Why do you need a blind area?
Proper blind area is required not only for the aesthetic appearance of the house, it also protects the foundation from uneven erosion and precipitation.
But for the most part, the blind area is necessary in winter, because moisture accumulates in the soil and then freezes, expanding and pressing on the foundation. From this pressure, a foundation without a blind area can crack in several places.
An important element of the structure
Not all owners attach great importance to the blind area, but in vain. It performs not only decorative functions, but also a significant practical role. This essential building element protects the building's supporting structure from moisture.
You can carry out the work in different ways, but first you should study ready-made options, for example, on the website https://dachnichek.ru there are many photos on this topic.
Correct blind area contributes to less freezing of the soil adjacent to the building, which prevents or reduces swelling,
All this minimizes the risk of deterioration of the original properties of the foundation.
Requirements for the blind area
Before pouring a concrete blind area, you must first take into account some important nuances.
Firstly, you need to think about removing moisture from the foundation and blind area; for this you need to equip a 15-centimeter cushion of sand. Secondly, the width of the blind area should be at least 50-60 centimeters.
If in your area the soil is subject to severe subsidence, then the width of the blind area should be increased to 1 meter.
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Blind area parameters
If you are planning to make a blind area wisely, then first of all you should think about its parameters. In order for moisture to be removed from the house in the best possible way, it is necessary to ensure that it is located 25 centimeters further than the roof level.
The blind area must be created at an angle of 5 to 10 degrees, in which case the rain will flow away from the foundation and not onto it.
Technology for constructing paths around the perimeter of the house
So, having understood the purposes of the structure and its dimensions, we move on to arranging the blind area. Like all construction operations, this one is divided into two parts: preparation and direct formation.
Preparatory stage
Preparation begins with markings. That is, it is necessary to set aside the width chosen in advance from the walls of the house. And using the marks, draw a line on the ground that exactly repeats the geometry of the building. To mark boundaries, you can use pegs with string or chalk, which is sprinkled directly on the ground.
Marking the path around the house Source vodakanazer.ru
See also: Catalog of companies that specialize in the design and execution of work with utilities and foundations of any complexity.
If pegs are used for marking, they should be installed 10 cm further. That is, it is necessary to leave space for installing curbs, if any are used. They are usually installed when the blind area is laid out with tiles or other flat material.
The next procedure is excavation work. A trench is dug strictly according to the markings according to the given dimensions: depth and width. The exposed part of the foundation must be inspected for defects. If any are found, they must be repaired. Typically, concrete repair compounds are used for this.
Next they move on to forming the pillow. Previously, a layer of rich clay was first laid. It served as waterproofing. Today it is practically not used. It is enough to lay a roll of waterproofing material made of polymer at the bottom of the trench. In this case, the waterproofing is laid so that the material also covers the exposed part of the foundation structure. As shown in the photo below.
Waterproofing layer for the blind area of a house Source prostroymaterialy.com
Next, crushed stone is poured, leveled and compacted. The purpose of this layer is to create a strong and solid base that will not sag under load. Crushed stone should be of small or medium fraction. And the last layer is sand, which is also leveled and compacted.
It is at the preparation stage that two more construction operations are carried out:
- installation of storm drainage;
- installation of curbs.
The storm drain is installed either in a layer of sand or on top of it. It all depends on which layer will be on top. If it is concrete or asphalt, then installation is carried out in the body of the pillow. If tile or stone, then on top of the sand layer. The photo below clearly shows how the pipe and water inlet of the storm drainage system should be located.
Elements of storm drainage in the structure of the blind area Source septix.ru
As for curbs, they are simply installed along the edge of the trench. Installation is carried out using cement-sand mortar. The main task of the workman is to align the curbs horizontally with each other and set them level in terms of the slope of the path itself. To do this, determine the upper edge of the blind area along the wall. To do this, you can mark a horizontal line on its surface using a laser level. And from this mark towards the curbs, set aside a slope and mark it with several pegs, driving them into the ground to the required mark, that is, height.
The purpose of the border is to support paving slabs or stones so that these decorative products do not move along the slope after they are laid. If the blind area is poured from concrete, then instead of curbs, formwork is installed, the upper edge of which must clearly correspond to the angle of inclination of the path.
Curbs in the design of the blind area Source remontnik.ru
Required Tools
Before you start the question “how to fill a blind area?”, you need to prepare materials and tools:
- Boards.
- Sand.
- Rule (leveling tool).
- Level (we recommend alcohol, not water).
- Cement.
- Large capacity.
- Bayonet shovel.
- Crushed stone.
- Putty knife.
Concrete composition
The recipe for making concrete is standard. Take part of cement grade M400 or higher and mix it with 3 parts of sand and 5 parts of crushed stone or gravel. Water is added to the required consistency.
To make the solution more flexible, you can add a little liquid soap or dishwashing detergent.
Preparatory work
For a concrete blind area, first make a marking, you need to drive pegs at its corners, and stretch a strong rope between them. Next, 25 centimeters of soil should be removed from the marked area. Immediately remove the soil away from the work site so that it does not interfere with you in the future.
Then you need to lay a layer of 15 centimeters of sand and pour it well with water, then it needs to be thoroughly compacted. After this, crushed stone is poured on top; this layer should be no more than 7 centimeters.
You need to lay a reinforcing mesh on the crushed stone; when joining at the corners, the mesh should overlap each other by 10 centimeters.
In this case, the concrete foundation will be reliable; when the soil bulges at the corners, the foundation will not break.
Useful tips
Professionals recommend installing a border around the perimeter of the blind area if there are bushes or trees in the immediate vicinity.
The material for the decorative covering of the top layer of the blind area should be selected taking into account the architectural style and existing paths in the yard. This will create an atmosphere of unity and harmony in accordance with the chosen style of the garden area.
Liquid glass can be used as an additional additive to the solution. This will increase the frost resistance coefficient.
In hot weather, after performing concrete work, it is recommended to periodically wet the surface of the blind area with water. This helps maintain normal conditions for concrete to gain strength.
If you have blessed the paving stones with the finishing coating of the blind area, be sure to waterproof the structure first.
May success assist you in your construction business.
How to prevent cracking of the blind area?
Often the blind area cracks, this process occurs especially severely in the cold season. Moisture gets into the cracks, then the water crystallizes and expands, causing rapid destruction.
To prevent this from happening, experts recommend making the system block-based. Make 10 mm thick wooden planks every 75 cm; they must first be impregnated with a water-repellent compound.
Video description
In principle, expansion joints can be made along a ready-made concrete blind area, as shown in the video:
Pouring concrete
So, the preparatory work is completed. If it is decided that the paths around the dacha building will be concrete, then all that remains is to prepare this material or purchase ready-mixed concrete.
The process of forming a blind area is simple.
- The concrete solution is simply poured into the prepared trench, limited by the formwork.
- Align with the installed inclined formwork elements and marks on the wall.
- After 1-2 hours, iron is produced. Simply, the surface of the concrete structure is sprinkled with a thin layer of cement, which is rubbed in with a trowel.
The grade of concrete for the blind area must be at least M400.
Pouring concrete mortar into the formwork for the blind area Source yandex.net
Pouring the solution
The cost of filling a blind area with your own hands will be significantly less than if you hire professionals.
It is better to order the concrete mixture ready-made, since mixing it yourself in large volumes will take a lot of time. But you will have to stock up on a large number of different containers to transport concrete to the pouring site.
Also, you will definitely need 2-3 assistants, because you cannot cope with transporting a mixture of such volumes alone. After filling the formwork with mortar, it is necessary to level it according to the rule.
After complete hardening, you should sprinkle the blind area with dry cement and rub it in using any rag folded several times.
At this point, the production of the blind area is completed, then you can see a photo of the blind area around the house made by yourself.
Having thoroughly read our article, you now know how to construct a blind area around the house. We wish you good luck!
Profiled membrane covering
A new direction in construction, which is gaining popularity due to its original interior and easy way of creation. Sequence of work:
- Trench preparation is carried out according to general rules.
- The profiling membrane is placed on the bottom of the pit and compacted.
- A layer of waterproofing film is laid on top of the material.
- Next, a drainage layer is formed: layers of crushed stone and sand.
- The next stage is the formation of fertile soil in which plant seeds or lawn grass are planted.
In the middle of such a covering, you can place small concrete slabs or decorative tiles in the form of a path.
