Even the name tells you how important the foundation is to the overall structure of the house. Like the name implies, the foundation is exactly that—it’s what holds the house up and if you don’t have a good one, not much of anything else that you do will last. If you own a home, you know all about how nervous homeowners can get when they find a crack in the foundation of their homes, and generally a damaged foundation is considered one of the best reasons to move on when you’re shopping for that first house.
Remember that it’s the foundation that rests in the earth—this may not seem like a big deal at first until one considers that there are many different types of soils under every home and all of these soils react differently to the pressures that are placed on them. The best footings and foundations are designed taking into consideration the displacement that they create for the earth. Both these things need to be carefully aligned so that the final home sits properly on the earth. First, any one considering building from the ground up needs to consider some specifics.
First, footings are the structural implements that transfer all the weight of the house to the earth. The ones that last the longest are made from steel reinforced concrete. The footings are generally two to three times wider than the foundation itself. Of course this is done for stability and generally the footings are constructed separate from the rest of the foundation.
Foundations can be made from a variety of materials. Anyone attempting to build a foundation should remember that they are extremely difficult to replace so they must be constructed of materials that are durable and weather resistant in a variety of conditions. Most homes have what’s called a load bearing foundation that supports exactly what the name implies. While some are built on flat concrete slabs, others are built up on a series on concrete piers.
You’ll also need to be made aware of the kind of foundation that meets the requirements of you area. To do that, you’ll need to check the local building codes and the type is generally determined by the kind of climate that you live in. For example, homes in warmer places generally use a system where the footings, foundation and slab are all one unit.
Latest Videos of The Building Blocks: The Foundation and The Footings:
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