Two structural alternatives to house foundations and footings are piles and piers. Piles are driven deep into soil while piers are columns cemented into the ground. In certain soil conditions, these two alternatives may be best to use.
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House foundations and footers are subject to all sorts of forces which can cause them to fail. Cracks in concrete footings could possibly lead to collapse of the entire structure. Among the forces acting on residential footings and foundations are gravity, soil swelling and frost heaving.
House foundations and residential footings are crucial to the success of a building. Footings and foundations, when properly designed, withstand all the forces of a house. These foundation footings should be constructed from durable materials.
Pier foundations resemble wood decks or a common table. The actual foundation is a series of vertical columns, or piles, that transfer the building load to the soil. Beams are built on top of the vertical columns that hold up the walls of the house or structure. These specialized foundations work great around trees or in other locations where it is difficult to dig a traditional foundation.
Poured wall foundations and wood can coexist together for a beautiful finished basement. Poured wall foundations provide permanence that wood foundations sometimes do not. The wood can be used for the floor trusses with wood I joists that span large distances without structural beams in your basement.
Damproofing and waterproofing should not be confused. Damproofing, a liquid asphalt, does not provide foundation waterproofing. Hot asphalt and rubber coating and an insulating panel will fully protect your foundation.
Settlement cracks can occur in a concrete foundation wall or concrete slab shortly after being poured. But most concrete cracks are caused by shrinkage. Soil quality, footer design and steel reinforcements can all help prevent cracks.
If you are building a home that has brick or stone that needs the support of the foundation, a flat foundation may not be a wise choice. A ledge can be poured so your masonry sits above it to prevent water from leaking in.
Masonry walls made from stone, concrete block, brick or a combination of the materials can look fine, but wind-driven rain can really cause waterproofing problems. Massive amounts of water can enter through invisible passageways.
A patio slab that doesn't have a foundation shouldn't have a structure built on top of it. Foundations protect structures from frost heaving that could crack the slab.
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