Foundations and Concrete Work

by FINE HOMEBUILDING EDITORS

• ISBN13: 9781561583300
• ISBN10: 1561583308
• Format: Trade Paper
• Copyright: 2001-07-01
• Publisher: Taunton

Summary

-- Features mixing and curing concrete, insulating foundations, and building retaining walls

Table of Contents

Introduction	7	(1)
Concrete	8	(6)
Understanding the characteristics of this material can take some of the anxious moments out of your pour and ensure a finished product of high quality
Curing Concrete	14	(3)
Keeping it warm and wet for a week will make concrete stronger and more watertight
Site Layout	17	(3)
On a flat lot, footings can be oriented with precision using batter boards, string and a water level
Stemwall Foundations	20	(6)
Use plywood, framing lumber and snap ties to form the foundation, then build the house out of the forms
Pouring Concrete Slabs	26	(6)
Tips on ordering, placing, screeding, floating and finishing
Avoiding Common Mistakes in Concrete and Masonry	32	(6)
An engineer offers a few simple changes to make walls and foundations much sturdier
Operating a Power Trowel	38	(2)
Pressure on the handlebars controls the machine, and the angle of the blades controls the finish
Rubble-Trench Foundations	40	(3)
A simple, effective foundation system for residential structures
Stepped Foundations	43	(3)
Using modular forms to build a foundation on a hillside
Building a Block Foundation	46	(5)
How to pour the footing and lay the concrete block, and what to do about waterproofing, drainage and insulation
Foundations on Hillside Sites	51	(3)
An engineer tells about pier and grade-beam foundations
Foundation Drainage	54	(5)
Retrofitting is doing it the hard way
Insulating and Parging Foundations	59	(3)
Covering concrete walls with rigid foam insulation and troweling on stucco requires experience with the materials
A Pier and Grade-Beam Foundation	62	(4)
Advice from a contractor on one way to build on a steep slope
Deep Foundations	66	(4)
Using driven piles and grade beams to build on soft ground
A Slab-on-Grade Foundation for Cold Climates	70	(4)
Proper drainage (lots of gravel) is the key
Foundation Forms that Insulate	74	(6)
Lightweight panels and blocks provide insulation and double as framework
Permanent Wood Foundations	80	(5)
A Cost-effective and energy-efficient alternative to concrete
Wood Foundations	85	(3)
Pressure-treated studs and plywood make an economical system for owner-builders
Capping a Foundation	88	(4)
One man's method for raising wood sills built too close to the ground
Cracked Foundations	92	(4)
Prevention is easier than repair
Digging a Basement the Hard Way	96	(4)
How a builder excavated for a wine cellar under an existing house
Gunite Retaining Wall	100	(4)
Sprayed-on concrete does more than just line swimming pools
Selecting a Moisture-Proofing System for New Basements	104	(6)
New products from the latest technologies offer more effective alternatives to slopping sticky tar onto new foundations
Small-Job Concrete	110	(2)
Site-mixed mud can be batched as accurately as ready-mix, given a strong back and a few guidelines
Dry-Stack Block	112	(4)
Precision-ground concrete blocks make it easy to build a wall
Insulated Masonry Walls	116	(4)
Concrete block comes of age with new technology for energy efficiency
Designing Forms for Tall Concrete Walls	120	(6)
Site-built panels that hold up under stress
Surface-Bonded Block	126	(4)
A strong, fast and inexpensive alternative to poured-concrete or block-in-mortar walls
Forming Concrete Walls	130	(3)
Building forms stick by stick can save on labor and materials
Building with Pumice-crete	133	(3)
This lightweight insulating concrete holds up the roof while holding down the costs
Placing a Concrete Driveway	136	(6)
Careful preparation of the soils and proper positioning of joints and reinforcement are keys to a driveway that lasts a lifetime
Index	142