Do-it-yourself blind area of ​​concrete around the house. Blind area around the house - the correct device technology, parameters and calculations Concreting the blind area around the house

Paving around the house

The “paths” familiar to the eye along the perimeter of apartment buildings and private houses are nothing more than blind areas that prevent the destruction of the foundation of the building. The presence of a protective strip is a prerequisite for the operation of any home. Even if the building is located in a dry climate, and the soils on the site are not considered difficult, the blind area must still be present.

It also happens like this: a house is acquired ready-made, but it does not have a protective area around the perimeter. Then you will have to decide on your own how to make a blind area around the house with your own hands, otherwise you will soon have to be puzzled by the repair of the foundation or the basement.

Types of blind areas and their features

Often they talk about the numerous functional advantages of the blind area. However, many of them are contrived. The main function of the blind area around the house is protective.

How to make a blind area around the house with your own hands: a blind area, made in accordance with all the rules, creates an excellent water barrier. This means that no precipitation, melt and even partially groundwater will reach the foundation. Thus, at low cost, they increase durability and preserve the integrity of the entire house.

Of course, one can also mention the aesthetic properties of the blind area around the house, when a beautifully designed protective strip emphasizes the exterior decoration of the walls of the building or organically fits into the local . But this parameter refers more to the individual wishes of the owners.

The blind area around the house implies the presence of two layers:

• bases, which account for the main load in terms of strength and durability;
• coatings responsible for stability and waterproofing.

Any blind area consists of a base (underlying layer) and a coating

Classification is usually carried out according to the second parameter, although the structure of the basis is not a constant value.

The blind area around the house happens:

• sandy;
• turf;
• crushed stone;
• asphalt concrete;
• from reinforced concrete slabs;
• with monolithic concrete coating;
• mixed options.

Mixed options are those that are made from improvised means in compliance with the technological features of creating processes.

Most often, these are combinations of the remains of floor tiles and concrete.

Blind area around the house: general rules

The protective strip along the perimeter of the building is always created in accordance with certain standards. How to make a blind area around the house, the main three parameters to consider:

• width;
• depth;
• incline.

The width of the blind area varies from 60 cm to a meter or more. There are two determining factors:

• roof overhang;
• additional purpose of the guard band.

30-40 cm are added to the roof overhang and the optimal width of the blind area is obtained. If in the future it is planned to use this site as a path, path or under a flower bed / lawn, then the width is selected in accordance with these requirements. Also, strict requirements are imposed on blind areas on heaving soils - their width must be at least 0.9 m.

Important!

The depth of the blind area is important for the correct observance of the laying technology. Usually 0.2 meters are allocated for the base and 0.1 meters for the top layer. Naturally, these values ​​are not final and may vary depending on the specifics of the work.

How to make a blind area around the house with your own hands

The angle of inclination is a parameter responsible for the rate of moisture draining from the surface of the blind area. The minimum possible value is 1%, but if you decide to correctly make a blind area around the house, then stick to the figure of 5-6%. According to building codes, the slope in any case should not be more than 10%.

Blind area around the house: slope

Also at the stage of preparatory work, it is necessary to take care of the quality of the trench. Quality refers to the treatment of land with herbicides and the manual removal of large root systems. This is done in order to further avoid the growth of plants through the materials of the blind area and its destruction.

And the last point regarding the creation of a high-quality blind area is the continuity of the protective strip around the entire perimeter.

Having taken into account all these points and having decided on the type of blind area, you can proceed directly to the work.

Sand blind area around the house: simple and high quality

A sand-based protective strip is a simple and inexpensive way to create a blind area. To carry out the work you will need:

• sand;
• shovel;
• - potassium (sodium) silicate;
• boiler;
• watering can;
• hardener - a solution of calcium chloride (5-10%) or sodium silicofluoride (3-7%);
• thick polyethylene film.

The sandy blind area around the house is done as follows:

1. A trench is being prepared with a depth of 0.25 meters of the required width.
2. treated with herbicide.
3. It is covered with sand so that the first layer is at least 0.1 cm. At the same time, it is ensured that the required angle of inclination of the protective strip is maintained.
4. The surface of the sand is compacted.
5. Liquid glass or silicate is prepared for work according to the instructions attached to them.
6. Liquid glass is applied to a layer of compacted sand. It is convenient to use a regular watering can here.
7. A layer of hardener is applied on top.
8. For the second layer of sand, a finer fraction of a homogeneous structure is used.
9. Apply liquid glass and hardener.
10. Close the blind area with a film and leave for several days.

The whole complexity of this technology is working with liquid glass, which usually takes some time to prepare. Otherwise, difficulties do not arise even for inexperienced craftsmen.

Concrete blind area around the house: quality for many years

A site around the perimeter of the house, protected from the weather by a concrete layer, is the best solution for those who choose quality and durability. Such a blind area is suitable for any type of soil, including heaving. If performed correctly, it will not require restoration work and additional care measures.

How to make a blind area around a concrete house is not difficult at all, the main thing is to observe the order and density of the layers, and also use only materials recommended for work.

Concrete blind area - a combination of durability and strength

The sequence of operations for laying a concrete blind area:

1. A trench is prepared with a depth of 0.2-.25 m, from the bottom of which the roots of plants are removed and additionally treated with herbicides.
2. The first layer of the base is sand 0.1-0.15 m thick, which should be carefully compacted.
3. The second layer is waterproofing, for example: .
4. The third layer of the base is sand.
5. The fourth layer is crushed stone. It is poured to ground level, that is, the hole made is completely covered.
6. Formwork is prepared with a wall height of about 0.1 m.
7. The formwork is poured to a height of about 7 cm with concrete. Choose better between the brands M200 or M300.
8. Not allowing the concrete to set, lay the reinforcing mesh.
9. The top layer of concrete is poured to the upper edge of the formwork, while creating the desired slope for the blind area.
10. Spend ironing concrete to improve its waterproofing properties. To do this, the surface of only the poured solution is sprinkled with cement and leveled with a trowel.

The concrete blind area around the house requires the mandatory creation of temperature expansion joints that will not allow the concrete to collapse during temperature fluctuations and humidity changes. One expansion joint must pass at the junction of the wall of the house and the blind area, and protective strips must be created at intervals of no more than 2.5 meters.

Expansion joints cross the concrete blind area every 2-2.5 meters, and also pass along the perimeter of the building

As a barrier, any of the following materials are laid between concrete sections:

• oiled wooden blocks;
• flexible vinyl tapes;
• ruberoid;
• damper tape or other equivalent.

You can create expansion joints using liquid formulations. To do this, in the process of work, gaps about 20 mm thick are left, which are subsequently filled with liquid glass or concrete.

In addition, it is for this type of protective perimeter that professional builders recommend strengthening the adhesion of the foundation and the blind area. To do this, make recesses in the wall with a perforator in such a way that when pouring concrete, approximately 0.3-0.35 m into the wall. A more reliable grip is provided by pieces of reinforcement, which are driven into the strobe made and concreted in the main layer of the blind area.

Blind areas made of clay, crushed stone and other materials

Protective perimeters made of sand and concrete are the most popular, but other technological solutions are not uncommon.

A crushed stone blind area is created from a sequence of layers:

• clay - 0.1-0.15 m;
• waterproofing material;
• coarse sand - 0.1-0.15 m;
• geotextile;
• rubble.

How to make a blind area around the house with your own hands from paving slabs:

The sequence of layers is the same, but there is a feature. So that the heavy stones of paving slabs do not slide down the slope, the perimeter of the blind area will need to be laid out with a curb stone or something similar to it.

The created border is mounted in a concrete lock to avoid deformation of the "fence" under the weight of the main finish.

You can experiment with "soft" solutions. The simplest blind area around a house of this type is done according to the following scheme:

1. In a trench dug under a slope, it fits .
2. Part of the earth is poured back.
3. The surface layer is made of pebbles or gravel.

Combinations of techniques are also possible to achieve an optimal aesthetic and functional effect.

The most important thing is that all the work is quite simple to carry out independently. After all, it does not require special professionalism, special equipment or certain skills. All that the masters need is 2-4 days of free time and the desire to make a high-quality and inexpensive blind area around the house.

Why do you need a blind area around the house? Can you make it with your own hands? The blind area, first of all, plays the role of a kind of protection along with a decorative function. It is installed after the walls are laid out, when the time comes for exterior decoration. It protects the foundation from atmospheric precipitation or its consequences. The blind area looks like a wide strip, hermetically adjacent to the outer part of the foundation, enveloping the house from all sides. It is this area near the house that is exposed to the greatest amount of precipitation that flows from the roof or walls of the building, so it must be reliable, waterproof, and strong.

In addition to its direct purpose, the blind area "works" as a heater in the basement of the building.

As for the width of this protective strip, the rule “the more, the better” works here. According to SNiP, the minimum width of the blind area should be at least 80 cm, while the maximum can be any - at the discretion of the owner of the house.

There are certain requirements for the arrangement of this architectural element:

1. The width of the strip should not be equal to the level of the ledge of the roof, nor can it be narrower than its edge.
2. The blind area around the house should be continuous.
3. The protection of the building foundation depends on the strip width.
4. Installation is carried out with a slope from the house of at least 1.5 °.

It should be wide enough so that you can walk freely on it without touching the walls. The most optimal width is 1 meter.

Paving around the house

The blind area of ​​any type consists of two layers - underlying and waterproof. The bottom layer is usually gravel, crushed stone or sand, and the top layer can be made of concrete, natural stone, paving slabs, asphalt.

The optimal slope angle from the house is 3-5 °, if the building stands on ordinary soil, then the width of the blind area should be approximately 20-30 cm more than the eaves. If your dwelling is built on subsiding or swampy soil, then the width should be at least 90-110 cm.

It is worth mentioning that some types of foundations (for example, screw and pile foundations) do not need a blind area at all. They require the installation of a protective coating only in places where water is drained from the roof.

If the house is on heaving soil, then it is better to make a blind area with insulation - this is necessary so that the protection does not let moisture through. In winter, the water freezes, bursting the soil, so the polystyrene foam laid in the blind area is able to prevent this factor. Extruded polystyrene foam is not only impervious to water, but is also characterized by high thermal insulation properties.

Expanded polystyrene is placed between the layers of the blind area (crushed stone or gravel cushion is located below), it is best to pour concrete on top or lay tiles, cobblestone. This method of warming is very effective, shows good results.

Consider the types of blind area around the house:

1. The simplest, but almost unused material for constructing a protective strip is clay. It is an excellent hydraulic lock for the foundation of the house. Now the use of clay is no longer relevant, as new modern materials confidently occupy a leading position in the construction market.
2. A protective strip of concrete is the most common option for arranging foundation protection. It is quickly installed, has a low cost for the price of building materials used, has a long service life, and is resistant to manifestations of natural factors.
3. A blind area of ​​tiles around the house is placed on a layer of sand. The tile is convenient in that it can be matched to the appearance of the building or the decorative features of the summer cottage. This type of protective strip around the house is durable, easy to install.
4. Natural stone, laid around the house, looks very beautiful, has a long service life, but requires patience and accuracy when laying.
5. The asphalt coating of the protective strip is used infrequently, due to the lack of decorative effect, the specific smell when heated by sunlight and the high cost.
6. A waterproof protective strip is made only if there is a well-installed drainage system. In this case, much attention is paid to the installation of gutters from the roof, so that moisture is removed at a considerable distance from the foundation of the building. Such protection around the house works more for decoration than for practicality.
7. One of the most expensive types of blind area is made of granite. Respectable appearance, quality, durability are the main criteria for such a method of protection.

It will be ideal if a drainage system is equipped on the outside of the entire perimeter of the protective strip around the house (it is not necessary to make it very deep). Such a technique will maximally protect the foundation from contact with moisture.

How to make a blind area with your own hands around the house?

As mentioned above, the blind area consists of two structural layers - underlying and covering. The sub-base provides a level, compact base for the subsequent materials to be laid. The role of "litter" is sand, clay, crushed stone of a fine fraction. The thickness of the litter layer depends on what material the protective strip will be covered with.

The coating fulfills its main purpose - protection against water, and it does not matter what material it is made of.

As an example, consider the phased construction of a blind area made of concrete:

1. Initially, the marking of the future protective strip is carried out; for its arrangement, we will take as a basis a width of 1 meter.
2. Along the entire perimeter of the house (in accordance with the markings), we remove a layer of soil (20-30 cm) and compact the base.
   
3. If there are plants under the layer of removed soil, then their roots can be treated with herbicides so that later they do not start to break their way through the coating.
4. From the boards we make a removable formwork.
5. We lay a thin layer of clay on the compacted soil, and on top of it a sandy layer (about 10 cm). Clay, sand should be well compacted after laying. In the immediate vicinity of the foundation, the sand is compacted especially carefully.
6. We spill the sandy layer with water, but not very abundantly, since there is clay below.
7. We lay the rubble in a thin layer, about 6-8 cm.
   
8. In order for the future protective strip around the house to be strong, withstand compressive and tensile loads, it must be reinforced. For this purpose, a reinforcing mesh with a step of 10 cm is suitable.
   
9. In the place where the blind area is adjacent to the basement, an expansion joint must be made, sometimes it is called a temperature or deformation joint. This seam performs a kind of protection during soil subsidence. It has a width of 1-2 cm. Thus, this gap between the base and the blind area is filled with a sand-gravel mixture or roofing material, it can also be filled with resin or foamed polyethylene (tow), sealant. It is obligatory to install expansion joints in all corners of the house.
10. How to fill the blind area at home? The construction of expansion joints is simply necessary when arranging the correct protective strip around the house. When pouring concrete mass every 2 or 3 meters, you need to install thin wooden boards, set with an edge. For these purposes, ordinary wooden slats are optimally suited, they must be laid so that the upper surface coincides with the surface level of the concrete mass and always taking into account the slope! Wooden elements can be pre-treated with protective agents against decay.
    
11. What kind of concrete is needed for the blind area around the house? The concrete used to create it, in terms of frost-resistant characteristics, should not be inferior to the road counterpart. The M250 or M300 brand is perfect, it is mixed with sand, fine gravel, water until a homogeneous mass is obtained. This mass is laid on top of the reinforcing mesh and wooden ribs, compacted (by vibration or bayonet) and leveled with a rule.
    
12. The concrete blind area around the house, made with your own hands, will become as strong as possible if you use the ironing method immediately after pouring. This building technique has two methods - dry and wet. In the dry method, cement is sprinkled onto a freshly leveled concrete layer. It is sieved on a fine sieve. By tapping on this sieve, it is evenly distributed in a thin layer (2-3 mm) over the entire surface of the protective layer. After the manipulations, this layer is carefully compacted with a plaster spatula. Dry cement draws moisture from wet concrete and, when cured, forms additional reinforcing armor. With the wet method of ironing, the sifted cement is mixed with water to a doughy consistency, applied to the dried concrete layer with a plastering spatula. The thickness of such protection is 2-3 mm. Sometimes ceresite or liquid glass is added to such a solution, but in any case, the strength of the protective layer depends on the quality of the sealing and smoothing.
13. At the final stage, the concrete is covered with a wet cloth, moistened periodically. This protects the concrete layer from drying out until the moment when it finally hardens. After 7-10 days, your concrete blind area will be ready.

You can go the easier way - save time. This method is now very popular, as it has good protective qualities, gives the house adjoining strip an attractive appearance.

To do this, after removing the soil layer, sand is poured to the bottom of the trench, poured from above with liquid glass mixed with a hardener. After hardening, an attractive monolithic surface is obtained, which has high moisture-resistant characteristics.

How to close a crack in the blind area at home?

Cracks or damage to the concrete surface can also appear due to certain circumstances. Shallow cracks can be filled with a liquid cement mortar, larger ones are pre-cut down for the entire length of the damage, cleaned of debris and dust. After cleaning, the crack is filled with a mixture of bitumen, asbestos and sand.

Large damage can also be filled with fresh concrete mass, having previously primed them. Further, the “patch” is looked after in the same way as a regular screed - the surface is moistened until the concrete has completely hardened.

If the damage is serious, then additional reinforcement of the cracks is carried out, followed by their filling with a sand-cement mixture with the addition of crushed stone. After complete hardening, the "patches" are treated with a primer.

Soft pavement around the house

The soft blind area does not have an upper hard coating; instead, crushed stone of various colors is poured in or soil with grass is generally used. The soft blind area is not afraid of soil deformation due to freezing and subsequent thawing. When laying such a protective strip, it is not necessary to observe the slope angle. If a layer of expanded polystyrene is provided at the base of the soft coating, then it will additionally help reduce the depth of soil freezing in the foundation area.

The blind area around the house of rubble is done like this:

1. A layer of soil is removed, compacted, then a layer of clay (10 cm) is laid over the entire area of ​​the resulting trench. In order to avoid subsequent swelling, the clay must be absolutely clean, that is, it must not contain sand.
2. Clay is also rammed, a waterproofing film is laid on top of it (with a margin). If circumstances develop in such a way that the blind area moves away from the foundation, then the stock of film will be able to compensate for the shortage of material that has arisen. The film is fixed by overlapping directly on the foundation.
3. Sand is poured over the hydroprotection.
4. The next step is the laying of geotextiles over the entire area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe future blind area.
5. Crushed stone is poured onto geotextiles. The layer of embankment can be from 10 to 15 cm.
6. The geotextile is re-laid, on which decorative crushed stone is poured.

Thus, any do-it-yourself blind area around the house will help to significantly increase the operational life of your home, bring additional aesthetics and attractiveness.

The blind area is a strip on the outside of the building, covered with concrete or backfill material, located along the perimeter of the house and protecting its foundation from moisture penetration, freezing, serving as a drainage system. To most, it is familiar as a "path" around the house, adjacent to its basement. In accordance with the norms, the slope of the blind area should be 10 ppm in the direction from the building. The covering of the blind area must have good insulating properties, hermetically adjoin the foundation and prevent the penetration of moisture at the joints. The laying guide will help you navigate the nuances of the work process.

The main task of the blind area is to divert melt and rain water from the foundation, respectively, and from the basement, the basement of the building, which helps to extend the life of the house. Thanks to the technological bias, it protects them from the accumulation of water near the walls of the house. If water seeps towards the house, at low temperatures it will freeze and expand, thereby creating pressure on the foundation, in which cracks will subsequently occur. If there is a basement and a basement in the building, it is advisable to lay a heat-insulating and waterproofing layer under the blind area in order to create additional insulation of the building and prevent swelling of the soil around it.

The secondary function of the blind area is that it plays the role of a footpath for moving around the house, and also serves as a decorative element of the landscape and, directly, of the structure itself.

Types of blind area

Despite the existing types of blind areas, their functional purpose is the same. The differences are only in the specifics of the installation.

There are the following types of protective coatings:

• Stone and concrete pavers
• Plates
• Blind area from crushed stone
• Soft blind area

At their core, they can be divided into two groups that differ from each other: blind areas with a hard coating and soft blind areas. The first group includes a coating of concrete, crushed stone, asphalt, sandstone, etc., the second - a base with a coating of crushed stone, soil, paving slabs instead of hard. The difference between a soft structure and a solid one is that the drainage function is shifted to the underlying layers, while the inclined surface of a rigid structure removes water from the walls. In addition, it is better suited for use on heaving soil, while a hard blind area is better used for less watered soil.

A concrete blind area has both advantages and disadvantages compared to a soft one: it is a strong, durable coating that has a simple laying pattern: the trench is filled with sand and gravel, then it is poured with concrete mortar. The disadvantage of this design is the formation of cracks over time and the need to repair them. In addition, the runoff of water from the path if it is improperly diverted can reduce its protective properties, a small decorative effect cannot be compared with a soft blind area.

Advantages and disadvantages of soft blind area

The soft blind area around the house has many positive qualities:

• Does not require repair, unlike hard coating;
• Has high rates of frost resistance;
• Subsidence and seasonal ground movements do not damage the structure. This is due to the fact that the blind area will “play” with its flexibility at the depth of soil freezing while the foundation remains motionless. The hard coating would then lose its integrity due to its immobility.
• Wide range of decorative exterior finishes. In addition, the surface can be sown with a lawn or planted with flowers.
• The blind area is laid with your own hands, which allows you to save money on the work of involved specialists. This is quite simple to do, since there is a step-by-step instruction for the work.
• The use of insulation allows you to reduce the depth of soil freezing around the blind area, which allows you to lay the foundation at a shallower depth, especially on clay soil.

The disadvantages of a soft coating are weed overgrowth, which necessitates constant care for the outer coating, as well as a more labor-intensive process of laying the system, in contrast to a hard coating, due to its more complex structure.

Soft blind area: device

When installing a soft protective coating, some features should be taken into account: its width should be 15-20 cm wider than the roof eaves, the minimum width should be 60 cm. When laying on unstable soil, the width can reach one meter. The depth of the protective belt also depends on the type of soil. With its low mobility on non-clay soil, the depth of the trench should reach 10-15 cm with external finishing with paving stones or sand. When finishing with heavier material, the depth should be 20 cm.

The design of the soft blind area consists of the following elements:

1. Waterproofing

The material for waterproofing can be roofing material, polyethylene or a PVC membrane. A prerequisite for high-quality waterproofing is its strength and frost resistance.

1. Clay for laying the bottom layer, if the soil is loose. Clay must not contain sand.
2. Drainage - expanded clay, crushed stone, sand, or pebbles. Fraction for crushed stone is better to choose the average. This layer is used for laying the drainage pipe.
3. Geotextile for load distribution and separation of fractions to prevent mixing of soil layers. Its composition contains non-woven polyester fiber, which is highly breathable and water-permeable. It is divided into reinforced, which can withstand heavy loads, and unreinforced. The function of geotextiles is to prevent silting of the drainage layer, which makes it possible not to use pipes when laying the protective belt.
4. Insulation - extruded polystyrene foam or polyurethane foam. Expanded polystyrene It is laid with plates, it is necessarily waterproofed to prevent water from entering between the joints.
5. Curbstone.
6. The top decorative coating is colored gravel, soil with a lawn or other vegetation, paving stones, etc. When creating an economical option, ordinary crushed stone can serve as an external coating.

Do-it-yourself soft blind area: step by step instructions

Do-it-yourself blind area is laid quite simply, while step-by-step instructions will help. It is best to carry out work at the stage of foundation construction, since when laying a hydro-barrier near a building on a pile-grillage foundation, it is required to place it under the house by 30-50 cm. Thus, the excavation process will be easier.

Preparatory stage of work

The initial stage consists of earthworks, or rather, digging a trench under the hydro-barrier. In this case, a rectangular section is removed to a depth of 45 cm at the lowest level of the section. The bottom of the trench should be regulated by a level or level and compacted tightly, for this you can use small gravel backfilling.

To locate the channel of the hidden storm system, a small ditch 40 mm wide is dug along the edges of the trench. Then the bottom of the trench is covered with moistened clay without impurities 20 cm thick. When leveling in a ditch, it is given a slope from the building. When it is laid out around the entire perimeter, the clay is left to dry, periodically wetting with water against the occurrence of cracks. Do-it-yourself soft blind area around the house continues to be laid after the clay loses its viscous appearance.

When using insulation, the depth of the trench increases by 100 mm.

Laying the drainage system

Water is drained in such a way that the runoff is directed to the drainage system. It is not recommended to carry out a drain system directly into the soil, because during heavy rainfall, the soil under the hydrobarrier may be washed away and further subsidence.

To drain the water, drainage pipes with a diameter of 100 mm are mounted. Pipes are pre-wrapped with geotextile for insulation. Corners and intersections are equipped with tee manifolds connecting the channels with the upper outlet. It is better to drain water into a special trench 1 m deep, covered with rubble and soil in a ratio of 70 to 30.

Do-it-yourself soft blind area: laying layers

After the clay layer has dried up, crushed stone of the middle fraction with a thickness of 10-12 cm is poured onto it with a slope from the building. Further, the slope is leveled with sand, while each layer is tightly compacted and wetted with water, and also broken with geotextiles, especially layers of clay with crushed stone, sand and crushed stone. After tamping, a geomembrane is laid over the sand layer, it is also laid on the bottom of the channel tray, pipes with geotextiles and collectors are mounted. From above, the geomembrane is covered with a drainage layer so that water does not linger on the embankment. Then a leveling layer of sand and gravel up to 40 mm thick is laid, as well as geotextiles. Everything that fits further refers to the outer decorative layer, which the blind area around the house with your own hands can have in various forms.

When insulating the blind area, the insulation boards are laid on the bottom layer of waterproofing, covered from above with another of the same layer. All other layers of the hydrobarrier are already laid on the top layer of waterproofing.

Protective outer coating

The final filling of the hydro-barrier consists in leveling with crushed stone with a fraction of 20-25 mm until a dense even layer 60 mm thick is created. Since all the underlying layers were demarcated, the surface is dense, not allowing the legs to get stuck. If the edge of the blind area is shifted by 10-15 cm, a small amount of turf can be poured onto it and the lawn can be brought to the walls of the building. In addition to the turf, the resulting hydro-barrier can be covered with colored decorative gravel of various fractions, pebbles, tiles, both large and small.

This article considers the blind area around the house. We will tell you how to properly make a blind area around the house and present the existing types of blind areas. Let us pay attention to the important points of the blind area device technology and its operation. In addition, we will separately pay attention to the repair of the blind area around the house.

After reading the article, you will understand what the correct blind area should be. You can choose the type, composition and design of the blind area that suits you.

The role of the blind area for the design of the house

The blind area at home plays an important role in ensuring long and comfortable use of the house itself. It protects the structure and the soil around it from moisture. The accumulation of water near the house during precipitation or when snow melts and runs off the roof can erode the top layer of soil and reach the foundation. The blind area of ​​the house serves to protect the foundation from rain and flood waters along the perimeter of the house, prevents subsidence of the foundation, serves as a decorative element of external improvement, and acts as a kind of sidewalk around the house.

The period during the construction of the house when the blind area is performed

It is correct to start the construction of the blind area immediately after facing the walls or basement. Unfortunately, many owners do not attach the necessary importance to it, and postpone the moment of arranging the blind area for 1-2 years.

Consequences for the house, if you do not perform a blind area

If the blind area is not made, then groundwater freely penetrates to the foundation and adjacent soil and can lead to uneven washing of the house. Because of this, the foundation and even walls can crack. Even more serious consequences can be caused by the lack of a blind area near a house standing on heaving soils. It is especially dangerous to leave such a house without a blind area for the winter. The heaving soil is saturated with water, freezes and swells unevenly and equally presses unevenly on the structures of the house, destroying them. Therefore, for such soils, the blind area must also be insulated. You can read more about the installation of an insulated blind area on heaving soils in the answer to the question.

The composition of the blind area

Any blind area should consist of two main components: the underlying layer and the coating.

Structural layers of the blind area

Underlayment serves to create a compacted and even base for further laying the blind area. And only one type of underlying layer also performs the main function of the blind area, waterproofing - this is clay. As an underlying layer, it is used: sand, clay, small gravel, carving.

The choice of material depends on the top cover of the blind area. The thickness of the underlying layer is on average 20 cm.

Coating blind areas should be primarily waterproof and difficult to wash out with water. For these purposes, small cobblestone, concrete, asphalt, paving slabs, clay are used. Sometimes the role of both the underlying layer and the coating is performed by a mixture of clay and crushed stone or clay and sand. The average thickness of this layer is 5-10 cm.

Blind area from a mixture of crumpled clay and crushed stone

Blind area execution parameters and basic principles

Since the blind area must divert water from the house, it must be laid with a slope from the house. The slope of the blind area depends on the coverage: for crushed stone and cobblestone - 5-10% (5-10 cm per 1 m of blind area width); for asphalt and concrete - 3-5%.

blind area slope

The width of the blind area is taken depending on the type of soil and the width of the roof eaves. On ordinary soils, it should be 20 cm wider than the eaves, but not less than 60 cm, on subsidence - at least 1 meter.

blind area width

Along the perimeter of the blind area, it is desirable to make a concrete tray for draining water; you can also use a sawn pipe laid on a concrete base for these purposes.

Water drainage from the blind area

At the junction of the blind area with the wall, an expansion joint 1-2 cm wide is made. Sometimes it is recommended to seal it with sand or EPPS, but 2 layers of roofing material, or bitumen or sealant, are better for this purpose. If the foundation is waterproofed in the house, then it is simply brought out to the level of the blind area.

Compensation seam blind area

It is impossible to connect the blind area with a wall or a plinth tightly, since in the event of a slight settlement, the facing material may suffer, for example, the tiles on the plinth may crumble.

The main stages of the blind area

The blind area begins with excavation to a depth equal to the width of the underlying layer and coating (25-30 cm). It is desirable to treat the trench with a herbicide to kill weed roots, as they can destroy the cover. A curb stone or removable formwork is installed along the outer edge of the blind area.

Removable formwork for the blind area

Then the underlying layer is laid and carefully rammed. A blind area is laid on the underlying layer. Each coating has its own installation features, so we will consider each coating option separately.

Blind area of ​​cobblestone

A small cobblestone or stone, 4-10 cm high, is laid on an underlying layer of sand (10-20 cm) or fine gravel (3-5 cm) or on a carving (3-5 cm). The gaps between the cobblestones are filled with sand.

Blind area with cobblestone coating

Blind area from paving slabs

Paving slabs (4-8 cm) are laid on the same underlying layer as the cobblestone, the gaps are filled with sand. For ease of installation, the width of the blind area is determined based on the dimensions of the plates so that 1 or 2 rows of plates fit and they do not need to be cut. Paving slabs have several advantages. They have a long service life, and if necessary, they can be partially replaced. In order to prolong the life of such a coating, the slabs can be re-laid with a 90° turn at the drain points of the gutter system.

Tile covered deck

Clay pavement

Clay (10-15 cm) is laid on an underlying layer of compacted sand (10 cm). In addition, to strengthen the base, a cobblestone is additionally embedded in the sand.

clay pavement

Concrete pavement

Concrete flooring is the most popular. The underlying layer on non-rocky soils is made of clay (10-15 cm), and on heaving soils, in addition to clay, sand (6-8 cm) is also laid. It serves as a kind of shock absorber between the heaving base and the covering of the blind area. If a concrete coating is planned, then after laying the underlying layer, expansion joints must be made. They protect the concrete pavement from tearing on frosty days. A solid blind area made of concrete collapses, as a rule, in the very first winter. As expansion joints across the blind area with a step of 2.5-3 m, wooden slats coated with bitumen are placed on the edge. The upper surface of the rails is located at the level of the concrete surface, taking into account the slight slope of the blind area from the house. After that, concrete is laid, and the slats serve as so-called beacons, along which the concrete surface is leveled. To increase the surface moisture resistance of concrete, the laid concrete blind area must be carefully ironed. To do this, sprinkle the wet surface several times with cement and smooth with an iron trowel. Then the surface is covered with a wet cloth and aged for a week. Concrete is poured from time to time with water from a watering can so that the fabric is wet all the time.

Concrete pavement

To increase the service life of a concrete blind area, especially on heaving soils, it is recommended to reinforce it. This is necessary in order for the blind area to work both in compression and in tension. Concrete works in compression, and reinforcement works in tension. Reinforcement is carried out with a metal mesh with cells of 100x100 mm in parts, leaving expansion joints every 2-2.5 m.

Asphalt pavement

Crushed stone (15 cm) is laid in a compacted trench, an asphalt coating (3 cm) is made on top. The installation of a blind area made of asphalt concrete is not quite simple, and it is also not the most environmentally friendly option, since asphalt releases harmful substances to humans when heated.

asphalt pavement

Permeable blind area

If drainage is done around the perimeter of the house, then the blind area can be made permeable. This blind area is the easiest to perform. A special geotextile material is laid in a trench with a pre-compacted base, and 10 cm of crushed stone, gravel, pebbles or expanded clay are laid on it. Fraction is recommended to use 8-32 mm. Geotextile material prevents crushed stone from being pressed into the base, and thus protects the blind area from subsidence. When arranging such a blind area from a material of a homogeneous fraction, it is worth considering that it will be difficult to compact it tightly, so walking along such a blind area will not be very convenient. And also with unorganized drainage from the roof (that is, when water does not flow down the gutters, but directly from the entire slope), such a coating must be regularly corrected.

Blind area with crushed stone

Thermal insulation of the blind area

As we said at the beginning of this article, on heaving soils you need to perform. The heaving soil is saturated with water, freezes and swells unevenly and equally presses unevenly on the structures of the house, destroying them. The insulation does not allow the soil to freeze, thereby preventing its heaving. For these purposes, it is recommended to use a heat-insulating material that does not absorb moisture - extruded polystyrene foam. It is laid between the underlying layer and the coating. There should not be large point loads on the insulation, so it is better to use the coating from concrete, as well as tiles or cobblestones for sand preparation. And crushed stone, gravel, pebbles, expanded clay to cover such a blind area is not recommended.

Blind area insulation

Blind area repair

If you find damage to the blind area, then its repair should be done as soon as possible to prevent their spread. It is necessary to start repairing the blind area by determining the boundaries of the damaged areas. In this case, several small potholes can be combined into one common plane.

Damaged asphalt concrete pavement must be cut with wedges to the full depth and thoroughly cleaned of dust and other contaminants. Lubricate the bottom, walls and edges with viscous thinned bitumen, lay asphalt concrete and compact with a hand roller. It is necessary to roll asphalt concrete from the edges to the middle. This results in a flat surface. The asphalt mix should be laid slightly above the old pavement, which provides a better connection between the new site and the existing one.

When repairing cracks, potholes and peeling that appeared in the blind area with a cement-concrete coating, rubber-bitumen mastics, sealing pastes, cement-sand mortars and fine-grained concretes are used. The prepared work must be performed in the same way as when repairing an asphalt concrete blind area. Fill cleaned cracks and seams with mastic, which includes BND-90/130 or BND-60/90 bitumen (60-80%), crushed slag (10-15%) and asbestos (10-20%). Sprinkle closed cracks with sand. Small cracks can be filled with a liquid cement mortar with a ratio of 1:1 or 1:2.

Repair of small cracks in the blind area

In case of large damage, the cement-concrete coating must be restored with concrete. Pre-clean and prime the surface to be repaired with cement mortar. Cover freshly laid concrete with a damp tarp or plastic sheeting to keep it from drying out during the curing period.

Repair of the entire surface of the blind area

It is better to repair the blind area in spring and autumn in cool weather, and in summer - in the morning, when the seams and cracks are more open.

Note: Current regulatory documents on the blind area device

"General requirements. Manual for SNiP 2.02.01-83.

3.182. Watertight blind areas must be arranged around each building. For buildings and structures erected on sites with type II soil conditions in terms of subsidence, the width of the blind area must be at least 2 m and cover the sinuses.

On sites with soil conditions of type I in terms of subsidence, as well as with the complete elimination of subsidence properties of soils or their cutting on sites with soil conditions of type II, the width of the blind area is assumed to be 1.5 m.

Blind areas along the perimeter of buildings should be prepared from local compacted soil with a thickness of at least 0.15 m. Blind areas should be arranged with a slope in the transverse direction of at least 0.03. The mark of the edge of the blind area must exceed the planning one by at least 0.05 m. Water falling on the blind area must flow freely into the storm drain network or trays.

If the blind area of ​​the building is a pedestrian zone, then the requirements for the blind areas are the same as the requirements for road surfaces, pedestrian zones with the expected arrival of a car with a maximum axle load of 8 tons.

If these are hydraulic structures, then the requirements for the blind area in accordance with SNiP 2.04.02-84.

"Norms and rules for the design of integrated improvement in the territory of Moscow MGSN 1.02-02 TSN 30-307-2002".

4.11.4 To ensure surface drainage from buildings and structures along their perimeter, it is necessary to provide for a blind area with reliable waterproofing in accordance with SNiP III-10. The slope of the blind area should be taken at least 10 ‰ from the building. The width of the blind area for buildings and structures is recommended to be 0.8-1.2 m, in difficult geological conditions (soils with karsts) - 1.5-3 m. .

In addition to the blind area, a drainage system is mandatory for water drainage.

Master of Architecture, graduated from the Samara State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering. 11 years of experience in design and construction.

The blind area device is an extremely important event. These works are carried out after the construction of the house is completed, therefore sometimes they are not given enough attention, one hundred is unacceptable, since the design of the blind area performs the extremely important task of protecting the foundation from atmospheric moisture. The following describes how the blind area should be done with your own hands, step-by-step instructions for each type of protective strip and recommendations for choosing materials.

Concrete pavement

To date, this is the most popular way to protect the foundation, but it has a fairly large number of disadvantages, therefore, if there is financial opportunity to choose a more expensive and reliable option, it is better to resort to it. Most often, this type of blind area is typical for mass urban construction.

The disadvantages include:

The production of a concrete element is carried out in the following order:

1. Calculation of the thickness of the entire structure, in which it is required to take into account all layers. This value is needed in order to determine the depth of the trench along the perimeter of the foundation.
2. Determination of geometric dimensions. On average, the width should be taken within 90-100 cm. The slope for concrete is 3-5% (for piece materials - 5%, therefore, in order not to get confused in the values, it is recommended to remember the total - 5%).
3. Take out markings on the ground. For this, the limits of the future structure along the perimeter of the foundation are indicated by pegs with a cord stretched over them.
4. Next, open the trench. The dimensions in the plan are already limited by markings, it remains only to dig the soil to the depth calculated in the first paragraph.
5. The base soil is carefully compacted. If possible, a castle is made of clay, which will provide additional protection against moisture.
6. The next layer is a sand cushion. Sand performs three functions: replacing heaving soil, which is widespread throughout the country, with conditionally non-heaving soil, leveling the base, and arranging a drainage layer. The sand cushion is made only from coarse or medium sand. If a do-it-yourself blind area is erected using a fine fraction, then large shrinkage, cracks and a violation of waterproofing are possible. The thickness of the layer is selected depending on the characteristics of the soil. It is important to consider strength and water saturation. If the soils on the site are strong, it will be enough to lay about 200 mm of sand. For unstable bases, 500 mm of sand bedding may be required.
7. The crushed stone bedding performs approximately the same functions as the sandy one. Here you can use not only crushed stone, but also gravel or a sand-gravel mixture. The blind area on such a basis increases the strength of the soil and increases the reliability of the entire structure. At this stage, the preparatory work is completed. Up to this point, there are no fundamental differences in how to properly make a blind area for a foundation from different materials.
8. The next step is setting up the formwork. The formwork is needed so that the liquid concrete mixture does not flow beyond the markup. For manufacturing, you can buy boards with a thickness of 22-25mm. You can use old materials to save money. Walls are knocked together from the boards, which are installed around the perimeter of the foundation. At the same time, it is important to install the board directly to the wall of the building, the thickness of the formwork element will provide the necessary expansion joint, the thickness of which is in the range of 20-40 mm. The seam is needed to prevent cracking and deformation of the structure with different shrinkage of the foundation and blind area.
9. After the formwork is installed, reinforcing mesh is laid. They will increase the flexural strength of concrete. The diameter of the reinforcement in the grids is recommended to be approximately 10 mm. This technology of the blind area device will ensure its strength and reliability.
10. Further, the blind area device requires the installation of transverse boards around the entire perimeter of the foundation. The boards will provide expansion joints that cut the strip into separate sections. The step of the boards is assigned 2 meters.
11. The next step is pouring concrete. For this, a concrete mixture of classes B20 - B22.5 (grade M300) is made. It is this solution that is able to provide the durability of the structure and the necessary strength. It is possible to use concrete of smaller classes, B15 and B17.5 are suitable, but it is worth remembering that the service life will decrease. When using a mixture of B22.5, the standard service life will be approximately 25 years. Filling in each compartment between the boards of expansion joints is performed in one go. After that, compaction is required. There are several ways, but the most common is vibrators. In the absence of the necessary equipment, you can use the bayonet.
12. After the solution is poured, the surface is ironed, this is done to increase the strength characteristics.
13. The penultimate stage in the manufacture of a concrete blind area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe foundation is the strength gain of the structure and its care. At a temperature of +20 degrees Celsius and normal humidity, it takes 4 weeks to cure. If the temperature is lower, the process slows down significantly. It is necessary to wait for at least 70% of the graded strength of concrete. A week or two after pouring, the surface is moistened every 2-3 hours (and at night 2-3 times a night). This is necessary to prevent cracking.
14. When the concrete has gained 70% strength, you can remove the formwork. After that, the blind area device is completed.

Paving slab foundation

The blind area around the house with your own hands in this case has only one drawback - the cost. But in terms of appearance, maintainability and ease of use, it surpasses the previous type.

The preparatory stage of work is carried out according to paragraphs 1-7 for the manufacture of a concrete pavement of the foundation.

1. An additional layer of sand 70-100 mm is laid on the crushed stone, while providing the necessary slope.
2. The next step is the installation of tiles.
3. The joints of the piece elements are sealed with a cement-sand mortar.

More details about this type of construction can be found in the article "Blind area from paving slabs." Using the same technology, a cobblestone or ceramic brick structure is mounted.

clay pavement

Arrangement of this type to protect the foundation requires the following steps:

1. Preparation according to points 1-7 for a concrete blind area.
2. Laying a layer of clay 100-150 mm thick and compacting it. For manufacturing, you can use clay, which remained after excavating the foundation pit, but only if it is of good quality and high strength.
3. The arrangement ends with the creation of a decorative layer. To do this, stones are sunk into the clay layer or pebbles are laid on top. This will create a comfortable footpath and strengthen the structure.

Clay pavement is an inexpensive and not laborious option for creating a drainage system around the perimeter of the foundation.

membranes

Before making a blind area around the house, it is recommended to consider the option of PVP membranes.

This material provides the highest degree of protection of supporting structures from atmospheric moisture.

The technology differs from the usual types of protective blind areas:

1. Perform steps 1-5 for a concrete blind area.
2. A layer of sand is laid, and a membrane is in it.
3. Cover it all with a layer of rubble.
4. Perform backfilling.
5. Planting grass.

The blind area from the membrane does not come to the surface and cannot be used as a sidewalk. Its only function is reliable waterproofing. ATThe choice of material depends on the possibilities and wishes of the future owner of the house.