Although it is well known that any construction requires a foundation, from time to time there are cases of construction of objects without it. First of all, this applies to lightweight structures like a bathhouse, with low mass and limited in area, not exceeding 30 m².
Before deciding how to build a bathhouse without a foundation, you should turn to the experience and accumulated knowledge of your ancestors. Vivid examples of such construction can be found among most peoples living on Earth.
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Very small bathhouse.
Is a bathhouse without a foundation a building?
In most cases, the construction of a building begins with laying the foundation. But in some cases you can do without it. For example, a bathhouse can be built without a foundation at all. This is allowed if the structure is small, compact, and the area where construction is proposed is provided with durable rocky soil.
They resort to building a bathhouse without a foundation for several reasons:
- The foundation is an expensive part of construction, requiring a lot of materials and effort. It often accounts for up to a quarter of the total construction costs.
- The construction of the foundation takes a lot of time, both for the construction itself and for shrinkage, which greatly increases the time of construction work.
- The opportunity to buy a ready-made “building” - an entire structure.
- Mobility of the building. A bathhouse without a foundation can be easily moved.
Important!
According to the law, a building without a foundation is not a structure; it is a shed or a shed. To build such a bathhouse, you do not need to coordinate the project with government agencies. This greatly simplifies the construction process. A bathhouse without a foundation will also have to be decorated, but this is much simpler.
Construction requirements
To avoid any claims from the inspection, the future bathhouse must meet several requirements.
When erecting a structure you should:
- limit the weight of the building to 4 tons;
- the area along the outer perimeter, taking into account the thickness of the walls, should be provided so that it does not exceed 30 square meters. m;
- It is better to build a one-story bathhouse, this is important not only for inspection, but also so that there is not a large load on the ground;
- it should be in the form of a collapsible structure, albeit not completely, but at least partially.
If a desire and need arises, then over time it will be possible to make a foundation and design the structure properly.
Functions of the foundation for construction
Light buildings without any pretense of durability can be erected without a foundation
The base must be stable, not deform from loads and evenly transfer forces to the ground under the sole. The type of foundation is determined by the weight of the building, and the type of soil also influences it. Sandy and rocky soils that do not retain moisture and do not swell in frost are considered a strong base, while clay requires the installation of a drainage system.
The foundation is isolated from the soil and the wall of the house with moisture-resistant membranes to protect the structure from dampness. Insulating the base makes it possible to maintain a comfortable microclimate in first-level rooms and the basement. A foundation in the form of a strip foundation or on stilts protects the frame house from distortions, tilts and subsidence, and ensures a stationary position.
How to build a bathhouse without a foundation
In order to build a bathhouse, you need to make a good project, think through everything down to the smallest detail and take care of the construction products. All materials must be approved for use in areas with high temperature and humidity.
The insulation must be non-flammable, and all components for the electrical network must be reliable. Thermal insulation is an important stage in the construction of a bathhouse; the better it is done, the less it will be necessary to heat the street. In winter, it is also worth insulating windows (glass), because considerable heat loss occurs through them. It is enough to cover them with a special film.
When it comes to choosing a stove, it is better to give preference to models without a remote firebox. In this case, less fuel will be required for heating and the price of the stove itself will not be too high.
The roof of the bathhouse should not be high, then this will save on material and arrangement of the chimney: it will not need to be made too large. The best option is the ratio of roof width to height 1:3.
Determining soil type
This is an important point that cannot be neglected. The decision to build a bathhouse with or without a strong foundation depends, first of all, on the properties of the soil on the site. If it is solid (rocky or a site on a mountain or rock), then there will be no problems with building without a foundation. After all, the groundwater is deep, and there are a lot of stones in the soil, which means that the building is not in danger of distortion.
Important! If the ground is soft enough, then without a foundation the bathhouse will sag.
First of all, this will affect the windows and doors, they will warp, but over time the walls will also begin to collapse. It is impossible to erect structures without a foundation on sand or peat soil.
The main requirement is the ability of the soil to withstand a load of 12-15 kg per square meter. see. If the site corresponds to it, then the foundation can be deleted from the list of construction works, replacing it with the arrangement of the foundation for the building.
Methods for building a bathhouse without a foundation
The most common 3 methods of arranging a bathhouse:
- The most difficult way is to build a bathhouse on your own. To construct the structure, you will need a wooden beam with a thickness of at least 5 cm and waterproofing materials, as well as good thermal insulation. When choosing them, it is important to remember that the weight of the finished building should not be large, because the structure is built without a foundation.
- The easiest and fastest option is to order a ready-made house. Within a week, specialists will deliver and install the bathhouse on the prepared base. Sellers have special equipment (crane) for this. The best option can be selected from ready-made projects.
- A very popular variety is a mobile or portable bathhouse, but they are usually quite small in size. But there will be no problems with paperwork. Another plus is that the manufacturer can make the design at his own discretion or at the request of the client. Around such a bathhouse you can arrange a space for relaxation. Such steam rooms are equipped with wood-burning stoves or those powered by electricity; it can be easily moved to another place.
Stage-by-stage construction of your building
Now let's talk in more detail about how to build a wooden shed without a foundation. With the most budget option, even pallet boards will be suitable for building a shed, you just need to clean them, remove all the nails and iron, and go over them with a plane.
So, let's start our construction:
- We prepare the site - mark it out, remove debris and plants, compare the surface.
- We use markings to guide the location of the shed.
- At the corners we bury 4 bars, no less than 20 cm into the ground.
- Fill them with cement and leave them to dry for a day.
- During this time, we pour crushed stone onto the site to compact the soil.
- Now we pour sand and level everything.
- We begin to make a frame - we nail horizontal bars to the installed bars. We start from the bottom and end at the ceiling. The distance between them is half a meter. We do the same on the floor and ceiling. Fasten horizontal bars with vertical or self-tapping screws or nails.
- Select one of the narrow sides and prepare an opening there for the door.
- On an arbitrary wall we make an opening for a window.
- We begin to sheathe the inside with boards or boards from pallets. We nail them down. We try not to leave any gaps. We cover everything except the floor.
- When the interior lining is completed, go over it with a plane to remove all splinters and protect the livestock from injury.
- It's time to lay the insulation. If you chose polyurethane, its sides are 50 cm long, and it is glued to the walls with mounting glue. You need to choose the one that interacts with the tree. Information about this is usually placed on the packaging. Insulation is placed everywhere except the floor.
- The insulation is reinforced with waterproofing. If you have mats or membranes playing this role, then they are also glued with mounting adhesive. And if the material is self-adhesive, then remove the protective film from it and apply it to the insulation. We cover the walls and ceiling with waterproofing. It can also be attached using a mounting stapler.
- Now it's the floor's turn. We put a waterproofing layer on the boards. Next comes 2 layers of insulation. Then they waterproof it again so that animal waste does not spoil the insulation.
- We install the window and door according to the instructions included with them.
- We cover the outside of the building.
- We overlap the roof with corrugated sheeting, then water will not be able to flow under the roof. It will not be superfluous if you decide to lay a layer of waterproofing under the corrugated sheeting.
- From the poles or from the wiring from the street we run wires for lighting into the barn. We install a socket and a switch on one of the walls. The socket is needed for the heating device in the winter.
- All that remains is to make partitions from OSB and install them in their places. These slabs can be cut simply with a saw and secured to the floor and walls with nails.
How to install a bathhouse without a foundation
A bathhouse without a foundation can be placed on a special base made of sand and crushed stone, clay, or thin concrete. You can make a simple gravel pad by digging a 0.5 m hole around the perimeter of the building and filling it with crushed stone. After covering such a base with waterproofing material, you can install a bathhouse.
Attention! Lean concrete is prepared with a low cement content, which significantly reduces the cost of the material.
After pouring the site, the mixture should completely harden, this will take 3-4 weeks. Then you can start building a bathhouse without a foundation.
A foundation in the form of columns made of concrete or brick is a fairly popular base option for a bathhouse. The posts are placed in the corners of the building measuring 50x50 cm, as well as at the intersections of the walls. A building is installed on them.
If over time the lower part of the wooden structure begins to rot, then you just need to raise the structure. To do this, you should use jacks and install the house on posts and supports. The help of leveling elements is also used if the terrain is located on a slope. The most popular, due to their simplicity, are foundations for buildings made of clay, as well as crushed stone and sand.
The procedure for installing a clay base
It is possible to build a bathhouse on a clay base if the soil on the construction site does not float or is eroded by water.
It must be done in the following sequence:
- Level the area intended for construction.
- Mark the outline of the building, dig a shallow trench around the perimeter - approximately 30-40 cm deep. Its bottom and ground surface must be parallel.
- Using strong boards, strengthen the walls of the dug trench. For formwork, a board 3-5 cm thick is useful.
- Fill the space between the boards with ordinary clay. Just don't pour it all out at once. It’s better to do it in small portions, in layers of 8-10 cm, compacting each ball well. Any log will do for compaction.
Then you will have to leave the clay to dry for several days. Only after this is it covered with a layer of waterproofing (expanded clay, roofing felt), on which a bathhouse can be built.
Installation of a base of crushed stone and sand
If the soil on the site is black soil, then it is better to build a bathhouse on a foundation made of sand and crushed stone. This is a durable, stable option for a bathhouse without a foundation.
The execution technology is slightly different:
- After marking the area of the future bathhouse, dig a pit with a depth of 80 cm to 1 m. This is a rather labor-intensive and slow process, therefore, if possible, it is better to use special equipment.
- Make trenches for drainage. They are deeper than the pit dug under the base of the bathhouse, and go at an angle to drain water.
- The sand layer is poured first, and a ball of crushed stone is placed on top. It should not be very large, but not too small either.
- The trenches for drainage are filled in turn with crushed stone and sand.
- The last stage of arranging the base is laying a waterproofing layer, which can be used as roofing material.
The sand-crushed stone base is stronger than clay, it can withstand more weight. If you build a bathhouse on it, it will last much longer. Groundwater drainage is also a big advantage of this type of foundation. Although broken brick is cheaper than crushed stone, it is better not to use it: from frost and water, over time it will begin to crumble and crumble.
The procedure for installing a clay base
Preparatory work for arranging the base must begin with markings. Once the measurements have been taken and the boundaries of the base have been marked, you should begin arranging it. Such activities are carried out in the following order:
- The first step is to dig a pit. Its depth varies from 20 to 40 centimeters. The bottom of the pit must be level, so when carrying out work you need to use measuring instruments.
- Next you need to make the formwork. For these purposes, you can use boards with a thickness of 25 to 50 millimeters (used, but in good condition).
- The next stage of foundation installation is filling the pit with clay. She needs to stock up for future use, as a layer of at least 30 centimeters is needed. Filling the pit with clay should be done in stages - approximately 10 centimeters per day. It must be compacted thoroughly. For these purposes, you can use a special device or an ordinary hewn log.
- Immediately before installation of the above-ground part of the building, it is necessary to carry out waterproofing measures. Roofing felt and expanded clay are best suited for these purposes. You can use special waterproofing materials, but their cost is much higher.
The construction of a bathhouse without a foundation is beneficial (from an economic point of view) in places where clay is freely available. Otherwise, installation without a foundation can be much more expensive. In such a situation, it is better to initially place the building on a foundation.
Do-it-yourself bathhouse in the country without a foundation
In order to build a bathhouse, wooden beams are most often used. Thanks to it, the building will last a long time, be environmentally friendly and look attractive. The main thing is that the timber is of good quality, intact, without defects. The most important stage of construction is the design of the structure. You can prepare it yourself or purchase it from specialists.
The scheme for building a bathhouse without a foundation with your own hands consists of several stages:
- Selecting a location and preparing the base from clay or crushed stone with sand.
- Laying the first crown, and then the rest. After installing the first crown, it is important to check that the structure is erected smoothly. Use a level and a square. If everything is in order, the beams are secured, most often using anchor bolts. A layer of heat-insulating material (tow, jute, moss) is laid between the rows, checking the level regularly.
- Creating a doorway, window openings. They can be made in advance, but it is much more difficult. More often, openings are left during construction in the form of gaps, which are cut to the required size upon completion of construction.
- Seal all cracks. Ideally, a new building should be given time to settle, about six months. When using moss or tow gaskets between the beams, simply check to see if there are any gaps left and seal them.
- Installation of a bathhouse roof.
Due to the fact that a wooden one-story bathhouse is lightweight, there is no need to make a foundation; the foundation will be enough. After construction, the building is insulated, a stove is installed, and finishing work is carried out.
Building a house without a foundation: is it advisable?
The construction of 70% of buildings in the modern world is carried out using frame technology. Such houses are light in weight, comparable to cabins. Therefore, if proper preparation is made under the building, you can do without a cast grillage.
In Siberia, where temperatures can reach -50 degrees Celsius, frame and log houses are built on deciduous logs and placed directly on the ground. When building with a strip foundation, the lower beam becomes damp and rots despite good waterproofing and ventilation.
Building a house without a foundation is relevant if:
- A wooden or frame house has low weight;
- The soil under the house has a high density;
- You have decided to build a shed or temporary building with your own hands;
- It is impossible or impractical to make a cement foundation due to climatic or other reasons.
Foundation for a bathhouse on a sloped area
If there is a slope on the site for building a bathhouse, then leveling posts must be installed on the gravel bed. The foundation of the building is mounted on them.
Before starting the construction of such a foundation, it is important to determine the type of soil, its strength and take into account possible subsidence. This is especially true in cases where there is groundwater close to the surface. If the soil is silty, consists of fine sand or peat, then you cannot build a bathhouse on it.
Why frame houses?
Frame technology is a long-lasting trend in Europe and America. The costs of preparing buildings are minimal. This is much more profitable than buying an apartment in the city. Frame technology is adapted to climate change, which means it is optimally suited for the changeable Russian climate. Turnkey frame houses can be built during the winter frost season and within a few months you will have a building fully equipped for living.
The key advantage of frames is proper weight distribution. Regardless of the number of rooms, the weight load on the supports is distributed harmoniously. That is why there is no need to build a massive foundation, spend money on purchasing reinforced concrete blocks and renting special equipment for digging a pit. Even an ordinary embankment, which consists of sand, crushed stone and cement, can fix and hold reinforcement and metal supports.
An alternative to the foundation of a house
In order to construct a house without a foundation, it is necessary to replace the concrete foundation with an alternative one. For this you can use ordinary car tires. At the time of mounting the tires, timber is laid on some of them for strapping. This type of material is the most affordable, and such a base serves for a long time.
Having laid the car tires on the site around the perimeter of the future house, it is necessary to partially fill them with sand of any fraction. After which the filled sand is moistened and compacted, then the procedure is repeated. The stages are carried out until half the tire is filled.
Then you need to pour medium-sized crushed stone. The result will be identical in characteristics to an ordinary concrete base. The base, constructed from car tires, has the following advantages:
- Good shock-absorbing characteristics, due to this there is good protection against heaving in the ground
- The ecology of the structure is preserved
- A building with a typical foundation has good stability. Based on the large number of positive reviews from people who once used this type of foundation, we can conclude that distortions of load-bearing walls do not occur.
- The material is accessible to any buyer, unlike a concrete structure.
- It is possible to construct a foundation of this type without extensive experience in the construction industry.
