If you read this space often, you’re well aware that we spend lots of time talking about home foundations. There are direct connections between certain major concrete areas on a property and the structure’s foundation, including areas like garage floors or driveways that are often specifically connected to the foundation and linked to it closely.
At Lift-Up Concrete, we’re here to provide a variety of commercial and residential concrete lifting and leveling services, including garage floor leveling, driveway leveling and several other areas that may connect directly to your home’s concrete foundation. Many of our services have helped protect home foundations in major ways, saving their owners huge sums of money and major hassle for one of the most expensive repair areas out there. Because these two areas are so closely linked, we believe it’s a good thing for our clients to have an idea of how the home’s foundation is built – which is what we’ll go over in this two-part blog series.
Evacuation
Before the foundation itself can be poured, the excavator completing the project must dig a hole that’s larger than the size of the actual foundation. This is to allow for team members who will be pouring the foundation to have room.
In addition, this is the time where the lead contractor will determine the type of foundation the building will have. They will also lay out plans for how deep the digging will need to be for this foundation. Both of these factors are largely based on both the type of soil that’s present in the area and the moisture level of this soil.
Footings Poured
Once the proper hole has been dug for the foundation, the first items to be poured will be footings. These are the bottom sections of the foundation, offering support to the entire structure as it’s erected.
Pouring footings involves using what are known as forms, which are wood or resi-ply supports into which the actual concrete of the foundation will be poured. Footings will be wider than the concrete walls, with several footings poured to create support features around the entire area.
Wall Areas
Next up, it’s time for wall pouring. Before this can be done, however, the forms that were used for the footings must be removed, plus the footing concrete must be allowed to dry and cure completely.
Once this is done, forms will once again be set up, this time for the concrete. When ready, the actual foundation walls themselves will be poured.
For more on how a home’s concrete foundation is created and how this impacts potential future concrete repair needs, or to learn about any of our concrete lifting services, speak to the staff at Lift-Up Concrete today.
