Basics of Concrete Foundation Design for a Construction Project

Any structure, whether a home, office or a garage is only as safe as the foundation on which it rests! A strong and stable concrete foundation requires prior planning and detailed study of the specifics and design constraints.
Generally concrete foundations will be of either a shallow or deep design. A shallow design foundation is set approximately 3 feet into the soil. In spread footing design concrete pads extends below the frost line and transmit load from the walls to the earth. A deep foundation is normally more complicated and is used in cases when soil conditions are feeble (such as hilly areas, flood zone, etc). A deep foundation transfers load from the structure through a weak top soil layer down into a stronger layer.
Deep foundations can be made from reinforced or pre-tensioned concrete, steel or wood. A deep foundation invades the rock layer in some cases, so a foundation engineer is definitely needed!
Shallow foundations are generally used for residential homes, offices and garages. It requires good planning, compliance to local building codes and careful considerations. For example, if you have plans to add features in like radiant floor heating or filtered drainage system in future then these will need to be installed during construction of the foundation.
Also keep in mind that regional or county officials may visit your site throughout the process, so ensure that you adhere to the guidelines of local inspection codes, obtain written permissions and be ready with soil, engineering and seismic reports before you start the project.
A garage foundation is normally built up of concrete block or a poured concrete wall. First of all clear, rub and level construction site. Then dig channels below grade for your footings. Ensure to comply with local building code guidelines.
If you want to see some samples of concrete foundation designs email us at info@outsourcestructuraldrafting.com
Also contact us at http://www.outsourcestructuraldrafting.com/contact.php for more information.

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Concrete Basics - To Seal Or Not to Seal?

Although concrete is a solid matter, it is a porous material which means it absorbs liquids just like a sponge. Different liquid substances can seep into concrete from water to vehicle oil, greases and grime. Once the concrete has absorbed these liquids, it would be very hard to remove them. Sealing your concrete prevents liquid substances to penetrate its pores, ultimately prolonging the life of the concrete surface.

How do concrete sealers work as a protective barrier?

A concrete sealer changes the qualities of the concrete's surface so that when water comes into contact with it, the water molecules form tiny blobs on the surface instead of penetrating it. Then, the water droplets just roll away from the surface. Sealing gives concrete the same protection against oils and grease so even these normally hard-to-remove stains become easy to clean. It also protects against de-icing salts so sealing is especially important on exterior concrete surfaces that go through freeze-thaw cycles. It also eliminates the problem of mildew penetrating the cement, which can leave black stains on the surface over time.

How does it affect the concrete's appearance?

Sealers usually impart sheen to concrete surfaces drawing out the rich colours of decorative concrete. Any decorative concrete finish will look much better when sealed. Exposed aggregate concrete will definitely benefit from sealing because it enhances the beauty of the decorative aggregates (i.e. pebbles and small stones) in the concrete. A tinted sealer can be applied to a plain gray slab or decorative concrete to add colour. Regular application of a quality concrete sealer will make your concrete more resistant to fading and wear.

How often should concrete sealing be done?

There is no exact rule to this because several factors are involved, mainly the type and quality of the product you used, the location of the area and the conditions the concrete is exposed to. A sealer, depending on the exact product, may last from 1 to 3 years.

Basically, you should seal your concrete as soon as you notice the coating is starting to wear away. You should also reseal coloured concrete as soon as you see the need for it because delaying the work may result to a slight fading of colour.

You should consider traffic and weather factors. Naturally, concrete surfaces that get a lot of vehicle traffic and is exposed to sunlight will wear faster than, say, a covered concrete area with moderate foot traffic. This is why concrete driveways are normally sealed more frequently than patios or sidewalks.

Recommendations: Seal concrete driveways once a year, ideally during fall to prepare it for winter conditions. It is ideal to re-apply clear seal on coloured concrete that get heavy traffic or is exposed to harsh winter conditions every 1 to 2 years. Seal other exterior concrete surfaces (plain or coloured) that do not get vehicle traffic every 2 to 3 years. For interior concrete floors, it's okay to seal them once but apply wax coating periodically. With periodic concrete sealing, the next coatings only need quick and thin applications.

So, should you seal concrete?

While the benefits of sealing are obvious here, some people still do not seal their concrete. Some say it's not necessary if you live in a place that has a mild climate or don't get much rain. But the truth is sealing improves the overall appearance and life of all types of concrete regardless of the location. So, if you want to protect your investment, there's no question to it - you should seal your concrete.

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