Any building must have a strong foundation, but a 4×6 bathhouse more than any other. A strip foundation disperses the weight uniformly across the ground to offer stable support. With the help of this comprehensive guide, you will be able to construct a sturdy and long-lasting strip foundation for your bathhouse.
It’s imperative to gather all required tools and materials before beginning. Materials like cement, crushed stone, sand, and reinforcement bars (rebar) are required. It will also be necessary to have tools like a wheelbarrow, shovel, spirit level, and tape measure. Before continuing, make sure your work area is safe and clear.
Use string and wooden stakes to mark the foundation’s layout to start. Make sure the trench is deep enough to reach below the frost line in your area by measuring and marking it around the 4×6 bathhouse. To avoid frost heaving, this depth is usually about 1.2 meters (4 feet).
Using a shovel, dig the trench uniformly along the marked lines. In addition to providing room for comfortable working, the trench’s width should match the width of the foundation. To guarantee a smooth base, clear the trench of any roots, rocks, or other debris.
It’s now time to get the foundation trench ready for concrete pouring. Crushed stone or gravel should first be added to the trench’s bottom. This layer keeps water from collecting beneath the foundation and aids in drainage. Tamp down the gravel layer by hand or with a compactor to ensure it is thoroughly compacted.
Step 1: Clear the Site | Remove vegetation and debris from the area where the 4×6 bathhouse will stand. | |
Step 2: Mark the Foundation Layout | Use stakes and string to outline the dimensions of the foundation. En Finish and Wait | Allow the foundation to fully cure and settle before proceeding with building the bathhouse on top. |
- Which to choose?
- Laying depth
- Material
- Brick
- Booth
- Rubble concrete
- Monolith
- Precast concrete
- How to do it yourself?
- Preparatory stage
- Selecting a location
- Determination of soil characteristics
- Calculation of the width of the foundation strip and the depth of its base
- Determining the price of construction
- Construction site marking
- Excavation work and installation of a sand-crushed stone cushion
- Installation of formwork
- Manufacturing and installation of reinforced frames
- Fill
- Dismantling the formwork
- Waterproofing device
- Features of the construction of the foundation for the furnace
- Possible errors and useful tips
- Video on the topic of the article
- Video on the topic
- #building a house#building a bathhouse Strip foundation. We build a bathhouse with our own hands.Step-by-step instruction.Part 3
- Foundation for a bathhouse part 1, strip foundation 6 by 4 with your own hands for the first time
- Do-it-yourself bathhouse foundation
Which to choose?
Strip foundations (LF) may be prefabricated or monolithic. They are separated into shallow and deep foundations according to their depth.
The following are some of the many factors that influence the choice of dosage form:
- soil type,
- depth of its freezing,
- groundwater level and resistivity.
Additionally considered are the building’s overall weight and the kind of ground structures.
Laying depth
Because a 4 x 6 bath’s weight puts some pressure on the soil’s base, developers utilize shallow foundation strips. They are placed in locations where the soil freezes to a depth of only 300 to 400 mm.
Soil heaving is caused by seasonal moisture crystallization in the soil structure at low temperatures. The LF’s sole should therefore be below this mark.
Where there is a high concentration of groundwater and the soil freezes to great depths, deep foundations are required. Basement construction also involves the construction of high foundation walls.
Material
Bathtub strip foundations made of a variety of materials, including:
- brick;
- bottle;
- rubble concrete;
- monolith;
- precast concrete.
Brick
A 4 x 6 m one-story bathhouse is typically built on a red brick strip foundation.
The primary issue with building these kinds of foundations is the brickwork’s porous structure, which absorbs moisture quickly.
As a result, careful application of foundation surface waterproofing is given more attention.
Moisture can seep into the foundation brickwork through even the smallest crack in the waterproofing coating. This could lead to the LF’s fragmented destruction, which would cause the bathhouse structures to collapse and sink.
Booth
Flagstone, also known as tumblestone or wild stone, is a class of rocky plates that come in different sizes.
Due to its low cost and easily accessible deposits, it is used as a masonry material for tape. Cement mortar is used to secure the rubble lining the foundation strips.
Rubble concrete
As an alternative to crushed stone, rubble stone is utilized as a filler for monolithic concrete. They use cement mortar to fill the formwork. When local rubble stone is less expensive than crushed stone delivery, this strategy is employed.
Monolith
The most common and widely used form is the monolithic reinforced concrete base for a 4 x 6 bathhouse. This is because liquid concrete is delivered to construction sites quickly and concrete plants have well-developed infrastructure.
You don’t need to rent lifting mechanisms to build a strip foundation for a bathhouse. You can rent formwork panels from the construction company that is closest to you. Knitting wire is used to secure the reinforcement in reinforced frames, negating the need for welding.
Precast concrete
Precast reinforced concrete, in contrast to a monolith, can be installed year-round. It is not necessary to wait 30 days for the liquid concrete to solidify fully.
For a 4 x 6 bathhouse, the purpose of using foundation blocks and slabs is to construct a basement—something that is rarely done for a bathhouse. It is more expensive to lay out a ribbon made of one row of blocks than it is to create a monolithic ribbon.
How to do it yourself?
A shallow monolithic strip foundation for a bathhouse could easily be built by hand if you have construction experience. Nothing difficult about it exists.
All you have to do is adhere closely to each of the subsequent steps:
- Preparatory stage.
- Construction site marking.
- Excavation work and installation of a sand-crushed stone cushion.
- Installation of formwork.
- Manufacturing and installation of reinforced frames.
- Fill.
- Dismantling the formwork.
- Waterproofing device.
Preparatory stage
The following tasks must be completed in order to prepare a strip foundation for a 4 x 6 bathroom:
- choosing a place for a bath;
- determination of soil characteristics;
- calculation of the width of the foundation strip and the depth of its base;
- cost calculation.
Selecting a location
The house and other structures need to be situated apart from the construction site. There should be a minimum of 15 to 20 meters separating the bathhouse from other items.
The purpose of adopting this standard was fire safety. Buildings shouldn’t be next to the restroom.
Determination of soil characteristics
A developer should be aware of the soil’s composition before deciding to construct a bathhouse on his land. The soil’s characteristics were taken into consideration when calculating the foundation for your own home.
The local department of architecture and land management can provide information on freezing depth, groundwater levels, and soil resistance in the event that data is lost.
You can accomplish this by obtaining a copy of the vertical survey that includes the construction site. A drill can also be used to collect soil samples.
The features of the soil foundation will be ascertained with the assistance of the regional geological exploration service. Workers will measure groundwater levels, freezing depths, and soil samples.
Calculation of the width of the foundation strip and the depth of its base
By dividing the total weight of the bathhouse’s above-ground portion along the perimeter of the tape, the width of the foundation is determined.
To calculate the theoretical load from the building on the soil, add up the weight of all the fixtures, appliances, and other items that can be present in the bathhouse simultaneously, including the weight of people. The amount of snow on the building’s roof is considered.
For a 4 x 6 bathhouse, a strip foundation’s minimum allowable width is 400 mm. This is sufficient to construct 1.5-brick walls.
Instead of being at groundwater level, the base of the foundation should be below the layer of soil that freezes. Thus, the laying depth is assumed to be 800 mm if the freezing depth is 500 mm and the groundwater level is 1200 mm.
The ideal plinth height is between 250 and 300 mm. The shallow foundation needs to be at least 800 mm high.
Determining the price of construction
Construction of a shallow LF for a bathhouse is expected to cost the following:
- costs for purchasing fittings,
- sand,
- crushed stone,
- cement,
- rental of mortar mixers and formwork,
- electricity consumption and unexpected expenses.
If an excavator was used to perform the excavation work and a concrete truck was used to pour the concrete into the formwork, these expenses will be factored into the foundation’s cost.
Construction site marking
Markers are made using a cord and benchmarks (wooden pegs or pieces of reinforcement) in accordance with the plan:
- Remove vegetation and debris.
- Remove the fertile layer.
- As they measure, benchmarks are driven into the ground, connecting them with a cord.
- Right angles of marking are checked by comparing diagonals.
There are benchmarks every 1.5 to 2 meters. Two parallel cords are pulled to show the trench outline.
Excavation work and installation of a sand-crushed stone cushion
Sponges and picks are used to dig trenches. Geotextile or PVC film is used to cover the bottom of the trenches. The edges are raised and fastened to the soil cut with wood chips or nails. This will prevent the pit walls from collapsing.
Using a laser level and a rod, the excavation bottom’s level is measured around the entire marking. Excavating soil or adding crushed stone eliminates irregularities.
Trenches should be 300 mm below the foundation’s base at their lowest point. It has 150 mm-thick layers of sand and crushed stone covering it. As water is poured into the pillow, it becomes compacted.
Installation of formwork
Boards and wood, thin metal, or thick polymer sheets are used to make formwork. trench shields with wooden stops and spacers for reinforcement. Geotextile or PVC film is used to cover the interior of the formwork surface. Nails or a stapler are used to hold the shell in place.
Manufacturing and installation of reinforced frames
Smooth rods ø 6–8 mm and periodic profile reinforcement ø 8–10 mm are used in the production of reinforced frames. The first one has two horizontal grids with 100 x 100 mm cells, and the second one has vertical connections formed by the cells. Binding wire is used to secure junction nodes.
The completed reinforced frame sections are lowered into trenches and fastened together. In order to fill the space and prevent the reinforcement from corroding, supports that are 50 to 70 mm tall are positioned beneath the lower grids. Gaps between the formwork and reinforcement must be at least 30 mm wide for the same reason.
This page contains all of the essential information regarding strip foundation reinforcement.
Fill
Concrete must be poured into the formwork without stopping for a maximum of six hours. This is required to prevent the formation of hardening layers within the solution mass. You will need roughly 6 m3 for a bathhouse foundation that is 6 x 6 m and has a monolithic strip cross-section that is 400 x 600 mm.
Ten batches are required to produce 1 m3. They will need to be completed sixty times for the entire foundation. Filling it will take a few days. Additionally, using a vibrator to compact the concrete will take time. The best course of action would be to have a mixer truck deliver concrete to the construction site.
Here’s how to figure out how much concrete you’ll need to pour a strip foundation.
Dismantling the formwork
The formwork is taken down thirty days after the concrete is poured. To preserve the integrity of the monolith’s side surface, the shields are carefully removed without using too much force.
Waterproofing device
Cement mortar is applied to all of the monolith’s chips and cracks following the formwork’s removal. Bitumen mastic is applied to the strip foundation’s side surfaces. It is made liquid by heating it.
Use solvent-diluted waterproofing compounds as well. In addition, roofing felt is pasted over the foundation surfaces. Backfilling is done once the work is finished.
Features of the construction of the foundation for the furnace
The nearby foundation strip may sustain significant damage from temperature variations that take place during the furnace’s heating and cooling cycles. The bathhouse’s heating equipment needs to be supported by a separate structure.
The distance between the furnace foundation and other structures should be filled with a 0.5 m thick sand backfill. Sand, fine gravel, and cement M 500 are combined in a ratio of 1:4:2.5 to prepare concrete.
Possible errors and useful tips
The following list reflects the primary errors made when building bathhouse strip foundations:
- Incorrect calculation of the bearing capacity of the foundation leads to its destruction. If a violation of the integrity of the array is detected, measures must be taken to strengthen.
- Poor quality waterproofing leads to devastating consequences from the penetration of moisture into the concrete mass. It is necessary to excavate the soil around the perimeter of the tape and re-do the waterproofing.
- An incompletely removed layer of heaving soil will lead to a break in the foundation tape. Before starting work, loose soil must be thoroughly removed.
- Incorrectly taken into account the depth of soil freezing will cause fragmented deformation of the monolith. In this case, the entire structure is dismantled and a new foundation is erected.
Using simple techniques that you can perform on your own, we’ll take you step-by-step through the process of constructing a strip foundation for a 4×6 bathhouse in this guide. We’ll cover every crucial step, from clearing the site and excavating to shaping and pouring the concrete, with detailed instructions and helpful hints. The purpose of this article is to provide you with the knowledge and confidence to successfully lay the foundation for your new bathhouse, regardless of whether you’re a do-it-yourself enthusiast or taking on your first construction project.
Video on the topic of the article
This video will demonstrate how to build a bathhouse foundation by hand:
This section contains all the most pertinent and useful information regarding building a bathhouse strip foundation.
For a 4×6 bathhouse, creating a strip foundation is a doable do-it-yourself project that guarantees a solid foundation for your building. The most important first steps are to mark out the foundation area and dig trenches to the proper depth. Recall that precision in measurements and levels will ultimately yield benefits.
After the trenches are excavated, drainage and stability can be improved by laying and compacting a gravel bed. The next step is to lay formwork along the trench to outline the foundation’s shape. When the concrete is being poured, this formwork will keep it in place.
Next comes preparing the concrete mix, making sure it’s just the right amount of wet and dry for ideal pouring and settling. A strong foundation is ensured by evenly pouring concrete into the formwork and filling it up to the top of the trench. Leveling the surface and giving it time to cure properly are important last steps after pouring.
Safety measures such as donning protective gear and handling concrete tools carefully should not be disregarded during the process. You can successfully construct a dependable strip foundation for your bathhouse that will support your building project for many years to come by paying close attention to detail and following these steps.