What kind of foundation is needed for a house made of timber, a foundation for a house made of timber with your own hands

Timber is still one of the most widely used building materials for low-rise construction, even with the emergence of many others. This is because of the material’s excellent thermal stability, accessibility, and lovely appearance. Additionally, you can save money and time on the foundation thanks to the finished structure’s low weight. This post will discuss the type of foundation required for a timber-framed house and how to build one yourself.

What to look for when choosing a foundation for a house made of timber

Because wood is a lightweight material, unlike brick buildings, a wood house can have any kind of foundation. The most important thing is to conduct a geological investigation of the soil prior to designing in order to account for various factors that affect the selection of foundation material.

• Relief of the site. If the site has strong differences in height, then the easiest way is to make a pile-screw foundation; Level of soil freezing in winter. When arranging a foundation with piles (concrete or screwed), they must be buried below the freezing level so that in the spring, during seasonal heaving of the soil, the foundation does not rise;
• Presence of underground rivers or general groundwater level. If the site is located in a lowland, swampy area, then a slab foundation is often poured under a timber house;
• Financial opportunities. If you plan to make the foundation for a house made of timber with your own hands, then this will greatly influence the choice of its type. So, the easiest way would be to install a columnar base.

They then start designing the foundation for a wooden house. At this point, the building’s storey count and, thus, the weight that will apply pressure, are considered. The weight of the snow cover on the roof during the winter is added to this.

What kind of foundation is needed for a house made of timber?

For timber houses up to three stories, professional builders advise going with a columnar, pile, or strip foundation.

Do-it-yourself columnar foundation for a house made of timber

There is a long history of using this kind of foundation. It has proven to be a dependable, user-friendly, and affordable foundation. Ideal for wooden low-rise residential buildings and country homes.

• Pits are dug under the supports, the depth of which should be below the freezing level.
• They are located in the corners of the house and under load-bearing walls. The distance between the pillars should not exceed 1.5 – 2 m, it depends on the weight of the house. The heavier the structure, the shorter the distance.
• A 10 cm layer of sand is poured onto the bottom.
• They make formwork in the form of a box without a bottom of the required size. They lower her into the pit. Reinforcing bars are installed inside.
• Fill with concrete and cover with film on top. After a few days, the formwork can be dismantled, and the part of the concrete support that is on top can be treated with liquid bitumen.

The first row of timber is then laid on top of each pillar after roofing material has been applied to it. Self-built pile foundation for a timber-framed house

The popularity of this kind of foundation is rising. This is a low-cost, all-purpose method for building a wooden house base. If the site has a significant slope, it is appropriate. Screw piles are capable of independent screwing. Moreover, the piles are reasonably priced.

Advice: Cast piles, which are manufactured in factories, are advised. Numerous handcrafted items with welded heads are available for purchase; these items have substantially shorter lifespans.

Even in the winter, the piles are twisted unless you drive a special car. As there is no need to wait for the soil to thaw and dry out, this saves time.

Phases of the job

• On the site for construction, marking for a pile foundation is made. The distance between the supports for a residential building should not exceed 1.5 m. A step of 2-2.5 m is allowed under a wooden bath or outbuilding.
• Have them around the perimeter of the house, under the load -bearing walls and necessarily, at the intersection of the load -bearing and internal walls. They are also twisted to the depth of freezing of the soil. Piles are hollow, therefore, when they are twisted and cut off, it is recommended to fill the cavity with cement mortar.
• A few days later, when the concrete hardens, all the piles are connected by a grillage. He will serve the first line for laying the beam and tie the entire foundation into a single whole, giving it stiffness.

Brutus

This foundation is all-purpose and can be used to build low-rise structures made of any kind of material.

The labor’s complexity and cost are its primary drawbacks. A 10 x 7 m turnkey strip foundation will set you back about 100 tr. You can save a lot of money by doing the work yourself, but it will require a lot of labor. Furthermore, strong elevation differences are seldom encountered in the construction of this kind of foundation. Considering that a lot of concrete will be needed for the basement floor’s construction.

Phases of the job

• First you need to calculate the thickness of the foundation and its depth.
• Since the house is built from timber, the width of the strip base is laid 15 cm wider than the timber.
• In order not to complicate the work and not to make a deep foundation, the pit under it is dug to a depth of 50 cm. And every 1.5 meters they drill wells below the freezing level. Thus, a pile-strip foundation is obtained. This will protect a light wooden house from seasonal soil heaving.
• Formwork is constructed along the perimeter and under the load-bearing walls. In the future, it will be dismantled and the material that was required for its manufacture can be reused.
• A sand cushion is poured onto the bottom and water is poured over it to compact it.
• Reinforcing bars are placed vertically in the wells. And along the length of the tape they knit reinforcement in the form of a rectangle. It is advisable to use fiberglass reinforcement, as it is not subject to corrosion.
• It is advisable to pour the entire foundation at the same time. Therefore, builders recommend ordering the mortar from machines in order to avoid the long pauses that occur when mixing the mortar yourself in small batches.
• The top of the freshly poured foundation is covered with a film to prevent too rapid evaporation of moisture and further cracking of the concrete.

Insulation of the strip foundation of a timber house

The strip foundation will partially freeze in the winter despite its thickness, which is why the temperature below ground will be negative. Furthermore, because of the porous nature of concrete, moisture can be absorbed and expand during the winter, causing microcracks that eventually destroy the base. Thus, insulation must be applied as soon as the foundation is constructed.

Slab insulation that is resistant to moisture is selected to insulate the plinth and foundation. These consist of extruded polystyrene foam and polystyrene foam. Although the second one is higher, it is more structurally dense and resistant to rodent damage.

Suggested Use: Currently, a variety of materials are available for use as foundation insulation. It has a decorative cladding made of stone or brick in addition to a layer of thermal insulation. Furthermore, these materials are produced as panels with locking connections, which not only makes installation easier but also prevents cold bridge formation.

Phases of the job

• First, the entire foundation is treated with liquid waterproofing, bitumen, mastic or primer.
• When it dries, begin installing the insulation. Apply a sheet of penoplex and measure the desired size. It’s convenient to cut off the excess with a stationery knife with sharp blades (they get dull pretty quickly on polystyrene foam, so you need to have several replaceable blades).
• It is attached to the foundation using a hammer drill using dowel-nails with wide heads, which are called “fungi”.
• If gaps form between the sheets, they are filled with polyurethane foam.
• This completes the foundation insulation work. All that remains is to make decorative cladding. You can attach artificial stone to polystyrene foam or use an economical option – sheathe it with corrugated sheets or siding.

Insulation of a columnar or pile foundation of a timber house

Any slab insulation will do for thermal insulation, and the finished cladding will be installed on top of it. Alternately, you could use prefabricated sandwich panels with ornamental cladding and thermal insulation. However, there will be preparation work to be done beforehand.

• Concrete or brick pillars are coated with liquid bitumen waterproofing, piles already have an anti -corrosion coating.
• Both of these foundations are separate column columns. Therefore, to warm them, you need to make a frame. It is made of wooden rails around the entire perimeter. The distance between the rails is calculated individually based on the size of the insulation material.
• Most often use polystyrene foam. His choice is justified by high heat -storage characteristics, he does not change his properties under the influence of moisture, does not rot, and he does not spoil the rodents.
• Sheets have different thicknesses. So, for the foundation it is recommended to choose them with a thickness of at least 40 mm. All manufacturers of polystyrene foam make sheets with a spike-paz system so that there are no gaps left after installation. But if the sheets were not able to fit tightly during fitting and trimming, the joints are foamed with polyurethane foam.
• Already in this form, the foundation of the house is reliably protected from the adverse effects of the environment. But foam, and penoplex itself, require protection.
• Various materials are used for finishing. The cheapest way is flat corrugated sheeting. It is chosen to match the color of the roof. Mounted on roofing screws with rubber gaskets.
• More expensive option – facade panels imitating stone or brick. They are sold together with additional elements to beautifully go around all the corners and protrusions. Most of these panels already have a thin thermal insulation layer, so it is possible to attach them directly to the frame.
• The most expensive option is finishing with natural stone. It is attached to cement mortar directly onto Penoplex. In this case, the frame must be made of high-quality material, preferably from metal guides, so that they can withstand the heavy weight of natural material. Also, using stone to finish the foundation, it is also laid on the blind area, covering the concrete.

For stability and longevity, a timber-framed home needs a strong foundation. For individuals wishing to do this project on their own, a strip foundation is a workable and reasonable choice. This kind of foundation evenly distributes weight and keeps settlement problems at bay, giving timber structures the support they need. You can successfully build a sturdy foundation for your timber house on your own with proper planning, the right materials, and close attention to detail.

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