Cement Tips

The subject of cement does not come up in polite company any
more. Kind of like one of those taboo subjects that people
whisper about. Well, I'm going to break one more barrier & talk,
at least a little bit, about the subject.
Foundations come in two elements. Footings (Called footers in
some places) & slabs or footings & block build-ups.

If you are building a slab foundation the footing trench is dug &
that is followed by tamping the earth where the slab is to be
poured. Next come polyethylene sheeting, then wire mesh &
finally there is a common pour of cement into the footing trench
& the 4' slab.

If you are building an extension on a house with a basement
you can pour the footing separately & add the cement blocks to
the height of the existing foundation. All the soil inside the
perimeter must be covered with a layer of cement to prevent
moisture & vermin from invading the area.

In the colder areas of the country Styrofoam insulation boards
are required in the footing trenches.

The footings must be lower than the historical frost line so the
frozen ground doesn.t move the foundation. Depths range from
12" to 4 or 5 feet in some areas of the country.

There, I said it & i am not the least bit embarrassed.