The foundation is poured into pre-arranged formwork. This structure must be installed in compliance with a number of established rules and regulations. Familiarize yourself with the features of existing types of formwork, the procedure for their calculation, instructions for the construction of the most common structures and get to work.

Of course, before erecting the formwork, you need to decide on the type of foundation that you will build. We recommend reading the following materials on our portal:

— first of all, we invite you to familiarize yourself with the step-by-step technology for constructing a strip foundation. In which, among other things, it talks about the method of constructing wooden formwork.

Materials for the manufacture of formwork

Foundation formwork can be made from different materials.

Metal

Universal and most expensive formwork option. To assemble the structure, steel sheets with a thickness of 1-2 mm are used.

Metal formwork is perfect for arranging strip and monolithic foundation structures. it will be possible to weld directly to the formwork sheets, which will help increase the rigidity of the foundation.

The main advantage of the metal is the simplicity and convenience of its processing - the sheets can be bent to the required shape of the concrete base without any problems.

The main disadvantage of metal formwork is its very high cost when compared with other existing options.

Reinforced concrete

A relatively expensive type of formwork.

This formwork is constructed from concrete slabs. Depending on the thickness of the slabs used, when pouring the foundation it will be possible to slightly reduce the consumption of concrete mixture, which will save on the construction of the foundation without compromising the strength and other important characteristics of the structure.

Among the disadvantages, it is necessary to note the large weight of the slabs, which requires the use of special equipment for their installation.

Moreover, if the formwork is made from ready-made slabs and the dimensions of one element are not enough, you will have to install additional spacers, which will also not have the best effect on the final cost of the structure.

Expanded polystyrene

A very high quality and practical option. The formwork is assembled from ready-made individual polystyrene foam blocks. The formwork elements are extremely easy to install. They can be processed to the required shape without any problems.

The main disadvantages are difficulties at the stage of selecting certain structural elements (usually roundings and corners) and relatively high cost.

Available materials

During the process of arranging the formwork, make sure that its walls are installed exclusively vertically.

It is important that there are no large gaps in the structure. Seal gaps with suitable materials at hand. In this case, a gap with a width of more than 4-5 mm is considered large - such a gap will be quite enough for the leakage of concrete mortar.

Additionally, to prevent minor leaks of the solution, you can attach plastic film to the inner surface of the formwork walls.

It is recommended to dismantle removable formwork only after the foundation has reached the required strength. On average, this takes 3-5 weeks. The gaps left after dismantling the formwork are usually filled with soil. In some situations they are filled with concrete or cement

Good luck!

Prices for various types of construction boards

Construction boards

Video - DIY foundation formwork

Foundation formwork is the basis of the entire foundation, due to which the concrete receives the desired shape during the hardening process.

Formwork is divided into two types:

• Removable - used for construction outside the city for a short period of operation, as well as for raising strip foundations. Here you can take various materials for construction. For example, wooden blocks or boards.
• Fixed - used for the construction of a columnar bored foundation, where the main role is played by an asbestos-cement pipe or other construction material. At this stage, the pipe is filled with solution, leaving it as an inseparable part of the support.

How to make formwork for a foundation

Before the formwork is made, it is necessary to clear the area of ​​debris and dig a trench. Then you need to prepare the boards and beams (cut them in advance) and build the boards, that is, knock down the prepared sections of boards and beams vertically and horizontally to each other at a distance of 1 m. For example, a board 3 m long will be connected 3 times by longitudinal boards, the length of which predominates shield width.

The outer side of this shield must be flat and smooth, which ensures the quality and strength of the surface of the lower part of the foundation. You can knock down the boards with nails (an inexpensive option, but it takes a long time) or screw them with self-tapping screws (it will be more expensive, but faster and more durable). It plays a significant role on which side the cap of the connecting element will be located. The cap should be on the side where it will come into contact with the concrete (outer side).

Correct formwork for the foundation

Upon completion of the production of the shields and their installation along the entire length of the trench, they begin to make wooden clamps, the length of which should not be less than half the height of the shield. These elements used provide additional hardness to the formwork, since when pouring the foundation, the concrete solution exerts a significant pressure on the walls of the form, therefore, it is necessary to prepare formwork with large loads. Without preparation, you can encounter unforeseen surprises. For example, expansion or pushing of the formwork under the weight of concrete. The clamps are fixed in the center of the segment between the struts.

In places where the boards are fastened into a shield, auxiliary supporting elements are installed. Such elements are called struts. Their role is to strengthen the formwork for the foundation so that it does not fall apart under the load of the mortar. The panels need to be installed only horizontally and vertically in accordance with the project. When installing horizontally, check with a level, and vertically with a plumb line.

It is necessary to check the cracks. Their presence leads to leakage of concrete or concrete milk. The gaps must be eliminated. To do this, you can use tow or waterproofing compounds. You definitely need to worry about waterproofing your foundation in advance. For waterproofing, it is necessary that the inner part of the formwork for the foundation, as well as the trench, be completely covered with a sheet of roofing felt, only after this they begin to reinforce the foundation.

Formwork board

For formwork, you can use boards not only of the first grade, but also of the second, since they will not be reused anywhere. The only exception may be if you use waterproofing materials (for example, roofing felt).

If there is a desire and funds allow, then it is possible to insulate the underground part of your foundation with polystyrene foam slabs, which are located on the outside of the foundation perimeter. In this case, the insulation material is placed under the waterproofing layer and after that you can proceed to other stages of work. Or you can simply buy formwork that you just have to install.

Often, when planning to build a foundation for a house or a bathhouse on their site, owners want to save a lot, both in terms of finances and time. Today there are such opportunities, for example, you can save a lot on the foundation, and without compromising the quality of the building.

This often becomes the motivation to build a foundation on car tires. At first glance, this decision looks somewhat adventurous. However, there are a lot of advantages here.

An example of working on such a foundation:

The advantages are:

1. Low labor costs.
2. Highly environmentally friendly.
3. Minimum required set of tools.
4. Almost free material - used tires.
5. Impressive service time.
6. Powerful wear resistance.
7. Seismic resistance. Mechanical movements of the earth can negatively affect the shape of a foundation made of other materials. And tires, due to their material, provide some shock absorption. They prevent cracks in the foundation.
8. Excellent shock-absorbing qualities.
9. Ease of construction.
10. Minimum labor costs.
11. Efficiency of application.
12. High reliability.

However, there are also disadvantages:

1. Width too wide. This interferes with the construction of load-bearing walls. This complicates the external design, and the appearance of the building suffers somewhat.
2. Weak resistance to ultraviolet radiation.
3. Not suitable for foundations for high-rise buildings and massive buildings.

The first shortcoming can be eliminated through various creative solutions. The second is by treating the material with protective agents.

The main criterion when creating a foundation from car tires is control of their positions in the same plane and at the same level. Errors here can lead to distortion of the entire foundation.

Methods for creating a rubber foundation

1. Tiled.
2. Columnar.

Tile method. Stages of work

The foundation is easy and quick to create, even for commercial real estate.

The work takes little time. The solution takes the longest to harden.

Necessary materials:

• tires;
• crushed stone;
• sand;
• roofing felt;
• wooden beam (needed for compaction);
• formwork

We are working according to plan:

1. Site preparation. Garbage, stones, and vegetation are removed. Do I need to dig up the soil? It is worth removing the top layer of earth if the foundation is for a weighty building. Its approximate thickness is 25-35 cm. The working area is leveled using a level.
2. Base made from old tires comes in two layers. There is a simple rule here: more material means a stronger foundation. The voids formed in the tires and between them are filled with sand, gravel (the fraction is necessarily fine), earth or crushed stone. Broken brick will also work for these purposes.
3. If you intend to create a basement, then do not place tires in this area. The basement walls can then be formed using bricks.
4. Tires covered with linoleum or roofing felt. This measure will help to pour the concrete composition evenly.
5. The foundation area is fenced off. The fences here are the shoulders of their metal corners. Their maximum height is 15 cm. You can do it simpler - create formwork from boards.
6. Placed in a fenced space metal rods. The space (formwork) is filled with concrete.
7. Stage of concrete hardening. Need 2 weeks. At this time, the concrete is under a protective film. After this time, you can build walls.

Columnar method. Stages of work

The reliability of this method is extremely high. And its use is quite logical in areas where there is a lot of seismic activity. This technique involves the use of car tires as support pillars for the future structure. Tire placement using this method: corners and key points.

For your information! To fill tires, you need soil or concrete. Most often, preference is given to the second option.

Here's how to do it using the algorithm:

1. Thoroughly clean up the work site. Garbage, rhizomes, bushes, etc. are eliminated.
2. The top layer of soil is removed. The surface is being leveled using a level.
3. The top soil layer is removed: 10-15 cm.
4. A small pit is being dug.
5. The soil is compacted. For this operation, a roller or a thick log is used.
6. Filling the pit with small gravel. Compacting crushed stone.
7. A hole is formed under the diameter of the tire.
8. The supports are folded. The number of tires is determined by the height of the planned plinth and the topography of the work site.
9. Marking is being carried out. Pegs are driven into the tire mounting areas. A square or rectangle (the shape of the site is determined by the owner) must have an exact diagonal. Therefore, a tape measure is used for measurements. If the marking is correct, then the results will be obtained without differences or with minor deviations.
10. Tires are placed on these pegs. The peg should be exactly in the center of the tire. Here you need a building level for leveling. Using a wide board, horizontal alignment is carried out.
11. The internal cavity of each tire is equipped with waterproof material. You need to do 1-2 layers.
12. Next, small crushed stone is poured inside. One layer is poured, compacted, then the next one is poured. Crushed stone should fill a space up to 6 cm high to the top plane of the tires.
13. The crushed stone is moistened.
14. Each pillar is filled with concrete. Excess mixture is removed with the edge of the board.
15. Stage of concrete strengthening. A week is needed. Then you can mount the beams of the lower trim instead of the classic fittings.

After these stages, a concrete base of powerful strength is formed on top of the tires. It transfers key loads to the crushed stone layer. And the crushed stone distributes them evenly. Such a foundation is optimal for self-construction of lightweight timber houses. Suitable for garage. Old wheels are ideal for a barn and other outbuildings.

The beads of rubber tires are excellent expansion joints during extreme ground conditions: freezing and thawing. The crushed stone layer easily dampens soil movement. And here another advantage of the foundation on tires emerges - low volume of excavation work.

Important! Whatever method you use, in the summer the poured concrete must be protected with polyethylene. This prevents cracks from appearing on it.

How to choose material

Some experiences and tips from an experienced builder on YouTube:

When working, it is important to follow the following criteria:

1. Strictly follow the technologies and construction plans.
2. If you select tires from car services, opt for options with larger diameters. They have better durability.
3. The foundation should not go below the frozen ground level. The foundation laid at a shallow depth is not afraid of even severe frosts.
4. When laying the bottom tires in a pit in the soil, be sure to ensure that their positions are horizontal. Here we work with the level. If at this stage there are any unevenness or slopes, they will be extremely difficult to correct.
5. Control of the upper points of such a foundation. They should be positioned at the same level. Required steps here:
   • wheels are placed in the created holes, slats are placed on them (the length of the slats is the same), a thin string is stretched from above until it stops,
   • horizontality is checked; this helps to identify which hole needs to be removed from the soil and which should be added to,
   • height differences are eliminated; for this, boards of the required length are nailed to the lower parts of the trim.
6. Due to the impressive width of the tires, the foundation is concentrated in the corners of the building and in intermediate positions. Correction of such a defect is carried out as follows: the protrusions are decorated decoratively. For work, you can use any available materials.
7. The erection of massive buildings should be carried out only on a strip or slab base.

Results

It could look like this for a new or old house.

It is very easy to install in open ground base for a porch, toilet or veranda.

The most inventive ones prepare entire sites from free building materials, taking into account the features of the landscape.

Today, more and more people prefer foundations on tires. And this is completely justified. Most often, tires from trucks, such as KAMAZ, are used. Some people build a slab version, others a columnar version. Decisions are made after studying the site, soil, soil and climate. Someone manages to get a lot of tires of different diameters. For some, less. Consequently, the dimensions of the foundations differ. There are no clear patterns here. Then, on such foundations, buildings of various profiles (houses, saunas, etc.) are erected. You can choose anything for a chicken coop or a summer bath.

The construction of formwork, which is a structural and significant element, is an important stage in the construction of the foundation.

- This is the form into which the concrete solution is poured. It is installed after excavation work has been completed, when the trench has been dug and the site for the foundation has been prepared. Purpose - to give the structure a certain shape and strength.

How to make formwork for the foundation with your own hands so that it contributes to the construction of a solid foundation for the house, while reducing the cost of labor and money to a minimum. These tasks concern every person who independently decides to build a cottage, garage and other buildings that must have a reliable foundation.

Construction technology

1. Set up a trench for the base of the foundation; determine the dimensions of the reinforcement, its density, depth and width. These values ​​depend on the number of floors of the house being built and on the type of building material used.
2. Clear area from debris around the trench.
3. Level the area along the dug trenches so that there are no holes or depressions in the place where the structure will be built. Otherwise, cement will flow out through the cracks due to poor-quality formwork construction.
4. Make shields from beams and boards, and drive them around the trench. You need to take three-meter boards and knock them together, placing small boards across them, at a distance of 40 mm from each other. Consequently, a three-meter board will have about three joints of transverse boards, the length of which is greater than its width. In the future, the difference in their length will help drive shields around the trenches. The front side must be flat, which qualitatively affects the reliability and strength of the base. The boards are connected with self-tapping screws (faster, stronger, more expensive) or nails (slower, cheaper). The head of the fastener should be located on the front side, which in the future will interact with the concrete.
5. Production and use of wooden clamps, the length of the vertical elements of which should not be less than half the height of the shield. This will increase the rigidity of the structure, so when pouring concrete, maximum pressure is applied to the walls of the form. The system must be able to cope with such loads. Otherwise, its deformation will occur: bursting, formation of cracks, pushing through. Wooden clamps are placed in the middle between the struts.
6. At a distance of at least 1 meter place struts (additional support elements) at the junction of the boards and the shield. Together with clamps, they serve to strengthen the formwork, giving it good strength so that it does not deform under high concrete pressure. The shields must be installed, observing all the required horizontal and vertical dimensions. This is checked by a level in the horizontal plane and a plumb line in the vertical. Two opposing panels are fixed using spacers made of timber and fixing elements located on top, in line with the struts.
7. When cracks form in the structure, they must be sealed with waterproofing compound or tow. You can line the roofing felt inside and around the trench.
8. Then it is carried out.
9. If there is a need, part of the foundation that is located in the ground, from the outside. The insulation is laid under the waterproofing layer, after which other construction work is carried out.

Advice! Second grade boards can be used for formwork. It must be taken into account that after this it is no longer possible to reuse them.

Kinds

Formwork can be:

• removable;

Removable formwork is usually used in the construction of cottages. It is usually made from steel panels, plywood sheets and boards.

The non-removable type is characterized by simple and quick assembly and installation. In the future, after the concrete has hardened, it does not need to be removed. To construct it, you will not have to carry out a large amount of excavation work, and after use you will not have to install additional parts: spacers and supports.

The material used is a variety of available construction items, depending on the method and type of foundation being built:

• metal frame;
• polystyrene boards;
• asbestos or metal pipes with a diameter of 150-200 mm.

The main advantage of a permanent structure is the strengthening and insulation of the base through the use of building materials.

Basic requirements for formwork

1. Sufficient level of rigidity.
2. When pouring, concrete should not be deformed.
3. Easy installation.
4. Providing insulation from ground preventing leakage of concrete.
5. The design must be without gaps to prevent concrete leakage.
6. High strength to withstand the pressure of the entire mass of concrete on the walls.
7. Dimensions- precise and consistent.
8. Elements must be secured so that after the concrete mixture has hardened, they can be disassembled and removed.

Formwork materials

Depending on the type of material, formwork comes in several types:

Metal formwork

Metal formwork is the most expensive, but at the same time universal type of structure, made from 1-2 mm steel sheets.

Advantages:

1. This type quickly and easily takes the required shape, since the steel sheet bends well at a certain angle.
2. Gives high waterproofing of the structure.
3. Does it is possible to attach the formwork to the reinforcement frame by welding, which is ideal when constructing a strip or monolithic base.
4. P with a strong protrusion of the base above ground level, the metal structure can be easily processed from the outside.

Flaws: high cost.

Reinforced concrete formwork

Reinforced concrete formwork is an expensive type.

Advantages:

By using thick concrete slabs, you can significantly reduce the consumption of concrete mortar without reducing the strength of the foundation.

Flaws:

Since the slabs are quite heavy, if the height is insufficient, it will be necessary to install spacers in addition to the ones erected.

Expanded polystyrene formwork

Expanded polystyrene formwork is the most practical formwork, which is constructed from expanded polystyrene blocks securely fixed to each other.

Advantages:

1. Easy installation.
2. Possibility to give the desired shape.
3. High waterproofing.
4. Insulation functions.

Flaws:

1. Difficult to find some items(corners and roundings).
2. High price.

Wooden formwork

Wooden formwork – a type in which boards and plywood sheets are used.

Advantages:

1. Affordable price.
2. Easy to find material.
3. Easy installation.
4. No special equipment required for installation.

Flaws:

To ensure the strength of the connections of the elements, additional means are used. Reason: different sizes of materials.

Formwork from scrap materials

Formwork from scrap materials - various building materials are used for its construction: boards, slate, pipes, corrugated sheets, etc., providing the desired shape to the base and preventing concrete mortar from leaking out.

Advantages: availability and inexpensive cost.

Flaws:

1. Difficulty of installation, since there is usually a variety of building materials.
2. Danger leakage of concrete.
3. Low power: therefore, it is better not to build large structures, but to limit them to small sizes.
4. Need for use additional wedges and supports.

In order to correctly determine the required type of formwork, you must first select the type of structure that corresponds to a specific foundation or structure. Metal or wooden removable formwork is well suited for the construction of a base that does not require insulation.

Fixed - for a building whose base needs protection from water and cold.

The choice of a particular type is also influenced by the type of soil of the construction site, the features of the foundation, and what materials it is made of.

Film formwork- a new economical type in which the container into which the building mixture is poured is enveloped in a material (film) that improves the quality of the reinforced concrete structure. At the same time, the material used for construction remains in its original condition.

Regardless of the type of equipment and material used for, all types are similar to each other with a simple structure and installation principles.

As you know, rubber takes more than a hundred years to decompose in the ground. This is quite enough to use a rubber frame for the foundation of your country house. The remaining materials are natural: stone and artificial stone - concrete. Their service life is also very long. Moreover, a very significant quality of rubber is the fact that it does not “pull” moisture from the ground to the lower crowns of the house. This means waterproofing the foundation is simplified.

My personal two-story country house-dacha was built on exactly this foundation. I haven’t lived there for long, just over 10 years. I have no complaints about the foundation. Stands rooted to the spot. But it is built on wheels. Yes, literally, on wheels... from cars, or rather on old tires from trucks.

Everything is done simply:

For one foundation support you need 2-3 old car tires. The number of tires required depends on the terrain and the height of the desired base of the house. In the right place, a hole is dug in the ground, large enough for the tire to lie flat in it. There is no need to dig deep. It is enough to remove the turf layer and go deep to the hard ground, you will feel that it has become difficult to dig further, the ground has become hard.

Crushed stone and construction sand are packed as tightly as possible inside the laid tire. The better the tamping is done, the more reliable the foundation. Wet the sand with water, so it will better fill all the voids. I compacted it until the outside of the tire looked like it had an inflated tube.

We place the next ones on top of the first wheel and the whole operation is repeated. A reinforced concrete slab with a thickness of at least 10 cm should be placed on the topmost tire. It should be slightly larger in size than the wheel. Large reinforced concrete square paving slabs work well. In my first construction, I did not put them in, and over the years, dents began to form on the rubber under the lower rim of the trim.

We make all other supports in the same way.

Important subtleties and nuances:

1. You should not strive to ensure that the foundation is buried below the freezing point of the soil. Frost will not tear apart a shallowly buried foundation. It won't be a big deal if your house is a few centimeters higher in winter and lower in summer. No one will notice this. Only you will notice the steps of the porch at different times of the year.
2. so that individual corners of the house do not “play” during the winter/summer period, which is unlikely, because on a relatively small area of ​​the house, the soil will be homogeneous; you can fasten the bottom frame to reinforced concrete slabs in any known way. My house (8x10 meters) does not have any support. But if there are doubts about the soil and strong gusty winds occur in your region, and the house itself is relatively light, you can secure it.
3. Due to the friction of rubber/rubber and rubber/concrete, the wheels will not move to the side, don’t worry.
4. When placing the lowest wheels in the pits, be sure to check that they are horizontal with a level. It will be difficult to correct later.
5. The joints of the corners of the house should be in the center of the wheels, and the intermediate supports should be exactly along the diameter.
6. Do not attach much importance to the fact that all the top points of each pillar of the wheel foundation are at different heights. But you need to strive for this. It's easy to do. A lower wheel is placed horizontally in each prepared hole, slats of the same length are placed on them, and a cord is pulled over the top of them. All that remains is to check its horizontality. You will see which hole needs filling (I don’t recommend it) or which one needs to be deepened. Small differences can be eliminated by nailing boards of suitable thickness to the lower parts of the strapping.

As a disadvantage, I note that such a foundation in the corners and on intermediate supports is significantly removed from the wall of the house. I decorated the ledges with plastic sheets to look like stone. It didn't turn out bad.

That's the whole manufacturing technology. Just. Reliable. Profitable.