With building foundations, construction workers can choose from a whole range of materials, but which ones are the most popular?
Materials used in foundation construction:
Concrete
Concrete
At the top of the list, concrete has to be the most common construction material of all. Incredibly strong and durable, most buildings depend on concrete to give them stability and longevity. Despite its solid appearance, concrete can easily be shaped into all kinds of moulds, making it ideal for a huge range of applications.
Steel
If you have concrete, you need to have steel too. If concrete is unsupported, the slabs can crack, so reinforcing them with steel keeps the building safe. Steel rods come in different thicknesses and are positioned in either perpendicular or parallel positions. For construction purposes, steel is often coated to be free from rust and stainless.
Wood
Although not commonly found in industrial builds, wood foundations often make up the base of wooden houses or in instances where concrete will cost too much. Because wood can be prone to rotting as well as termites, it needs to be treated with pressure and chemicals beforehand.
Weatherproofing solvents
Foundations are prone to water damage and damp, especially during rainy seasons when soil becomes damp. Solvents need to be applied to foundation materials to protect them and the structure of the building. These include materials like asphaltic emulsions, rubber, polythene, rubberized asphalt or bentonite.
Concrete blocks
Although liquid concrete is used commonly and shaped into bespoke moulds, concrete blocks are also often used in foundations. These come already built and are shaped like bricks and are useful when it comes to making sure the exposed surfaces of foundations are covered. They also aid in preventing frost and can be laid much more quickly than other kinds of bricks. They can be costly though, which is why liquid concrete is still the more popular option. When using ready-made blocks, construction workers need to make sure they’re of high quality.
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