How to make a columnar strip foundation with your own hands – step-by-step instructions

Building a solid foundation is crucial for any construction project. If you"re planning a new structure or an extension, a columnar strip foundation might be the perfect choice. This type of foundation combines the strength of both columnar and strip foundations, providing excellent support for your building. Best of all, it"s something you can do yourself with the right guidance and tools.

Although building a columnar strip foundation might seem like a difficult undertaking, with step-by-step instructions, it will become rewarding and manageable. By using this method, you can save labor costs and maintain complete control over the project’s quality and execution. It will give you a sense of pride to finish such a crucial aspect of your build and provide you with useful skills.

We’ll take you step-by-step through every step of the procedure in this post, from preparation and excavation to concrete pouring and making sure everything is safe and level. Our instructions will assist you in creating a solid and dependable foundation for your construction needs, regardless of your level of experience with do-it-yourself projects or your desire to take on a large project.

By taking these precautions, you can make sure your foundation is sturdy and long-lasting, giving your house, garage, or other planned structure a solid foundation. Together, let’s delve into the procedure and begin building your columnar strip foundation!

Brief description of the design

The concrete supports of the strip-columnar foundation are used to install a grillage that is drilled into the ground to a shallow depth. The building loads are neutralized by the latter. Supports are provided by on-site poured piles of reinforced concrete.

  • concrete supports, the number and location of which are determined at the design stage;
  • a frame made of reinforcement immersed in concrete;
  • a ground part of the strip type, constructed from blocks or bricks;
  • internal pillars take part of the loads of load-bearing walls and partitions.

The arrangement of urban apartment building foundations is similar to the technology involved in hand-building a columnar-strip foundation. The necessary number of piles are driven in at the first stage, and a slightly deeper grillage is formed at the second.

Advantages and disadvantages

Building a foundation of this kind is thought to require less labor than building monolithic structures. Furthermore, the arrangement requires fewer building materials.

  • resistance to vibration and soil movement;
  • strong design of supporting elements that can withstand the load of a one- or two-story house;
  • the ability to use several types of materials when forming a grillage;
  • good heat-saving properties (the floor slab does not come into contact with the ground);
  • the ability to build in areas with a combined relief without preliminary leveling of the site;
  • less volume of excavation work;
  • the ability to erect the structure with your own hands.

Strip-columnar foundations have drawbacks in addition to their advantages. Adverse features consist of:

  • the need to perform complex calculations, take into account the characteristics of the soil and the load of the building;
  • differences in the cross-sections of the supports in height and around the perimeter of the house;
  • the impossibility of determining the severity of changes that will arise due to the heaving of the soil (it will not be possible to calculate the required margin of safety);
  • impossibility of creating basements.

Choosing the material for supporting pillars

The kind of materials used will determine the strip foundation with pillars’ strength and stability. At the foundation-laying stage, you shouldn’t cut costs. This raises the price of the building’s future major repairs.

  • wood;
  • natural stone;
  • red solid brick;
  • concrete and aerated concrete blocks;
  • asbestos-cement, metal and polypropylene pipes;
  • reinforced concrete pillars;
  • bored products of industrial production.

Wood

The primary cause of the limited usage of wooden products is their susceptibility to unfavorable factors. The service life of wood is marginally increased by treating it with antiseptic and insecticidal solutions.

When auxiliary buildings like bathrooms, garages, and outdoor restrooms are being built, wooden bars are utilized to create shallow grillages.

Rubble stone

Foundations have traditionally been built from a sturdy substance. A stone foundation must be laid with the assistance of experts. Fitting different stones is pretty challenging. Seldom is this material utilized in daily life.

Bricks and blocks

Only solid or clinker bricks with a high strength are used to construct the portion of the grillage that is buried. Combined strip-columnar foundations require concrete in one way or another. Because brick absorbs moisture, bitumen mastic needs to be applied to the masonry.

Pipes

To install permanent formwork, pipes composed of polypropylene, asbestos cement, or metal are utilized. After pouring concrete mortar into the product’s cavity, a reinforcement frame is placed inside.

Consequently, long-lasting reinforced concrete supports are achieved. In order to prevent corrosion, metal pipes are coated with a waterproofing compound.

Concrete pillars

Concrete columnar foundation components that are vertical are constructed on location. Wells are pre-drilled or excavated. In the resultant channel, reinforcement cage and fixed or movable formwork are installed. One can purchase prefabricated concrete pillars or piles. They are connected with tape and installed in locations with the highest weight loads.

Cast and bored pillars

You can buy products at a building supply store or factory. Specialized equipment is needed for installation. The hollow supports known as pillars are used to pour concrete and enclose a cage of reinforcement. It is feasible to construct combined foundations using two different kinds of pillars.

You can guarantee a sturdy and long-lasting base for your building in a practical and economical manner by building your own columnar strip foundation. Even individuals with minimal DIY experience can easily plan, prepare, and build this kind of foundation with the help of this article’s detailed, step-by-step instructions. By adhering to these recommendations, you can ensure that your building project gets off to a good start by laying a strong foundation that combines the durability of a strip footing with the effectiveness of individual columns.

Calculations

The following parameters can be quickly determined with the aid of calculation documentation:

  1. Height of supports. When building a house on stable soil, piles 2.5 m long are sufficient. When constructing a building on unstable soils, products 3.5-4 m high are used. With increased soil mobility, the pile should enter the hard layers by 20-30 cm.
  2. Number of supports. This parameter can be determined by calculating the total load on the foundation. In this case, the weight of 1 m³ of the wall structure is calculated, the resulting value is multiplied by the total cubic capacity. The weight of the floor, ceiling slabs, roof, windows and doors is added to the indicator. The weight load is multiplied by the safety factor established by regulatory acts. The value is divided by the bearing capacity of the column.
  3. Distance between piles. The recommended value is 1-2.5 m. The heavier the building, the smaller the distance between the columns. The step should not be more than 2.5 m, this negatively affects the strength of the building. A distance of 3 m is allowed when building lightweight wooden houses. For brick buildings, this value will be 1.6 m.

Preparatory stage

Preparatory and main stages of setting up a columnar-strip foundation with your own hands.

Creating a project

Making drawings is a crucial step in the building process. Finding out the properties of the soil is the first step in the work. The project will include details on the size and quantity of piles as well as the loads that the pillars are capable of supporting. You can have shallow or deep foundations. The pillars are driven 0.5 meters into the ground in the second scenario, and to the point where the soil freezes in the first.

The characteristics of the area, such as soil mobility and groundwater level, influence the choice of technology. Additionally considered are the characteristics of the house that is currently being built.

Preparation of the site

Large debris and the remnants of demolished buildings have been removed from the site at this point. A layer of fertile soil is then removed. Sand is leveled, compacted, and backfilled when building on clay soils.

Marking the site

When doing preparatory work, wooden pegs and rope are utilized. The threads are stretched out to the same length as the tape’s width. It is essential to keep an eye on the thread intersection at the wall junction. A 90° angle is what’s needed. The load-bearing and auxiliary wall intersections are where the markings are placed. Additionally, piles are erected in regions where loads are increasing.

Creating a trench and recesses for pillars

At the location of the strip foundation with pillars, a trench 40 cm deep is dug. There should be a 7–10 cm difference in width and height.

Recesses are created for the supports in areas that are subject to heavy loads. The base load is taken into consideration when determining the diameter. The pillars’ cross-section should be greater the higher this indicator is. Channels are made with a drill. Long recesses are arranged using an auger.

To avoid soil collapse, supports made of sturdy wood must be formed when laying them deeper than one meter. These components are not utilized when pillars are installed shallowly. A layer of sand 10 cm thick covers the bottom of each channel. The thickness of the sand cushion increases to 50 cm at deeper laying.

Step Instructions
1 Mark the foundation layout on the ground
2 Dig trenches and holes for columns
3 Install formwork for the strip foundation
4 Place rebar in the trenches and holes
5 Pour concrete into the trenches and holes
6 Let the concrete cure for several days
7 Remove the formwork after curing

Although it may initially seem difficult, building a columnar strip foundation on your own can be a manageable and satisfying project if you take the proper precautions and prepare ahead of time. You can build a solid foundation for your structure by carefully planning, assembling the required supplies, and adhering to the provided instructions.

Every stage is essential to the integrity of the foundation, from planning the layout and excavating the trenches to pouring the concrete and making sure it cures properly. By taking your time during each stage, you can make sure that the foundation is strong and long-lasting, giving your building long-lasting support.

Remind yourself that little things like adequate drainage and reinforcement can have a big impact on how well the foundation performs in the long run. Never be afraid to ask for help or advice when you need it—a solid foundation is crucial to the security and durability of your project.

Ultimately, you will feel a great sense of accomplishment when you finish such an important portion of your construction by hand. You’ll save money on labor expenses in addition to gaining useful knowledge and expertise in the process. Your columnar strip foundation will be a testament to your skill and labor of love if you put in the necessary time and effort.

Video on the topic

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Andrey Ivanov

Experienced civil engineer with more than 20 years of experience. Specializing in the construction of industrial and civil facilities. Author of many publications in professional journals.

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