The quality of the various constituent elements of the house largely depends on the structures that are directly adjacent to them and perform a number of inconspicuous, but very important functions.

The blind area is a strip of various materials located around the entire perimeter of the building and adjacent at a certain angle to its walls. The service life of the foundation and the general microclimate in the basement and basement floors depend on the quality of the erected blind area.

In this article, we will try to consider the general arrangement of the blind area and the phased process of its arrangement.

Why is the essence of construction needed

Blind area - device and construction technology

The blind area, as mentioned above, is important and performs a number of functions:

• protection of the foundation from moisture, rainfall and groundwater;
• affects the microclimate in the basement and basement;
• does not give a subsidence of the foundation along the perimeter of the building;
• decorative element;
• in some cases serves as a house sidewalk.

As a rule, the arrangement begins after or in the process of facing the walls and the basement of the supporting base. This process should not be postponed for some time, because after a few years, especially in areas with a high degree of precipitation, flooding of the foundation can significantly reduce its strength.

In the absence of a blind area, in winter and during the cold season, due to freezing of the soil, the soil swells and presses on the concrete base and walls. Subsequently, this leads to the appearance of cracks or the destruction of the supporting structure.

General design and components

The device of any foundation blind area is a “construction cake”, consisting of at least two layers: the underlying layer and the outer coating.

1. The base or underlying layer is a compacted material laid out on the ground or waterproofing. For the base, both ordinary sand or gravel, and clay, which will serve as additional insulation, can be used. As a rule, the thickness of the underlying layer does not exceed 30-40 cm. The material is taken depending on the coating used.
2. The outer coating is a material that prevents the penetration of moisture into the blind area and prevents it from being washed away. For this, a concrete-cement screed with the addition of gravel, asphalt or paving slabs is usually used. The thickness of this layer should be at least 10 cm.

Required width and slope of the structure

Diagram of the device with the required width and slope of the surface

The width of the blind area, first of all, depends on the distance to which the edge of the roof of the building protrudes. The minimum required width is in the range from 60 to 80 cm and depends on the type of soil on which the structure will be built.

For stable soil types, the width should not exceed the edge of the roof extension by more than 20-30 cm. If the soil layer is unstable, then the width can be increased to 90-120 cm. Further increase plays practically no role.

General scheme of arrangement

If the blind area also serves as a footpath, then its width may well be 1.5-2m. The main thing is to monitor the overall composition of the building so that the dimensions of the structure are in harmony with other elements of the building.

The slope depends on the coating that is used for the outer layer. For most concrete structures, a slope of 4-5% is sufficient. For a blind area of ​​crushed stone or gravel, it is recommended to make a slope of at least 5-7%.

Device and technology of work

The general blind area can be reduced to the following main steps:

1. At the first stage, it is necessary to excavate the soil to the width and depth of the future blind area. It is recommended to treat the dug trench with special means for removing plant roots.
2. Along the perimeter of the trench, formwork from a wide board is installed. Small concrete blocks or curbstones can be used as formwork.
3. A layer of underlying material is laid at the bottom of the trench and carefully compacted. It is desirable to lay the material so that part of the sheet slightly extends onto the wall of the basement. This is necessary to create an expansion joint between the blind area and the wall.
4. A coating of various materials is laid on top of the inner layer in several layers.

This completes the general device, but for each type of material used to create the outer layer, there is its own mounting technology:

Prepared sand base and exposed formwork on the outside

Seams are placed perpendicular to the walls of the building with a step of 2-2.5 meters. Reiki can be used as guide beacons for the distribution of concrete over the surface of the blind area.

After laying the concrete, the wet surface of the foundation blind area must be additionally sprinkled with cement and smoothed out with a trowel. This process is called ironing and is necessary to increase the moisture resistance of concrete. After the finished structure is covered with a fabric material and periodically moistened with water until the concrete has completely set.

For concrete structures located on unstable and heaving soils, it is recommended to carry out reinforcement. This is done to increase the service life by laying a metal mesh with cells of 10 by 10 centimeters before pouring concrete.

The technology is quite simple and does not require the involvement of specialists. The main thing is to carry out the work in stages and adhere to the basic installation rules.

Construction sealing

Sealed expansion joint

Sometimes, in houses located on heaving soils, a crack may appear between the base and the surface of the structure. To prevent this, it is recommended to carry out sealing work.

This can be done both at the stage of the device and subsequently in operation. In the first case, the following options are possible:

• the structure must be made on a draining base in the form of sand, gravel and clay;
• the lower part of the blind area should be above the soil around the building;
• the expansion joint must be made so that the tightness between the blind area and the basement wall is maintained.

If these conditions are not met, as mentioned above, a crack may form or the structure may move away from the building. If this happens, then special sealants based on polyurethane are used. The resulting crack is filled with sealant using a mounting gun.

To protect against mold and fungus, the sealed seam is treated with a water repellent.

Construction insulation

Foam insulation and mesh reinforcement

Warming should be carried out when erecting a structure on unstable types of soil. Insulation will help prevent freezing of the soil, thereby preventing soil heaving.

For this, heat-insulating materials are used, which are laid on top of the underlying layer. It is desirable that the outer covering be made of concrete or paving slabs, as this will help to avoid additional stress on the heat-insulating material.

For the usual and simplest thermal insulation, we recommend using extruded polystyrene foam or polystyrene foam.

Structure repair

In case of obvious damage to the outer layer of the blind area, it should be repaired as soon as possible in order to avoid further destruction. To do this, the damage boundary is determined so that the main cracks or potholes are combined into a common plane that can be removed.

It is better to start repair work in cool weather, when the main damage is most exposed under the influence of absorbed moisture.

If the asphalt coating is damaged, it is necessary to remove a layer of material in the desired area to the full depth. The pits, after removing the damage, are recommended to be cleaned of dirt and smeared with bitumen.

Only then can the asphalt concrete be re-laid and compacted. It is desirable that the new asphalt cover the layer of the old pavement. This will give better adhesion to the old material.

Use bituminous mastic and cement-sand mortar. Cracks are cleaned of dirt and filled with mastic. Minor damage can be covered with cement mortar mixed in proportions of 1/1.

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After the construction of the house is completed, it is imperative to install the blind area. It will protect the foundation from soaking and cracking, and will also significantly extend the life of the building. The design is quite simple and therefore the blind area can be done with your own hands - step-by-step instructions and recommendations will help you go through all the installation steps without errors.

The appearance of the blind area

The blind area around the house is quite simple and consists of two main elements: a substrate and a coating. The main role of the substrate is to create an even and solid base for laying the protective coating. Usually two layers of clay or sand and crushed stone act as a substrate. The use of clay is good in that it is able to perform a waterproofing function and not allow moisture to pass through itself, but for this it will need to be laid with high quality and to achieve uniformity of the layer. Sand is easier to use, as it can easily smooth out any uneven ground surfaces.

The coating can be any suitable material that has the following properties:

• Have sufficient strength to withstand the expected mechanical stress.
• They have high quality waterproofing properties.
• Resistant to sudden changes in temperature.
• Due to the smooth surface, they are able to qualitatively remove moisture from the foundation.

Therefore, concrete, asphalt, stone or tile coatings are mainly used for blind areas.

Related article:

Photo blind areas around the house: the main types of structures

When designing a photo, blind areas around houses will greatly simplify their choice. There are such types of structures:

• Rigid. They are structures based on hard coatings that retain their shape under load without deformation. Usually made of concrete or asphalt. The terms of their service are usually compared with the duration of the operation of the building. At the cost of laying, rigid structures will cost more than others, since they require mandatory insulation and waterproofing. Require for installation the presence of soil of medium or high density.

• Soft. They are distinguished by simple laying technology and minimal requirements for operation. In fact, it consists of several layers of bulk materials. Requires minimal cost and physical effort for installation. The service life is on average 5-7 years. They can be laid on any type of soil, including loose ones. They are used mainly for temporary purposes, since their appearance is not entirely aesthetic and is unlikely to fit into the design of the facade of the building.

• Semi-rigid. They represent a compromise between rigid and soft structures in terms of financial and physical costs. The outer layer is usually laid out with tiles, stone or reinforced concrete slabs. The service life can be up to several tens of years. They have excellent maintainability, since it is possible to replace or shift part of the structure without any problems. However, they have a limitation for use in areas with high groundwater, on soils with a large freezing depth and on heaving soils. The cost of installation work will be cheaper than rigid ones, but at the same time the highest quality aesthetic appearance will be achieved.

Determination of blind area parameters

In order to understand how to properly make blind areas around houses, it is necessary to correctly select its technical parameters. One of them is the width. It is determined by the current building codes and regulations, which say that it should be 20 cm longer than the most protruding part of the roof slope. Usually this size is counted from the gutters. The width of the blind area around the house is determined based on the type of material chosen, the density of the soil on the site and the magnitude of the expected loads of a variable and static nature. In most cases, the width of the structure for private houses is at least 1 m.

Another parameter is the degree of penetration of the structure into the ground. It is mainly influenced by the level of soil freezing. In regions where there is a significant decrease in air temperature, a soil property such as heaving has a significant impact on the structure, which can damage it literally in a year without the possibility of recovery. Therefore, the level of the filling must provide sufficient strength so that it effectively resists heaving and does not deform. The minimum depth is at least 10 cm, including a layer of sand and gravel cushion. If constant loads are assumed, then the thickness is recommended to be increased to 15-20 cm.

Helpful information! At the junction of the porch to the house, there is no special need to lay a blind area, since the main foundation in this case will be protected. However, if a monolithic or brick porch is built, then it is recommended to protect it as well, since the weight is quite large per unit area and there is a high probability of subsidence.

For high-quality removal of precipitation, the surface must have a certain slope. The angle to the horizontal, on the one hand, is influenced by the amount of precipitation in a particular region, and on the other hand, by the convenience of using the structure as a footpath or for other purposes. The optimal value is considered to be 2-3 °.

In order to prevent flooding of the structure, it is recommended to make it 5 cm higher from the ground surface. If there are trees or shrubs near the house, they will need to be uprooted at a distance of up to about 1.5 m from the house.

Attention! It is possible to protect the structure from destruction by the roots of trees or any plants by installing a curb.

Preparatory work

Preparation for installation is carried out in several stages:

• Territory marking.
• Carrying out earthworks.
• Underlayment laying.

We carry out the marking of the territory for the installation of a blind area

With the help of pegs around the perimeter of the house, it is necessary to mark up. To do this, we measure a distance of 1 m from the walls with a tape measure and drive wooden pegs to a depth of 0.5 m in the corners so that it is possible to carry out earthworks without moving them from their place. We pull the rope on them.

Helpful information! If the building has a large area, it is recommended to install additional pegs along the walls every 2.5-3 m.

Earthwork stage

Using a shovel, it is necessary to dig a trench according to the markings made. The depth is determined by the type of structure chosen, climatic features and soil composition. The layer should be removed evenly with a slope of 2-3° from the building. This is easy enough to do by setting the digging depth along the building and along the marking line.

Since the main foundation and the blind area design will have different coefficients of thermal expansion, it is recommended to create a thermal gap between them of 1-2 mm. To do this, after stopping digging, a damping layer based on polyurethane tape should be laid along the wall.

The bottom of the trench should be carefully compacted with a special tool, which is a steel rod with a flat sheet welded on at the lower end. If such a device is not at hand, then you can use an ordinary log.

Laying a pillow under the blind area

At the bottom of the prepared trench, it is necessary to lay waterproofing and fill in a layer of sand 10-20 cm thick, depending on the type of construction and the depth of the trench, with careful tamping and leveling. For the convenience of work, it is recommended to shed the layer with plenty of water in order to maximize its compaction. However, before laying the outer layer, you will need to wait until the pillow dries.

Important! If construction is carried out in an area with a high location of groundwater, then a drainage system will need to be installed. It is a pipe with holes in the upper part, which is located around the perimeter of the building and is connected to the storm sewer system.

On top of the sand, it is necessary to fill in gravel with a fraction size of up to 5 cm, and level the top layer with crushed stone with a grain size of up to 5 mm. This will save building material on the outer layer due to the absence of the need to fill the formed pores.

Helpful information! Rubble can be replaced with other types of stone or even brickwork. The most important thing is to use a homogeneous material so that areas with different strength characteristics are not created.

How to make a blind area around the house?

The installation process depends on the type of construction and the material chosen. For example, when laying a soft structure, no additional work will be required, but when installing a rigid structure, you will need to lay several waterproofing layers. How to properly install will be described in the following subsections.

Installation of a rigid blind area

It is recommended to install a rigid structure on a heat and waterproofing layer, which will significantly extend the life of the structure. For these purposes, it is recommended to use heat-insulating materials that are highly resistant to moisture and have increased strength under significant mechanical loads. An example would be styrofoam or polystyrene boards.

Attention! Before laying, it is necessary to install the formwork, which is recommended to use boards laid from the inside with a waterproofing film. Such a solution will prevent the absorption of moisture from the subsequently poured concrete solution and it will be able to gain design strength. Otherwise, the dehydrated parts will become brittle and the service life will be significantly reduced.

To understand the technology of pouring a blind area around a concrete house, how to make formwork and what sequence of actions to follow, you need to read the step-by-step instructions. It looks like this:

• From the corner of the building along the wall, we install the first plate, checking the correct position using the building level.
• We fix the insulation on a suitable type of fastening, firmly pressing it against the wall.
• We install butt to the first plate the next one with a minimum gap.
• We carry out the fixing of the plate, and the joint is carefully sealed with building foam.
• Similarly, we lay the entire perimeter of the walls with heat-insulating material.

Attention! If the blind area is installed in the northern regions, then it is recommended to lay two layers of insulation with dressing of the joints of the two layers. This will avoid the formation of cold bridges.

Before pouring concrete into the formwork, it is necessary to lay a reinforcing mesh. For these purposes, ready-made meshes with a bar diameter of 8-10 mm and a cell size of 10-15 cm are used. It is important to carry out the laying in such a way that the steel bars are in the concrete layer. To do this, you need to use special plastic props.

It is recommended that the structure be poured with a concrete solution of the M400 grade or higher, and at a time, so that the structure acquires maximum strength. Therefore, you need to calculate the approximate volume in advance and order the solution in the right amount at the cement plant.

When pouring, it is important to create a uniform layer, for which the concrete is carefully smoothed over the surface with a shovel or mop. Additionally, the solution must be stirred to remove air bubbles from the layer. After driving the layer to the level of the edges of the formwork, it is necessary to level the surface as a rule. The side parts of the formwork will serve as guides.

At the final stage, the surface of the blind area must be sprinkled with a thin layer of cement. To ensure ideal conditions for concrete to harden, it will be necessary to cover the entire upper part with a layer of polyethylene. Every day it is necessary to moisten the surface with water. The curing time is 28 days depending on the temperature and humidity of the environment.

Installation of a soft blind area

A soft blind area around the houses is laid on a waterproofing layer laid on top of a sand cushion. As an insulating material, it is recommended to use rubemast, which has an increased service life. Laying is carried out with an overlap at a distance of 10-15 cm, not only along the main surface, but also on the walls of the main building. The connecting seams are sealed with bitumen under the heat of the burner.

On top of the waterproofing, it is necessary to pour a 10 cm layer of a dry mixture of sand and gravel in the same proportions. Then the surface should be carefully compacted and leveled. In this case, it is necessary to maintain the angle of inclination. Another layer of crushed stone with a grain size of not more than 5 mm is laid on top of the embankment and is also compacted.

Do-it-yourself semi-rigid blind area: step by step instructions

Is it possible to create a semi-rigid structure on your own in the absence of suitable experience? The task is completely solvable and a reliable blind area can be created with your own hands - a step-by-step instruction will allow you to go through all the stages without errors. It is installed directly on the prepared sand and gravel cushion, on top of which a layer of sand 8-10 cm thick is additionally poured. For paving

The level must necessarily control the angle of inclination in order to prevent distortion.

The next tile is placed end-to-end with the previous one.

For alignment, it is necessary to lay a wooden plank on the surface of the tiles and by tapping to achieve their correct position.

If there is a subsidence of one of the corners of the tile, then you need to add a little sand and repeat the alignment with a mallet.

If you need to cut tiles for laying under the wall of the house or along the curb, you need to use a grinder.

We carry out laying over the entire area of ​​​​the blind area.

How to repair the blind area?

The blind area around the house, if you do not know the nuances of laying technology, how to properly pour concrete or lay tiles, will obviously contain such defects that will emerge sooner or later and require repair work. Restoration is made depending on the degree of its damage:

• If there are cracks no more than 1 mm, repairs are not required, since they are not critical and in no way will worsen the performance of the structure.
• If the size of the cracks is up to 3 mm, then it is recommended to apply the filling with a water-cement mortar in the same proportions. After the mortar dries, a durable layer will be created that will provide maximum protection for the foundation of the building.
• For cracks up to 3 cm, it will be necessary to fill with concrete mortar, having previously cleaned them of dirt and treated them with a deep penetration primer. It is also allowed to use waterproof putties or sealants.

• Cracks more than 3 cm - it is necessary to study the strength of the structure and evaluate it and maintainability. It may be necessary to remove part of the top layer and level the pillow. After making sure that the bearing capacity of the structure is sufficient, concrete should be poured.
• The crumbling of the blind area is eliminated by applying a water-cement composition to the surface in order to strengthen it.

Conclusion

It is shown that a do-it-yourself blind area installed can last for a long time if step-by-step instructions were used and building technologies were observed. The main installation methods for all types of blind area are given. Some methods of repairing damage to the outer surface of the structure are indicated.

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Why do you need a blind area around the house? Can you make it with your own hands? The blind area, first of all, plays the role of a kind of protection along with a decorative function. It is installed after the walls are laid out, when the time comes for exterior decoration. It protects the foundation from atmospheric precipitation or its consequences. The blind area looks like a wide strip, hermetically adjacent to the outer part of the foundation, enveloping the house from all sides. It is this area near the house that is exposed to the greatest amount of precipitation that flows from the roof or walls of the building, so it must be reliable, waterproof, and strong.

In addition to its direct purpose, the blind area "works" as a heater in the basement of the building.

As for the width of this protective strip, the rule “the more, the better” works here. According to SNiP, the minimum width of the blind area should be at least 80 cm, while the maximum can be any - at the discretion of the owner of the house.

There are certain requirements for the arrangement of this architectural element:

1. The width of the strip should not be equal to the level of the ledge of the roof, nor can it be narrower than its edge.
2. The blind area around the house should be continuous.
3. The protection of the building foundation depends on the strip width.
4. Installation is carried out with a slope from the house of at least 1.5 °.

It should be wide enough so that you can walk freely on it without touching the walls. The most optimal width is 1 meter.

Paving around the house

The blind area of ​​any type consists of two layers - underlying and waterproof. The bottom layer is usually gravel, crushed stone or sand, and the top layer can be made of concrete, natural stone, paving slabs, asphalt.

The optimal slope angle from the house is 3-5 °, if the building stands on ordinary soil, then the width of the blind area should be approximately 20-30 cm more than the eaves. If your dwelling is built on subsiding or swampy soil, then the width should be at least 90-110 cm.

It is worth mentioning that some types of foundations (for example, screw and pile foundations) do not need a blind area at all. They require the installation of a protective coating only in places where water is drained from the roof.

If the house is on heaving soil, then it is better to make a blind area with insulation - this is necessary so that the protection does not let moisture through. In winter, the water freezes, bursting the soil, so the polystyrene foam laid in the blind area is able to prevent this factor. Extruded polystyrene foam is not only impervious to water, but is also characterized by high thermal insulation properties.

Expanded polystyrene is placed between the layers of the blind area (crushed stone or gravel cushion is located below), it is best to pour concrete on top or lay tiles, cobblestone. This method of warming is very effective, shows good results.

Consider the types of blind area around the house:

1. The simplest, but almost unused material for constructing a protective strip is clay. It is an excellent hydraulic lock for the foundation of the house. Now the use of clay is no longer relevant, as new modern materials confidently occupy a leading position in the construction market.
2. A protective strip of concrete is the most common option for arranging foundation protection. It is quickly installed, has a low cost for the price of building materials used, has a long service life, and is resistant to manifestations of natural factors.
3. A blind area of ​​tiles around the house is placed on a layer of sand. The tile is convenient in that it can be matched to the appearance of the building or the decorative features of the summer cottage. This type of protective strip around the house is durable, easy to install.
4. Natural stone, laid around the house, looks very beautiful, has a long service life, but requires patience and accuracy when laying.
5. The asphalt coating of the protective strip is used infrequently, due to the lack of decorative effect, the specific smell when heated by sunlight and the high cost.
6. A waterproof protective strip is made only if there is a well-installed drainage system. In this case, much attention is paid to the installation of gutters from the roof, so that moisture is removed at a considerable distance from the foundation of the building. Such protection around the house works more for decoration than for practicality.
7. One of the most expensive types of blind area is made of granite. Respectable appearance, quality, durability are the main criteria for such a method of protection.

It will be ideal if a drainage system is equipped on the outside of the entire perimeter of the protective strip around the house (it is not necessary to make it very deep). Such a technique will maximally protect the foundation from contact with moisture.

How to make a blind area with your own hands around the house?

As mentioned above, the blind area consists of two structural layers - underlying and covering. The sub-base provides a level, compact base for the subsequent materials to be laid. The role of "litter" is sand, clay, crushed stone of a fine fraction. The thickness of the litter layer depends on what material the protective strip will be covered with.

The coating fulfills its main purpose - protection against water, and it does not matter what material it is made of.

As an example, consider the phased construction of a blind area made of concrete:

1. Initially, the marking of the future protective strip is carried out; for its arrangement, we will take as a basis a width of 1 meter.
2. Along the entire perimeter of the house (in accordance with the markings), we remove a layer of soil (20-30 cm) and compact the base.
   
3. If there are plants under the layer of removed soil, then their roots can be treated with herbicides so that later they do not start to break their way through the coating.
4. From the boards we make a removable formwork.
5. We lay a thin layer of clay on the compacted soil, and on top of it a sandy layer (about 10 cm). Clay, sand should be well compacted after laying. In the immediate vicinity of the foundation, the sand is compacted especially carefully.
6. We spill the sandy layer with water, but not very abundantly, since there is clay below.
7. We lay the rubble in a thin layer, about 6-8 cm.
   
8. In order for the future protective strip around the house to be strong, withstand compressive and tensile loads, it must be reinforced. For this purpose, a reinforcing mesh with a step of 10 cm is suitable.
   
9. In the place where the blind area is adjacent to the basement, an expansion joint must be made, sometimes it is called a temperature or deformation joint. This seam performs a kind of protection during soil subsidence. It has a width of 1-2 cm. Thus, this gap between the base and the blind area is filled with a sand-gravel mixture or roofing material, it can also be filled with resin or foamed polyethylene (tow), sealant. It is obligatory to install expansion joints in all corners of the house.
10. How to fill the blind area at home? The construction of expansion joints is simply necessary when arranging the correct protective strip around the house. When pouring concrete mass every 2 or 3 meters, you need to install thin wooden boards, set with an edge. For these purposes, ordinary wooden slats are optimally suited, they must be laid so that the upper surface coincides with the surface level of the concrete mass and always taking into account the slope! Wooden elements can be pre-treated with protective agents against decay.
    
11. What kind of concrete is needed for the blind area around the house? The concrete used to create it, in terms of frost-resistant characteristics, should not be inferior to the road counterpart. The M250 or M300 brand is perfect, it is mixed with sand, fine gravel, water until a homogeneous mass is obtained. This mass is laid on top of the reinforcing mesh and wooden ribs, compacted (by vibration or bayonet) and leveled with a rule.
    
12. The concrete blind area around the house, made with your own hands, will become as strong as possible if you use the ironing method immediately after pouring. This building technique has two methods - dry and wet. In the dry method, cement is sprinkled onto a freshly leveled concrete layer. It is sieved on a fine sieve. By tapping on this sieve, it is evenly distributed in a thin layer (2-3 mm) over the entire surface of the protective layer. After the manipulations, this layer is carefully compacted with a plaster spatula. Dry cement draws moisture from wet concrete and, when cured, forms additional reinforcing armor. With the wet method of ironing, the sifted cement is mixed with water to a doughy consistency, applied to the dried concrete layer with a plastering spatula. The thickness of such protection is 2-3 mm. Sometimes ceresite or liquid glass is added to such a solution, but in any case, the strength of the protective layer depends on the quality of the sealing and smoothing.
13. At the final stage, the concrete is covered with a wet cloth, moistened periodically. This protects the concrete layer from drying out until the moment when it finally hardens. After 7-10 days, your concrete blind area will be ready.

You can go the easier way - save time. This method is now very popular, as it has good protective qualities, gives the house adjoining strip an attractive appearance.

To do this, after removing the soil layer, sand is poured to the bottom of the trench, poured from above with liquid glass mixed with a hardener. After hardening, an attractive monolithic surface is obtained, which has high moisture-resistant characteristics.

How to close a crack in the blind area at home?

Cracks or damage to the concrete surface can also appear due to certain circumstances. Shallow cracks can be filled with a liquid cement mortar, larger ones are pre-cut down for the entire length of the damage, cleaned of debris and dust. After cleaning, the crack is filled with a mixture of bitumen, asbestos and sand.

Large damage can also be filled with fresh concrete mass, having previously primed them. Further, the “patch” is looked after in the same way as a regular screed - the surface is moistened until the concrete has completely hardened.

If the damage is serious, then additional reinforcement of the cracks is carried out, followed by their filling with a sand-cement mixture with the addition of crushed stone. After complete hardening, the "patches" are treated with a primer.

Soft pavement around the house

The soft blind area does not have an upper hard coating; instead, crushed stone of various colors is poured in or soil with grass is generally used. The soft blind area is not afraid of soil deformation due to freezing and subsequent thawing. When laying such a protective strip, it is not necessary to observe the slope angle. If a layer of expanded polystyrene is provided at the base of the soft coating, then it will additionally help reduce the depth of soil freezing in the foundation area.

The blind area around the house of rubble is done like this:

1. A layer of soil is removed, compacted, then a layer of clay (10 cm) is laid over the entire area of ​​the resulting trench. In order to avoid subsequent swelling, the clay must be absolutely clean, that is, it must not contain sand.
2. Clay is also rammed, a waterproofing film is laid on top of it (with a margin). If circumstances develop in such a way that the blind area moves away from the foundation, then the stock of film will be able to compensate for the shortage of material that has arisen. The film is fixed by overlapping directly on the foundation.
3. Sand is poured over the hydroprotection.
4. The next step is the laying of geotextiles over the entire area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe future blind area.
5. Crushed stone is poured onto geotextiles. The layer of embankment can be from 10 to 15 cm.
6. The geotextile is re-laid, on which decorative crushed stone is poured.

Thus, any do-it-yourself blind area around the house will help to significantly increase the operational life of your home, bring additional aesthetics and attractiveness.

The device is an obligatory final stage in the construction of any building. At its core, this is nothing more than a small stylish sidewalk that encircles the house around the perimeter. Many make the mistake of believing that it has only a decorative function, but in fact, the design is responsible for protecting the foundation from surface water. Due to the fact that the blind area has a slope from the walls, it retains and diverts water into the storm sewer system.

The width of the blind area directly depends on the overhang of the roof, and it must also be adjacent to the foundation continuously around the entire perimeter of the building.

In most cases, it has a width ranging from 60 to 80 cm and a slope of 3-10 °. According to experts, the wider the blind area, the more efficient the removal of precipitation will be. The width of the blind area is determined by the type of soil, but, despite this, it should always be 20 cm more than the eaves of the roof. The condition for increasing the blind area is construction on easily compressible soils.

It should closely adjoin the basement of the structure and be continuous around the perimeter, otherwise water will seep into the gap between the wall and the blind area. If the house is equipped with a warm basement or basement, they provide to reduce the depth of freezing. The heat-insulating layer is able to protect the basement from sudden temperature fluctuations.

Blind area device: sequence of work

Necessary tools and materials:

• level;
• bayonet shovel;
• edged board;
• capacity;
• road grid;
• sand, cement, gravel.

The blind area around the house begins to be built from the removal of the top layer of soil about 15 cm thick. The depth of the trench is determined by the type of soil and the ledge of the roof. If the house is located on a plot with heaving soils, it should be at least 30 cm.

When excavating a layer of soil, one should observe the general layout of the surface and maintain a slope that ensures the drainage of water in the direction of the natural lowering of the landscape. The most effective solution would be to equip a shallow drainage system along the outer perimeter, which can eliminate the slightest contact of the foundation with groundwater.

The blind area itself without additional hydro- and thermal insulation includes an underlying layer and a coating. The best material used for the underlying layer is clay. Filled in a trench, well-packed clay is able to absolutely not let water through. The clay is also assigned the function of a waterproofing agent. However, working with this material is very time-consuming and painstaking, therefore, in most cases, a layer of sand with a thickness of at least 10-15 cm is poured onto the bottom of the trench and is well compacted. For better compaction of the sandy layer, it is watered with a small amount of water.

After backfilling and compacting the sand, a curb is installed along the outer edge. At the next stage, a layer of sand between the wall of the house and the curb is covered with rubble, firmly tamping the layer. The process is completed by laying the top coating of concrete, paving slabs or asphalt.

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Construction of a blind area of ​​​​a simplified design

The method described below is no less effective, but requires significantly less effort. they start with a recess with a depth of at least 6-10 cm. The bottom is tamped manually, two layers of waterproofing material are laid on top with an overlap of 20-30 cm. The role of waterproofing can be performed with polyethylene film, roofing material and other non-rotting materials. A sand-gravel mixture is laid on the waterproofing, and on top - a gravel or crushed stone coating filled with a cement-sand mortar.

The function of a waterproofing agent is carried out thanks to profiled PVP membranes, which are made of dense polyethylene. Their laying is carried out on the ground under a layer of rubble and sand. Such a blind area can be made in the form of a lawn, for this, pour fertile soil 30 cm thick on a layer of rubble and sow grass.

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Finishing coating for blind area

The blind area can be covered with various materials, in most cases preference is given to asphalt, concrete and paving slabs.

The surface laid out with turf, cobblestone, gravel, clinker bricks looks original. Each of the above materials has its own nuances of preparation, installation and operation.

The blind area around the house made of monolithic concrete is laid on a sandy base, compacted to a coefficient above 0.98. The concrete that will be used for the blind area must correspond to the level of frost resistance of road concrete. Before the pouring procedure, reinforcement is laid on the underlying layer, otherwise the monolithic blind area may collapse under the influence of precipitation and natural conditions.

When choosing this type of coating, remember the expansion joints of the blind area. For their formation, you can use a tarred or antiseptic-treated board with a thickness of at least 15-20 mm, laid on the edge. An alternative to this method is the use of wooden blocks impregnated with used oil, as well as 15 cm thick vinyl tapes, such solutions can save the blind area even in case of heavy load.

The disadvantage of continuous pouring is its cracking in the first winter. Dividing rails act as a damper and protect the coating from destructive destruction. The expansion joints are set in steps of 2-2.5 m.

Often, reinforced concrete slabs 30x30 or 50x50 cm in size are used for the blind area. The seams are covered with soil and sown with grass. The main condition for laying such plates is the presence of air space, which reduces the swelling of the soil.

Cope well with moisture and asphalt blind areas. Before laying, the base is compacted with gravel or crushed stone with a fraction of 40-60 mm. Works are carried out only in dry warm weather at a temperature not lower than 5 °C. are carried out using a hot mixture of factory preparation with a laying temperature of more than 120 ° C.

You can get to the house with the help of cobblestone, for this they use sand and clay. Work begins with laying a clay layer 15 cm thick, then a sandy layer 10 cm thick is placed, into which cobblestones are laid.

If we are talking about laying paving slabs, you will need sifted coarse sand and crushed stone of medium fractions from wild stone without the admixture of coarse cobblestones. Sand is poured on top of the crushed stone layer, paving slabs or granite paving stones are laid on it. Please note that the tile is not placed on the mortar, as this leads to cracking.

At the moment, the sandy blind area has gained particular popularity, which performs not only a protective, but also an unusual decorative function. The construction of the blind area is different in that the sand poured into the trench is not covered with rubble, but is filled with liquid glass and a special hardener solution. As a result, a monolithic surface of a sandstone stone is formed, which is not subject to blurring. The modern construction market offers a wide range of special ready-made compositions and semi-finished products that require cooking for 7-8 hours.

A more time-consuming, but incredibly beautiful and organic "grandfather" option is a turf blind area. The device of the blind area begins with the excavation of a layer of earth 5 cm thick, drainage from coarse sand is laid on the compacted soil of the base. The next layer of laying is crumpled clay, which forms a slope for water flow. The process is completed with a layer of fertile soil and meadow turf. The blind area at first requires watering and regular trimming. After a few weeks, a lawn strip of elastic turf is formed, which is difficult to blur or trample.

The value of the blind area in the construction of a building can hardly be overestimated, since the durability of the constructed building will depend on it. The concept of "concrete blind areas" is commonly understood as a concrete waterproof border around the building, designed to protect it from the penetration of moisture in the form of melt, rain and groundwater. There are concrete, cobblestone, brick and sand. Also, the blind area performs an aesthetic and decorative function, in addition to the direct purpose of its purpose.

The scheme of the cement-sand screed.

They make a blind area after the final finishing of the facade and basement. Being wide enough, it often performs a combined function and paths around the house. This happens due to the fact that its width largely depends not so much on the desire of the builders, but also on specific parameters and, in any case, obeys certain unshakable rules. Firstly, the blind area should extend beyond the edge of the ledge of the plumb eaves by at least 20-40 cm, which will allow the flowing water not to wash away the building. Secondly, since its width varies from 70 cm to one meter for planting and non-planting types of soil, respectively, it is advisable to combine the blind area with the path around the house, making it up to one and a half meters wide, if space permits. Thirdly, without fail, the blind area must have an inclination angle of 3% to 5% for those made of concrete and asphalt, and from 6% to 10% if it is paved with stone or brick. The fourth, necessary condition: the blind area should not reach the lower horizontal insulating layer by three to five centimeters.

Device

Scheme of the construction of the blind area.

1. To begin with, they determine what type will be performed: the blind area is concrete, asphalt, made of blocks or paved (cobblestone or brick), since the desired level of slope will also depend on this.
2. The first thing to start with is the preparation: mark the width and select the entire soil for this width to hard hard-to-dig rocks. In any case, the earth is removed to a depth of at least thirty centimeters.
3. If there is already a clay substrate on the bottom, on which a layer of gravel (5x20, 20x40) is laid out for five to eight centimeters and tamped, it is covered with geotextile, an inexpensive insulating material readily available in stores, and then proceed to the “sand” stage. If the ground remained soft when sampling the soil, then first lay a layer of clay 5-10 cm on the very bottom and compact it well, since clay is an excellent natural waterproofing. Further, as indicated above, preliminary gravel and waterproofing in the form of geotextiles.

To simplify and save on the minimum program, the stages “clay - crushed stone - geotextile” are skipped and go straight to the “sand” stage.

Work performance technology

Scheme of an economical variant of the blind area.

1. The “sand” stage itself consists in filling and compacting the sand. The sand should be equal-sized, crumbly, it is poured with a layer of 10 centimeters and carefully compacted using a device such as a rammer. Then it is watered from a hose and again carefully tamped, this procedure is carried out up to 3-4 times, adding sand and leveling the set level of inclination, for an accurate determination of which it is good to use a level or plumb line.
2. It is very advisable to use a drainage system in concrete blind areas, the choice of which modern technology offers for every taste and budget, which will avoid many troubles during further operation. Storm water inlets are dug in near the downpipes to the required depth and lightly concreted. Then, with ordinary shovels, they dig trenches for pipes, which are simply inserted both between themselves and into the storm water inlets. Water drains are installed around the perimeter so that water does not accumulate near the blind area and does not carry dirt. Since all plastic pipes and drains are lightweight, they are lightly cemented beforehand to prevent further displacement. It is important to maintain the digging angle according to the sloped surface, i.e. at the same angle as the blind area, fixing it according to instruments, and not “by eye”. Everything is again covered with sand, watered again, tamped again, but now more carefully, manually, controlling the preservation of the given angle of the blind area and the evenness of the surface.
3. Further along the perimeter, formwork is installed from an inch board, evenly and accurately fixed in level and fixed with blocks every one and a half meters. It is on the accuracy of this operation that evenness will depend in the future.
4. The next stage is isolation. An insulating and shock-absorbing material is laid out on a base for concrete or cement. This can be either polystyrene in the form of slabs or blocks, up to 50 cm high, or small gravel with a layer up to 15 cm. Then polyurethane foam is sprayed or a gravel cushion is poured up to 20 cm. This is necessary both for water and thermal insulation, and in order to prevent swelling and destruction in case of freezing of the earth.
5. After a perfectly even base has been prepared, the future blind area is “flashed” with reinforcement and “tied” to the building itself. To do this, holes are drilled at the base of the foundation of the building at a distance of 75 cm from each other and reinforcement is inserted to the full width so that it does not move further in relation to the building. Then they knit an ordinary reinforcing cage with a cell from 15 to 25 centimeters. The smaller the reinforcing mesh, the less concrete will be subject to movement during thermal expansion.
6. Before pouring concrete to the full width, wooden spacers from an ordinary inch board are inserted into the corners of the building and along the entire base at a distance of 2 meters to create the so-called "deformation" paths or seams. It is also allowed to make them from vinyl tapes or wood impregnated with special oils and bitumen. They serve to form a concrete expansion line when heated and prevent the formation of cracks and deformation changes in the surface, leading to subsequent filtration and destruction, which is especially important when pouring concrete not immediately, but in parts. This is useful for perfectly leveling the surface after formwork removal, if any. A layer of poured concrete from 10 to 15 cm.
7. For a more aesthetic appearance from above, the blind area can be covered with tiles, stone, etc. depending on the taste and ability of the customer.
8. As a decorative blind area, you can make it purely sandy. To do this, waterproofing is laid on a pre-prepared rammed base or crushed stone is poured. Then, when the waterproofing has already been completed, they put up the formwork and fill it all with sand, instead of concrete, such a blind area is poured with a special compound based on liquid glass, which you can buy and prepare yourself.

Materials and technical devices

The materials that will be required for construction and installation are easy to purchase at hardware stores. Variations depend on the taste, needs and capabilities of the builder.

Scheme of the device of the concrete blind area.

1. The concrete used is more often M100 or M200.
2. Crushed stone measuring 5x20 or 20x40 cm.
3. The sand should be even, crumbly, of equal caliber.
4. For the preparation of concrete, cement M400 or M500 is required.
5. For concrete M100 you will need: cement 1 part - sand 2 parts - crushed stone 5 parts.
6. For concrete M500 you will need: cement 1 part - sand 2 parts - crushed stone 4 parts. Water is taken in a proportion of 0.5 parts.
7. Concrete slabs 30x30 or 50x50 in size for non-filled blind areas.
8. Waterproofing. Geotextile - insulating material for the first substrate under the sand.

Polyurethane foam in the form of plates or in the form of a spray, which is placed under concrete. It is biologically neutral, resistant to putrefactive bacteria and fungi, does not corrode and has a warranty period of over thirty years. You can also use PVC and roofing material.

1. Drainage systems.
2. Level.
3. Plumb.
4. Fittings.
5. Formwork board.
6. Material for "deformation" joints: vinyl tapes, boards, etc.

When performing a concrete blind area, it is very important to adhere to the norms, maintain a given angle of inclination and the features of pouring concrete. If concrete is poured in parts, then it is necessary to allow one portion to harden well before pouring another.

The final hardening period is about 28 days, only after that you can safely walk along the blind area without fear of breaking the tightness and causing damage.