for a range of soil types. Whether you’re a do-it-yourselfer or an expert builder, building a columnar foundation is a doable project that requires only simple tools and supplies to finish.

The individual concrete columns that support the weight of the structure above make up the columnar foundation. These columns are positioned carefully to offer stability and an even distribution of the load. This foundation type’s ability to function well in conditions where conventional concrete slabs might struggle, like on uneven or sloping terrain, is one of its main advantages.

We’ll take you step-by-step through the entire process of building a columnar foundation in this guide. You’ll discover how to set up the website, create the columns, and plan the layout. We’ll go over every step in detail so you’ll be equipped with the knowledge and self-assurance to complete this project by yourself. You can lay a solid and dependable foundation for your building project with careful planning and close attention to detail.

The installation conditions of the musculoskeletal structure for the future house

The entire projected cost of construction is significantly increased by the use of tape concrete foundations. You can make financial savings with the supported foundation’s device.

Its construction is feasible in the following circumstances:

1. The calculated resistance of the soil base (R0) should be equal or smaller than the same indicator of the point support. This will eliminate the subsidence of the house under its own weight.
2. It is advisable to arrange pillars on rocky, large -sized soils. Such a foundation is not erected on fluffy and marshy soils.
3. The heel of the point support should be below or higher than the groundwater level.
4. The foundation material must withstand the load and have a safety margin of + 10%.
5. The bottom of the foundation should be below the soil freezing depth.

Assessment of soil bearing capacity

Examining the conditions and physical properties of the soil down to a minimum depth of two meters is essential before you begin designing the foundation. Using a hand drill, collect soil samples is something you can do on your own.

To ensure accuracy in your evaluation of the soil’s properties, you can request a soil analysis from the Geological Exploration Service. Getting a copy of the vertical survey connected to the construction site can also be done by contacting the land management office in your community.

Types of materials used

Making the proper selection of materials for the creation of the supports is necessary before you start building a columnar foundation foundation. The above conditions and structure type must be taken into consideration when approaching the solution to this problem.

Frequently utilized:

• tree;
• brick;
• asbestos and metal pipes;
• foundation blocks;
• monolithic reinforced concrete.

Tree

Logs or wood pieces are used to prepare support posts.

Lightweight structures like gazebos, bath houses, and barns can be supported by this base. After being stripped of bark, wooden posts are impregnated with antiseptics.

Bitumen compounds are applied to the portion of the wood that will be submerged in the ground, and roofing material is placed at the bottom of the hole.

Brick

A brick columnar foundation is built for the construction of light-frame and wooden houses on dense soil. Red brick—which is rarely silicate—is utilized for this purpose.

Shallow foundations are suitable for this option. The columns are arranged with their sides 1.5 bricks wide, forming a square in plan.

In order to connect the masonry to the grillage later on, two to four pieces of reinforcement are inserted into the center hole. Concrete is then poured into the hole.

Asbestos and metal pipes

Structures with a high load-bearing capacity are concrete pipes. The asbestos shell or metal is a component of the foundation as well as formwork.

Pipes with a wall thickness of at least 4 mm are used for the support-column base. Concrete-filled pipes have shown to be effective when building foundations in loose soil.

Steel pipe supports are primed and coated with anti-corrosion coating compounds because they are prone to corrosion. The subterranean portion of the pipes undergoes a particularly rigorous mastic treatment.

Foundation blocks

Since these structures are made to support large weights, columnar foundations can be installed on them without risk.

The only disadvantage is that there is no reliable way to calculate how many blocks are needed for the weight coming from the house. This causes extra expenses that can add a substantial amount to the overall cost of building.

But unlike monolithic supports, construction doesn’t have to wait 30 days to start until the concrete poured into the formwork reaches its maximum load-bearing capacity.

Monolithic reinforced concrete

This type of columnar foundation is traditional. Generally speaking, it is installed in private homes up to two stories tall. The frame is submerged inside the pits, which are lined with formwork.

Then liquid concrete is poured into the structure. The supports achieve the necessary degree of load-bearing capacity after 30 days, making it safe to resume construction.

Construction technology (with photo)

Monolithic reinforced concrete supports are used in the traditional support-column base configuration. The following steps make up the layout of the house’s foundation:

1. Design and calculations.
2. Marking.
3. Excavation.
4. Installation of sand and gravel cushion.
5. Manufacturing and installation of reinforced frames.
6. Installation of formwork.
7. Pouring concrete.
8. Waterproofing.
9. Grillage installation.

Design and calculations

The following steps comprise the preparatory work:

Determination of total load

Where is the weight of the construction materials and structures specified during the house’s design phase?

The weight of the interior contents, or equipment (boiler, pipelines, air conditioning system, furniture, etc.), is added to the building’s total mass to determine the load on the ground from a construction site.

It also considers the snow load on the roof.

After gathering the required information, use the formula S≥ KNF/RO to determine the building’s reference area, where:

• S – total support area;
• F – full load from housing construction;
• KN—safety factor 1.2;
• RO – calculated soil resistance.

Distance between pillars

The number of point foundations is determined by taking into account the total supporting area, the calculated soil resistance, and the size of the pillar heel.

The plan’s placement of the pillars in the building’s corners, at wall intersections, and at locations where large equipment is installed dictates the spacing between them.

The remaining supports are distributed evenly into the remaining gaps based on their computed number.

Depth

The depth of soil freezing at the construction site dictates the level at which the support-column foundation should be laid. The local office of land management and architecture is the source of this parameter request.

In addition, experimental drilling at a winter construction site is used to gauge the freezing point. The relevant tables can be found in SNiP 01/23/99. For instance, the laying depth should be between 1.9 and 2 m if this indicator is 1.9 m.

Marking

Point support locations are marked in accordance with the house plan. For this purpose:

• roulette,
• cord,
• benchmarks in the form of wooden pegs, slats or pieces of reinforcement.

You can rent a laser level if you don’t own one.

The following markings are on the building plot:

• the land is cleared of vegetation and debris, the fertile layer of soil is removed;
• benchmarks are driven into the ground sequentially, starting from one of the corners of the plan;
• The correctness of right angles is checked by measuring the diagonals of a rectangle or square of the building plan with a cord;
• mark the points of intersection of the walls;
• the remaining supports are placed at intervals of 1.5 – 2 m.

Excavation and sand and gravel bed

Using an entrenching tool, holes are dug 150–200 mm below the freezing point of the soil. A layer of sand and gravel is spread across the bottom of the pits. After the pillows are formed, they are completely compacted by spilling water over them.

After that, check each pillow’s level using a rod and a laser level. Sand is added or subtracted to make up for discrepancies. Geotextiles are placed at the bottom and their edges raised to the level of the columnar support’s heel. Using regular nails, the film is fastened to the pit’s walls.

The walls of the pits frequently collapse in loose soils, negating the labor that was done. The side surfaces are formed at a slope with a downward-narrowing opening to avoid this phenomenon.

Manufacturing and installation of reinforced frames

How it is made:

1. Knit meshes with cells measuring 100 x 100 mm. To do this, pieces of smooth reinforcement are twisted with knitting wire.
2. The mesh is installed on plastic supports. This is necessary to form a protective layer of concrete.
3. For the manufacture of a vertical reinforced frame, periodic profile reinforcement ø 8 mm and knitting wire are used.
4. Homemade devices are used to bend reinforcing bars. How to do this is clearly shown in the video, the link is below.
5. Vertical frames are connected to horizontal meshes and lowered into pits.
6. The bottom of the pits is filled with concrete to the top edge of the film.
7. After 10 – 15 days, when the base plate has hardened, formwork is installed.

Creating a stronger frame for the video:

Formwork

The ensuing elements of formwork are utilized:

• boards,
• wooden boards,
• tin,
• thin metal and thick polymer sheets.

At the landfill, formwork boxes are prepared. After that, they are mounted on stronger frames. Levels on both sides of the formwork regulate how vertical the fences are.

Spacers are used to secure the boxes so they cannot move laterally. Every structure needs to be oriented in the same horizontal plane; a building level is used to verify this.

The formwork is shaped so that there is a 15–20 mm space between its inner surface and the reinforcement. This is required to create a shield that keeps the steel frame from corroding.

How to pour concrete correctly?

A mortar mixer must be used when pouring concrete for foundations. One option is to rent it.

Ordering an automixer with a concrete pump is preferable if the volume of concrete work required exceeds 2 m3. In a single work shift, a large number of formwork glasses can be concreted using this method.

150 to 200 mm-high layers of concrete are poured. An electric vibrator is used to compact each layer. This is a tool that many construction companies rent.

Once the pouring process is finished, the head is wrapped in plastic film and the fittings are inserted through the holes. This will shield against precipitation and stop moisture from evaporating.

Waterproofing

Bitumen mastic is applied to the pillar surfaces following the formwork’s disassembly. It is heated in a tank over a fire or with gas burners. Some solvents are used to turn some waterproofing compounds into a liquid state.

Roofing felt is also applied to the supports for more dependable protection. The waterproofing is allowed to solidify before backfilling the foundations.

How to make a grillage?

The materials used to tie the pillars’ heads (grillage) are:

• metal profile (angles, T-beam or I-beam),
• reinforced concrete tape,
• for wooden houses – made of timber.

To transfer the load from the building to the columnar foundation uniformly, grillage is required.

For two-story homes, installing a monolithic reinforced concrete strip is advised. The pillar reinforcement’s outlets are wire-screwed to a wooden frame or welded to the grillage.

Concrete is poured into the grillage formwork; see the video for details.

Strengthening the foundation

The owner of the house construction may observe indications of columnar foundation subsidence over time. This may show up as floor subsidence within the home, wall cracks, or other breaches in the structural integrity of the building.

Work to strengthen the pillars must be done in order to keep the building from collapsing. The foundation’s bearing capacity can be raised in two ways:.

Option 1

Recognize a drooping pole. To support the heel, place a jack underneath it. It removes a certain amount of dirt from underneath it. Concrete is used to fill in the spaces that result. Thirty days later the jack is taken out.

Option 2

Jacks are used to support the drooping supports, and extra pillars are positioned in between. The jacks are taken out once the concrete has dried and the formwork has been taken apart. Beacons are mounted on supports to track foundation subsidence.

If the house’s foundation continues to sink despite taking the aforementioned precautions, you should get in touch with a specialist service to have the foundation’s condition professionally assessed and the causes of these undesirable phenomena determined.

Building a columnar foundation on your own can be a manageable and economical method to guarantee a strong foundation for your building. This post will walk you through every step of the procedure, from organizing and material selection to hole-digging, installing columns, and adding finishing touches. Whether you’re an experienced do-it-yourselfer or a novice, our step-by-step instructions and practical advice will make the process simple and doable, guaranteeing that your project gets off to a good start.

Possible mistakes and how to avoid them

The most typical errors made in columnar foundation construction are:

• the calculation of the bearing capacity of the support is incorrect;
• violation of the verticality of the pillars;
• incorrect calculation of the number of pillars, the size of the supporting area;
• poorly executed waterproofing;
• carrying out work in winter;
• use of low quality materials.

By using online resources or consulting with seasoned builders, you can steer clear of mistakes when installing pillars. If you’re still unsure, it’s best to consult experts rather than take on construction work yourself.

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

Step	Description
1. Site Preparation	Clear the construction site of debris and vegetation. Level the ground where the foundation will be built.
2. Marking	Mark the positions of the columns using stakes and string lines, ensuring they are evenly spaced and aligned.
3. Digging Holes	Dig holes for the columns according to the marked positions. The depth and diameter depend on the soil and column size.
4. Installing Formwork	Place formwork or tube forms into the holes to shape the columns. Ensure they are level and secure.
5. Reinforcement	Insert rebar into the formwork for added strength. Make sure it is centered and extends above the formwork.
6. Pouring Concrete	Mix concrete and pour it into the formwork, filling the holes completely. Vibrate the concrete to remove air bubbles.
7. Leveling	Level the top of the concrete columns using a trowel, ensuring they are all at the same height.
8. Curing	Allow the concrete to cure for the recommended time, usually a few days, keeping it moist to prevent cracking.
9. Removing Formwork	Carefully remove the formwork once the concrete has cured, ensuring the columns remain undamaged.
10. Finishing	Backfill around the columns with soil and compact it. Your columnar foundation is now ready for further construction.

A rewarding project that can save you money and give a solid foundation for a variety of structures is building a columnar foundation by hand. It is possible to guarantee that your foundation is sturdy, long-lasting, and appropriate for its intended use by closely adhering to the detailed instructions. Every phase of the building process, from choosing the best materials to positioning the columns, is essential to its final success.

It is imperative that you plan everything out in detail before starting, considering the local climate, the weight of the structure, and the type of soil. During the building process, careful planning and attention to detail can help avoid common problems like settling or shifting over time. The longevity and performance of your foundation can be significantly improved by using high-quality materials and following best practices.

Always remember to exercise extreme caution when handling heavy machinery and concrete. Always wear the proper safety equipment and abide by all safety regulations. Never be afraid to ask experts for advice or consult other resources if you have any doubts about a step or run into unforeseen difficulties.

Establishing a sturdy columnar foundation takes time and effort, but it also lays the foundation for a safe and secure building. Future construction projects can greatly benefit from the skills and knowledge acquired from this experience, whether it’s for a small cabin, shed, or another project. Savor the accomplishment of finishing a crucial project that will serve you well for many years.

Video on the topic

Pillar foundation with do-it-yourself piping.

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