In addition, it is used as a convenient pedestrian passage and decorative design when improving the area adjacent to the house. The use of dense or bulk insulation when constructing a blind area allows you to protect the foundation from the impact low temperatures and reduce heat loss through building envelopes.

A fairly simple device for such a protective coating simultaneously solves several important problems related to protection and improvement, without requiring large financial investments. At the same time, you can do it yourself, without inviting specialist builders for this.

The installation of a blind area around the house is done immediately after finishing the exterior walls of the building, but before finishing the basement begins. This is due to the need to block the expansion joint between the wall and the path covering from rainwater due to the protruding surface of the base hanging over it.

For piles, deep columnar and screw foundations the presence of a blind area is not mandatory, but it is often made as an element of landscaping and as a convenient walking path.

Design of the blind area

Protective coating must be done around the entire perimeter of the house, since it is necessary to protect the entire foundation mass. The basic requirements on how to properly make a blind area around a house with your own hands are set out in SNiP 2.02.01-83, which states that on normal soils its width should be at least 600 mm, and on subsidence soils - at least a meter. In general, the width of the covering should extend at least 200 mm beyond the protruding roof section. The maximum width is not regulated.

General drawing of the blind area.

The hard covering must be laid on a dense base with a thickness of at least 15 cm. The slope of the blind area from the building is not less than 0.03%, with the lower edge exceeding the planning mark by more than 5 cm. Storm water drainage must be carried out in storm sewer or trays.

A high-quality insulated blind area should consist of three main layers:

• surface waterproof;
• underlying gravel or a mixture of crushed stone and sand;
• insulating polystyrene foam.

It can be used as an additional layer, which will be sufficient reliable waterproofing from rising in spring groundwater, and will also prevent possible germination weeds.

Top layer coating materials

The materials used for the top layer when constructing a blind area are quite diverse and have their own distinctive features. The simplest and most inexpensive is ordinary clay. With its help you can create a fairly reliable hydraulic lock. This type of defense is often found in rural areas. However, modern developers have long abandoned such primitive materials and are using more efficient technologies.

Options.

The most common option on how to make a blind area is a device concrete covering. You can simply and quickly install it yourself without investing large amounts of money. At the same time, concrete is characterized by high strength and durability, and also allows it to be subsequently covered with paving slabs to improve its appearance.

The blind area is finished with paving slabs using a cement-sand mixture or mortar. Most often it is used to create a single color ensemble with the decoration of a building or its decorative elements. It is also quite durable.

Paving stones can be laid on compacted sand cushion. She has a beautiful appearance, but more expensive than tiles and somewhat. When using paving stones, it is necessary to ensure that the top layer is completely sealed.

Sectional diagram of a concrete blind area.

Construction of a blind area from natural stone It looks very nice and will last for many years without repair. However, the high cost of the material reduces the possibility of its widespread use.

Asphalt is rarely used in hot weather due to its unpleasant odor. In addition, this type is not very durable, and buying a factory one is much more expensive than installing a concrete screed.

DIY concrete blind area

To install a concrete protective coating, you will need the following materials:

• cement grade PC400 or PC500;
• river or washed sand;
• gravel or crushed stone fraction up to 40 mm;
• expanded polystyrene insulation boards;
• board and bitumen for treating it from rotting;
• reinforcing mesh with a cell of 100x100 mm;
• clay or geotextile.

From tools and construction equipment you need to prepare:

• or manual tamper;
• bayonet and shovel shovels;
• wide bucket for concrete;
• building level;
• plaster rule;
• mason's trowel;
• hacksaw and hammer.

The work begins with marking the future coating. Its dimensions were mentioned above. After the final marking for the width of the path, the top layer of soil should be removed to a depth of 25-30 cm, and the bottom compacted.

Next, you need to spread a geotextile fabric along the bottom of the trench or arrange a hydraulic lock 5-7 cm thick from compacted clay. Pour a 4-5 cm layer of sand onto the geotextile or clay and compact it too. Sand is needed so that the sharp edges of the crushed stone do not damage the integrity of the waterproofing layer.

Now from boards or other sheet material you need to assemble and install removable formwork along the edge of the trench. Its height should be 5 cm higher than the planning level of the adjacent territory. After this, you should fill and compact a layer of crushed stone with gravel 7-8 cm thick and sprinkle it with a little sand. This layer of sand is needed so that when pouring concrete mixture the cement mortar did not go into the voids left between the stones.

When installing a concrete covering, it is necessary to provide expansion joints 1-2 cm wide. They will compensate for the thermal expansion of the concrete layer in hot weather and prevent its possible rupture during strong cooling. To do this, along the wall of the house along the entire perimeter of the base, using bitumen, you need to glue a layer of roofing material or waterproofing 1-2 cm thick. Instead roll materials You can use a porous rope made of foamed polyethylene.

Formwork drawing.

In addition, every 2-3 meters, as well as at all corners of the building across the blind area, pieces of boards 2-3 cm thick should be installed on the edge, which, after pouring the concrete, will provide compensation for possible expansions.

Before installation, the wood must be treated with a bitumen compound to protect it from moisture and rot. Transverse compensation slats must be installed in such a way that their upper edge corresponds to the future concrete surface.

Brand of concrete and its pouring into formwork

To increase the strength of the concrete layer, it is recommended to reinforce it with a metal mesh with a cell size of 10x10 cm. If you have an old rod or wire with a diameter of 5-8 mm, then you can use this material, but all individual elements must be connected to each other.

After the formwork has been installed, the reinforcing mesh has been laid, and the bulk layers have been compacted, you can begin preparing the concrete mixture and pouring it. A strong and durable coating can be obtained using concrete grades M200-250.

You can buy it ready-made with delivery to the site or make it yourself, 1 part cement, 2.5 parts sand and 4 parts gravel. Water is poured into the mixer last resort and is added gradually until a homogeneous mass of medium density is obtained.

The finished concrete mixture is placed inside the formwork on top of the reinforcing mesh so that its edge rises slightly above ground level, and the slope of the blind area is at least 3% towards the building, i.e. For every 1 meter of width there should be a 3 cm increase in level.

Leveling the surface should be done using a plaster rule and a trowel. It is necessary to always check for slope using a building level.

Concrete mix proportions.

Get more durable surface possible through the use of iron. To do this, the surface of the wet concrete that has not yet set must be sprinkled with dry cement and, using a wide spatula, rub it into the solution. If such finishing of the blind area near the house occurs by sifting cement through a sieve, then you will not have to rub it in; it will be distributed evenly without this.

In hot and dry weather, it is recommended to cover the poured concrete layer with a wet cloth and periodically water it with water to ensure that the material sets and does not dry out. The initial setting time of the concrete mixture is 72-96 hours. After this, you can stand on it without damaging the surface.

Blind area made of paving slabs

Since the coating is made of paving slabs is not as strong as a concrete monolith, then the base for its laying is made more dense, having a rather thick layer of compacted clay as the lower base, and a cement-sand mixture on top, on which the tiles are laid.

Scheme with paving slabs.

The depth of the trenches for making the blind area in this case is dug deeper than for a concrete blind area. In order for the buried layers of pain to be more stable, a trench 40-45 cm deep is required.

A layer of clay 20-30 cm thick is laid and compacted at its bottom, which will protect the base from the penetration of groundwater rising in the spring. A border is placed on the clay layer along the edge of the trench, the upper edge of which will not exceed the level of laying the tiles along the edge of the blind area.

After this, a layer of crushed stone or gravel 10-15 cm thick is poured and compacted well. The top layer of gravel should be approximately at ground level. A layer of geotextile is spread on the stone as protection against the germination of weeds, and paving slabs are laid over it, on a layer of cement-sand mixture.

Blind area made of paving stones

Differing from paving slabs in their greater thickness and better stability, paving stones can simply be laid on a dense bed of sand. To do this, it is enough to dig a trench 15 cm deep, spread geotextiles on the bottom, and fill in a layer of sand that does not reach the top of the trench. After this, you need to lay the paving stones, adding sand if necessary.

To ensure the tightness of the top layer, all seams between the stones must be carefully sealed with a cement-sand mixture or cement mortar. The border should not extend beyond the top level of the covering.

Soft blind area

Option with crushed stone.

TO soft species coverings include a blind area made of crushed stone and other multi-layer coverings having cobblestones, gravel, pebbles and others as the top layer bulk materials, under which there is a layer of clay or sand covered plastic film. This is the most inexpensive type of covering and it is very simple to make, but such a blind area made of crushed stone lasts no more than 5 years. After this, it is necessary to resolve the issue of protecting the foundation again.

Very important point when installing a soft structure - the presence of a slope of the waterproofing layer made of polyethylene or clay. This is necessary because in this system, water is removed not by the surface coating, which allows it to pass through, but by the waterproofing layer.

Installation of an insulated system

The insulated blind area protects building construction foundation from the effects of low temperatures and significantly reduces heat loss from the building. A material of sufficient density, strength, hydrophobic and not subject to rotting should be used as insulation. The best way Polystyrene foam and polystyrene foam meet these conditions.

Photo of a properly insulated blind area of ​​a house.

The insulation process consists of three stages, which are included in general composition work on constructing a blind area around the building. First, a layer of waterproofing in the form of roofing felt or waterproofing material is laid on a thin sand cushion or compacted clay, with some of the material placed on the side walls.

Then the vertical basement wall is insulated by attaching sheets of thermal insulation to it. During vertical installation sheets must be provided with a connection between them in a protruding groove. In cases where this is not possible, the seams should be sealed with polyurethane foam.

A horizontal layer of insulation is laid on the bottom layer of clay or sand base. To reduce the cost of purchasing materials, you can use the first layer of polystyrene foam as insulation, and lay more durable polystyrene foam on it. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that the seams between the individual sheets do not coincide vertically.

The further procedure for how to properly make a blind area is no different from what was described above.

There is an opinion that the insulation of such a structure can be ensured by filling it with a layer of expanded clay instead of crushed stone. This opinion is not entirely correct. In the layer of bulk expanded clay remain air gaps, in which moisture will accumulate over time, and thermal insulation properties of such a layer will be greatly reduced. If you use expanded clay concrete, then required thickness The layer will be very large and all savings will be lost.

Operation and repair of the blind area

Over time, the surface of the concrete pavement may develop cracks or other damage. This happens most often as a result of soil subsidence, incorrectly selected width of expansion joints, the use of low-quality materials and other reasons. Repair of such damage can be done using a mixture of bitumen primer, asbestos and sand.

Market price blind area installation services.

Initially, the crack expands somewhat and is cleaned of debris and dirt using a water jet. Then you need to let it dry and fill it with the prepared mixture.

Damages that are too large must be extended to the right size, wetted with water and restored by pouring new concrete. If necessary, the damage volume is reinforced with steel wire or rod. After the concrete mixture has hardened, the restored areas must be treated with a primer.

If you wish, almost any construction work can be done yourself. Of course, some specific operations have to be trusted to professionals, but you can actually fill the blind area on your own. The blind area around the house is a necessary element of the site arrangement; it is made around the perimeter of the house and performs several functions at once. Therefore, in order to do it correctly with your own hands, you need to correctly approach the study of pouring the foundation and other issues.

Functions of a blind area for a country house

• Protects the foundation from washing out. Even the drainage system is not able to prevent the destruction of the soil layer. In addition, constantly soaking into the soil, moisture will make it cold and damp. ground floor or basement. And in winter, due to different expansion coefficients, the earth puts pressure on the foundation, gradually destroying it.
• Protects the base and walls from contamination. Rain, falling tangentially to the ground, creates a whole fountain of dirty splashes and sends them straight to the walls. Okay, if it’s an ordinary brick, you can wash it with a hose, but if it’s expensive, finishing or decorative plaster. A bark beetle clogged with dirt is almost impossible to wash, you just have to repaint it every time.
• Decorates. The beauty of masonry or finishing material will be emphasized like nothing else by the straight line of the blind area. But no matter how hard you ram the earth, you won’t be able to achieve a similar effect.

Device for draining water around the roof

Layered in its own way, it consists of several mandatory levels.

• Waterproofing(roofing felt, polypropylene), if a drainage system is provided.
• Pillow(alternating sand and crushed stone).
• Armature– today, instead of wire and metal cutting, they use geotextile bags, but they increase the cost of the process. Therefore, the majority of private owners choose fittings the old fashioned way.
• Fill- the cheapest and simplest option; concrete mixture, however, is far from the most decorative.
• Decorative– the path around the house made of wild stone, paving stones, tiles, clinker or paving slabs and similar facing materials looks interesting.

That is, no matter what the decorative layer is, the blind area will need sand, crushed stone and cement as the basis of the structure. As for how to decorate and whether to spend time and money on it, everyone decides for themselves.

How to make a solution

The stronger the adhesion of the solution to the base, the stronger the blind area will be, and to achieve this effect, use high-strength cement, not lower than four hundredth grade, or even better, take five hundredth grade.

• Compound concrete pouring : cement, sand, crushed stone, in a ratio of 1/3 (for one part of cement, three parts of crushed stone and sand).
• Consistency: the solution is diluted with water until the thickness of homemade sour cream; the mass should be plastic, but not float along the existing slope.
• Supplements: for increase performance characteristics It is worth adding frost-resistant chemicals to the solution; it is sold in specialized stores. The quantity and rules for introduction into the concrete mass are usually indicated by manufacturers on the packaging. To impart plasticity, you can replace part of the water with a weak primer solution.

Video: how to make a good solution

The video shows how to make a solution for a blind area around the house:

Step-by-step guide: how to make it yourself

Although the process is not particularly difficult, especially if you have an understanding of wet work, a certain technology is followed when performing it. A properly constructed blind area will last for years and will not crack after a couple of seasons.

Dimensions

The wider the filled path, the more convenient it will be to move freely along it, and the farther from the foundation moisture will penetrate into the soil. Specific dimensions depend on several factors.

• Width– it makes no sense to fill less than 80 cm from the wall, optimal size– 100, since the path should be at least 20 cm wider than the roof overhang. Of course, I would like to save materials, and the excavation work is not the easiest, but it is better to do it once every ten years than to redo it regularly.
• Depth– if we are concerned about the quality of the coating, then it is not enough to remove the top layer and remove the roots. It is necessary to dig a pit 20–25 cm deep around the perimeter. Above the surface, the path will rise another 10 centimeters, depending on the presence or absence of a decorative layer. This is taken into account when choosing boards for formwork.
• Slope– so that the water does not stagnate, but flows freely, the blind area is made at a slope. An angle of up to 10⁰ is enough, otherwise walking will be problematic. You can make a slope both at the stage of filling the pillow and at the time of pouring the solution.

Pit

The lower layers must be immersed in the ground, then the entire fill will be monolithic and will not “play” due to temperature changes. The boundaries of the pit are marked with a string stretched on pegs to ensure it is level, use a construction or hydraulic level, and use it to check the bottom. After removing the earthen layer, the surface is compacted. The formwork boards are installed; the more often the fixing stakes are placed, the smoother the pouring will be.

Pillow

A layer of sand (10 cm) is poured on top of the insulation and is also carefully compacted; on top is a layer of crushed stone (5 - 7 cm), which is leveled. If the sand is dry, it should be slightly moistened with a spray bottle or a hose with a splitter attachment.

Reinforcement

If there is no option to get road mesh, the reinforcement is made with a special mesh with a cell of 10 cm; some prefer metal die-cutting. The reinforcement is laid on top of the crushed stone, completely covering it without gaps, and an overlap is made at the joints. This will contain stretching in all directions without cracking.

Expansion (expansion, temperature) joints

When the soil settles, the blind area will, one way or another, be torn off from the base or torn out along with its pieces. To avoid this, use two techniques.

• Seam between coatings. Most often, an expansion joint is made - a distance of about 1 - 1.5 cm from the wall is filled with sand, roofing material is laid on top in several layers, and bitumen or sealant is poured.
• Binding seam. Using a hammer drill, a longitudinal groove 3–5 cm wide is hollowed out in the wall. Additionally, grooves are drilled at regular intervals into which reinforcing rods, long nails, and wire are driven.
• Installation of slats. Concrete tends to tear crosswise during sudden temperature fluctuations in winter. To avoid this, transverse seams are made in the blind area at equal intervals; thin slats are used for them, which will coincide in height with top layer, taking into account the slope. They are also placed in the corners.

Filling: how much is needed

If earlier a shovel and assistants were used to mix the solution, since not everyone can afford a concrete mixer, today a hammer drill comes to the rescue. A powerful model and a large, durable mixer and the problem of a well-prepared mixture is solved. The installed slats will serve instead of beacons when pouring; it will be convenient to level the surface using them. The solution is poured in portions and leveled, checking the level.

If concrete will be the final layer, the wet mortar is sprinkled with dry cement and smoothed with a trowel. This “ironization,” as masons call it, not only imparts brand-name strength, but also creates a smooth, shiny surface. Even ordinary cement will look interesting.

How to make insulation

The insulated blind area prevents soil freezing and protects the basement and basement. It differs from the usual one in the following parameters. The blind area with insulation is often combined with insulation of the facade, including the base.

• Drainage system– since insulation will be used, stagnation of water and wetting of the coating is unacceptable, drainage must be done to remove precipitation. The easiest way to make it is from plastic pipes for sewers with perforations. The diameter of the breakdown must be at least a millimeter. A trench up to a meter deep is dug along the perimeter; its bottom should have a noticeable slope towards drainage holes or pits to avoid stagnation. Before installation, the pipes are wrapped in geotextiles, and a layer of crushed stone or coarse river sand is poured onto the bottom of the ditch. The laid pipes are covered with crushed stone, compacted, and a layer of soil is added on top, compacted, and leveled.
• Geotextiles– it is laid at the bottom of the pit under the formwork, you can also use roofing felt or film, no joints, only overlaps. Geotextiles are also used when laying paving slabs.
• Pillow– is carried out as in the case of a concrete blind area.
• Insulation– polystyrene foam, penoplex, polystyrene foam. Any of the tile materials are laid on the cushion, the joints are sealed with sealant. On top is a layer of sand (5 cm), a layer of crushed stone (5 cm).
• Armature- metal grid.
• Fill– concrete mortar for the blind area as in the first option, only without crushed stone and the layer is thinner, since the insulation must be lined.
• Facing– the selected material is laid on the mortar or tile adhesive after the pour has hardened.

The video shows how to make an insulated blind area around the house:

Price

How much does it cost to make a blind area around a country house or any other house? Since we do the work ourselves, which adds about half to the total cost, our hard earned money will only go towards materials. Depending on the raw materials used and the dimensions of the blind area, on average, it square meter will cost 400, 500 rubles. If we're talking about about insulation, drainage, insulation and insulation will cover at least another third.

Many people neglect the blind area, preferring to make do with gutters, but this is a direct path to destruction of the foundation and freezing of the basement. Filling the blind area with your own hands is quite possible, and the investment will definitely be worth it.

Even the strongest foundation is eventually exposed to moisture, which gradually reduces the load on the house’s drainage system, as well as on vertical waterproofing. To prevent this from happening, do a concrete blind area with your own hands, step-by-step instructions for which will be discussed in the article.

Concrete blind area is a necessary coating to protect the foundation

In addition to its main function (protection from interaction with moisture), this coating also allows you to create a pedestrian zone around the perimeter of the house and give the architectural appearance of the building a complete look.

However, before you fill the blind area, you need to pay attention to its design features and requirements for construction projects of this type.

Design of the blind area

The concrete blind area has quite simple design, for the preparation of which the following materials will be required:

1. Bedding (pillow). This is done before pouring the solution. The most suitable materials are used as bedding different materials: coarse or medium sand, sand and gravel mixture, crushed stone, fine gravel. The foundation area cannot be laid on fine sand due to the possibility of shrinkage, since in this case there is a risk that the base will crack. It is best to prepare a two-layer cushion: first lay gravel or crushed stone, which will compact the soil, and then sand.
2. Reinforcement. The presence of reinforcing mesh for a concrete blind area will give the structure more strength. The cell size of this product is usually 30 x 30 or 50 x 50 cm. The mesh diameter should be about 6-8 mm, but it all depends on the type of soil.
3. Formwork. Wooden guides located along the perimeter of the coating are required, as they will prevent the concrete mixture from spreading. The width of the formwork boards is usually 20-25 mm.
4. Concrete solution. The blind area is poured using a specific concrete mixture composition.

The brand of mortar must be carefully selected, since the strength and durability of the entire structure will depend on its quality and characteristics. For such a coating, Mixture M 200 is usually used, the strength class of which is no less than B 15 (a higher grade can be purchased). It is also worth paying attention to the frost resistance of the composition, which should not be less than F 50. To ensure better resistance to changes temperature conditions, it is recommended to give preference to formulations with an F index of 100.

To obtain high-quality coating, it is most profitable to make a concrete mixture on your own.

Making a concrete mixture for the blind area of ​​a house

To organize a concrete blind area around the house it is not necessary to buy ready mixture and order expensive delivery by concrete mixer. Knowing the proportions of the components, you can make M 200 concrete yourself, for this you will need:

• 1 part cement (the optimal one is Portland cement 400);
• 3 parts sand (preferably medium, but fine-grained will do);
• 4 parts of coarse aggregate (gravel or crushed stone);
• ½ part water.

Accordingly, to get 1 cubic meter of concrete you need to mix:

• 280 kg of cement;
• 1100 kg of crushed stone;
• 800 kg of sand;
• 190 liters of water.

Also using PC 400, you can get other brands.

Healthy! First of all, cement and water are mixed, and only after the composition is homogeneous, sand and gravel are added to it.

To ensure that the design of the blind area is strong and the concreting is durable, certain rules and requirements are provided.

Design requirements

To fill the blind area of ​​a house with concrete, you need to familiarize yourself with the regulations and recommendations of SNiP:

• The width of the blind area should be 20 cm greater than the roof overhang (SNiP 2.02.01-83). If the structure has a drainage system, then its indicators are also taken into account. The optimal value is 1 meter. In this case, you can lay a tile path around the house.
• The length of the blind area around the house, made with your own hands, must correspond to the perimeter of the building. However, if you plan to install a concrete porch, then a “break” is allowed.
• Depth. The depth of the “tape” is half the calculated freezing depth of the ground.
• The thickness of the concrete blind area is also regulated by SNiP and, according to these requirements, should be at least 7-10 cm for the top layer. However, many people make concrete parking spaces for personal cars along with the blind area. In this case, the operational load increases, and the thickness of the concrete blind area can reach up to 15 cm.

• Slope. According to SNiP III-10-75, the slope should be from 1 to 10 cm for each meter of width. Most often it is 2-3 cm per meter - this is approximately 2-3 degrees. The angle of inclination must be directed in the direction opposite to the foundation. It is not recommended to increase the slope, as in this case it will be difficult to walk on such a path. winter time when ice forms on the surface.
• Border. The installation of a blind area at home does not include mandatory production curb, so in this case the decision is made by the owners of suburban real estate. However, experts recommend installing such “limiters” if trees and shrubs with an “aggressive” root system (blackberries, raspberries, plane trees, poplars and others) grow near the foundation.
• Base height. For a hard type covering (concrete), the base must be at least 50 cm.
• The recommended height of the blind area above ground level is 5 cm or more.

There are also several schemes according to which a blind area can be built from crushed stone, in the form of a monolithic concrete covering, both for the usual type of soil and for “problematic” ones.

Knowing the SNiP requirements and features suburban area, you can make a blind area with your own hands using the step-by-step instructions given below.

We make the blind area ourselves

The blind area technology includes several stages that even a beginner can handle construction work Oh.

Preparation

To begin creating a protective coating around your home, prepare:

• pickaxe;
• twine;
• roulette;
• tamper;
• pegs for marking;
• waterproof film (geotextile);
• concrete mixture;
• boards for formwork;
• hacksaw;
• level;
• nails;
• reinforcement material, welding machine and wire cutters;
• usually a trowel, spatula;
• sealant for processing seams (it is better to purchase a polyurethane compound).

Marking

Arrangement of the blind area around the house begins with preparing the area for construction. At this stage, it is necessary to mark the perimeter of the future “tape”, or rather the trench for it, using pegs. There are several recommendations in this regard:

• The step between the beacons is 1.5 m.
• The depth of the trench will depend on the soil, but the minimum value is 0.15-0.2 meters. If the ground is “heaving”, then the depth increases to 0.3 m.

The easiest way to apply markings is to proceed in the following sequence:

1. Drive metal or wood pegs into the ground at the corners of the house.
2. Install intermediate beacons along the perimeter of the building.
3. Stretch the cord or rope, connecting all the pegs.

Healthy! At this stage, you can use a sealant to separate protective covering from the foundation.

After this, the slope of the system is formed; for this, a trench is dug in which the depth of one of its sides will be greater. To compact the resulting ditch, it is enough to use wood. First, you need to place the log vertically, lift it and sharply lower it down with force. This will compact the bottom of the trench.

Formwork

For formwork you will need boards on which it is better to immediately mark the height of the future cushion. Attach the improvised “box” in the corners metal corners(bolts with outside).

Important! If you do not want to remove the formwork after the construction of the concrete blind area is completed, then be sure to treat the wood with an antiseptic compound and wrap the boards with roofing felt.

Making a pillow

In order for a concrete blind area to be made according to all the “canons” of construction, it is imperative to prepare a sand or clay base for it. The thickness of the sand layer can reach up to 20 cm. It is best to lay the pillow in several layers, moistening and thoroughly tamping each subsequent layer. On final stage the surface needs to be leveled.

Waterproofing

The waterproofing device involves laying several layers of roofing material or other geotextiles on the pillow.

1. The material needs to be “wrapped” slightly onto the walls to create an expansion joint.
2. Roofing felt must be laid overlapping.
3. Placed on top of geotextile thin layer sand and then 10 cm of gravel.
4. If you plan to install drainage system, then it is laid close to the resulting “hydraulic seal”.

Reinforcement, pouring and drying

Above the level of 3 cm from the crushed stone layer it is necessary to lay metal mesh in increments of 0.75 m. After this, you need to mix the concrete and pour it in equal portions into the resulting formwork sections. In this case, the poured composition should reach the level of the upper edge of the wooden “box”.

Healthy! After pouring, pierce the surface with an iron rod in several places to allow excess air to escape.

The composition can be distributed using a trowel or a rule. To increase the resistance of concrete, 2 hours after pouring, ironing is performed. To do this, the surface is covered with a layer of dry PC 400 3-7 mm thick.

Healthy! To prevent the composition from cracking, it must be moistened with water 1-2 times a day.

In addition to how to properly fill the blind area, you need to take care that it does not crack during the drying process. To do this, you need to protect the coating from precipitation and sun using plastic film. It is believed that the blind area dries completely in 10-14 days. However, according to the regulations, at least 28 days should be allowed for drying.

Post Views: 7

The work is not limited to just the construction of a private house. It will be necessary to make some efforts to arrange the home so that it is as reliable, comfortable and durable as possible. One of the main stages, carried out after the completion of the main construction work, is the creation of a blind area around the house. This element performs a series important functions. If you wish, you can make a blind area with your own hands; there is nothing super complicated about it.

Some homeowners ignore the need to build a blind area. And absolutely in vain! This building element helps to increase the service life of the building and generally creates more comfortable living conditions. The blind area protects the foundation and the surrounding land from harmful effects various kinds water. Atmospheric and melt water, in the absence of obstacles, can erode the soil so much that moisture seeps into the foundation and then into its base. The consequences of such exposure can be very severe, including destruction of the foundation and the house.

Thus, the blind area is very important element, especially if the house is built on a shallow foundation, the base of which is located close to the top layer of soil. When wet, the sole of the base will lose its strength and begin to sag, which will lead to a significant decrease in strength concrete structure, right up to its destruction.

But even if the house is built on a strong, buried foundation, the need for a blind area cannot be ignored. It must be present in any case, regardless of the type of foundation, soil and level of precipitation characteristic of a particular region, etc.

Preparing to create a blind area around the house

There is nothing complicated about constructing a blind area yourself; you just need to take into account and follow the basic recommendations in order to get the most reliable and durable building. It is first necessary to prepare materials and understand the main stages of the technology.

Selecting the width of the blind area

Choose the appropriate width of the structure. Since the “shoulders” of this structure bear the function of protecting the foundation of the structure, the width of the fill should be quite large. To reduce the risk of foundation destruction under the influence of moisture, it is worth taking care to drain water from the walls of the building to the greatest possible distance. Optimal width the blind area is at least 80 cm.

Quite often, the blind area is made so wide that it simultaneously performs the function convenient path. This point also needs to be taken into account at the stage of planning the blind area, so that in the future you do not have to move sideways along such a path. Thus, the most convenient width of the blind area, which can provide both reliable protection, and freedom of movement, is 150-250 cm.

The blind area is carried out with a certain slope, which can ensure the drainage of rain and melt water from the house. According to building codes per 100 cm of structure width there should be at least 5-10 cm of slope. Thus, if the blind area is, for example, 100 cm wide, then the edge that meets the wall of the house will rise by 5-10 cm, and the opposite side will be at the same level with the ground.

Such a descent is quite sufficient to effectively drain water from the building. However, it is difficult to move around such a structure. But if you reduce the angle of inclination, the flow of liquid will not be as effective. In view of this, the slope is made at a level of 1.5 cm per 100 cm of the width of the structure. This optimal value, which does not interfere with walking along the path and promotes effective moisture removal.

Materials for the installation of a blind area

The independent construction of the design in question requires the presence of certain devices. The list of materials may vary depending on the selected type of blind area. The most common option is concrete construction.

First you need to clean the area for the blind area, lay a reinforcing mesh of rods with a diameter of at least 6 mm, connect the rods with a special binding wire, install the formwork and pour the concrete solution. This general scheme. However, each stage has its own characteristics and requires separate consideration.

Set for pouring blind area

1. Shovel for digging a trench.
2. Level.
3. Wheelbarrow.
4. Manual tamping.
5. Materials for moisture insulation.
6. Material for thermal insulation.
7. Clay.
8. Crushed stone.
9. Sand.
10. Reinforcing bars or finished design with cells 100x100 mm.

Remove everything from the walls of the house that could interfere with the work, collect the devices listed above and start marking. For this step you will need some rope and metal pegs. When creating markings, make sure that the structure has the same width in all places.

Guide to pouring a blind area

The blind area makes a big contribution to the durability of the foundation, so its creation must be approached with maximum responsibility.

The structure consists of an underlying and a top layer. The first is responsible for creating an even, compacted base for the next layer. It is created from sand and small gravel. The total thickness of the layer is about 2 cm. You can also use clay. When choosing a specific bedding material, focus on the material of the top layer.

The top layer is designed to create water resistance and increase the resistance of the structure to water. Can be created from small cobblestones, clay, concrete and other materials. The thickness of such a layer is about 10 cm.

The instructions will discuss the procedure for arranging the most popular type of blind area - concrete. Having dealt with its construction, you can make a blind area from any other materials suitable for this purpose without any problems.

How to make a blind area with your own hands. Digging trenches and erecting formwork

The technology for arranging a blind area around the house requires mandatory reinforcement. Thanks to the reinforcing mesh, the rigidity and durability of the concrete structure will be increased. As noted, you can buy a ready-made mesh or assemble it yourself from metal rods. Cells with a side of 10 cm are considered optimal.

Special attention must be paid to the expansion joint. It is created at the junction of the basement of the house with the blind area. Due to such a seam, the said structures will be protected during the process of soil subsidence. That is, the blind area will be able to sink along the seam without causing damage to the base of the house. The standard seam width is 1-1.5 cm. The seam must be filled with roofing felt, sand-gravel mixture or bitumen of your choice.

You can also use a special rope for filling, the manufacture of which uses foamed polyethylene.

It is important that the diameter of this bundle is approximately ¼ greater than the width of the expansion joint and fits into the gap as tightly as possible. For more convenient compaction of the bundle, take plywood or other similar material.

The blind area technology requires that seams be present across the concrete structure, approximately every 200-300 cm. They will protect the blind area from ruptures during frosts. It is most convenient to make transverse seams using wooden slats. It is enough just to install the slats so that their top is located at the same level with the upper border of the concrete pour. Also, expansion joints must be present in the corners of the building. Don't forget to take into account the slope of the blind area.

To protect the slats from rotting, they must be pre-treated bitumen mastic, waste oil or other similar material. Also, expansion joints must be present in the corners of the building.

Concrete for blind area. Preparation and pouring

Concrete is prepared from 1 part cement (it is best to use the M400 grade material or the less expensive M500), two parts sand and four parts crushed stone.

After pouring, the concrete must be compacted and leveled. Wood slats, previously used to create transverse expansion joints, will simultaneously serve as beacons by which you can navigate during the work process.

After pouring is completed, the concrete should be covered with a cloth; burlap is ideal. The cloth should be regularly moistened with water to prevent the concrete from drying out and cracking.

In the end, all that remains is to wait until the concrete gains strength. On average, this takes 1 month. If desired, you can complete the finishing lining of the blind area. Acid-resistant bricks are perfect for this.

Thus, there is nothing complicated about pouring the blind area around the house yourself. Just follow the instructions you received and everything will work out.

Good luck!

Video - DIY blind area around the house

A blind area is a covering that surrounds a building. Its purpose is to protect the foundation, basement or ground floor from moisture seepage.

The blind area can be made of asphalt, concrete mortar, paving stones, ceramic or paving slabs. This strip should have a slight slope away from the house. In most cases, the blind area is a convenient walking path.

If it is not built, then after a while the water will begin to flood the basement. Or in winter, frozen moisture will destroy the foundation of the building.

Features of moisture-proof coating

The easiest option would be a concrete blind area 0.6-1 m wide. In order for it to fully fulfill its purpose, you should adhere to the following rules:

1. The covering should not have a width equal to or less than the roof overhang. Minimum size stripes are the width of the cornice plus 20 centimeters.
2. The coating must be laid continuously around the entire perimeter of the building. Only in this case will the foundation, basement, and basement of the house be reliably protected from water seepage.
3. The wider the coating, the better it will protect the perimeter of the house from moisture.
4. The blind area should be made with a slope. It is needed for better water drainage. The minimum slope from the building towards the ground should be 1.5º. It can be made steeper, which depends on the lining of the blind area. The tilt is done at the stage of laying the underlying cushion or installing the finishing.

The duration of operation of the foundation of the house, its base or basement depends on the correctness of the construction of the blind area. If it is done correctly, then you will not have to repair these building elements for a long time.

The blind area consists of two main layers:

1. Underlay pillow. Its purpose is to form a smooth and dense base for cladding. For the pillow you can use gravel, crushed stone, clay, sand. Its thickness should be about 15-20 cm. (Read how to choose the right crushed stone)
2. Facing coating. It must be waterproof. The covering is actually a blind area that protects the building from water. It can be made from asphalt, concrete, paving and ceramic tiles, paving stones.

Required tools and materials

Before work you need to prepare the following:

• quartz sand;
• crushed stone or gravel;
• Portland cement grade M-400;
• polyurethane sealant for expansion joints;
• boards for formwork (their width should be equal to the total thickness protective strip);
• trowel and wide spatula;
• rule for leveling concrete;
• trough for preparing the solution;
• bubble level;
• Soviet and bayonet shovel for earthen and concrete works.

How to independently arrange a blind area around the house: step-by-step instructions

So, how to make a concrete blind area. Initially, it is necessary to mark it. For this purpose, it is necessary to postpone external walls at home 1 meter, drive in stakes and pull a cord along them.

Next, follow the markings and remove the soil. Here you need to take into account what the cover of the protective strip will be. For a blind area made of concrete mortar, a trench 0.2-0.25 meters deep is required. When you dig it, compact the bottom of the ditch using a tamper.

Construction of formwork

The formwork prevents the concrete mixture from spreading and forms its configuration. It’s quite simple to assemble, you don’t need any special skills:

1. From the outside of the twine, with a step of 1.5-2 m between them, drive wooden pegs into the ground exactly vertically.
2. Place boards on edge along the entire trench. Fix them to the stakes with self-tapping screws. (Read this article on how to choose the right screws)
3. The intersection points of the boards at the corners are additionally reinforced with stakes.
4. Secure solid boards to each other. Do this from the outside using screws and pieces of planks. The length of the pieces should be about 40 centimeters, with an overlap of 20 centimeters on both sides.
5. Align the upper edges of the box construction level on the thickness of the future blind area.
6. Securely secure the corner sections of the formwork with steel corners, screwing them from the outside with screws.

Typically, the length of inch boards (their thickness is 25 millimeters) is 6 meters. Based on this, calculate them required quantity it won't be difficult for you. Measure the length of the perimeter of the protective strip according to the markings made. Divide the resulting number by 6. This will be the number of boards needed for the formwork. Add another board to the number. From it you will cut pieces to connect the planks to each other.

Laying the cushion and reinforcing the blind area

Lay quartz sand in a layer of 10 centimeters on the compacted bottom of the trench. This part of the underlying layer will need to be thoroughly compacted. Before doing this, moisten the sand with water. There is no need to pour it too much, otherwise you will wash away the soil under the sand. Compact the cushion especially carefully near the foundation.

To increase the strength of the blind area, tie a reinforcing mesh at the bottom of the trench. The size of its cells should be 10-15 centimeters. Concrete has good resistance to compressive loads. The metal frame will give it the ability to withstand tensile forces.

What to make an expansion joint in the blind area from

Where the blind area meets the foundation, you will need to make an expansion joint.

It is also called temperature compensation. This element of the protective strip will protect the foundation and blind area from deformation and possible destruction during shrinkage or lifting of concrete and soil during temperature changes. In this case, the coating will sag or rise along the prepared joint without harming the structures.

The thickness of the deformation gap should be 10-15 millimeters. It can be:

• hammer with sand mixed with fine crushed stone;
• pour molten bitumen or mastic;
• fill with rolled roofing felt;

Sometimes a polyethylene foam cord is used to fill the expansion gap. Its cross-section should be 20% larger than the thickness of the gap. This way the cord will sit tightly in the seam. Top part the harness should be located at a depth equal to half the height of the gap. It is convenient to lay the cord in the expansion gap with a piece of plywood.

In addition to the wall expansion joint, similar gaps will need to be made along the entire length of the blind area (across it). They will protect concrete from tearing in winter.

To create expansion joints, you can use wooden slats. They should be placed on edge every 2 meters. The planks must be laid so that their top edge is flush with the plane of the concrete covering.

To protect the tree from rotting, it must be coated water-repellent composition. It could be technical oil, bitumen, antiseptic composition.

Concrete laying

Now you can lay the concrete. It is mixed from one part of cement, two parts of sand and two parts of crushed stone. Water is added to the dry composition in such an amount that the resulting solution is viscous and not too liquid.

After laying it, the concrete will need to be compacted using bayonet. Then it is leveled by the rule. The expansion joint strips will serve as guiding beacons.

To strengthen the concrete coating, it can be immediately ironed while it is wet. To do this, the solution is sprinkled with dry cement, which is then leveled using a rule. A thin cement layer will give the concrete special strength and water resistance.

After filling the blind area, cover it with film and periodically spray it with water. This way the concrete will dry and gain strength gradually. In rainy autumn weather this may not be necessary. The concrete will finally harden and gain strength 28 days after it is poured.

1. When pouring concrete, do not forget that the blind area should have a slope from the building towards the ground. For a concrete surface, a slope of 3º is sufficient. To create it, you should set the expansion joint slats at the appropriate angle.
2. To increase the reliability of the blind area, it can be waterproofed. To do this, you can spread thick plastic film or roofing felt on the underlying pillow. Their panels must be laid on top of each other with an overlap.
3. In hot weather, hardening concrete may crack due to the rapid evaporation of moisture. Therefore, it must be covered with burlap or plastic wrap. It should lie on the coating until the coating dries.

Insulated blind area

If the site is located in an area with soil prone to frost heaving, then the blind area will need to be thermally insulated. In this case, the corresponding material must be moisture-resistant, dense and durable. EPS (extruded polystyrene foam) fits these definitions. For the blind area, you need to use material 5-10 centimeters thick, based on the climate of your region.

Extruded polystyrene foam boards are not resistant to point loads. Based on this, the material should be laid not under the underlying cushion, but under the concrete solution.

You can make a blind area around the perimeter of the house yourself. There is nothing particularly difficult about this. The main thing here is to follow the rules, do everything carefully and without mistakes. In this case, the foundation, basement or basement of your house will be reliably protected from moisture.

Check out the video that concludes the article. In it you will find additional information on how to make a blind area around the house: