| Basement Construction |
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Homes without basements can be built on foundations that use pressure-treated wood. However, wood is porous and cannot easily be sealed to stop water from seeping around it so wood foundations typically aren’t used for basement walls. Poured concrete is popular as a foundation material, especially in houses with basements. A wide pad of concrete is poured well below grade to serve as a footing for the foundation walls. Because concrete is a liquid until it dries and hardens, temporary forms are used to hold the concrete in place. Reinforcement bar (called rebar) is placed in the forms to strengthen the concrete walls. Remodeling Words Concrete is mixture of aggregates and cement that hardens to a stone-like form and is used for foundations, paving, and many other construction purposes. An alternate method of building foundation/basement walls is to make them out of concrete blocks or clay bricks atop a poured concrete footing. The rebars are inserted through vertical holes in the blocks or bricks to reinforce the walls. Depending on local building codes and conditions, a drainage system typically is installed on the outside of the foundation/basement wall to keep water away. In addition, the exterior surface is treated with waterproofing materials.
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Because the basement is at least partially below ground level the walls must be strong and resistant to moisture. How strong and how resistant depends on the soil and water drainage around your home. In addition, the basement wall also serves as the foundation for the above-ground floors in your home.
