How to Frame a House Foundation

home foundation

We will construct framing and forms for the cement work in our house design plan for foundations. We will frame the footer first and then after it is poured we will frame the foundation wall.

Things You'll Need

• tape measure
• framing forms (lumber)
• hammer and nails
• 5/8-inch rebar

Instructions

1. 

   After the foundation site has been excavated in our house building plan, we can start putting in the forms that will hold the cement for the foundation footer. The footer needs to be below the frostline to prevent expansion and contraction of the soil in the cold.

   The local building inspector will know how far down to dig the foundation footings.

2. 

   The forms for the cement can be lumber or plywood. Most footers are about two feet wide by one foot thick. The forms will need to be secured with wooden stakes to prevent them from spreading out from the weight of the cement.

   They can also be braced across the top with boards.

3. 

   We will need to run rebar throughout the footing to make the foundation stronger.

4. 

   We can run the rebar through the footer in two lines for extra strength.

5. 

   Some contractors prefer to run the rebar for the foundation wall by attaching the upright bars to the footing bars. This helps make a more stable foundation wall.

   More than anything, it's important to have rebar connecting the footer to the foundation wall no matter how it's done.

6. 

   We can tie the rebar together with rebar ties. Corners can be made by bending rebar. Rebar can be cut easily with a skilsaw equipped with an abrasive blade.

7. 

   After the footings have been poured and dried we can begin making the forms for the foundation wall. The local building inspector will be able to tell us the minimum requirements for foundation walls.

8. 

   The foundation wall will usually be 6 to 8-inches thick. The height will depend on local building codes. The foundation wall will be positioned toward the outside of the footer.

9. That's how we set up the forms for both the footer and foundation wall before pouring the cement.

Tips & Warnings

• Be sure to use proper eyewear when cutting rebar

Resources

• http://www.make-my-own-house.com/foundations