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We do the repair of the basement of the house with our own hands. Repair of the basement of a brick house: why is it needed and how to do it Destruction of the basement of a building

The basement is a strip at the bottom of the building along its entire perimeter, but usually a little prominent, is a necessary element of any building. If cracks appear on the basement of the house, the lining begins to collapse, or other signs of deformation appear, do not panic. It is only necessary to repair the basement - with your own hands or by the forces of hired specialists.

Types of basement repair

The “well-being” and safety of the entire foundation depends on the integrity of the basement, how much the house will be protected from destruction and moisture penetration. If the basement is in poor condition, then the house will constantly be affected by precipitation, moisture, and other natural factors. As a result, mold, destruction of masonry and other things that are unpleasant and dangerous for the comfortable living of the owners of the house may appear. Therefore, it is very important to carry out timely repairs to the cement or brick basement of the building.

Its purpose:

Facade insulation.
Protection against humidity, weather conditions, temperature differences, weathering.
Strengthening the strength of the entire structure of the building.
Visual giving the appearance of reliability and strength to the building.

Renovation of the basement and its types

The plinth can be sunken, protruding or located in the same plane with the outer wall. The protruding plinth is traditional. Suitable if the house is built of light stone, for example, shell rock. Ideal for residential buildings. Cons - increased material consumption.

Current repair of the basement

The proximity of the plinth to the ground and the fact that it is located outside the building and, accordingly, is subject to bad weather conditions, lead to the fact that it requires repair from time to time. After all, if you do not pay attention in time, over time it will affect the condition of the entire building.

The main goal pursued by the owners of the building when repairing the basement is to protect the underground space from external adverse influences. The plinth must be very durable and weather resistant. This rule applies not only to ordinary residential buildings, but also to office buildings and shops.

A basement overhaul is necessary if:

Cracks appeared in any part of the base. The signal is extremely bad. The reasons may be swelling of the soil, groundwater, too heavy building.

large surface chips or partial destruction of the surface.

Humidity, wind, frost and heat are unfavorable weather conditions.
The building presses its weight on the foundation. Over time, this action has a destructive effect.
Construction errors. Non-compliance with norms, violation of technology.
The destruction of the blind area or it is not sufficiently reinforced.

To repair it, it would be better to invite specialists, since a poor-quality amateurish approach can seriously damage your home. In addition, the repair of a brick base, carried out by a team of builders, guarantees that in case of poor-quality repairs, measures will be taken to eliminate the shortcomings. As a rule, these measures are free for the customer.

Cosmetic repair of the plinth

But if you decide to repair the basement on your own, then on the Internet you can find a large number of videos, where the whole process is presented step by step in detail.

It is important to repair the brick base in the warm and dry season. Strong cold or rain, as well as very strong heat, are categorically not suitable for work, since the adhesion of the solution to the material in such weather conditions will be much worse.

Before work, it is necessary to study the condition of the blind area, as it plays a very important role in maintaining the foundation and protecting the house. If the damage to the blind area is minor, cosmetic repairs will also go, if significant, get ready to fill in a new one.

Features of finishing materials for the repair of the plinth

Popular types of finishes in the Moscow region:

Tile. Very beautiful, waterproof, practical material. You can choose any color. Cons - somewhat expensive and has a high thermal conductivity, which will require more additional insulating material.
Siding. Very easy to install, lightweight and looks beautiful. But if the plinth is uneven, it will be quite difficult to install, which can lead to additional costs.
Wood. It looks very attractive and noble, but this material is prone to decay and bugs start in it. Short-lived.
A rock. The most durable material But heavy, which requires significant labor costs - this affects the final cost of all work on repairing the basement.
Aluminum. The material meets all the basic requirements for repair. Cons - rather high price and not always available in stores.
Metal decking. Inexpensive material, easy to install, has good water repellency.

Repair of the basement of the building – stages:

Beat the remains of the old plaster to the base of the plinth.
Dry the wall thoroughly, remove mold, fungus.
Surface treatment with antiseptic.
Attach a metal reinforced mesh to dowels or self-tapping screws. An important point - the strength of the entire coating depends on the thoroughness of its implementation.
Carefully impregnate the reinforcement with a primer.
We make our own mortar from cement and sand or we make it from a ready-made purchased dry mix, which is preferable, since the finished mix has better adhesive characteristics than a home-made one.
We apply the resulting concrete to the surface, making sure that it completely fills all the cracks and crevices. So until only the reinforcement remains visible.
After the concrete has dried, we apply the top coat, covering the reinforced mesh with it.
The material will solidify completely within a month. When the concrete is dry, we put insulating material, a foam plastic that meets all the basic requirements is great: lightweight, easy to install, low thermal conductivity, does not rot and pests do not start in it, waterproof and cheap.

At the very end of the repair of the basement of the building, we finish with facing materials. They have a huge selection for every taste and wallet size.

Close attention should be paid to the blind area - it is probably not in the best condition either, since you have already started repairing the cement basement. Its height should be 5-8 cm. And it is important when pouring it to give strength to the structure with a reinforced mesh. In several layers. You can also add fine gravel to the concrete solution for maximum strength. Do not forget that the correct blind area should be made at a slight slope so that rainwater and melting precipitation do not fall under the foundation.

Basement repair cost

The cost of repairing the basement today in Moscow and the Moscow region, the average estimate:

concrete block masonry - price per m2 - 700-800 rubles;
applying plaster on a reinforced mesh - also 700-800 rubles per m2;
insulation - from 550 rubles. per linear meter;
tiling - from 1100 rubles. for the meter;
facing with siding - from 900 rubles;
facing with natural stone - from 1300 rubles. for the meter.

If you decide to use the services of a construction company, then after ordering by phone, an appraiser will come to you, who will select the best option for repairing the basement for you, designate the “front of work” and draw up a detailed estimate with justification for each step. As a rule, the estimate is calculated free of charge. Do not forget that when you turn to professionals, you get guarantees for work, which improves the quality and prolongs the life of your home. The final price of the basement repair is affected by:

The scope of work in general, their complexity, the necessary types of repairs;
What materials will be used;
Deadlines.

In modern construction, especially industrial buildings, preference is given to the sinking form of the base, as more aesthetic. In addition, this form protects the waterproofing from atmospheric precipitation, which prolongs its service life and, accordingly, less material consumption.

There is nothing eternal, especially if it is made by human hands. This rule has not bypassed the dwelling of a person, so from time to time you have to make small repairs of varying complexity. Repairing the basement of a building is considered one of the most difficult repairs, although this statement can be safely called a myth that was invented by those who did not repair the stove in winter or the drainage system after rain.

Scheme of moistening the walls with subsequent freezing: a - from the destruction of the protective coating of the basement; b - from the destruction of waterproofing.

At the first sign of damage, it is necessary to start repairing the basement, so that in no case will this affect the foundation of the building, and then on the house itself. When this part of the building is destroyed, a direct road to the foundation opens, and with it to the house itself (brickwork, monolith, shell rock, etc.), which leads at first to a strong increase in humidity in the room, then the destruction of the walls and foundation , and after that to a total repair or construction of a new house. The process of destruction takes many years, but you should not expect them, and as soon as the first signs of an imminent repair are found, you should immediately start it.

Visually, such a need is determined by cracks and chips.

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Preparing for the restoration of the basement of the house

A hammer.
Perforator.
Broom.
Estimated brush.

Repairs should be started during the warm, dry season, and windy weather will have a particularly favorable effect. The reason for such loyalty to the wind is simple - even a small draft allows you to quickly drain the place of future work. It is necessary not only that the street be dry, but the air should not be humid, then the work with cement will go exactly as planned. At very low or, conversely, high temperatures, work is also impossible, because they will adversely affect the physical properties of the cement mortar during hardening (optimally + 20-25 ° C in the shade).

The process begins with destruction - all the places where cracks and chips were noticed are beaten off with a hammer, but you don’t need to try to climb deeper than planned - the place is simply cleared and the debris is carefully removed (it’s better to go through the mark at the end to finally get rid of the dust) . Sometimes there are situations when you need to remove more than 60% of the plinth, so it makes sense to remove everything and update the exterior of the house.

After that, you can move on to the blind area around the house, because. they are interconnected. If the blind area does not require serious repairs, then a small cosmetic intervention is enough. If a serious repair is needed at least in 1 place, then you will have to break up the entire site (a hammer drill and scrap are ideal companions for this). The next step is to completely clear the site of debris.

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Repair work

Concrete mortar m300 (cement, sand, gravel, water).
Cement mortar m300 (cement, sand, water).
Reinforcing mesh.
Primer.
Dowels with screws.
Sand.
Water.
Edged board.
Plaster.
Decoration Materials.

First of all, the formwork is poured.

The already cleaned place is deepened by 5 cm, leveled and compacted to an even state. Usually, the formwork is removed from the house by 20-30 cm at the request of the owner. The height of the formwork is not more than 1 edged board.
After that, a sand cushion 5 cm thick is poured to the bottom, which is compacted or watered. When watering with water, you need to wait 2-3 days for complete drying.

It is best to pour concrete solution m300, because. it will provide an ideal ratio of cost and durability. When pouring, it is necessary to provide a slope of 8-10 ° C from the house so that the water runs along the blind area, and does not stagnate at the foundation.

The hardening time of the blind area is 18-20 days in a dry climate and a temperature of 20-25 ° C.

After that comes the most interesting part of the work - the restoration of the basement of the house. The process is quite laborious, but interesting.

For local repairs, it is enough to simply apply the solution and replace the part of the base of interest, but these are exceptional cases, because. repairs are almost always general.

First of all, a reinforcing mesh with a small cell is stretched. When fixing, you need to give it the highest possible stability indicators, for which screws with dowels are safely used.

The second step is to prime the surface. The process takes place directly on top of the reinforcing mesh, so that the solution gets not only on the base, but also on the network itself, which is important.

Next, a thin layer of cement mortar is applied. When applied, it will have to be pushed through the mesh, and after the application is completed, the reinforcing component will only be slightly visible. Further work will continue after the mortar dries, which takes 3-5 days.

Then a layer of plaster is applied. On top of the plaster, another 1 layer of cement mortar or decorative plaster is applied, depending on the preferences of the owner.

At the end of the work, the basement finish is applied, which can be different in price.

An inexpensive finishing material is made at home - resin and diesel fuel are mixed over a small fire in a bucket of good steel. Slowly stirring, you need to bring the contents of the bucket to the state of jelly, after which it can be applied with a round brush on the base with a uniform thick layer. Such protection will hold up as well as any modern materials, but the design is a bit weak.

The more expensive approach almost always uses natural or artificial stone, which is planted on a special glue. Sometimes you can find tiles and decorative plaster, but the most reliable of these options will undoubtedly be natural stone.

If once a year to carry out an audit throughout the building, along the way troubleshooting, then the house will stand for more than one hundred years without any special whims.

To repair the basement with your own hands, you do not need to have special skills. This construction procedure is not very complicated and you can do it, knowing some of the nuances of this case.
In simple terms, the basement is the distance from the ground to the walls of the house. It can be large (ground floor), or consist of a foundation protruding above the ground to a certain height. With the deformation of the basement of the house, the walls of the room also begin to collapse.

The main reasons for the destruction of the basement of the house
If cracks appear on the basement of your house or a fungus has formed, this indicates improper work in the construction of the building and non-compliance with the necessary design standards.

The main reasons for the destruction of the basement of the house are:
Structural shrinkage. This process mainly depends on the soil on which the building is located and on the weight of the building. A very pronounced shrinkage process can be in a brick apartment building.
Groundwater flow. If the design does not take into account the depth of groundwater flow and does not take all the necessary measures for waterproofing, then the foundation of the house is washed away. If you decide to make a foundation with your own hands, then be sure to contact the professionals so that they tell you at what depth the groundwater flows.
Poor quality padding. Failure to comply with the blind area manufacturing technology leads to undermining of the foundation.
Violation of design standards. Very often, builders forget about the insulation of the foundation and its waterproofing, basically such a mistake is made when repairs are done not by professional teams, but by their own hands. Such oversights lead to the formation of fungus and freezing of building structures, which subsequently leads to the destruction of the basement.

How to repair the basement with your own hands?
The integrity of the basement is a very important characteristic for any house (one-story or multi-storey, brick or wooden), as the basement protects the foundation from the aggressive influence of external natural factors. Watch the video on how to strengthen the plinth with your own hands.
To repair the basement with your own hands, you must adhere to the following sequence:

The slope of the blind area in the direction opposite from the house should be at least 2%, so that the water drains and does not stagnate.

When the reconstruction work is completed, install a small reinforcing mesh over the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe basement of the house. It should exactly repeat the design of the foundation and fit snugly against it. To fix it, use a dowel with nails, place the grid vertically.
Coat the plinth and mesh with a primer, then wait until it is completely dry.
Apply a layer of liquid cement mortar to the plinth and mesh. Do it in such a way that after the work done, the contours of the grid cells can be seen. Level the applied layer with a grater. Be sure to wait until this layer is completely dry.
Plaster the basement of the house.

How to protect the basement of the house from destruction?

Having done all the above steps, I want to protect the foundation and basement of the house from destruction. You can do this in several ways:
Budget option, do it yourself. It has been in use for several decades. It consists in the fact that resin is applied to the foundation of the house from the outside to protect it from external factors. Such a mixture is prepared as follows: diesel fuel is mixed with resin and slowly heated over a fire until a homogeneous mixture is formed, similar to jelly. In this case, you need to make sure that it does not get on your skin and you are not burned. Such a solution, when solidified, forms a protective film that prevents moisture from entering the foundation.
Modern version. This method of protecting the foundations of a house is more expensive, but it provides better preservation of building structures. This method involves facing the basement with decorative tiles or stone. Using this method, you only need to choose the right mixture for gluing the necessary material.

It is necessary to clad the plinth in all types of buildings, especially those built of brick material.

When considering a house, it is often perceived as a whole, losing sight of seemingly insignificant details. After all, a couple of cracks or a few crumbling bricks on a basement 0.5 m high do not play any significant role, and, nevertheless, even defects that are not conspicuous on it will subsequently lead to a violation of the integrity of the entire structure. Therefore, the repair of the basement of a brick house (actually the basement of any house) should not be taken as additional cosmetic measures during the repair of the building, but as full-fledged work aimed at protecting housing from destruction.

Basement as a building element
The plinth is perceived simply as the lower part of the wall, which has a purely aesthetic value. However, it is more correct to consider it as a structural element that is part of the outer wall, and in some cases as the last protective line of the foundation and the entire building.
Plinth - the lowest elevated part of a building or part of it (for example, columns, racks). It can be part of a foundation that rises above the ground, part of a foundation wall, or the outer part of a basement. It performs several functions:
structural - is a reinforced part of the building on which its weight rests;
decorative - creates an edge on the wall (can be recessed, protruding or flush), emphasizing the features of the house;
protective - protects the walls of the house from the destructive effects of atmospheric phenomena and mechanical damage.

The plinth should have a sufficient height, at least 30-50 cm, too low / narrow (less than 20 cm) will not fulfill its protective functions, and as a decor detail it will be rather doubtful.
The bottom edge of the plinth is installed at a height of at least 10 cm above ground level, which allows you to create a slope from the wall of the house. This facilitates the runoff of rainwater, and reduces the impact of moisture on the foundation and walls.

Reasons for the destruction of the base
The signs indicating the beginning of the destruction of the basement include the formation of cracks, the appearance of a fungus, peeling of plaster, fallen off tiles. All this points to mistakes made at the stage of design, construction or operation of the building and the need to start repairing the basement. There are several reasons for the destruction:
Shrinkage of the house - may be due to the type of soil, technological errors in the manufacture of the foundation, inconsistency in the design of the foundation and the weight of the building.
Impact of groundwater - during the design, the level of groundwater occurrence was not determined or was ignored, the waterproofing was not performed at the proper level and, as a result, the building was subjected to flooding. This will lead to the gradual destruction of the foundation, the basement and the entire building.
Atmospheric phenomena (rain, snow) - as a rule, have a detrimental effect if the blind area was performed incorrectly, of poor quality.
Biological corrosion, or rather microbiological, is due to the development of various types of microorganisms on the surface of building materials, which include algae (causing green plaque), mold fungus (gray-black plaque) or lichens arising from symbiotic hyperplasia of the fungus and algae (green-black plaque). This phenomenon not only worsens the aesthetics of the plinth, but also extends to the facade, and after a while leads to mechanical damage.

The impact of some of the above factors can be avoided if you consult with specialists when designing a house.

Do-it-yourself basement repair
With some skill and skills in construction, you can repair the basement of the house with your own hands. Work is carried out in a certain sequence. First of all, you should choose the time. The best will be the end of spring or the beginning of summer, when the earth has dried up, and the weather has settled, and warm days prevail.
Then you should clean the surface, and assess the damage. To do this, cover the base and blind area with a broom and carefully inspect the surface. At the same time, you can tap it, “thumping” places are to be removed. You should also remove the falling off parts, and walk with a metal brush to remove the exfoliated fragments of the structure.
If a large part of the basement needs restoration, then instead of repairing it, it is better to equip a new one.

The blind area should be carefully considered, if it is badly damaged around the entire building, has peeled off the foundation, then it should be completely replaced. The old blind area is removed, cleaned and equipped with a trench with a depth of forty centimeters, then a layer of sand and gravel of 20 cm is poured and rammed. A geotextile is spread over this layer and sprinkled on top with a layer of sand. After that, holes are drilled in the foundation (every 50 cm), into which reinforcement is hammered. A reinforcing mesh is attached to it. Formwork is installed and concrete is poured.
After the concrete has hardened, you can begin to repair the basement. If you want to completely redo the base, then around the perimeter of the building you will need to fix the reinforcing mesh. Holes are drilled in the wall for the reinforcement pins, in one or two rows, depending on the given height, into which reinforcement rods are driven in, so long and to such a depth that the mesh mounted on them is in the body of the base. Then the surface is carefully primed with a deep penetration primer (twice), after which the formwork is installed. As a formwork, it is best to use laminated, moisture-resistant plywood. After that, concrete is poured into the formwork to evenly distribute and compact it, you can use a reinforcement bar. Formwork can be dismantled after a week.

If the thickness of the planned layer does not allow for reinforcement, formwork installation, and subsequent concrete pouring, then the basement can be repaired by plastering it. On the wall, with the help of dowels, an exhaust mesh is attached, on top of which, for the convenience of work, plaster beacons are installed. Then the surface is primed twice and plaster is applied to it. A cement plaster mortar is used, which is applied in the same way as with ordinary plastering of walls.
In the case when it is possible to get by with the repair of individual sections, the order of work is slightly different. Areas that need restoration are thoroughly cleaned and primed. Then, an exhaust mesh is attached directly to them with dowels, so that it does not protrude from the recess formed at the site of the repaired area. After that, the surface is again treated with soil and leveled with a layer of plaster. To make it more convenient to apply plaster, you can use plaster beacons, and in small areas, you can use undamaged areas of the base as a guide.
To make the surface homogeneous, after grouting the plaster, you can walk along the joints with a hard sponge dipped in water.

Restoration and strengthening of the foundation can be seen in this video:
Plinth protection
After the plinth is repaired, it is advisable to think about protecting it in the future. Despite the fact that the work on its repair is not extremely difficult, it is still a dubious pleasure to do its restoration every year. There are several options for protecting the basement and, as a result, the foundation - from budget to quite expensive.
Bituminous mastic - you can buy ready-made or cook it yourself. The resin is mixed with diesel fuel and heated over a fire. Then this mixture is covered with a completely dried plinth. The option is cheap, but not practical - the coating will be easily soiled, and over time, a variety of garbage will stick to it and you can forget about the attractive appearance of the house.

Mosaic plaster is the best option. Consists of small pebbles and adhesive material based on various resins. It has frost resistance, vapor permeability and high resistance to mechanical damage.
Natural facing materials - mainly granite, sandstone, slate, travertine are used. The option is expensive, but the most attractive in terms of aesthetics. In addition, if the facing work is done by professionals and in high quality, then the plinth will be provided with very good protection due to this.
Artificial facing materials - perhaps the most common option. Clinker or concrete tiles at a relatively low price have high protective qualities and have an attractive appearance.
It is best to take care of the safety of the basement of the house at the design stage, but if due to some circumstances this was not enough, and it needs restoration, then there is nothing to worry about. Repairing the basement of a house with your own hands is a completely doable task.

The basement of the building is exposed to the aggressive influence of many factors.

It is more often than other areas in need of repair. You can't get stuck with her. After all, the destruction of the basement reduces the durability of the entire structure.

So that damage to the plaster does not lead to the growth of mold and does not allow moisture to destroy the wall, you need to correct the situation and repair the basement of the building in a timely manner. As a rule, it consists in the restoration of seams, new plastering of hotel areas. Sometimes when repairing the basement of a brick house, you have to change individual bricks.

First, the lower part of the wall is released from contact with the ground. To do this, use a shovel.

Then all plaster fragments that do not adhere well are removed, you must try not to miss voids, they can be detected by tapping. All loose plaster is beaten off with a hammer or chisel.

Then the surface is cleaned of dirt and dust. Use a wire brush to thoroughly remove all plaster residue. How to perform this work, you can see in the photo or video.

All surfaces that need to be protected from plaster, such as window frames, must be covered with masking tape. It will protect important areas from pollution.

The detected defects in the masonry are moistened before repairing the lining of the brick basement. This is necessary to ensure better contact of the plaster mixture with the surface.

To fill the existing voids, you should pick up bricks of the appropriate size. You can cut out fragments of the desired size from aerated concrete blocks.

The next step in repairing the basement with your own hands is to fill the voids with prepared bricks and fix them with masonry mortar.

Before plastering the surface, it must be thoroughly moistened. To do this, you can take a bucket and a brush, but it is easier and faster to wet the wall with water from a hose.

Then prepare a solution (waterproofing slurry) for waterproofing. The mixture is diluted with clean water.

The solution is applied to the restored areas in 2 passes. First, a thin layer of 1 - 2 mm, when the first layer begins to set, apply a second layer of 3 mm. In this case, you can use a brush or a wide spatula.

The applied layers should stand for a day. You can continue working the next day.

Then a mortar for plaster is prepared.

Again perform 2-layer application. First, a layer of 10 mm is applied. The plaster is rubbed with force over the surface, moving the spatula in a semicircle.

In order for the walls to be smooth in the end, it is advisable to use plaster strips, during the installation of which a level should be applied. These planks come in several varieties. In this case, they are made of wood.

The next layer of plaster is applied with a thickness of 15 - 20 mm.

The plaster is carefully applied over the entire surface, it is desirable to fill the entire surface with it up to the foundation. Then it will be possible to talk about the complete and high-quality repair of the basement plaster.

The base point for removing excess mortar will be not only plaster strips, but also an intact cladding layer, as in the photo.

When the surface dries, it is leveled with a plaster trowel.

To beautifully decorate the corner, plaster strips are used. By attaching the plank to the appropriate corner, you can align the end of the wall. Then the bar is removed.

Practical advice! To make a homogeneous transition from old plaster to new in structure, you can process the joints with foam plastic.

The last stage of repairing the basement of a private house is to treat surfaces in contact with the ground. To do this, you can use waterproofing slurry or bituminous mastic.

Do-it-yourself basement repair is easy to do. As a result, you can breathe new life into the old structure.

Plinth repair video

Before starting the repair of the basement of a brick house or the facade of an apartment building, it is necessary to determine the causes and degree of destruction of structures. Signs that restoration is required are visible cracks in the plaster or masonry, peeling of the cladding, the formation of fungus on the walls, subsidence or bulging of individual sections of the facade of the building, loss of single bricks, deviation from the vertical.

Causes of destruction

Uneven shrinkage of the foundation. Occurs due to subsidence of heaving or soft type of soil, the weight of the building, poor-quality blind area.

This process is most susceptible to multi-apartment brick houses. The close occurrence of groundwater and, as a result, washing away the foundation of the house. This is due to the fact that this nuance was not included in the construction project. Poor-quality building materials and violation of building codes. Trees planted close to the house with a powerful root system, undermining the blind area of the building. Problems with communications. In the case when there is a breakthrough in the central water supply system and the foundation is flooded or the sewage system is of poor quality. Climatic phenomena (wind, frost, rain) and microbiological influences - the occurrence of mold fungi, lichens, which leads to mechanical destruction of brickwork.

To repair the basement and brick facade with your own hands, you must first determine the degree of destruction and designate a list of works.

If the facade and blind area are damaged in places, there are no progressive cracks in the basement, then cosmetic repairs are made. In the event that the damage to the blind area is more global or it has moved away from the base, then it should be replaced completely. When the building shrinks and the cracks increase, it is recommended to fully strengthen and strengthen the foundation.

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What do you need to work?

For some types of work, reinforcement may be required.

If you plan to repair the facade of a brick apartment building or a private structure, you first need to free the surface from construction waste, remove the damaged areas on which restoration will be carried out. Depending on the repair technology, prepare the following building materials:

exhaust mesh; sand, gravel or crushed stone; fittings, dowels; reinforced mesh; roofing felt or geotextile; formwork boards; steel or asbestos pipe; primer, concrete mixture (1 part M500 cement to 3 parts sand); waterproofing mortar; plaster mixture .
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Partial restoration of the basement and blind area

Clean the parts of the facade of the building that require restoration from dirt, dust, fungus, prime the cracks and recesses. Attach the exhaust mesh with dowels so that it does not protrude from the recess. Then, apply a layer of plaster on the repaired area flush with the plinth. pick up the bricks or parts of them of the right size, and use the mortar to lay the openings. After restoration, the areas are moistened with water and waterproofing slurry is applied in two layers. The next day, only after the wall has completely dried, you can start plastering.
To repair the blind area, you first need to remove all damaged areas of the material.

If the blind area has sagged in places, the damaged areas are removed and gravel, sand, crushed stone are added, compacting the soil. A mini-formwork is installed and the surface is poured with concrete at the same level with undamaged areas, carefully leveling. In cases where there is just a crack without subsidence of the base, it is rubbed with cement mortar.

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Overhaul

First of all, a new blind area is poured. Having freed up space from the old one, they dig a trench 35-40 cm deep.

Width is up to you. The lower 20 cm are covered with sand and crushed stone or gravel and compacted tightly. After that, geotextiles or roofing material are spread and sprinkled with sand.

For binding, holes are drilled in the foundation every 50 cm, and pieces of reinforcement are hammered. A reinforced mesh is welded to it. They put the formwork and pour the structure with concrete.

The blind area must necessarily have a slope from the house of several degrees to drain moisture.

Repair of the brick facade is continued after the concrete has hardened. A reinforced mesh is applied to the cleaned surface of the base. There are 2 options for this:

Dowels can be used to attach the mesh.

Holes are drilled in the wall, pieces of reinforcement are driven into 1-2 rows and a mesh is tied to them.

After that, the surface is primed and the formwork is placed, poured with a cement mixture and tamped. The reinforcing mesh is attached with dowels to the wall, also primed twice and put plaster on the wall. After repair, the protection of the plinth can be achieved with the help of facing bricks. This option is used if it is not possible to make the repaired layer wide in thickness.

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Strengthening the foundation

Strengthening is carried out partially, primarily at the corners of the building, then in the central parts of the walls.

A trench is laid under the base of the foundation and rammed with gravel and sand, creating a sole for a new foundation. Old walls must be cleaned of dirt and damaged areas, treated with a primer. Then, holes are made with a puncher in 4 rows at a distance of 70-120 cm from each other.

Anchor bolts or pieces of reinforcement 40 cm long and 12-14 mm in diameter are inserted into them. A frame with a cell size of 20 × 20 × 20 cm is knitted onto the rods or a frame is welded, it should be at a distance of 10 cm from the old structure. After that, formwork is placed and the structure is poured with concrete.

When considering a house, it is often perceived as a whole, losing sight of seemingly insignificant details. After all, a couple of cracks or a few crumbling bricks on a basement 0.5 m high do not play any significant role, and, nevertheless, even defects that are not conspicuous on it will subsequently lead to a violation of the integrity of the entire structure. Therefore, the repair of the basement of a brick house (actually the basement of any house) should not be taken as additional cosmetic measures during the repair of the building, but as full-fledged work aimed at protecting housing from destruction.

Basement as a building element

The plinth is perceived simply as the lower part of the wall, which has a purely aesthetic value. However, it is more correct to consider it as a structural element that is part of the outer wall, and in some cases as the last protective line of the foundation and the entire building.

Plinth - the lowest elevated part of a building or part of it (for example, columns, racks). It can be part of a foundation that rises above the ground, part of a foundation wall, or the outer part of a basement. It performs several functions:

structural - is a reinforced part of the building, on which its weight rests; decorative - creates an edge on the wall (can be recessed, protruding or flush), emphasizing the features of the house; protective - protects the walls of the house from the damaging effects of atmospheric phenomena and mechanical damage.
The plinth should have a sufficient height, at least 30-50 cm, too low / narrow (less than 20 cm) will not fulfill its protective functions, and as a decor detail it will be rather doubtful.

The bottom edge of the plinth is installed at a height of at least 10 cm above ground level, which allows you to create a slope from the wall of the house. This facilitates the runoff of rainwater, and reduces the impact of moisture on the foundation and walls.

Reasons for the destruction of the base

The signs indicating the beginning of the destruction of the basement include the formation of cracks, the appearance of a fungus, peeling of plaster, fallen off tiles. All this points to mistakes made at the stage of design, construction or operation of the building and the need to start repairing the basement. There are several reasons for the destruction:

Shrinkage of the house - may be due to the type of soil, technological errors in the manufacture of the foundation, inconsistency in the design of the foundation and the weight of the building. Impact of groundwater - during the design, the level of groundwater occurrence was not determined or was ignored, waterproofing was not performed at the proper level and, as a result, the building was flooded. This will lead to the gradual destruction of the foundation, the basement and the entire building. Atmospheric phenomena (rain, snow) - as a rule, have a detrimental effect if the blind area was performed incorrectly, of poor quality. Biological corrosion, or rather microbiological, is due to the development of various types of building materials on the surface microorganisms, which include algae (causing green plaque), mold fungus (gray-black plaque) or lichens arising from symbiotic hyperplasia of the fungus and algae (green-black plaque). This phenomenon not only worsens the aesthetics of the plinth, but also extends to the facade, and after a while leads to mechanical damage.
The impact of some of the above factors can be avoided if you consult with specialists when designing a house.

Do-it-yourself basement repair

With some skill and skills in construction, you can repair the basement of the house with your own hands.

Work is carried out in a certain sequence. First of all, you should choose the time. The best will be the end of spring or the beginning of summer, when the earth has dried up, and the weather has settled, and warm days prevail.

Then you should clean the surface, and assess the damage.

To do this, cover the base and blind area with a broom and carefully inspect the surface. At the same time, you can tap it, “thumping” places are to be removed. You should also remove the falling off parts, and walk with a metal brush to remove the exfoliated fragments of the structure.

If a large part of the basement needs restoration, then instead of repairing it, it is better to equip a new one.

The blind area should be carefully considered, if it is badly damaged around the entire building, has peeled off the foundation, then it should be completely replaced. The old blind area is removed, cleaned and equipped with a trench with a depth of forty centimeters, then a layer of sand and gravel of 20 cm is poured and rammed. A geotextile is spread over this layer and sprinkled on top with a layer of sand.

After that, holes are drilled in the foundation (every 50 cm), into which reinforcement is hammered. A reinforcing mesh is attached to it. Formwork is installed and concrete is poured.

After the concrete has hardened, you can begin to repair the basement.

If you want to completely redo the base, then around the perimeter of the building you will need to fix the reinforcing mesh. Holes are drilled in the wall for the reinforcement pins, in one or two rows, depending on the given height, into which reinforcement rods are driven in, so long and to such a depth that the mesh mounted on them is in the body of the base. Then the surface is carefully primed with a deep penetration primer (twice), after which the formwork is installed.

As a formwork, it is best to use laminated, moisture-resistant plywood. After that, concrete is poured into the formwork to evenly distribute and compact it, you can use a reinforcement bar. Formwork can be dismantled after a week.

If the thickness of the planned layer does not allow for reinforcement, formwork installation, and subsequent concrete pouring, then the basement can be repaired by plastering it.

On the wall, with the help of dowels, an exhaust mesh is attached, on top of which, for the convenience of work, plaster beacons are installed. Then the surface is primed twice and plaster is applied to it. A cement plaster mortar is used, which is applied in the same way as with ordinary plastering of walls.

In the case when it is possible to get by with the repair of individual sections, the order of work is slightly different. Areas that need restoration are thoroughly cleaned and primed.

Then, an exhaust mesh is attached directly to them with dowels, so that it does not protrude from the recess formed at the site of the repaired area. After that, the surface is again treated with soil and leveled with a layer of plaster. To make it more convenient to apply plaster, you can use plaster beacons, and in small areas, you can use undamaged areas of the base as a guide.

To make the surface homogeneous, after grouting the plaster, you can walk along the joints with a hard sponge dipped in water.

Restoration and strengthening of the foundation can be seen in this video:

Plinth protection

After the plinth is repaired, it is advisable to think about protecting it in the future. Despite the fact that the work on its repair is not extremely difficult, it is still a dubious pleasure to do its restoration every year. There are several options for protecting the basement and, as a result, the foundation - from budget to quite expensive.

Bituminous mastic - you can buy ready-made or cook it yourself.

The resin is mixed with diesel fuel and heated over a fire. Then this mixture is covered with a completely dried plinth. The option is cheap, but not practical - the coating will be easily soiled, and over time, a variety of garbage will stick to it and you can forget about the attractive appearance of the house.

Mosaic plaster is the best option. Consists of small pebbles and adhesive material based on various resins. It has frost resistance, vapor permeability and high resistance to mechanical damage.

Natural facing materials - mainly granite, sandstone, slate, travertine are used. The option is expensive, but the most attractive in terms of aesthetics. In addition, if the facing work is done by professionals and in high quality, then the plinth will be provided with very good protection due to this.

Artificial facing materials - perhaps the most common option. Clinker or concrete tiles at a relatively low price have high protective qualities and have an attractive appearance.

It is best to take care of the safety of the basement of the house at the design stage, but if due to some circumstances this was not enough, and it needs restoration, then there is nothing to worry about. Repairing the basement of a house with your own hands is a completely doable task.
Old houses are often in need of repair work, among the most difficult is the repair of the plinth and the foundation itself. Such repair work has a number of features that must be determined before work begins.

Before starting the repair of the basement of the house, it is necessary to clean the crack from debris, and then fill it with rubble or small particles of brick.

The most common type of such repair can be considered the elimination of the consequences of uneven subsidence of the soil, which harms not only the supporting part of the foundation, but also all the bearing walls of the building.

Uneven house shrinkage

Loose or heaving soils are extremely often the result of subsidence of the foundation structure in certain places.

Most often, such places are located at the corners of the house, which leads to the formation of cracks and delaminations of the basement and walls of the building. It is possible to determine the beginning of uneven shrinkage of the foundation by considering the condition of the blind area around the entire perimeter of the house. In places where the soil subsides, the blind area will be cracked, which is a signal for further repair-type actions.

In some cases, the shrinkage of the foundation may be only temporary. After the supporting base of the structure reaches a solid area of \u200b\u200bthe soil, shrinkage will stop by itself, but this happens extremely rarely.

Most often, the house continues to sag in certain places, which leads to a violation of the integrity of the foundation structure, the basement and the entire building. The consequence of such an action can be not only the impact of the environment, but also errors and shortcomings of the developer himself.

For example, if a poor-quality sewerage or water supply system was organized in the house, which often leaked, this could lead to the saturation of the soil near the foundation with water, which froze in winter. Such a cycle leads to heaving of the soil above the considered level, and as a result, it harms the entire structure of the basement of the house. In addition, during the initial construction of the house, fatal mistakes could have been made associated with poor-quality mortar or the use of incorrect foundation construction technology.