Poured concrete foundation walls come in all sizes, thicknesses, heights and widths. As concrete gets taller, it must get thicker. All of these dimensions are interrelated.
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Foundation soil grade is important to consider for new home construction and for existing homes. Foundations that don't protrude form the ground enough can suffer drainage and leakage problems. Soil should slope away from the home. If you have a flat lot, drain pipes and trenches can be used to control water flow.
Reinforce Concrete Block TIPS: Mortar is strong in compression - weak in tension Concrete block needs steel reinforcement Concrete block should be attached to concrete footer WATCH steel & concrete block video below CLICK HERE for Tim's FREE & FUNNY Newsletter DEAR TIM: I'm building a new home and two concrete block piers toppled over Read More »
Repair Concrete Block and Stucco Tips Remove algae with Stain Solver for best repair bond Use cement paint for best bond of repair mix WATCH my THREE VIDEOS BELOW! Fill deep holes in stages - install galvanized anchors CLICK HERE to Get Tim's FREE & FUNNY Newsletter! DEAR TIM: I live in a house with a Read More »
House settling cracks drive people crazy. People wonder how to identify house foundation cracks or any sort of cracks. Planning ahead on your new home construction will save you foundation movement and cracking in the future.
Quick Summary: Compare slab to crawl space wood floor cost Pros and Cons of slab Pros and Cons of crawl space wood floor Karen lives in Saint Cloud, Florida. She emailed me the following: "I would like to build a home that is about 600 sq ft with 1000 sq ft roof to cover the front Read More »
"You can build a concrete block foundation that’s stronger and more durable than a poured wall so long as the block foundation has lots of vertical and horizontal steel in it and the void spaces in the concrete block wall are filled with pea-gravel concrete." Poured or Block Foundation Checklist Both foundations need lots of Read More »
Bearing Wall Footing - Or What is that long block of concrete in my Basement? DEAR TIM: My wife and I are building our new home and we stopped by to see the progress just after the foundation was poured. We saw a massive long block of concrete at least 10 inches thick in the Read More »
DEAR TIM: My last house had a basement that leaked water. I’m building a new home and want my basement as dry as the Atacama Desert. I’m confident that my drain tile was not put in correctly at my last house. What are the best practices when installing drain tile around a foundation? What materials Read More »
DEAR TIM: My garage is at the bottom of a hill and is tucked into the soil on three sides. I do get some water leakage through the concrete block walls in the spring and during heavy rains. The asphalt floor is always damp despite running a dehumidifier all summer. Do you have any solution Read More »
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