About Foundation
There are many phases in building a house, such as framing, drywall and roofing. But before any of those steps, the foundation must first be laid. What type of foundation is used will depend on the building codes of the area and what type of structure is being built. Does this Spark an idea?
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Significance
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Two main parts of a building are the substructure and the superstructure. The substructure or foundation can include basement walls that extend above ground. The superstructure is the part of the building that is above ground. Both help to support the weight of the building, which includes floors, walls and roofing. The weight these structures are designed to support include both the dead load and live load. The dead load is the actual building, while the live load includes furniture, equipment and occupants of the building.
Function
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The foundation of a house provides a flat, level base for the structure. It must be able to withstand the weight of the building and to offer protection from the outside elements. In regions where subterranean termites are found, the proper foundation can serve as a protective shield between the damaging termites and the buildings wooden framework. A foundation can also provide protection from moisture that can result in wood erosion.
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Features
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House foundations can be made from brick, stone, concrete, block and treated lumber. Houses built in areas with subterranean termites should not use lumber in their foundation. Concrete slab is the most common foundation used in newer buildings located in the United States. Some foundations are a raised perimeter that supports the floors and walls. Other foundations are built on a concrete slab.
Identification
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The lower section of the foundation is a footing or footer. It is typically wider that the wall of the foundation, and is positioned about a foot below the frost line. The frost line is the average depth where the soil annually freezes. The weight of the building is distributed over the footings, which serves to discourage settling or movement.
Types
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Conventional concrete foundations come in three types; poured concrete, post-and-pier and concrete block. In a poured concrete foundation the foundation might be a flat slab, a raised perimeter or a combination. The post-and-pier type is literally a post and pier, where the concrete pier rests on a footing and supports a beam. This was typically used in older homes. When it is difficult to form concrete, the concrete block type can be used. These are hollow blocks that are reinforced with metal bars and filled with concrete.
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