Do-it-yourself blind area - step by step instructions. Concrete pavement around the house - how to do it yourself How to make ebbs around the house

15.06.2019

27.12.2016 1 Comment

Filling the blind area around the house is an important stage in the construction of any house or structure. It is invisible and seems insignificant. But experienced builder and the user is aware of its importance. It is necessary to observe the technology of its manufacture, to choose the right type. With a careful study of construction technology, it can be done with your own hands.

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Purpose

The idea of \u200b\u200bthe meaning of the concrete blind area will help answer the question: “How to properly fill the blind area around the house?” The main mission of the blind area is to protect the foundation of the house. This building part drains rainwater, spring floods. The farther moisture goes from the perimeter of the house, the drier the basement. The blind area reduces the load on the drainage system, saves vertical waterproofing. The main parameter of the blind area is its width. The most common value is one meter.

You can limit yourself to a smaller size if the house is small and the size of the plot is tiny. But this deviation should not exceed 20 centimeters. An essential landmark is the cornice of the house. Its projection on the blind area should be 20 centimeters smaller, should be closer to the foundation. The blind area completes the architectural image of any house, serves as a territory for pedestrians. She must have a slight slope away from the house. So the water will be better discharged from the foundation. A two percent slope will suffice. Before starting work, it is important to calculate the height of the blind area near the wall of the house.

Construction and materials

The blind area looks like this:

Sand layer. It is rammed and compacted with irrigation.
Drainage. Rammed without watering.
waterproofing layer.
Concrete pavement.
Damper seam every 2 meters blind area.
Sod, which is adjacent to the blind area on the opposite side of the foundation.

It is impossible to fill the blind area around the house without materials:

Bedding. It is prepared before the start of pouring the solution. Its manufacture will require sand, crushed stone or gravel of not very large sizes. It is considered a violation to pour concrete on fine sand. Such a foundation will not be strong, it will definitely shrink. The more serious the design, the more reliable it is. It is preferable to make a pillow of at least two substances. The bottom layer will compact the soil, level the surface. You will need gravel or gravel. The second layer will need sand.
Reinforcing mesh. Fittings with a diameter of 6 to 8 millimeters are useful. The softer the soil, the smaller the cell sizes. They can be from 20 to 50 cm.
Wooden formwork. Enough boards with a thickness of 20-30 mm., And a width of 100 mm.
Concrete solution. The strength of concrete should not be less than B15. Using more serious concrete is economically unprofitable. But if the house is located in the northern latitudes, the concrete must be more frost-resistant.
Sealant.

It will be problematic to do this work without the following tools and devices:

Bayonet shovel, shovel shovel.
Hammer and nails for formwork.
Spatula, master.
Rule for leveling the solution.
Level, roulette.
Mixture container.
Buckets.
Twine or fishing line.

concrete mortar

The brand of concrete used should be based on winter temperatures. Do not use a brand below F50. The best option for Russian conditions is the F100 brand. The main thing in the manufacture of concrete on their own is to accurately maintain the proportions. Perfect option- use a ready-made mixture from the factory. But it costs money, it will be very difficult for one to quickly work out the quantity that the concrete truck will deliver. Filling the blind area around the house is a laborious process: you simply can’t cope physically. Part of the concrete will disappear or seize, making problems for the near future.

Concrete homemade will require the use of four ingredients: water, sand, cement and crushed stone. The optimal brand of cement is M400. It is desirable to take sand of medium size, fine sand is suitable as an alternative. To obtain a mixture of brand B15, the following ratio will be required:

Cement - 1 share.
Sand - 2.9 shares.
Crushed stone - 4.9 shares.
Water - 0.6 shares.

If you take ten liters of cement, then the above proportion will give out 54 liters of concrete. Other brands of cement suggest a similar ratio of sand and a slightly smaller amount of coarse aggregate.

The order of the main operations

Proper filling of the blind area involves performing operations in strict accordance with the sequence:

Marking around the house. It will help determine the perimeter of the future structure.
Excavation around the entire perimeter of the house. The depth of the trench should take into account the thickness of all layers - the bedding and the concrete itself. The standard depth is 30 centimeters.
Foundation tamper.
Formwork installation. Should be a one-piece, solid construction.
Laying loose materials - crushed stone and sand. The process is accompanied by compaction. The minimum thickness of the first layer is 20 centimeters. Sometimes a small layer of clay (5 centimeters) is laid between the soil and bulk materials. The process of tamping sand is accompanied by watering. The closer to the foundation, the more effort is worth making. Instead of rubble, you can use a brick fight.
Laying of reinforcement meshes. If conventional reinforcement is used, then it is tied with wire.
Installation of boards that will serve as expansion joints. They will not allow concrete to collapse in winter. The step has already been indicated above: 2 meters.
Blind area concreting: laying the concrete itself and its compaction, leveling. Standard Thickness- 15 centimeters.
Structural ironwork. It will give hardness, will reliably protect from moisture. Ironing is the backfilling of fresh mortar with a thin layer of cement after 20 minutes. With a spatula or trowel, it is rubbed over the entire surface of the blind area. This operation can be skipped if you will be laying tiles or other types of decorative material to the blind area.
Care of concrete in the process of setting. The structure must be protected from unauthorized entry of foreign objects, animals, guests of the yard.

Subtleties and nuances

The manufacture of the blind area should be started immediately after the construction of the foundation and its finishing. It should be remembered that the blind area should not closely adjoin it. It is necessary to provide a small gap between the base and the blind area. The recommended value is 20 millimeters. The gap will allow these two powerful structures to settle with different meaning. This will not lead to the appearance of cracks on their surface. If you do not use insulation for the foundation and blind area, then it is recommended to fill this gap with sealant.

Full setting of the filled blind area occurs after 4 weeks at a temperature of 20 degrees Celsius. The lower the temperature and the higher the humidity, the longer this period. There is a simple principle: the longer the better! But the formwork can be dismantled much earlier than this period. Concrete care will not be superfluous. It consists in systematic wetting. To prevent evaporation, you can fill the structure with a film. This will prevent cracking during setting.

Warming welcome. Extruded polystyrene foam, which is laid under a layer of concrete for backfill, will help. This procedure is relevant if the sole of the basement is above the freezing value of the soil. The ideal design of the blind area has a drain channel, which is located on its edge. It will help to effectively drain rainwater. The construction of this channel will not be problematic if the yard is sloped. The advanced blind area will be equipped with insulation, which is one with the insulation layer of the whole house. And the gap between the blind area and the foundation will favor this.

decorative design

The blind area can be not only a protective structure, but also become an ornament to the foundation of the house. Its surface can be covered with paving stones, bricks. FEMs are very popular - figured elements for paving. You can lay the blind area with asphalt, but it's expensive. The best way- blind area from paving stones. It has suitable strength, long service life, is produced in different colors. It is laid after the blind area has completely hardened. You can put it on a dry mix or on a regular solution of sand and cement. Connoisseurs add a little substance with which they wash dishes. The coating is laid on the mortar, leveled with a rubber mallet. The gaps between the elements are filled with sand or cement. You can walk a week after installation.

Additionally

Before starting all the work, you can take a small master class from specialists. Better yet, work for a few days as an assistant in a construction team. Remember about safety precautions, work with gloves. The main hazard in carrying out this work is lifting weights. The help of a partner will be appropriate.

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Today we will continue the topic of the foundation and basement of your house, or rather, we will “close” it with an article about how to build a concrete blind area with your own hands correctly and inexpensively for your home. We will consider the simplest and most inexpensive way to device concrete blind area(after all, our task is to build inexpensive house with their own hands, which is not inferior in reliability to an expensive house. Remember?).

So what do we have? The construction of our house is completed: the roof is all finished. It's time to start building the deck. In fact, the blind area can be made at almost any time after the laying of the walls. But the most optimal time, in our opinion, is when you start the final exterior finish your house. If you plan to perform the lining of the basement, then the blind area should be done after these works have been completed.

What is a blind area for?

If you do not have enough money to finish the house, then blind area we still recommend doing it. In any case, the blind area should be done before the cold weather. Then your house will “overwinter and meet spring” without any problems.

And now - the main functions of the blind area:

Decorative, a sense of architectural completeness;
except decorative element at home, the blind area is the protection of the foundation from external waters: melt water, rains. Water retention, its diversion into storm sewer(this is what you plan to do) - the main task of the blind area;
In addition, the blind area allows you to reduce the freezing of the soil under it, respectively - around the house. Those. the blind area guards the heat of the house;
Reducing the freezing of the soil entails a decrease in the likelihood of swelling of the soil. On swellable soils, it is recommended to do. True, we decided not to do this;
If there is no blind area and the soil comes close to the basement, then in addition to excessive moisture, the roots of plants can also harm the foundation.

How to make a blind area?

The easiest option is a concrete blind area with a width of 60 cm, which surrounds your house from all sides.

In order for the blind area to fully fulfill its purpose, it is necessary to observe several basic rules:

the width of the blind area should not match or be less than the ledge of the roof. The minimum width of the blind area \u003d roof protrusion (cornice) + 20cm .;
the blind area should continuously encircle the entire house. Then the basement of the house (and the basement) will be protected from moisture penetration;
the wider the blind area, the better the function of protection against water penetration will be performed;
the blind area should be performed with a slight slope. Minimum slope from the house towards the ground, which will provide water drainage - 1.5 degrees. The bias could be more. It depends on the underlying coverage. The slope can be formed both at the stage of creating the underlying layer, and at the stage of laying the pavement. What is the underlying layer and coating, we will describe below.

Do-it-yourself concrete pavement

The longevity of your foundation depends on the blind area, made in accordance with all the rules, the minimum cost of both money and time to repair the foundation, basement and blind area, and the absence of a “headache” after you have finished building your house with your own hands - and this is probably , the most important!

The blind area is two constructive layers:

underlying layer. The main task is to create an even compacted base for the coating. Applied material: clay, sand, small gravel. The material for the sub-base depends on the material of the pavement. Thickness - up to 20mm;
coating. The main task is water resistance and resistance to the damaging effects of water. Applicable material: clay (clay is a material that can be used both as an underlay and a coating), concrete, asphalt mix, small cobblestone. Thickness - up to 10 cm.

This is true for any type of blind area. In this regard, we will tell you in what order the work should be carried out for concrete pavement structures.

We carry out the markup for the future blind area. We talked about the minimum width of the blind area in this article above. The width of the blind area in our house is 100cm;
We remove and compact the soil around the perimeter of the building. Usually the soil is removed at the zero construction cycle. When constructing a blind area, it is necessary to prepare the soil exactly for the width of the future blind area in accordance with the markings. In this case, you need to consider what material you will make the blind area from. For a concrete blind area, the soil must be taken out to a depth of 20-25 cm - the depth is “on the bayonet of a shovel”;
Sometimes it is recommended to treat the roots of plants under the removed soil with herbicides, which can subsequently harm the blind area. It's up to you - we didn't do it;
We make formwork from boards. For formwork we use boards with a thickness of 20mm. We talked about how to make removable formwork from boards (the principle is the same) in the article;
We lay a small layer of clay on the compacted soil. Leveling and compacting the clay;
We lay a layer of sand 10 cm thick. The sand must be carefully compacted. To do this, it is effective to spill the sand with a layer of water. Don't overdo it - clay is at the bottom! Especially carefully compact the sand at the foundation.
Now we lay the crushed stone with a layer of 6-7 cm;
To strengthen the blind area, we reinforce the mesh for reinforcement (see photo) in increments of 100 mm. It is typical for concrete to withstand compressive loads. Reinforcement allows the blind area to also effectively withstand tensile loads;
At the junction of the blind area with the base, it is necessary to make a seam, which is called compensation. It is also called deformation or temperature. The expansion joint will protect the basement and blind area from destruction during soil subsidence. In this case, the blind area will sink or fall along the prepared seam without causing damage to the base. The width of the expansion joint is 1-1.5 cm. We fill this gap with a mixture of sand and fine gravel, bitumen, mastic or two layers of roofing material. Some builders use polyethylene foam to fill the seam. The diameter of the bundle should be 25% larger than the width of the seam so that the bundle fits snugly into the gap. A feature when laying the tourniquet: its top should be at a depth equal to 1/2 of the width of the seam. For the convenience of laying the bundle, you can use a piece of plywood. And although we talked about this method of filling the expansion joint, we ourselves did not use it. We used sealant;
When pouring the blind area with concrete across the blind area, every 2-3 meters (the distance depends on the probability of swelling of the soil) a deformation (temperature) seam should be constructed. Expansion joints protect the concrete blind area from possible gaps in winter. For these purposes, wooden slats mounted on the edge are suitable. Laths must be installed in such a way that their upper surface coincides with the surface of the concrete. IMPORTANT! Consider the slope of the blind area! In order for the rails to be protected from decay, we treated them with working off (used oil). Also, wooden slats can be processed and;
Expansion (temperature) seams must also be arranged in the corners of the house;
We put and;
Aligning concrete base. Wooden slats pre-installed to create expansion joints play the role of beacons, which should be guided when leveling concrete;
The maximum strength of the formwork will give it. Wet ironing will give the blind area for your home maximum moisture resistance;
And the final stage: cover the concrete surface with a cloth, moistening it with water from time to time. This will keep the concrete from drying out until it is completely cured. If you make a blind area in the rainy season, and we had it that way, you can do without additional moisture. The daily rains will do their job;
After a week, the correct concrete pavement for your home is ready.

Concrete pavement repair

If you have correctly completed the foundation, plinth and blind area for your home, you should not have problems for a long time.

However, it happens that cracks appear on the blind area or damage takes up a significant area. How to act in these cases?

Small cracks should be filled with liquid cement mortar (1:1 or 1:2);
Larger cracks must be cut down to their full depth and cleaned of contaminants. Then fill the prepared cracks with mastic of the following composition: 70% bitumen BND-90/130 or BND-60/90, 10% crushed slag and 15% asbestos. Cracks filled with mastic should be sprinkled with sand.
If the destruction of the concrete blind area is significant, it is necessary to restore them with fresh concrete. To do this, the surface to be repaired must be cleaned of dirt and primed. Use for primer cement mortar(1:1 or 1:2). Then lay fresh mortar and level it. Next, you need to prevent the laid concrete from drying before it hardens. In other words, periodically moisten it or cover plastic wrap to prevent drying out.

IMPORTANT! It is more effective to repair the blind area in spring or autumn in cool weather. If you need to repair the blind area in the summer - select for this morning hours. During the day, under the influence of high temperature, due to the expansion of concrete, the cracks will decrease. This will prevent you from making the most efficient repair.

During construction, it is very important to properly make a blind area around the house. It allows to reduce the amount of splashes of dirt during rain, which reduces the pollution of the facade. However, poor design can lead to waterlogged foundation walls. There are several opinions among specialist builders on how to make a blind area around the house correctly with their own hands.

Some believe that the implementation of a moisture-proof blind area, such as concrete, will effectively drain rainwater from the wall. Others argue that this element is built purely for aesthetic reasons, serving as narrow "sidewalks" along the façade.

The third popular opinion is that the main function of the blind area is to keep the house clean, as it helps to avoid pollution during rain.

So, how to make a simple blind area around the house from stone, tiles and other materials, what to look for, how to prepare the base and what materials to choose - this will be discussed in the article.

The blind area around the house - how to do it right and why is it needed?

First of all, it is worth understanding how rainwater affects external walls building. When it rains, water soaks into the ground (through a lawn or a permeable strip around a house made of rubble, tiles, or other materials). Some of the water will soak up to the level ground water. However, some of it will rise up the soil capillaries and evaporate from the surface, which is sometimes referred to as "self-draining" of the soil. In the case of a waterproof blind area, for example, made of concrete, a permanently wet zone of soil directly under the house may appear, which is in contact with the foundation walls. In practice, this will have an adverse effect on the walls of the foundation, moisture can penetrate into the building, contribute to the occurrence of fungus, especially if the house has a basement.

How to make a blind area around the house - video

Many experts in last years it is recommended to isolate the foundations with a waterproofing membrane film. Diffusion film membranes allow the walls to “breathe” and better drain water from foundations (through a system of tubules in their structure). This is only true when the water has a place through which it will pass to the outside to evaporate. If we place a membrane film under a waterproof blind area, it will not do its job.

In this case, the blind area must be made permeable, for example, from decorative stone or tiles laid on sand, gravel or gravel mixture (in this case, concrete or cement-sand bedding should not be used). The border of the blind area must also be made, for example, a concrete rim or a plastic rim.

blind area functions

According to most experts, the blind area at home performs two main functions:

First of all, it allows you to leave the facade clean, as rainwater splashes, bouncing off the tiles or stone, which leads to mud splashing on the walls.
The second function is to improve the aesthetics of the building (of course, this is already a matter of taste for each of us).

This is not the only possible application. This element of the building can also serve as an auxiliary walkway around the house, as well as support for stairs or scaffolding for facade maintenance or window cleaning. Every year it becomes more and more important, as mechanical ventilation becomes widespread, in which windows that cannot be opened are often installed in the house. In this case, the only access to them is outer wall building.

How to choose the right blind area?

In order for the blind area to perform these functions, it cannot be too narrow. However, the most commonly used width is 40-60 cm, it will be enough for the main task, but it will not work in any of the additional functions listed above. A width of 80 - 90 cm will make the blind area relatively comfortable. For the passage of two people, this width increases to at least 120, but preferably up to 150 cm. As for the “walk around the house” function, in practice it does not have much practical use, since it is much more convenient to navigate along the paths built directly in the garden than along the narrow sidewalks on the facade.

It should be borne in mind that paths leading to the entrance to the building located too close to the wall will lead to a much faster pollution of the facade. For the same reason, you should not attach the blind area to the group of the main communication line. If there is enough space, it is better to separate it with a narrow strip of greenery from the sidewalk. This will greatly improve usability and help maintain cleanliness.

Finally, the width of the blind area is selected to the module of the selected tile or stone format. For example, we decided to use 18.2 x 18.2 cm tiles - then it makes no sense to create a 70 cm wide strip, because it means reducing almost all elements and a significant increase in labor and waste costs. Instead, choose 55 cm (18.2 × 3), 73 cm (18.2 × 4) or 91 cm (18.2 × 5). This will reduce the amount of waste to almost zero (tile elements will be laid entirely or cut in half). For the same reason, when choosing trapezoidal tiles or other non-equilateral shapes, it is better to place them along the facade.

How to make a blind area around the house with tiles or stone?

We already know how to choose the shape of the blind area and what functions should correspond to it. Therefore, the only question is how to make a blind area? This is not particularly difficult as it is structurally the same as other sidewalks and paths made of stone or paving slabs.

The best choice is a pavement made of paving slabs or stone, it can be made of decorative stone, pebbles or the more popular paving slabs. The main function of this design is to protect the facade from dirt and slush, as well as protect the foundation from moisture.

The most popular blind area natural stone, gravel, paving slabs.

Work begins with a trench (it is important to remove all the humus, which is quite simple to do), then a foundation is made, a leveling pad and a surface of tiles or stone. However, there are some additional rules.

First of all, you need to make sure that the level of the planned strip will be below the upper edge of the vertical insulation of the foundation. Otherwise, the walls of the building may become damp. To protect against snow, it is recommended to carry out vertical insulation at least 30 cm above the level of the blind area.

Second important point- evasion. It must provide drainage from the building. For normal conditions, the slope should be 2%. This means a 2 cm height difference for a strip width of 1 m. It is also important that the upper edge of the border does not protrude above the plane of the tile. It should be flush with its bottom edge.

The outer wall of the building.
Blind area border.
Tiles, stone.
Priming.
Vertical insulation of the building.
Sand bedding.
Sloping bedding.
The base of the building.

This design is very simple in execution and does not require precise compliance with height differences. This is due to the fact that water very quickly penetrates through the stone layer into the soil. What is the best way to make a blind area around the house from decorative stone? The top layer can be made using decorative stones or coarse gravel. The most aesthetic solution is white stone, but at the same time it can quickly become dirty.

It is recommended that the top layer of stone be about 15 cm thick. The stones should be spread on an even layer of sand about 10-15 cm thick. This solution will ensure that rainwater flows quickly into the ground, as well as the substrate dries quickly.

The structure should be fenced with a concrete or granite curb. The absence of a border will quickly lead to the "spread" of stones into the garden. In this case, any stones that fall on the lawn can damage the lawnmower.

For a gravel and stone strip, a curb should be installed so that it protrudes about 2 cm above the level of the stones. This will protect the blind area from falling stones or gravel onto the grass. At the same time, you need to make sure that the lawn behind him is also about 2 cm lower, which will prevent dirt from being applied to the layer of stones.

In order to keep the side stable and ensure a constant width of the blind area for many years, it is worth reinforcing it from the outside with concrete, or building a support. In addition, this design will allow you to work in the garden in the immediate vicinity of the house (for example, dig a trench for drainage or laying cables, etc.) without damaging it.

paving slabs much easier to maintain than a stone structure. In the case of stones, after a few years it is most often necessary to replace their upper layer (about 5 cm) with new, clean stones in the desired color (most often white stones). At the same time, we must not forget that it is undesirable to use concrete pouring or a mixture of cement / sand, as this will interfere with the free movement and evaporation of water.

You can use paving slabs or granite with a thickness of 4-6 cm for the blind area of the house. There is no need to use paving slabs (8 cm thick), since there is no traffic or other extreme impact.

Geotextiles can be laid under paving slabs and sand. The cost of creating such a structure depends mainly on the material of its upper layer.

In terms of functionality, both solutions are similar. Therefore, the choice is best made mainly by considering the decision in terms of financial matters, since the cost of sand and sand-gravel mixture in each region is different, as well as the availability of any of these materials in the construction market.

In the case of paving slabs, it is important to maintain a proper height difference between the pavement and the lawn. It is recommended that this difference be 1-2% or even 2-4%, which means with a strip width of 0.5 m - the difference in levels will be 1-2 cm. walls and foundations (water in the gap between the tiles penetrates much more slowly than through a stone path).

When laying tiles, it is very important to carefully compact the layer of sand bedding, because if the sand is not compacted, the tiles will settle unevenly. If the blind area is made of decorative stone, thorough sand compaction is not necessary (only a small surface compaction is required).

The tile must be necessarily limited by the side. In the case of a concrete curb, it is recommended that it be slightly lower than the tile (by 0.5-1 cm), which will improve the outflow of rainwater onto the lawn.

Curb for paving slabs - concrete, granite or plastic?

In the case of a decorative blind area made of stone best solution there will be a concrete pavement curb 6 or 4 cm thick. A granite option is also available. In turn, in the case of paving slabs, both concrete and plastic curbs for paving slabs can be used.

Laying geotextiles in the design of the blind area at home

Placing a geotextile (or so-called permeable agrofibre) under the sand layer will limit the growth of weeds and other vegetation. However, it is important that the fabric is permeable in both directions (top and bottom). In this place, the placement of sealed insulating films is not allowed.

Geotextiles can be laid out along the entire length of the blind area of the house, with an overlap of subsequent strips of about 30-50 cm. This material will not completely limit the growth of vegetation, but will significantly reduce the scale of this phenomenon. In practice, this will make it easier to maintain a good appearance of the structure.

To improve the appearance between the elements of paving slabs or stone, you can mark lighting fixtures, diversify the design with flower beds and other garden decor.

When it comes to aesthetic issues, color is of paramount importance. It should be remembered that the blind area around the house is not the most important element whole, therefore, should not dominate environment. It should be harmonized with the facade, but it should merge with it, as this can greatly spoil the proportions of the building. If we don't have a lot of experience with color selection and are afraid to experiment, "safer" would be a little more dark color than the facade of a house. It is also good if it is made of a material and color that matches the garden paths around the house.

Building a house is a complex process. It consists of several main steps, most often obvious and necessary. But there are also a few things that can be overlooked, but if done, they will greatly improve the aesthetics and comfort of the building. These include the blind area around the house. First of all, it will protect the lower part of the facade from dirt, and also provide an aesthetic separation of the house from the garden. However, in order for the architecture of the building to be complemented and not spoiled, it is important to carefully consider the project and choose the right material.

The blind area is a simple element that can significantly extend the life of a building. It is also an indispensable part of decorating the local area.

That do-it-yourself blind area around the house looks presentable, matching or matching the materials from which the sidewalk and the entrance to the garage are paved.

Answering the question of how to make a blind area around the house with your own hands and why it is needed at all, it would be useful to list the functions of this structure.

Protective. A properly built blind area with your own hands protects the foundation from prolonged contact with the foundation. The design provides for the drainage of water directly into the sewer.
Decorative. The blind area around the house gives the building a complete and solid look.
Prevention of swelling of the soil. Reducing soil freezing will avoid swelling of the soil. What's the use? There will be no soil shifts around the foundation, which means that its integrity will not be violated.
Thermal insulation. The blind area of the house significantly reduces the freezing of the soil and the foundation as a whole. Thanks to this, the floors will be warm and the heat will not leave the house.
Protects the plinth from dirt.

Where you may need a blind area

The blind area must be built not only near each capital building, but also near small buildings. This will create a slope for water to drain and protect the foundation. Its importance is not exaggerated at all, since this structure, created from concrete and bulk materials, has already established itself as reliable protection foundation for many years. This means that having learned how to properly make a blind area around the house, you will not once again spend money on repairing the basement, and the walls will not crack from constant exposure to moisture.

What are the blind areas

The blind area is built taking into account how you are going to operate it in the future. The first step is to decide whether it will only perform a decorative function or be used as a sidewalk. In the first case, the slope can be made large, and in the second - minimal. Depending on their characteristics, blind areas are of different categories.

Types of blind area:

multilayer and two-layer;
cast, prefabricated and bulk;
soft and hard pads.

The following materials can be used:

wood;
tile;
concrete;
reinforced concrete slabs;
bricks;
cobblestones;
asphalt.

3 conditions for efficiency

In order for your blind area for the house to be effective in terms of protecting the foundation from excess water, the following conditions must be considered.

The first and most important rule is that the blind area should be made with a slope towards the site. The type of coverage affects the slope. A reliable concrete blind area should have a slope of at least 5-10 degrees.
In width, it should exceed the overhang of the roof by 30 centimeters. On heaving soils, it is made no longer than one meter, on sandy soils - at least 0.6 meters.
The correct blind area is built around the entire house without gaps. Since the settlement at the blind area and at the foundation is different, it is necessary to build an expansion joint, which is covered with sand, filled with bitumen or filled with sealant.

Popular blind area devices

When cladding the facade with panels, siding or stone cladding, the blind area plays an important role, since it is the basis for installing the cladding.

In its absence, a noticeable gap appears between the skin and the ground level. This, probably, should not even be talked about, because no one will finish their facade without a pre-built blind area.

Concrete is the easiest option

The technology involves the creation of 2 layers. The first layer is the underlayment. It is necessary to create an even compacted base. For this, the following materials can be used: fine gravel, clay and sand. The choice of materials for creating the sub-base depends on what materials will be used for the second layer. The coating must be waterproof and resistant to moisture.

Markup. ABOUT required sizes structures discussed above. The earth is removed and compacted around the entire perimeter of the building. The earth is being prepared exactly for the marked width. For a concrete structure, the earth is taken out to a depth of at least 25 cm.
Formwork. To create the formwork, a board with a thickness of 20 mm is used. A layer of clay is placed on the compacted earth, which is also compacted. After that, a 10-centimeter layer of sand is laid. To make a good seal, it is spilled with water. Now a layer of crushed stone of 60 mm is laid.
Reinforcement. The use of reinforcing mesh increases the stretching of the blind area in tension and compression. In addition, it will be quite difficult to destroy it - maintainability and vandal resistance increase. Reinforcing mesh is purchased with delivery to the facility. The mesh is usually sold in sheets of 2x6 meters, which is very convenient. You can fold it in half so that the width is 1 meter, this is ideal for reinforcement. You can cut the mesh with an ordinary grinder into fragments 1x2 meters in size. You can also cut into 3 meter pieces, but due to heavy weight it is very inconvenient to carry them. The mesh is mounted in the formwork so that the distance from it to the crushed stone pillow is 2 cm. This is done in order to place the mesh inside the concrete, and not on the pillow. No difficulties should arise, because no matter how you ram the pillow, pebbles will always remain above the surface. The cut fragments of the mesh must be overlapped. Excess wires are bent or cut off by a grinder. Reinforcement is the fastest and easiest step. This is enough for 2 people.
Pouring concrete. When pouring concrete, the mesh can strongly bend - the concrete will begin to squeeze it out. You will need to quickly tamp the area or, after solidification, start cutting off excess fragments. It should be noted that this is not an easy procedure.

Waterproof option

If you are planning to make a drainage system, then a permeable system is suitable for you. This is the easiest option. Geotextile material is laid in a compacted trench, on which expanded clay, pebbles, gravel or crushed stone are laid.

Geotextile material is used to prevent crushed stone from being pressed into the base. Having chosen such a blind area, you should be prepared for the fact that it will have to be corrected regularly, and walking on it is not very convenient.

The use of paving slabs

To create a solid layer, crushed stone with sand can be used, on top of which the tiles are laid. Here it is necessary to create drainage system. You can also create waterproofing at the base of the blind area with water drained into the sewer.

We prepare the base. The earth is dug to a depth of tile size + 10 cm. To create the effect of water resistance, clay is used, which is laid at an angle to a height of 10 cm.
PVC waterproofing layer, laid on top of the clay. Waterproofing is attached to the wall with a metal strip. Next, sand is laid with a layer of 4 centimeters, which is leveled and compacted.
Only now you can start laying paving slabs. The solution should consist of concrete and water in a ratio of 1:4. The solution should be very thick. Tiles begin to be laid from the corner. After laying, 4 tiles are removed and a mortar is laid in their place with a layer of 4 centimeters. We install paving slabs in place using spacers and a hammer.
After laying all the tiles and removing all the wooden spacers, it is necessary to fill the seams with sand. For the most dense filling with sand, the tile is poured with water. Even a well-made seam during operation must be periodically covered with sand.

Concrete pavement repair

We have already figured out the question of how to make a blind area with our own hands, but what to do with its breakdowns? If damage is found, repairs should be made as soon as possible to prevent the spread of structural failure. Repair should begin with determining the boundaries of the damaged area.

Several significant potholes can be combined into 1 damage. The damaged asphalt pavement is cut to the full depth with wedges and cleaned of dust. The edges, walls and bottom are lubricated with liquefied bitumen and poured with concrete. The new coating is laid a little higher than the old one, which will provide a better connection between the sections.

To repair peeling cracks and potholes, the following are used:

fine-grained concrete;
cement-sand mortars;
sealing pastes;
rubber-bitumen mastics.

After the construction of a house or any other building, the priority is to build a blind area around the perimeter of the building. This is a protective layer that encircles the building along its border, and serves to drain water from the house at a certain distance. She performs whole line useful functions that ensure the protection of the foundation and the long-term operation of the structure as a whole. The purpose of this article is to show how you can make a blind area around the house with your own hands, choosing the most suitable option for it.

Foundation protection. When properly laid, the blind area prevents the penetration of rain and melt water to the foundation of the building. This helps to maintain the integrity of the foundation, which can be broken by moisture penetrating into the ground and freezing.
Increasing the thermal insulation of the foundation and at home in general. The blind area creates an additional insulating layer that reduces the impact negative temperatures on the ground around the building.
The blind area complements the building, giving the house completeness. Often appearance blind areas are selected so that it is in harmony with the structure.
Practical application in the form of a footpath. Thus, the possibility of convenient movement around the building or between neighboring buildings is achieved.

Types of blind area

Before you start making a blind area, you need to decide which of its types you will use. We list the possible options:

Tip: It is not recommended to use porcelain stoneware as a blind area cover. Being laid in top layer concrete, it will have a different coefficient of expansion with temperature fluctuations than concrete. The result may be rupture or cracking of porcelain stoneware.

Construction rules

When building a blind area around the house, you should be guided by several mandatory rules:

Advice: Wooden slats used to make expansion joints, be sure to cover with some kind of water-repellent material to prevent them from rotting. It can be bitumen diluted in kerosene, drying oil, mastic, etc.

We make a blind area from concrete

This is a building classic that is used for most buildings. Concrete pavement around the house should be made in accordance with all the rules applicable to this type of structure. It is quite reliable and simple design.

What is required for construction:

bayonet shovel, which will remove the soil;
cord for marking;
building level for the correct setting of the formwork and ensuring the angle of inclination of the pour;
Master OK;
rule for smoothing the solution;
sand;
boards for formwork and expansion joints;
crushed stone;
water;
ready-made concrete mortar or cement;
roofing material or bitumen to create expansion joints;
container for mixing the solution, if it will be made independently.

The procedure for the manufacture of a blind area of concrete

Now consider how to fill the blind area around the house with a concrete solution.

1. Marking the construction site. At this stage, pegs are driven in along the perimeter of the building, located at equal distances from the walls of the building. A distance of 1.5-2 m is maintained between the pegs. A cord is pulled, limiting the width of the future formwork.

2. Using a bayonet shovel, the soil layer is removed to a depth of 30 cm. As a result, a trench should form between the foundation and the stretched cord. To improve the waterproofing properties of the blind area, it is recommended to lay a layer of clay on the bottom of the trench.

3. The trench bottom is compacted. For this purpose, it is best to use a rounded log.

Tip: If plant roots remain in the trench, then the bottom of the trench is additionally treated with special chemicals to destroy them. Such processing will not allow plants to destroy the already finished formwork.

4. Formwork is placed along the perimeter of the trench. For its manufacture, you can use boards, pieces of flat slate and other materials. Boards can be fixed to the pegs with self-tapping screws, and other materials are fixed with spacers.

5. Sand is backfilled into the trench with a layer of 10 cm, which is desirable to moisten with water and compact.

6. Crushed stone is laid on the sand, but gravel can also be used. Backfill layer - 6-8 cm.

7. Across the trench, with a step of 2 meters, boards are placed on the edge, which will compensate for the temperature shifts of the concrete layer. In addition, the boards will play the role of beacons during concreting.

8. A reinforcing mesh is laid on the crushed stone or a frame is made of reinforcement with a cell of 10 cm. If reinforcement is used, then all joints are interconnected by welded joints or wire.

9. Concrete mortar is poured in compliance with the appropriate slope. Using the rule, the solution is smoothed between wooden beacons.

10. While the solution has not solidified, ironing of its surface is carried out. To do this, the concrete surface is sprinkled with cement and smoothed with a trowel. This helps to reduce the porosity of the finished surface.

Making a soft blind area

The so-called soft blind area around the house can be independently made using the following materials and tools:

bayonet shovel;
cord and pegs;
crushed stone;
clay;
sand;
roll waterproofing material.

A crushed stone blind area around the house is usually done in cases where the owners do not plan to regularly repair this structure, as well as with insufficient financial resources. She has enough simple design and set up time is kept to a minimum.

Manufacturing procedure

1. The site is marked and the cord is pulled over the driven pegs.

2. A trench is dug between the cord and the wall of the house, having a depth of 30 cm.

3. The trench is lined with a layer of clay of at least 10 cm. The clay is well compacted.

4. A roll waterproofer is laid on the clay. A thick euroroofing material is best suited. It must definitely go on the wall by 10-15 centimeters.

Important: Do not lay the waterproofing membrane with an interference fit, as expanding water and soil movements can break it in the cold. Let be better material is located freely and has several folds.

5. The water insulator is covered with a small layer of sand.

6. The rest of the space up to the surface of the trench is covered with rubble.

It is advisable to make such a blind area if water does not get on it from the roof. Otherwise, the water will form gullies in it.

We looked at how to make a soft blind area around the house. . If desired, you can ennoble the design, making it more attractive. A layer of rubble on top can be covered with sand, and paving slabs can be laid on top.

Blind area insulation

Warm Coat will increase the temperature in the basement, making it more comfortable to stay in them. For work, it is better to use extruded polystyrene foam, popular in the construction environment. It has a high density and cuts well.

The insulated blind area around the house is made in the following sequence:

Formwork is installed by analogy with a concrete blind area.
A 15 cm trench is covered with dry sand.
The sand is covered with roofing material, which goes to the wall.
Sheet insulation is cut with a knife to the specified dimensions and placed on top of the roofing material. Ensures that there is no movement of the material. A heater of the same thickness and one structure is used.
A reinforcing mesh is placed on top of the insulation.
The last layer is concrete.

Such insulation of the blind area with extruded polystyrene foam does not outwardly differ from ordinary concrete pouring, but is more desirable for houses with heated basements or with shallow foundations, as well as for heaving soils.

Make a blind area around the house yourself - great way relatively inexpensive and high-quality protection of their buildings from the harmful effects of moisture. When the work is done independently, there can be no neglect of the subject of construction.