A house’s perimeter needs to have a concrete blind area in order to help shield the foundation from water damage. It serves as a barrier, keeping rainwater from leaking into the ground close to the foundation of your house, which over time could result in major problems.
You can handle the simple process of creating a concrete blind area with a few simple tools and supplies. It gives your exterior a polished, well-kept appearance in addition to protecting your house. This guide will assist you in getting started with home improvement projects, regardless of your experience level.
We’ll guide you through the process of creating a long-lasting and functional concrete blind area in this article. We will cover every aspect of the project, from clearing the space to pouring the concrete, to ensure your success.
Step | Description |
1. Preparation | Clear the area around the house and remove any plants, roots, or debris. |
2. Marking | Mark the boundaries of the blind area with stakes and string. |
3. Excavation | Dig a trench along the marked area to a depth of about 20 cm (8 inches). |
4. Base Layer | Lay a layer of gravel or crushed stone in the trench for drainage and stability. |
5. Formwork | Install wooden forms along the edges of the trench to hold the concrete in place. |
6. Reinforcement | Place a steel reinforcement mesh on top of the gravel layer for added strength. |
7. Mixing Concrete | Mix concrete according to the manufacturer"s instructions, aiming for a thick, workable consistency. |
8. Pouring Concrete | Pour the concrete into the trench, starting at one end and working your way to the other. |
9. Leveling | Use a straightedge or screed board to level the surface of the concrete. |
10. Curing | Allow the concrete to cure for at least 24-48 hours, keeping it moist to prevent cracks. |
11. Finishing | Remove the forms and backfill any gaps with soil or gravel. Smooth the edges as needed. |
- What is?
- Functions performed
- Requirements for a blind area and rules for its installation
- How to make a blind area?
- Preparation of tools and materials
- Marking
- Creation and compaction of a sand cushion
- Waterproofing
- Creation of formwork
- Reinforcement and pouring
- Alignment and drying
- How to protect the blind area from destruction?
- Repair of concrete blind area
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What is?
The blind area is a waterproof concrete structure located outside the basement that runs continuously around the building’s perimeter and slopes from the wall into the surrounding topography. Its configuration entails a flexible yet snug fitment to the house’s foundation.
The foundation is kept dry by the materials that make up the structure, which resembles a layered "pie." The foundation of this protection is proportion: an even, compacted layer of sand (crushed stone, clay), waterproofing, and a coating of concrete that guarantees the structure’s waterproofness.
Functions performed
A well-planned blind area extends the life of the structure by shielding the foundation and internal components from moisture from precipitation and melting snow. A manually constructed, concrete-free blind area is a stopgap solution that doesn’t address every issue with the structure.
A proper blind area’s primary purpose is to divert and transfer water from the foundation to the lowest point on the property or the storm sewer at a sufficient distance.
A blind area, especially one that is insulated, serves as a horizontal water barrier in addition to lowering the building’s thermal conductivity and decreasing the likelihood of soil freezing around the house and consequent swelling or rising. Concrete-free blind areas are not impervious to the damaging effects of hard plant roots periodically moistening the soil near the foundation. In addition to providing a finished aesthetic to the building, the protective device also serves as a pedestrian walkway.
Requirements for a blind area and rules for its installation
The protective structure that governs should be the same width, with a value that is 20–30 cm wider than the distance between the building wall and the roof’s cornice. It is widely acknowledged to be approximately one meter (and even more on subsiding soils). The blind area is lowered to a maximum of half the depth at which the soil in a particular area freezes. The concrete coating’s thickness is chosen to be between 7 and 10 cm (or up to 15 cm if it is to be used as a path).
The coating should be slanted between 92 and 94 degrees with respect to the building wall, or 10 to 100 mm for every meter of blind area width. The plinth at the intersection of the structure is 50 cm high above the blind area. To avoid water buildup at the edge, its outer lower edge should be raised by about 50 mm above the ground. With a wall expansion joint in place, the technology used to build the structure assumes that it may move integrally in response to soil deformations with respect to the foundation.
How to make a blind area?
The layer of fertile soil is removed, and marks are made on the ground. There is a sand (clay) sublayer applied. The geotextiles (like felt for roofing) are laid. Expansion joints are taken into consideration when forming formwork. The area where concrete is poured is reinforced. The proper amount of concrete is mixed and then poured into the formwork for the blind area. The coating’s surface is brought out and leveled along the formwork’s edge at the chosen slope. Time is allowed for the concrete to dry.
Preparation of tools and materials
You will need shovels, a pickaxe, twine, tape measure, rammer, and pegs for excavation work. It is necessary to compute the volume of geotextiles (waterproof film) needed for the water seal. In the necessary quantity and proportions, ingredients for mixing concrete (such as washed sand, water, gravel, crushed stone of fractions 5 to 10 mm, and cement) or a ready-made concrete mixture (such as brand M400 and higher) are required. Other tools include shovels, buckets, carts (stretchers), measuring buckets, and mixers, which are containers used to form solutions. Enough sand (or clay) must be laid for the sublayer.
Although boards are used to form the formwork, a hacksaw, level, nails, and hammer will also be helpful. Steel wire, also known as steel mesh, is used for reinforcement and needs to be introduced. A welding machine and a tool for cutting reinforcement pieces are required. When laying and leveling concrete, a long rule, a trowel, and spatulas will come in handy. A polyurethane sealant will be necessary for the seam device.
Marking
Using twine and pegs, a trench is marked around the house. Beacons with a step of 1.5 meters are used to indicate the level of the blind area adjacent to the base. Taking into consideration the configuration of the surrounding surface, a layer of fertile soil is removed around the building. With a preexisting slope, the trench’s bottom has been leveled and compacted; herbicides may be added. If the soil is heaving, the excavation can go down to a depth of 500 mm.
Creation and compaction of a sand cushion
With your hands, line the bottom of the trench with sand, whose surface is likewise slope-profiled. The material has been thoroughly moistened and packed down. At least two repetitions of the procedure are required. The maximum layer thickness is 20 centimeters. Its surface has been leveled with care.
Waterproofing
In order to create an expansion joint, its device entails laying two layers of waterproofing—such as roofing felt—on a sand base and folding them slightly toward the wall. At the joints, the material is laid with an overlap. After that, a thinner layer of sand is applied to the geotextile, and it is compacted and covered with gravel that is roughly 10 cm thick and slopes toward the top layer. A drainage system should be installed in close proximity to such a water seal.
Creation of formwork
Pouring concrete is fenced off with a detachable wooden form. Robust pegs inserted from the exterior strengthen it. The form has transverse expansion joints (every two to 2.5 meters), which are installed diagonally at the formwork’s corners among other places. Wooden blocks (butyl rubber strips) positioned on edge, soaked in spent oil, and coated in bitumen are what give them their tightness.
To apply the rule, the form’s edges must be equal. The height differential needs to line up with the blind area’s slope. The concrete’s thickness and the formwork’s height match up. Roofing felt (hydro-swelling cord) is used to fill the expansion joint at the wall, which is between 10 and 20 mm wide.
Reinforcement and pouring
A 50×50 (100×100) mm metal mesh is employed, and it can be fastened with reinforcement pieces inserted into the base at intervals of 0.75 m. The mesh is elevated by 30 mm above the crushed stone level. Partially by hand, the concrete is mixed and poured up to the upper edge of the formwork sections.
The concrete shouldn’t have any air pockets in it. In order to ensure frost resistance, the blind area’s concrete mix proportions should match those of road concrete. The blind area’s concrete composition is conventional; the corresponding grade is M400 and up. You can add components to the solution in proportions to increase strength and durability.
Alignment and drying
With great care, the top surface is leveled. Ironing, which is done one to two hours after pouring and involves covering the screed’s surface with a layer of dry cement (grade M400) that is three to seven millimeters thick, increases resistance to concrete erosion. After that, an opaque film is applied and the surface is rubbed. In ten to fourteen days, the blind area is ready.
For your home to be more durable overall and to shield the foundation from water damage, you must create a concrete blind area around your house. You can lessen the possibility of basement flooding, stop soil erosion, and improve the look of your property by carefully planning and carrying out this easy-to-do but powerful project. This article will walk you through each step of the process to guarantee a successful installation, including surface finishing, concrete pouring, and ground preparation.
How to protect the blind area from destruction?
Wall expansion joints that are filled with waterproofing and their width and density must be regulated, and they must be repaired promptly. For the latter, vinyl tapes up to 15 mm thick are preferable over wood. The blind area is not connected to the house’s base on heaving soils, and a storm drain and drainage system are built around the structure to efficiently channel water into the external system.
The tightness of the concrete surface is increased by treatment with a deep penetration primer, a water repellent, a solution of liquid glass and cement. Additionally, the blind area around the building is decorated with stone, tiles (paving, clinker, etc.), pebble. Concrete acts as a solution.
Repair of concrete blind area
Most frequently, the compensation seam arrangement, which eventually becomes less taut as a result of expansion. A common cause is faulty technology that creates the ideal concrete mixture and humidity and temperature levels for strength gain. Pore fillers and sealants are used to "treat" a minor increase. The sand-cement mortar is filled in a large opening using small gravel, maintaining the blind area’s insulation from the basement.
It is then primed on the dry surface. Similar to this, they have surface fissures in the blind area sections: small ones that leak with a mortar mixture of sand and cement; large ones that are embroidered deeper, shaped like cones, filled with bitumen mastic, and covered in sand. Significant damage (splits) are concreted using a fresh mixture after long-term post-wetting and film covering.
A sensible and efficient method of guarding against water damage to your foundation is to create a concrete blind area around your home. You can make sure that your house stays dry and structurally sound for many years to come by following the instructions provided in this guide.
Don’t forget to use high-quality materials, properly prepare the ground, and pay attention to drainage. These crucial elements will influence how long your concrete blind area lasts and how well it works.
You can finish this project yourself and experience the peace of mind that comes with knowing your home is well-protected with a little work and attention to detail. Have fun constructing!