Finishing the basement of a private house: materials, options, methods, which is better. Facing the basement of a private house External finishing of the basement of a house
The basement is one of the most important parts of a private house: it is designed to protect the house from deformation, withstanding temperature extremes, as well as numerous climatic precipitation. Therefore, the lining of the foundation plays an important role in the construction of the house. In this article, we will give instructions on how to finish the plinth with your own hands.
Finishing material
For the design of the basement are most often used:
- Artificial or natural stone.
- Siding.
- Tiles or panels for facade decoration.
- Professional sheet.
- Special coatings.
The choice of this or that finishing material is determined both by the preference of the owner of the house and by his financial situation.
Artificial or natural stone
It is made from concrete mortar using certain dyes, as well as additives that allow the finishing material to withstand temperature changes. Facing the basement with artificial stone has several advantages:
- The effect of finishing with natural stone.
- Inexpensive cost of finishing materials.
- Long service life of artificial stone due to the increased strength of the material.
Natural stone is much more expensive than artificial, but it itself has a higher strength than artificial. Most often used in decoration:
- Granite.
- River (sea) stone.
- Sandstone.
- Marble.
siding finish
Recently, such a finishing material as siding has become increasingly popular. It is a panel made of pressed polymer composite with the inclusion of various additives that give strength to the material. Siding has a number of undeniable advantages:
- Increased strength.
- Resistance to various climatic precipitation: rain or snow, and temperature extremes.
- Not demanding to care.
- Allows installation in any weather on any type of plinth.
If necessary, you can carry out preliminary work on the insulation of the basement.
Tiles or panels
Tiles or panels for exterior walls provide a wide opportunity not only for finishing, but also for decorating a private house. Such a finishing material is made of dense concrete with small pores, which significantly increases the strength characteristics of the tile. A wide selection of colors allows you to choose the right shades suitable for this home.
profiled sheet
Profiled sheets are often used in decoration. However, in no case should it be used if the house is built of wooden beams. Since the profiled sheet is susceptible to corrosion when moisture gets on it, it can contribute to the rapid decay of the wooden basement of the house.
Finishing process
Depending on the type of foundation and the selected finishing material, the finishing technology may vary.
The plinth, made of natural stone, does not need finishing. However, the foundation of concrete or brick requires finishing work. The pile foundation needs a reinforced frame on which the finishing material will be laid. A wooden house cannot be finished until it shrinks.
If a pile foundation was erected during the construction of the house, you first need to build a frame around the base. To do this, you can use both wooden slats and galvanized metal profiles.
Wooden slats are short-lived. Therefore, making a choice in their favor, you need to understand that in a few years you will have to repeat the finishing work along with the replacement of the frame.
The frame is fastened on piles using self-tapping screws. A heat-insulating material is attached to the frame, which is primed with a special moisture-proof finishing material.
A concrete or brick foundation needs preparation: it must be cleaned of dust and dirt; its surface must be leveled with a special mortar. Only after that a moisture-proof primer is applied, on which the selected finishing material is subsequently laid.
Each finishing material for the foundation of a private house needs a proper fit on the basement of the building. For example, tiles or panels for the facade require the use of a certain type of adhesive solution. Natural or artificial stone is "planted" on a concrete solution. The siding can be attached with either glue or self-tapping screws. Some types of panels or tiles for facade decoration have special grooves and ridges with which the elements are mounted with each other. In order for the finishing material to be kept on the plinth, it is necessary to support it with the help of special rails or overlays.
If finishing is planned, it should be borne in mind that it is desirable to make the plinth in a darker color than the main color of the facade. Some materials - for example, natural stone, need additional treatment with water-repellent agents that will extend the life of this finishing material.
Photo
Video
From this video you will learn how to finish the plinth with siding.
Owners of private houses know that the decorative finishing of the foundation is an inevitable procedure, but many believe that it is the prerogative of specialists. However, everything can be done with your own hands, for this you only need to strictly follow the instructions.
For decorative finishing of the foundations, you will need the following tools:
- trowel;
- grater;
- trowel;
- steel brush;
- rule;
- brush.
Finishing the foundation is most often carried out by plastering, followed by painting.
This refers, of course, to the basement of the house. Plastering is by far the most common and most inexpensive way to finish the foundation. How is plastering done?
Surface preparation
In order for the foundation to be durable and there will be no further problems with the base, the surface on which the decorative layer will be applied must be protected. First of all, you need to make a blind area. Even if you choose the most inexpensive, it will perfectly protect the surface of the basement from water and dirt, and also soften the effect of temperature changes on the foundation.
Plastering is the easiest and cheapest way to "clog" pores, strengthen and level the surface and protect it from cracking. In order to enhance the water-repellent properties, a plasticizer must be added to the cement-lime mortar. Waterproofing is an optional process. It is needed if it is planned or a planed dry board, but it will not hurt, as it extends the life of the building. If you need to protect the base from moisture, then you can use two layers of roofing material for this.
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Finishing the plinth with plaster
Before proceeding with the decorative finishing of the foundation with plaster, it is necessary to eliminate all existing defects that may adversely affect the quality of the plaster. The surface must be free of dirt, grease and dust. Then you need to "shoot" the chain-link mesh, for this metal dowels are used. This creates a plaster base, you can still cover the surface with a layer of mortar.
In order to be of high quality, you should study the work according to the classical technology: first, a primer layer is applied, then it needs to be allowed to dry, roughened, and then you can make a “scrub” (that is, apply a decorative layer directly). It should be noted that plaster is not the most expensive finishing option, so you should not limit yourself from an aesthetic point of view.
It is necessary to choose decorative plaster and apply it with a “spray”, for this you need to use a trowel or sprayer. Thus, a colored “coat” is created with the help of pigments. When finishing the base, the marble and granite texture looks very beautiful. This is done in the following way. A cement mortar must be applied to the previously prepared surface, then a decorative layer containing aggregate is applied. The surface of the plinth is leveled, cleaned and compacted by special stamping.
Finishing the basement can be done with rustication or squares. This is done as follows: the surface is divided into fields, and a pattern is applied that imitates masonry. Rusts imitate the seams between the stones, for a greater effect, iron strips can be filled. The most popular types of rustication are: Roman, chipped, rectangular, rounded, beveled, grooved, prismatic.
If after plastering the foundation is painted, then only resistant paint should be used for these purposes. Thanks to this, the house will look well-groomed and the humidity in the room will be significantly reduced.
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Finishing with natural and artificial stone
It also remains one of the most common. For this, it is best to use natural stones, but artificial ones can also be used for this. The house, which is lined with stone, has an impressive appearance, it looks very massive, so it becomes attractive in appearance and reliable.
This foundation finish is good for everyone, but there are some drawbacks: this procedure is far from the cheapest, the laboriousness of the work is also impressive. Finishing with natural stone is especially expensive, however, the use of artificial stone can “eat up” a large share of the budget. In order to save money, you can choose to finish the foundation basement with granite, slate or limestone.
Decorative stone trim has one more rather significant drawback: if the lower part of the building is heavily "weighted", then it turns out to be narrower towards the top. Thus, with the decorative, not only skill is provided in the performance of construction work, but engineering should also work.
Stone cladding begins with the need to make a supporting frame (it is made of hooks, wooden pegs and a reinforced lattice), and then individual elements are attached. In order to fix heavy stones, you need to follow certain rules:
- products must be inserted into the prepared honeycombs of the frame;
- everything needs to be fixed with hooks and pegs;
- after the laying of the first row is completed, a solution must be poured between the stones and the grate.
It can also be done with adhesive solutions. It should be noted the advantages of artificial analogues: cost (it is several times lower than that of natural stone), low weight (this greatly facilitates finishing work), the relief is as close as possible to the original. Facing with artificial stone involves the observance of ceramic tile installation technologies without attaching the material to the frame honeycombs.
The special relief on the inside of the tiles ensures a high-quality surface and excellent adhesion. Thus, you can count on the fact that such a cladding will not fall off after several years of operation.
Finally, it should be noted that decorating the basement is necessary not only for aesthetics, but also so that the humidity in the room is lower.
You can decorate the basement of the house with various materials that can reliably protect the upper part of the foundation from getting wet, solar ultraviolet radiation, and mechanical damage. Brick, clinker, masonry or siding is usually used - polymer or composite panels that imitate masonry with high quality.
In the construction markets there is a cladding of any kind. Before determining which material is best suited for the architectural style of the cottage, the following factors must be considered:
- the protruding base will have to be additionally protected by ebbs;
- flexible tiles have a minimum layer thickness, which can be pasted over a concrete surface;
- maximizes the design of the basement brickwork;
- inside the frames on which panels, siding or corrugated board are attached, you can lay a heater to eliminate heat loss through the ceilings, floors of the lower floor;
- frame systems by default are more maintainable, can be updated at any time during operation.
Advice! It is better to decorate the protruding plinth before facing the facades, so that, if necessary, hide the upper mounting shelf of the ebb under the wall finishing material.
Brickwork
To overlay the basement with bricks, it is necessary to make a separate base for masonry. On heaving soils, for this it is necessary to replace 40 cm of soil with crushed stone and / or sand, compacted in layers.
Unlike a concrete foundation, this facing material has half the resource in contact with the ground. On top of the underlying layer, rolled waterproofing in 2 - 3 layers is required. To completely eliminate subsidence of brickwork, a rigid bond with a plinth is used:
- after laying 2 - 3 rows in the supporting structure, blind holes are drilled to a depth of 4 - 6 cm;
- 6 - 10 mm reinforcement is inserted into them, connecting the main wall with the cladding;
It is recommended to use ceramic bricks, slotted, hollow stone or hyper-pressed modifications. Masonry is carried out exclusively in rows of spoons in half a brick. To eliminate the cold bridge, which is essentially the construction of the basement, basalt wool or extruded polystyrene foam can be laid between the facing brick and the supporting structure.
Important! The insulation must be joined to the thermal insulation of the facade or brought along the upper part of the basement inside under the layer of wall cladding in the absence of thermal insulation.
Clinker
You can finish the ground part of the foundation of the house with clinker tiles. The budget will be approximately equal to brick cladding. However, this material has some advantages:
- the maximum possible operational resource of all known claddings;
- the presence of ready-made corner (external / internal) elements;
- fastening to the walls, no need for your own foundation;
- insignificant loading of the load-bearing frame due to the low weight of the clinker;
- high artistic value of the decorative coating.
There are different types of clinker tiles that imitate masonry, torn, rocky, polished stone. Therefore, you can choose the design option for the basement in full accordance with the architectural style of a private cottage.
Clinker tiles are fixed with an adhesive solution, panels made of this material are attached to the frame. The first option does not allow you to insulate the ground part of the foundation, the second allows you to install polystyrene foam inside the crate.
Advice! There is a clinker tile for steps, which allows, when finishing the plinth with the same material, to achieve maximum aesthetics of the perception of facades.
Polymer sand tiles
An inexpensive option for finishing the basement of a house is a polymer-sand composite, from which tiles of various formats are made. This material is very light, practically does not load the foundation structure, is attached either to the frame crate or to tile adhesive.
The texture usually imitates natural stone or brickwork. The material is moisture resistant, with a minimum coefficient of expansion, resistant to solar ultraviolet radiation, aggressive media and mechanical damage. The tile is cut with a hand saw in any direction, you can choose any format to reduce cutting waste.
Important! Additional elements for this cladding do not exist, therefore, an exact fit in corners and mates is required.
A natural stone
If there is cheap natural stone in the region, you can finish the basement of the house with this material. This option is more suitable for seasonal buildings in which external insulation of the underground and above-ground parts of the foundation is not required. Heavy material is planted on a mortar or tile adhesive, significantly loads the load-bearing frame of the cottage, and does not hold on to the insulation.
Granite, gravel, dolomite stone has high strength and moisture resistance. However, when facing, many mortar joints are obtained, which do not initially have the indicated characteristics. Therefore, finishing costs increase for the purchase of grouts, which provide waterproofing of the joints.
Important! The stone cannot be fixed on the frames, so the maintainability of the cladding is zero.
Fake diamond
Of all the modifications of artificial stone, concrete slabs with a decorative outer layer are usually used to finish the basement of a house. To improve the characteristics, the material is modified with moisture-resistant additives, colored by weight to increase the wear resistance of the front surface.
The fastening of artificial stone is standard - the adhesive layer after the foundation has been treated with a primer. This cladding can be used with any facade coatings. Integration into the exterior and architectural style is high by default.
Tiles, porcelain tiles
To finish the basement of the house with tiles or porcelain stoneware, you will first have to level the surfaces. The thickness of the adhesive layer should not exceed 1 cm, modifications can only be used for outdoor work.
Porcelain stoneware is much stronger, tiles have a wider assortment, a richer choice of textures, colors and formats. Therefore, when using tiles, you can reduce the consumption of cutting. The material slightly loads the foundation, the seams are rubbed with special moisture-resistant compounds.
Important! The tile is not a full-fledged waterproofing material. Therefore, the surface of the plinth before facing can and should be treated with a primer, coated with bituminous mastic. The tile does not adhere to glass hydroisol.
Plaster
The budget option for finishing the basement of a house is traditionally the leveling of surfaces with plaster, putty solutions. However, these materials require protection from moisture, additional decoration. Therefore, they are painted with water-based, dispersed, acrylic, acrylate and oil compositions.
The same materials are used in wet facades, as they adhere quite firmly to expanded polystyrene or basalt wool when using reinforcing meshes. Therefore, the basement of a building for seasonal use can simply be plastered and painted, while the basement of a permanent residence is best insulated and plastered and covered with decorative plaster.
basement siding
If you're on a tight budget, vinyl plinth siding is a better choice for your building. Despite the name, facades are often finished entirely on the outside with this material. For example, a budget "framework" can be completely sheathed with basement siding, giving the dwelling the architecture of a brick cottage.
Photo of a vinyl plinth siding panel imitating brick.
Unlike standard linear panels, plinth siding is produced in the form of modules with dimensions of about 1.2 x 0.5 m 18 - 30 mm thick. The texture usually imitates stone or masonry; panels have locks to connect them together. Inside the crate of the frame, you can lay a heater, reducing the heat loss of the building.
Important! Basement siding has the widest range of extensions. In addition to ebbs and corners, manufacturers produce starting, finishing strips and clamps for covert fastening of panels.
profiled sheet
Facing the ground part of the foundation with corrugated board is a budget option. At the same time, the facades are of low artistic value, so it is better to use this cladding for outbuildings. Installation is carried out on a frame made of timber or a galvanized profile, fixed to the plinth from the outside.
Sheets can be fixed on the runs with rivets or self-tapping screws. For the profiled sheet, there are additional elements that allow you to qualitatively decorate the outer and inner corners, install ebbs above the plinth.
Important! When choosing corrugated board, there is practically no cutting waste, since you can order sheets of the required height, mounted without fitting.
Flexible roof tiles
This method of facing the ground part of the foundation, in principle, is not the intended use of roofing. Flexible tiles are very thin, they cannot hide even minor flatness defects, therefore, they require a perfectly even base.
This decoration technology is more suitable for picking up columnar or pile-grillage foundations. A crate is stuffed along the supporting vertical elements or girders are attached, asbestos-cement sheets are hung on them, their surface can be pasted over with flexible bituminous tiles, additionally secured with self-tapping screws. Usually choose the types of tiles as similar as possible to the stone.
The use of composite materials made of fiber cement for finishing the basement of a house makes it possible to provide a 20-30 year resource. The panel is created from a mixture of cement and wood fibers by hot pressing, the outer surface is laminated or covered with a protective layer. They are made to imitate various materials - wood, brick, stone.
In addition to weather resistance and self-sufficient face design, fiber cement panels have self-cleaning properties. Dust and dirt are washed away by rain or water from a hose. Panel locks are supplemented with sealing elements that ensure high tightness of the facing layer.
Photo of a plinth made of fiber cement panels
Thus, the plinth can be decorated in many ways, depending on the available construction budget, the architectural style of the building, and the preferences of the owner. It is necessary to focus on the resource of coatings, the weight of linings, the thickness and price of materials.
Finishing the basement of a private house is an important part of the ongoing construction work, the quality and reliability of which determine the appearance of the structure under construction, its original design, and the relative durability of the building.
The basement, which rises above the base of the building, needs to be protected. Finishing the basement of the house is a decorative component, with which the building can be given an original appearance.
This method will secure its underground part of the building and protect the bottom of the outer wall from negative influences.
Types of plinths and building materials
Finishing the basement with stone will add presentability to the house In deciding how to finish the basement of a house, several components are usually taken into account. In this case, the presence of underground structures, the type of foundation used in the construction and the building material from which the house was built are of primary importance. The exterior finish of the basement with stone is due to the reliable type of foundation, the desire to provide the house with a presentable and rich appearance, to confirm the reliability and massiveness of the structure.
Stone decoration is more often used for certain types of plinth, when the choice of decorative finishes for the foundation is not limited either by its reliability, or by the availability of free space, or by the desire to make it cheap.
Decorative tiles - lighter and cheaper material The relative massiveness of the stone and the light material from which the walls were built more often inclines the owner of the building to ensure that the lining of the basement of the house is made with decorative tiles, as a fairly reliable, but lighter building material.
The main parameter for choosing the finish and decorative component of the plinth is the type of the lower base of the outer wall, which was determined when creating the project. It is characterized in relation to the foundation and the upper part of the house and is equipped for practical reasons in different ways:
Facing the foundation of the house and the materials that are purchased for it are largely dictated by the structure of the basement chosen when creating the project.
The development of modern production of building materials has diversified the usual list of raw materials, in comparison with that which was at the disposal of the developer before.
In fashion trends from modern house building designers, there is a contrasting finish of the foundation of the house, which is chosen as opposed to the wall decoration material. Smooth walls dictate embossed materials on the plinth, implying a smooth underside finish on the outside.
Use of natural stone
Natural stone is not cheap, but it is durable and durable. This traditional type of building finish never goes out of style. An alternative to decorating a basement with natural stone can equally well be finished with granite, sandstone, limestone and marble.
Natural stone is an expensive material For finishing, you should purchase stone in the form of cut decorative tiles with a smooth polished or deliberately rough surface with preserved natural protrusions.
This expensive finish, whose naturalness in an unpolished form is worth even more money than smooth and honed.
Porous stone tiles require waterproofing, which further increases the cost of finishing work.
Brief description of facing materials
Clinker tiles are so decorative that they not only finish the foundation of a private house, but are also used in interior spaces as a facing material. Clinker tiles for facing the basement of a house are both decorative, practical, and at the same time look quite expensive.
With its help, you can decorate both the walls and the sidewalk near the building. An additional dominant of the building being finished can be provided by choosing tiles in a contrasting or well-harmonizing color scheme, and the color of the walls, under the variety of shades produced on an industrial scale.
Ease of use is that it can be glued with frost-resistant glue directly on the foundation of the house.
The plaster is applied in several stages Decorative plaster is an excellent option for finishing the foundation with your own hands, giving you the opportunity for a comprehensive manifestation of fantasy, from colors to creating a variable structure.
However, for its application, a number of preparatory stages are carried out, not so much expensive as labor-intensive, starting with the coating of the soil layer and up to the fiberglass reinforcement.
The plaster itself is also applied in several layers and covered with a protective layer, but it lasts for several years at most.
Consideration of options for finishing the basement with decorative plaster is applicable only with a low construction budget.
PVC panels successfully imitate natural stone and tiles PVC panels are an inexpensive material for plinth sheathing, using which you can imitate any other building material and choose any shade of color for this.
Do-it-yourself plinth finishing is a great option for low-budget and short-term construction. It leaves a rich selection of imitation surfaces and their colors to the consideration and whims of the future happy owner. Moreover, special panels for the foundation are produced, which exceed conventional PVC wall panels in terms of strength and reliability.
A reliable base is able to ensure the reliability of the building. When lining and insulating it, you should not save.
Choice of finishing materials
Materials for facing the foundation are selected taking into account the intended purpose and type of basement. The type of basement is used for reasons of the presence or absence of additional arrangements to protect the house from the effects of weather conditions. For more information on how and how to finish the basement at home, see this video:
The main task of the plinth is to protect the lower house base from pollution, erosion, natural precipitation and sunlight. All this in a cumulative effect, if the foundation is not reliably protected, in a few years it can even destroy concrete.
The use of various types of plinth finishes is predominantly protective, but at the same time, the decorative component is also important.
Finishing the foundation with your own hands
The answer to the question of how to sheathe the foundation depends on what material the developer chose. Such work requires some special knowledge, but it is quite realistic and feasible to do everything yourself.
To finish the house with your own hands using decorative plaster, you need to apply a primer layer, let it dry, apply a layer of putty very carefully, reinforce it, and then apply a layer of decorative plaster with a spatula to finish the basement and form its texture.
PVC panels are more convenient to mount on the frame Decorative plaster still needs to be sanded and painted, but compared to other types of work, it is inexpensive and quite reliable. Modern acrylic paints provide frost resistance, and it comes out quite beautifully.
For further decoration with bricks, tiles or PVC panels, you can apply concrete plinth finish or ignore finishing materials and simply paint a flat concrete surface with polymer paint so as not to veneer. Concrete is applied to a metal mesh, which is fastened with dowels, after which a formwork of a special design is built along the perimeter of the building, and the formation of a concrete base begins.
The disadvantage of laid concrete is the need to wait until it dries, but its surface is suitable for many finishes. There are many things to consider when deciding how to clad the foundation of a house.
Layered finishing of the plinth with stone tiles
Natural stone will last for many years The advantages of natural stone are undeniable, and in general, this is a fairly profitable investment, given that the stone for the plinth can be used for many years, and with skillful handling it will not require work for decades.
Stone facing tiles for the foundation give the house a rich and solid look, are not afraid of moss, have undeniable ennobling properties, but this finish is more expensive than the others.
In addition, it requires the mandatory installation of a drainage system and exerts significant pressure on the foundation, so it is relatively rarely used for the basement of private houses. Clinker bricks, polymer panels and artificial stone require approximately the same technique and amount of glue. For more information about finishing with natural stone, see this video:
You can decorate the basement of a brick house with your own hands using almost any materials for strengthening and decoration, but for the use of each of them there are certain technological subtleties of preliminary preparation of the facade.
Low tides will save the basement and foundation from destruction For the house, it is not so much the decorative as the protective component of the base that is important. It should serve as a barrier to the dwelling from the lower base, so the option of being flush with the walls has no function other than partial beauty.
The protruding version of the base perfectly protects the foundation and underground insulated structures, but is too vulnerable to weather conditions, and before deciding how to veneer, you need to choose how to protect it from precipitation from the roof. Otherwise, any decorative panels will become unusable in a few years. How to finish the ledge so that the tides look harmonious, you need to decide even before the start of the tiled or panel cladding stage.
The sills can be made of metal with a polymer coating of copper sheet, clinker bricks or ordinary metal.
Plinth: ebbs and insulation
Wood finishes are good for appropriate homes, and their durability can be ensured by the use of protective compounds. Stone and decorative tiles are an ideal, but expensive option, the choice of which should be approached taking into account all the components.
When the frame of the house has already been built and the finishing work remains, the question arises: how best to finish the outer surfaces, including the foundation of the house, what materials to use for decoration and cladding? In this case, saving money on materials is undesirable, since the protection of the basement walls is one of the primary tasks in building a house. What to choose: aesthetics or practicality?
Since the basement is the above-ground part of the foundation structure, it, like the outer walls of the house, needs protection: from moisture, temperature extremes and frost. In addition, both the facade of the house and its basement should look aesthetically pleasing and harmonize with each other. All these conditions are met by various finishing materials.
Photo gallery: varieties of plinth decoration
Bulky in appearance, the panels are lightweight and have a textured surface that imitates natural stone Large fractions look great with facade tiles, harmonizing not only with their shade, but also fitting into the overall design of the architecture The finish of the basement is distinguished by the accuracy and discreetness of the tiles
In this case, the shades of the siding fit perfectly into the overall architecture of the house Pigment dye has been added to the plaster, refreshing the overall look of the house
Types of materials for finishing and cladding
Today for finishing the foundations are used:
Each type of finish has its own advantages and disadvantages, presented below. In addition, the methods of carrying out finishing work also differ.
Table: comparison of finishing materials
Important: finishing the foundation should be carried out without fail, because the concrete will absorb moisture, which has a destructive effect on it during temperature changes.
Before carrying out finishing work, it is necessary to prepare the surface: remove dirt, level the foundation wall, covering cracks and chips. After leveling, the surface is primed so that the finish adheres better to the main surface.
Plaster
It is the most affordable and simple finishing material. For it, sand with cement, filled with water and mixed in a ratio of 3: 1: 0.5, is used. In this case, cement grade M400 is sufficient. The solution itself is applied to the reinforcing mesh, which acts as a fixative. The grid is attached to the above-ground surface of the foundation with fixing dowels.
The progress of work during plastering is as follows:
Note: the primer (first) layer must be constantly moistened throughout the week. Wetting with water should be carried out up to four times a day, covering the surface with a film each time after wetting.
Pigment dyes can also be added to the finishing layer solution. In addition, the plaster is decorated with a rasp: contours are cut on the surface as when laying brick or stone.
And to imitate a “fur coat”, the solution for the decorative layer is not applied, but thrown in small portions. This results in a textured surface that can hide minor irregularities and defects in the foundation.
Panels
This includes siding - the material is modern, comfortable, lightweight. In addition to an affordable price and a variety of colors, siding is distinguished by the fact that it is not necessary to glue it to the basement surface - it is enough to use fasteners and a frame for installing panels.
Note: for the manufacture of the frame, it is necessary to use special profiles.
Finishing the siding foundation is as follows:
Important: there should be a small air gap between the panels and the main wall of the basement for air circulation. This is necessary to prevent the formation of mold on the main wall when condensation forms.
Siding is also distinguished by the fact that for its installation it is not necessary to carry out a perfect alignment of the main surface.
Tile
Strength, aesthetics and durability - these are the three components that can characterize tiles. Today, facing tiles are divided into three types: clinker, polymer sand and porcelain stoneware. They are distinguished by production technology, size and weight. And the laying technology is similar to stone cladding.
Clinker tiles are similar in appearance and production technology to bricks, but their thickness is only 2 cm. Tiles are laid on a special adhesive, which manufacturers offer in the form of a ready-made dry mix. Laying technology is the same as for artificial or natural stone, after laying it is necessary to use grout for tile joints.
Tip: For a better effect, the grout for the tile can be chosen in a contrasting color that is very different from the color of the finish.
Polymer sand tiles are made from waste plastic and sand, and therefore have less weight than clinker tiles. It can be mounted both on self-tapping screws and planted on tile adhesive.
The advantage of such a tile is that it does not require grouting of tile joints - it is enough to cut the required number of tiles and stick the fragments on the frame
Note: polymer sand tiles are usually used for foundations with low bearing capacity.
Porcelain tiles are made from fired clay. Since the tile is pressed, the density of the material is increased, as a result of which such a finish is quite heavy. The thickness of one element can vary from 0.3 to 3 cm. However, the moisture absorption coefficient of porcelain stoneware is quite low.
Porcelain tiles are mounted only on a special adhesive solution that can withstand the adhesion of the element to the surface. However, since increased requirements for strength and weather resistance are imposed on the finish of the basement, the tiles are put on glue, additionally fastening its fragments with brackets and clasps.
Stone, artificial and natural
This type of finish is considered not only the most expensive, but also the most beautiful. The difference between materials is only in different cost and operational life.
For facing the plinth with stone, you will need a finishing material and an adhesive solution. The solution is made from ready-made dry mixes, but it can be replaced with a cement-sand mixture of one's own production. The thickness of the adhesive solution should be 0.3–0.5 mm.
The facing stone is laid on a previously prepared surface, with the adhesive solution already applied. Fragments of the stone are also covered with a thin layer of mortar from the wrong side and pressed against the main surface. After laying, the remaining mortar is removed from the finish.
Note: a perfectly flat surface is required for laying; otherwise, the finish will not last long.
For natural stone, it is desirable to use an adhesive solution of increased adhesion to more firmly hold the finish.
The foundation is considered completely finished when, after laying the finishing material, a slope is fixed on top to protect the basement from the accumulation of rainfall
Tip: natural stone after gluing can be dried and covered with a protective layer - varnish or hydrophobic solution. This achieves the effect of a “wet” plinth lining, in addition, the coating protects the finish from moisture ingress into the stone and destruction of the material during low temperatures.
Brick
Perhaps this is the most durable facing material for the plinth, and at the same time it has certain selection rules. Properly selected brick will protect the base from destruction and the foundation from overload.
So, for monolithic foundations, you can use standard material. But for strip or columnar foundations, it is desirable to finish with a special brick.
Brick installation is carried out on anchor bolts connecting the main wall with the finish. For safety, you can use a dowel tied with wire as a fastener. The wire is fixed at the ends in the seams of the finish.
Important: Also, there should be a small gap between the brick and the main wall for air circulation.
The air gap will avoid the accumulation of condensate, which has a destructive effect on the main wall.
As experienced builders note, wire knitting when facing with bricks must be done at a rate of 0.5–0.7 m per 1 m2. In other words, for greater strength of the cladding, fastening with the main surface in the amount of 4-6 knits will be required.
Tip: for laying bricks, a cement mortar with sand is used, the cement grade is M500.
Video: finishing the plinth with siding
The choice of foundation cladding will depend on the owner and his budget. Some will like to use panels, some will prefer tiles, and some owners will decide to make the cladding “for centuries” and choose natural stone. The essence of finishing the basement is to protect the above-ground part of the foundation from the destructive effects of frost and moisture for a long time.
