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

To prevent water damage to your foundation, you must create a concrete blind area around your home. You can save money and have the satisfaction of a job well done by doing this easy yet effective project yourself. By diverting water away from the base of your house, the blind area acts as a barrier, halting erosion and lowering the possibility of moisture seeping into your foundation.

It’s critical to prepare and gather all required materials before you begin. Concrete mix, gravel, wooden stakes, a wheelbarrow, a shovel, and a few other standard tools are required. A trench must be dug, a gravel base must be laid, a formwork must be constructed, and concrete must be poured. The process is simple, but paying close attention to details is essential to creating a blind area that is both strong and functional.

We’ll take you step-by-step through the entire process in this guide, breaking it down into doable chunks. These instructions will assist you in creating a concrete blind area that looks professional, regardless of your level of experience with do-it-yourself projects. By the time it’s all done, your house will have a valuable and long-lasting addition.

The feasibility of pouring a concrete structure yourself

Actually, installing a blind area involves a labor-intensive technological process with numerous crucial steps that call for the performers to possess the required equipment and construction experience.

A team of at least two people will be needed to complete this task, as it is impossible for one person to do alone.

Furthermore, it is not advised to carry out blind areas on your own for construction sites with challenging soils, large-scale homes with an exterior area greater than 200 m2, as well as homes situated on hills and in marshy soils.

Engineering geological surveys of the soils, the creation of a technological map for the installation of a concrete blind area, and the installation of a working drainage system are all necessary for such structures. Only experts equipped with the required lab and engineering tools can satisfactorily meet these requirements.

You should carefully consider your abilities, the accessibility of technology, and the availability of tools for labor-intensive tasks like trench digging and concrete mortar preparation before deciding whether to create a blind area yourself.

If all of this can be completed by a do-it-yourself craftsman, it is best to build a concrete blind area for the house on its own. This will drastically lower the cost of repairs for the owner.

What rules and nuances need to be taken into account when arranging?

The use of this kind of design is required by SNiP 2 standards and is a requirement when building a home.02.01, released in that year.

The blind area of the house and other building structures will be thoroughly inspected by the appropriate commission, which will include representatives from the designers, the customer, and regulatory authorities from the SES, architecture, and the Ministry of Emergency Situations, to ensure compliance with state regulations and requirements before the house is put into operation.

Fundamental legal specifications for design:

1. Width is limited to 200 mm from the roof overhang. Traditionally, developers choose it equal to 1 m.
2. The length is set around the entire perimeter of the house.
3. The depth of the structure cannot be higher than half the soil freezing level in the construction region.
4. The thickness of the concrete structure is in the range of 100-150 mm.
5. The slope of the structure is from 1 to 10%, with a higher percentage, in case of ice it will be difficult to move along it.
6. The height of the structure from the ground level must be at least 50 mm.

An important do-it-yourself project that will protect your foundation from water damage and improve the appearance of your house is to create a concrete blind area around it. Simple, step-by-step instructions covering everything from preparing the ground to mixing and pouring the concrete are provided in this article so you can do it yourself. You’ll be able to protect your home from the weather and feel proud of yourself for finishing a worthwhile home improvement project by adhering to these simple rules.

Tools and consumables for work

The production flow chart should be used as a guide when choosing tools and materials.

• excavation,
• formwork production,
• waterproofing works,
• reinforcement,
• installation of a drainage system,
• preparing and pouring concrete.

In order to remove dirt from a trench, you will need:

• pick,
• shovels,
• rammer,
• roulette,
• pegs and twine.

Geotextiles are needed to form a water seal in order to protect against moisture.

Components needed to make concrete mortar:

• gravel fractions 5 – 10 mm,
• cement M500,
• sand and water.

A trolley, a measuring bucket, and a mixer are required to prepare the solution.

To complete formwork, you’ll need:

• boards,
• power saw,
• building level,
• nails and hammer.

Purchase welding supplies, steel wire or mesh, and tools for cutting reinforcement parts. You’ll need trowels, spatulas, and a long rule to level the concrete solution. You will need to buy polyurethane sealant in order to seal the seams.

How to concrete yourself: device technology with photos

Although it shouldn’t be directly next to the house’s walls, the manufacture of this structure starts after the house’s construction and finishing are finished. A 20 ml technological gap from the base is necessary in order to allow two strong structures to settle with different indicators and prevent the emergence of surface fractures.

The blind area is professionally concreted using the following technological sequence:

1. Marking of the future structure is made around the perimeter of the house.
2. Excavation of soil with a depth of more than 0.30 m, taking into account the thickness of all layers and concrete.
3. Carefully compact the base.
4. Install the formwork as a solid and durable structure.
5. They lay the pie fillers: crushed stone and sand, while compacting each layer with watering.
6. Assembling the formwork.
7. Laying reinforcement.
8. Install boards for expansion joints in increments of 2 m.
9. Concrete the structure with a layer of at least 10 cm.
10. The upper surface of the structure is ironed to protect it from moisture.

How to pour evenly?

Since levelless design goes against the specifications for water drainage from the house, it is almost never used. Transverse slope has a minimum percentage of 1% that is invisible to the unaided eye.

If the house is situated on a site with complicated topography, the structure can be designed with a longitudinal slope. This version has multiple even steps and terraces that come to a border at the end.

Water will flow into the general drain by way of a drainage ditch that is installed along the edge of the house.

Fill with a slope

The structure’s 1–10% slope assures that natural water drains from the plinth and foundation. It can be carried out in various ways. First, fill a horizontal level with 80% concrete mortar, according to the most conventional method.

Installing inclined slats fastened to the formwork will help you identify the transverse slope once the base layer has solidified. Subsequently, the leftover concrete is divided into sections and leveled along slats using a thicker composition.

Possible errors in the process

At any point in the blind area production process, mistakes can happen. Strict adherence to the technology is necessary; knowledge of it alone is insufficient. The integrity of the waterproofing layer and concrete coating, for instance, will be destroyed by emergency layer landings caused by improperly compacted bases or the presence of construction debris.

Common execution mistakes in the concrete blind area close to the house:

1. A crack in a structure appears when the base is uneven, as a result, a layer of crushed stone is filled in with different thicknesses, different load-bearing characteristics are formed by zone. Incorrectly inclined slope of the excavation profile, made in rainy weather or melting snow cover, leads to the accumulation of water at the base of the house from the soil saturated with moisture.
2. The absence of expansion joints between the blind area and the foundation will cause the formation of cracks. At high temperature conditions, internal stress zones are created in the blind area near the walls of the facility, which contribute to the occurrence of cracks and fractures in concrete.
3. It is not permissible to use sand containing clay and dirty water in the process of preparing the concrete composition. This will lead to a deterioration in the consumer properties of concrete and a reduction in the service life of the blind area.
4. The completed design does not have a drainage system.
5. A wider structure was installed with incorrectly positioned slopes in relation to the roof overhang.
6. A separate drainage gutter was not installed under the water tap installed in the basement of an individual house for irrigation work. A leaking shut-off valve or leaky installation of a drain hose allows water to collect at the base of the house.
7. The base was not compacted. Small thickness or uneven laying of the sand and gravel cushion will cause shrinkage, and tears will appear on the surface of the concrete.

Using delicate facing material on a concrete surface is prohibited. The expansion joint will break if it goes beneath a delicate component.

Pros and cons of building on your own

The process of concreting a blind area is labor-intensive, expensive, and time-consuming. That being said, doing this kind of design yourself will save a lot of money for the family. Filling the formwork with concrete mortar is a simple process that doesn’t require specialized construction knowledge to complete step-by-step.

Self-filling concrete blind area advantages include:

• low operating costs, while creating the same consumer properties, making concrete blind areas durable and simplifying their maintenance;
• many design options – today there are many color and texture effects that create an expensive look for the cement base;
• Properly processed and hermetically installed concrete is practically resistant to water;
• creating an anti-slip surface;
• creating a heat-resistant structure.

The large buildings, marshy soils, and sloping terrain of the house’s location are the drawbacks of installing a blind area yourself. In this scenario, unique work flow charts, computations, and special engineering solutions will be needed.

This section contains a wealth of pertinent and helpful information regarding the construction of concrete blind areas.

One good way to prevent water damage to your foundation is to create a concrete blind area around your home. You can make sure that your blind area is long-lasting and useful by adhering to these detailed instructions. As effective planning and measurement are essential to project success, don’t forget to do these steps before beginning.

Mark the blind area’s perimeter first, then dig the required depth of soil out of it. To give the concrete a solid base, make sure the base is level and compacted. Sand or gravel can be added to your foundation to help with drainage and keep water from building up around it.

To contain the concrete, place wooden forms along the edges of the excavated area next. Pour the concrete into the forms after mixing it as directed by the manufacturer. To achieve a smooth finish and remove any air pockets, evenly distribute the concrete using a trowel.

Use a broom to create a textured surface as the concrete starts to set; this will help to prevent slipping. Give the concrete time to cure completely; this usually takes a few days. Keep the surface damp during this period to avoid cracks and guarantee a sturdy, long-lasting finish.

You can extend the life of your home’s foundation and improve the appearance of the entire structure by taking the time to install a concrete blind area correctly. You can save money and obtain invaluable do-it-yourself experience by successfully finishing this project on your own with patience and close attention to detail.

Video on the topic

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