If you are building on material with a high load bearing value (LBV), like bedrock, your footings may be smaller than at a site with sandy soil, which has a low LBV. The exact dimensions of footings will vary and will be determined in part by the type of soil at the site. They should also be a minimum of 12 inches wide. These concrete bases for the stem walls should be a minimum of 12 inches below the line of undisturbed soil and 12 inches below the frost line (or they should be frost protected). You’ll only need large equipment like rollers for bigger projects. Use a plate compactor and make additions to the soil (like gravel), if needed, to achieve a soil that is adequately dense and uniform for your project. You’ll want to remove any large stumps, and also confirm with local authorities that no trees on the lot are protected. Remove any plants as well as other debris. While there are variations on how stem walls are constructed, several first steps are common to all of them: (In those situations, the amount of concrete required for a slab foundation can quickly become expensive.) How are stem wall foundations constructed? By raising the base of the house, the entire structure is elevated.Ī special case: If the lot you are building on is on a slope, a stem wall foundation has some particular pluses in that its height can be varied depending on the ground elevation at different points. The end result can be a more beautiful home.They allow easy access to plumbing, wiring, and other mechanical systems when compared to a slab foundation.By lifting the base of the house, its walls are protected from flooding and some other environmental hazards. The stem walls transmit the load from the house to the footing (often a spread footing, which has a wider bottom section) and then it is distributed over a larger area. There are many reasons why crawl space foundations with stem walls are common. What are the advantages of stem wall foundations? ![]() Stem walls wouldn’t be used in houses with full basements, common in much of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast as well as the Midwest, or those raised atop piers to sit above flood levels, as with those built in some coastal areas. They are also a popular choice among architects designing homes in areas where earthquakes occur frequently. They are typically used in houses with crawl spaces, either vented or unvented, and are especially common in California, Texas, the Northwest, and the South. What is a stem wall?Ī type of foundation common in much of the United States, stem walls are short (up to several feet, or the height of a crawl space) and are attached to a concrete footing. Here are the basics of how these short walls hold up large houses.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |