How to Build a Stemwall Crawl Space
A stem-wall bears the weight of the house down to the footings. The stem-wall also elevates the finished floor above the surrounding ground. This provides room under the house for heating, ventilation and air-conditioning. Additionally the plumbing lines and gas lines run in this area known as the crawl space. The do-it-yourself handyman can build a stem wall crawl space if he knows the steps to follow. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Architectural drawings
- French drain supplies
- Skid loader with bucket
- Construction plastic
- Duct tape
- Shovel
- Garden rake
- Concrete forms
- Crawl space vents
- Concrete vibrator
- Waterproofing sealer
Instructions
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1
Dig and pour the footings for the house according to the architectural blueprints and specifications. Ensure that the bottom of the footings are below the frost line for your area. Check with your local permit department for this depth.
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2
Install a French drain at the bottom of the exterior footing. The French drain is the first step in waterproofing the crawl space area.
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3
Grade the ground level within the crawl space. Remove any vegetation or large rocks in the crawl space area. Use a skid loader with a bucket.
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4
Lay a thick construction plastic over the entire crawl space area. Duct tape the seams together where they overlap. This is the vapor barrier for the crawl space. Use a few rocks to hold the barrier in place temporarily.
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5
Rake out a layer of small gravel over the entire crawl space. You want to end up with three inches of gravel over the crawl space. A shovel and a garden rake work best for this step.
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6
Assemble the concrete forms for the stem wall on top of the footings. Check the architectural drawings for the correct specifications. The stem wall needs to be a minimum of 24 inches above the ground. Check with your local permit department to confirm this height. Block out for crawl space venting requirements as the local building code specifies.
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7
Pour the concrete for the stem wall. Vibrate the forms to avoid getting any air pockets in the concrete. Let this dry before proceeding to the next step.
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8
Remove the forms and waterproof the exterior of the stem wall. Use a high quality roll-on waterproofing sealer.
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Tips & Warnings
Leave enough room in the crawl space to move around after you have run all the duct work and plumbing
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Block out a space for the crawl space door of your choice. Don't forget about the wood framing that you will need to attach the door.
Wear safety glasses when operating power tools.
