Throughout the history of evolution, fire has helped humans survive. This is probably why people still have such a craving for the living fire of a fire. Therefore, it is not surprising that, having barely learned to build their own housing, people brought a fire into it, which gradually transformed into a fireplace.
If earlier the fireplace was an integral element of any home, then it was gradually replaced by progress. But today the tradition of installing a fireplace in the house is experiencing a rebirth. Although now this device has more of a decorative function, it helps create additional coziness and comfort in the home.
Where to start the installation?
First, you need to decide on the size of the future hearth, because if the fireplace room is small in size, then it is hardly worth erecting a monumental structure. After this, you can begin to calculate the dimensions of the firebox, the ratio of height to width is 2:3. And the most important thing is to build a reliable foundation.
Types of foundation
The presence of a foundation for a fireplace is mandatory in any house, especially in a wooden one. There are at least three ways to build it. It all depends on at what stage of the construction of the main housing the idea of constructing such a fireplace came to mind:
- main, along with the construction of a house;
- two options for building a foundation in a ready-made house.
If the fireplace was planned simultaneously with the construction of the house or cottage, then in this case no difficulties can arise. The main thing here is to decide on its location, size and pour the foundation. This work is easy to do with your own hands; there are no special subtleties here.
But we must not forget that total weight The entire fireplace structure, which includes the chimney, firebox and hearth, weighs a lot. Therefore, such a foundation can sink more than the entire foundation of the constructed housing. Therefore, there is no need to rush into arranging the fireplace. He also needs to “settle” for at least a year.
If a fireplace is being built in an already built house, then, first of all, the question arises of how to connect this structure to the floor. There are two possible options:
- A simple, but not the most reliable option for connecting a fireplace to the floor is to install a concrete slab under the hearth, which can be seen in the photo;
- Challenging but safe and durable option consists in the fact that the wooden floor in the selected location is dismantled. Then a hole is dug for pouring the foundation, concrete is poured, reinforced with reinforcement. You can see this in the photo.
When choosing the second option, you need to remember that the base of the fireplace structure should not be in contact with the foundation wooden house and be independent.
Pit for the foundation
The size of the pit for the foundation, according to experienced builders, should go to a depth of 50-60 cm. Moreover, the size of the pit should be 10-15 cm wider than the finished foundation. wooden house doing this with your own hands will not be easy, because the soil under the house can be heavily compacted.
When this labor-intensive part of the work is completed, you can begin laying the “pillow”. This layer consists of 5 cm of sand and 5 cm of crushed stone. After compaction, you can also add reinforced mesh laid on stones or simply parts of reinforcement for strength, as in the photo.
Construction of the foundation
After preparing the “pillow”, you can begin laying the foundation, which can be made either from refractory bricks or from rubble concrete (the first option is much simpler). For a concrete foundation, you will need to construct formwork, which is laid on the inside with roofing felt. After this, the stones are laid, and the spaces between them are filled with small crushed stone. All this is filled with concrete mortar in a ratio of 1:3. Each such layer is poured at intervals of a day.
You can, of course, do all the work in a day, but doing it yourself is quite labor-intensive. When all layers are filled, the foundation is leveled and covered with film. Slow drying will prevent cracking. After 7 days you can begin laying or installing the fireplace.
It must be remembered that the foundation of the fireplace will not only be under the floor, but should also rise above the ground by another 50-60 cm and 6-7 cm below the level of the wooden floor in the house.
Chimney in a wooden house
Having established the foundation, you can think about installing chimney. This work can also be done with your own hands. The chimney must function smoothly and remove combustion products. Its dimensions are calculated in accordance with strict rules. Therefore, when choosing a chimney, you need to take into account the size of the fireplace and the type of fuel.
The diameter of the chimney and the smoke outlet pipe must match. Otherwise, this may lead to poor-quality removal of combustion products. The system will begin to smoke, and soot will quickly form in the chimney.
The chimney should have a round cross-section, since in pipes with a square or rectangular cross-section, turbulence can form, which also contributes to the formation of soot.
Fireplace requirements
In addition to decorative functions, the fireplace has a number of additional requirements, such as:
- do not create smoke in the room;
- warm up the air;
- look proportionate to the interior of the room.
You need to build a fireplace structure in order. This detailed diagram, which indicates where each brick of the future fireplace should be located. There are no trifles in this important matter.
A fireplace stove is an integral attribute of any private home or cottage. Often such equipment is installed in cases where there is no other source of heating, batteries or heaters in the premises. You can relax near the hearth, celebrate holidays and celebrations, enjoy dinner or lunch. But it should be remembered that the construction must be of sufficient quality, from suitable materials and reliable.
Fireplace stoves for the home or cottage are designed to brighten up your holiday and heat the premises. However, such a heating unit had such meager and incomplete characteristics decades ago. Today, thanks to innovative and modern solutions, such fireboxes are not only full-fledged heating sources available to everyone, but also a decorative item. You can decorate the interior of a living room, dining room or bedroom with a fireplace in any style.
What functions does the fireplace have?
The first purpose of any fireplace and stove operating on solid fuel, is the heating function. Such devices must heat all rooms in the house efficiently, evenly and quickly enough. However, if you have heating radiators and batteries, you can put the stove in a second place and use it as an additional source of heating.
Also, many devices, in addition to the heating function, are intended for cooking. Such fireboxes can be equipped with a hob for one or more burners, as well as an oven. Such stoves are a full-fledged stove and are quite capable of replacing it in the kitchen of the house.
Also, all modern fireplaces are an integral part of the decor; they have a unique lining of both the portal and the firebox. In addition, if it is impossible to install a wood-burning fireplace in the room, you can create an equally realistic and high-quality imitation, in which a real flame does not burn in the hearth.
Types of fireboxes
Before building a foundation for a fireplace, you need to familiarize yourself with the main varieties heating equipment and their brief characteristics:
- The fireplace can be wall-mounted. Such lesions are often located near partitions, and can also be installed closely and screwed to them. Installation and installation can be carried out both at the stage of construction and repair, and after its completion;
- If you are just building a house or renovating a room, you may want to go with built-in stone. For it, it is necessary to prepare a niche suitable in shape, size and depth, and insulate it internally and externally. You need to prepare a niche only after purchasing the firebox in order to determine its exact dimensions;
- The largest and most interesting are freestanding or island fireplaces. Such structures are massive and bulky and require a lot of free space. They are not tied to a specific wall or partition.
Before building a foundation for a fireplace, it is necessary to develop a unique project. Also, to ensure that smoke does not occur in the room, combustion products and fuel decay do not enter, the draft operates at full power, and the walls and partitions do not heat up, it is necessary to leave appropriate and correctly calculated gaps between the firebox, portal and other structural elements in the room.
Dimensions and varieties
The strip foundation, just like any other, must have sufficient dimensions and exceed in this parameter the dimensions of the heating unit itself on all sides by an average of 500 centimeters or more to one and a half meters.
The depth of the foundation pit is determined in each case individually and depends on the weight and dimensions of the structure. The depth is also affected by the type of soil and the depth of its freezing.
If the house is one-story, strip foundation will have a minimum depth of 500 centimeters. If the house consists of two floors, a pit with a minimum depth of 1 meter is dug under the strip foundation. The width of the pit depends on the fireplace and must also exceed the dimensions of the heating unit by at least 30 centimeters on each side.
A foundation, the construction of which is carried out according to certain rules for certain categories of heating equipment, may not be built at all. Most often, purchased steel and cast iron fireboxes weighing up to 500 kilograms are installed without a foundation. Due to their light weight, they can be placed even in multi-story buildings. The maximum that is required for their installation is strengthening the floor covering and sealing it.
It is necessary to pour the foundation for furnaces weighing more than 500 kilograms. In order for it to be as reliable, durable as possible, not to sag and not be afraid of moisture, the structure is finished 9-12 centimeters short of the floor level, after which several layers of roofing felt with bitumen are laid on top.
The foundation, the calculation of which is carried out individually, can be either massive, complex and full-fledged, or it can be classified as lightweight.
Lightweight foundation
The lightweight foundation is laid on a sand cushion. This option is suitable for non-heaving soil rocks. First of all, a pit with a depth of about one meter is dug. The first layer is sand, which is filled with water and compacted. Next, we repeat this procedure until there is a distance of about 300-500 millimeters to the floor level.
To give the foundation strength, crushed stone, broken stone or brick are used as the top and final layer.
Also, a foundation will be needed not only for buildings located inside an enclosed space, but also for outdoor buildings. Such outdoor stoves and fireplaces may have a slightly simplified design, and the chimney may be shorter or simply absent.
Since street structures are in the most unfavorable conditions all year round, to create the strongest, most stable and durable foundation you will need to acquire foundation blocks. With the help of this material, the surface is perfectly smooth, without much effort.
Pile foundation and connection to the floor
If the soil in your area is heaving, you may have to assemble a pile foundation. It is based on four piles, which have a reinforced concrete screed as a connection. Pipes can be reinforced concrete or reinforced at your discretion. The piles must be filled with concrete solution. Such a foundation can withstand a total load of up to 7 tons. It includes the weight of the foundation itself, equal to 1 ton, the heating unit itself and the chimney system, 4-5 tons.
The foundation, for which the formwork is performed to impart stability, can be assembled based on its type:
- For a wooden house, a foundation based on broken brick, small stone or gravel is suitable. The supports are installed in such a way that the distance between each of them is a small two bricks;
- For modern fireplace inserts, an excellent alternative would be to build columnar foundation. It can be easily assembled both near the wall and in any corner of the room.
It is important that the base for the fireplace is strong enough. To do this, it is collected on the basis of concrete mortar, red stone and rubble stones. Due to the fact that the foundation of the house and the fireplace are two buildings not tied to each other, their shrinkage will also be completely different, which is natural and normal.
Between one foundation and another there should always be free space and a layer of sand equal to 6-10 centimeters.
The foundation, the reinforcement for which is selected based on its type, must be correctly connected to the floor. To do this, it is important to first purchase and prepare all the materials necessary for the work.
If you plan to fill the foundation with a concrete solution, it is important to prepare the correct and durable formwork for it and allow the solution to dry completely.
When is a foundation not needed?
Building a foundation for a stove or fireplace is a rather complex, lengthy and expensive process that requires experience and skills. Many people have probably been looking for ways to build a fireplace with real flames without a foundation. Thanks to modern developments and solutions, this is quite possible today. Stoves without a foundation are potbelly stoves.
Potbelly stoves are made of high-quality steel, which means they are lightweight and can be installed without a foundation. All you need is to seal and protect the walls and flooring.
To operate such a heating unit, depending on the chosen model, coal, wood or pellets are used. Thanks to a large, current and regularly updated range of models from domestic and foreign manufacturers, today you can buy a steel or cast iron stove in any price range.
Many fireplaces are equipped with doors made of transparent tempered glass to allow viewing of the burning fire. Also, some variations can replace a stove in the house, as they are equipped with burners and an oven.
A potbelly stove can consist of either a single firebox or be framed by a portal in a certain style. Fireplace models in classic, modern, loft, country and hi-tech styles are very popular. Marble, granite, natural and artificial stone, brick, metal and tile.
Such modern fireboxes can have not only wall-mounted, island-mounted or built-in installations. There are corner fireplaces that do not take up much space. Hanging and mobile fireboxes with low weight and the ability to be transported are no less in demand.
Building a foundation for a fireplace stove is quite difficult and expensive. In some cases, if you do not have enough experience and skills, it is better to entrust its construction to an experienced craftsman. It will help not only with the construction of the foundation, but also with the design and placement of the furnace itself, will help save money, and make its use efficient.
In this video you can familiarize yourself with one of the options and lay the foundation for the fireplace with your own hands:
During construction country house, the design of which includes a fireplace, many people wonder whether a foundation is needed for the fireplace. Some owners do not consider it necessary to install a solid foundation and limit themselves to installing supports, but over time, such a structure will shrink and gradually collapse. There is a technology for performing the work, according to which the foundation of the house should not be connected to the foundation for the furnace structure, since they are designed for different load-bearing loads.
Types of fireplaces
Stoves and fireplaces are used not only for heating a room. They create a comfortable, warm atmosphere in the house and are used for cooking. If you look at the flickering flame for 15 minutes, fatigue goes away and your mood improves.
The construction of such a structure must be approached with all responsibility. An obligatory step is the installation of a chimney and the construction of a reliable foundation. The room in which the fireplace is installed must be of sufficient area.
The easiest way to provide for the presence of a fireplace is during the construction phase. You can, of course, build the structure into a previously built house, but this will require additional financial and labor costs.
Types of brick fireplaces and their characteristics are presented in the table:
| № | Fireplace type | Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Angular | Mounted in one of the corners of the room. The firebox is located diagonally. The smoke chamber is arranged with inclined walls, the chimney is mounted inside a fire-resistant wall. It heats two rooms at once: the one in which it is located and the one located behind the wall, near the fireplace. |
| 2 | Built-in | It is erected only at the stage of building a house. Can be built into a wall, column, non-flammable thick partition. The advantage is that it does not take up much space. Not suitable for use in wooden houses. |
| 3 | Wall-mounted | It is used for large rooms, as it has significant dimensions. Typically the structure occupies the entire wall area. A chimney is installed on the outside of the wall. |
| 4 | Ostrovny | Installed in the center of the room or in any part of it, it has open approaches on all sides. This design takes up a lot of space. Do not install a fireplace near walls made of flammable materials. If the proper distance is maintained, it can be installed even in a wooden house. |
When adding a fireplace to a project, you must comply with all fire safety requirements.
Why do you need a foundation for a fireplace?
Building a foundation for a fireplace will extend its service life and protect residents from the threat of fire as a result of sparks entering through cracks in the walls of the structure.
You can use the fireplace without installing a reliable base under it, provided that it weighs no more than 500 kg. When using a structure of greater weight, shrinkage will occur over time. This will lead to the appearance of cracks and gradual destruction of the structure.
The foundation must be strictly level and ensure the level position of all elements of the system. It should be wider than the base of the stove or fireplace by at least 10 cm on each side.
The floor level should be 8-10 cm higher than the base under the fireplace.
It would be correct to lay the foundation for the fireplace during the installation of the foundation of the house. You first need to know the dimensions and weight of the heating structure and do everything necessary calculations and only after that proceed to constructing the base.
To protect against moisture, which is always present in the soil, waterproofing measures are carried out. To protect against moisture, roofing felt with a bitumen coating is used, laid in two layers so that the joints of the upper and lower rows do not intersect.
A distance of at least 5 cm is provided between the foundations of the house and the fireplace; it is covered with sand and compacted well.
Calculation of foundation dimensions
To correctly calculate the parameters of the base for a fireplace, you need to take into account the characteristics of the soil, the size and weight of the fireplace itself.
The foundation is laid 20 cm below the freezing point of the soil, so that during frost heaving of the soil it will not be pushed out. The depth of underground sources is also taken into account.
Clay soil with moisture in it is not able to withstand loads; it shrinks unevenly throughout its entire service life.
On sandy soil, shrinkage occurs over a short period. Under the pressure of weight, the sand is compacted and subsequently serves as a reliable basis for construction.
The width of the pit should be 5-15 cm more sizes fireplace.
The minimum laying depth is 50 cm; if necessary, the base can be deepened by 1 m or more.
Highlights
What to consider when installing a fireplace:
- the hole for the firebox should correspond to 1/50 of the area of the room;
- the height of the portal should be 2 times greater than the depth of the firebox;
- the chimney diameter is made 10-15 cm, it should be 10-15 times smaller than the firebox area;
- the fireplace is not installed in the path of drafts or near steps;
- The length of the chimney pipe is made at least 50 cm.
The total length of the smoke exhaust system is 3-4 m, sometimes it is increased to 7 m.
The structure must be protected from moisture. To do this, vertical and horizontal waterproofing is carried out using roll or coating materials.
DIY fireplace foundation
After all the calculations have been completed and the materials have been prepared, we begin to construct the base for the fireplace. As stated above, the foundation for the house and the fireplace should not be common.
Step-by-step installation instructions:
- Mark the location of the base; it should be 10 cm wider than the dimensions of the structure, taking into account the finishing materials.
- They dig a pit 20 cm deeper than the freezing point of the soil, but not less than 50 cm. The bottom is leveled and the soil is well compacted.
- Sand and crushed stone are poured in layers, 150-200 cm thick.
- Rubble stone, 200 mm thick, is poured and filled with prepared cement-sand mortar with the addition of crushed stone. Sand and cement are mixed in a ratio of 6:1.
- Following the same scheme, subsequent layers are poured until the desired height is reached.
- Upon reaching the floor level, the formwork is installed and filled with concrete so that the top layer is located 150 mm below the floor covering.
- Fill in the leveling screed.
- Start installing the fireplace.
Be sure to ensure that all structural elements are located strictly level.
Rubble concrete base
As in the first case, first they make markings and dig a pit of the required size.
Then the formwork is installed, placing its walls strictly level. Coat the wooden form with bitumen mastic or cover it with roofing felt so that concrete milk does not seep into the sand cushion.
Stones of at least 15 cm in size are not placed tightly on the bottom. The layer thickness should be 150 mm. The gaps between them are filled with crushed stone.
Prepare a cement-sand mortar in a 1:3 ratio and fill it with rubble stones.
If the solution is mixed by hand, lay one row per day. If you have a concrete mixer or construction mixer, you can get the job done much faster.
Reinforced concrete slab foundation
Prepare the foundation pit and install the formwork. Lay metal reinforcing mesh or steel rods at a distance of 15-20 cm from each other in the longitudinal and transverse direction. The intersections of the rods are connected with wire.
Prepare a solution of cement and gravel mixed in a ratio of 1:4. pouring is carried out in layers of 20 cm. The second and subsequent layers are poured after the previous ones have hardened.
When laying deep, a reinforcing structure of 4 piles is used, connected to each other by a reinforced concrete tie. Then perform the work as described above.
Features of a fireplace in a wooden house
A foundation for a fireplace in a wooden house is mandatory. When performing calculations and installation work you need to take into account the specifics of operation in a wooden house:
- The fireplace cannot be placed directly on the floor or ceiling; not only is the material flammable, it does not have sufficient strength to withstand significant load-bearing loads.
- When installing a large heating structure in a small room, the air will be too dry. This will lead to cracking of walls, ceilings, and wood floors.
- You cannot install the stove opposite windows and doors, as a draft will form, which can cause the almost extinct coals to ignite.
It is better to choose an island fireplace arrangement. When installing it next to a wall, it will overheat, which may result in a fire.
For installation brickwork a lime-sand mortar is used, leaving minimal gaps between the elements.
How to build a foundation for a stove with your own hands can be seen in the video:
A foundation for a fireplace weighing more than 500 kg is necessary to avoid uneven shrinkage and the formation of cracks through which a fire may occur. Before erecting a supporting structure, you need to correctly calculate all its parameters; the safety and service life of the fireplace will depend on this.
The foundation for a fireplace in a wooden house is created before laying the floor, which saves time, money and labor resources. The main criteria include strength and independence from the main foundation. The varieties include strip, column and slab structures.Installation of the base is provided for structures weighing over 500 kg. The presence of reinforcement depends on the characteristics of the soil and design parameters.
Use of materials:
- Concrete mixture.
- Rubble or crushed stone.
- Iron ore brick.
- Metal piles.
A gap of 5-5.5 cm thick is required between the foundations of the house and the hearth. At the end of the work, it is covered with sand and compacted. The lack of binding is due to different settlements, leading to further formation of cracks and distortions. The parameters of the base for the hearth are 10-15 cm larger than the dimensions of the structure itself. Its surface has an even position vertically and horizontally.
Construction stages
To accommodate the structure, a pit is created with parameters exceeding the size of the base itself by 15 cm. one-story house its size will be 60 cm. In a two-story building it will reach up to 70-100 cm.
Non-heaving soils will allow you to place sand backfill at the bottom of the pit. Heaving soils are supplemented with a gravel composition (40% sand fraction, 60% gravel). The depth of the pillow has parameters of 10-65 cm. This indicator is influenced by the load of the room and the degree of heaving of the soil. The pillow is laid in layers with compaction and watering.
Application of concrete
To create a concrete mixture, sand, gravel and Portland cement are used (4 parts of sand-gravel mixture are added to 1 part of concrete). The resulting mixture is poured in 2 additions. After the first filling of the solution, a reinforcing mesh with cells of 10-15 cm is placed. It is covered with concrete and compacted well. Then the rest of the part is filled. The top is leveled and compacted. The concrete will set in 3 days.
Attention! Construction of the foundation in summer period time, the structure should be protected with roofing felt from exposure to sunlight.
Dismantling of the formwork in the summer is carried out after 5 days, in cold period years - in 10 days. The formation of defects in the form of pores or cavities indicates the creation of additional waterproofing. In the absence groundwater, you can plaster the surface using cement mortar and fine sand (1:1). Then the hole is filled with non-heaving soil.
Increased strength of concrete can be obtained by frequent watering, especially after removing the formwork.
Application of rubble concrete
- At the first stages, formwork is erected, internal partitions which is finished with glassine or bitumen. This prevents the formation of cement laitance.
- The first masonry is made using large stones (section up to 15 cm). Between them there is space left to fill with crushed stone.
- The resulting structure can be filled with a cement-sand mixture created in proportions of 1:3.
- A creamy solution of cement and sand (2:1) will allow you to level the surface.
- The first layer is built in one go. All subsequent ones - with an interval of 24 hours.
Laying a brick foundation
Attention! While maintaining the vertical position of the walls, groundwater flow is excluded.
For the construction of such structures, water-resistant iron brick is used. The construction of the masonry is carried out using a concrete mixture (proportions 1:3).
Due to the possibility of soil freezing, deformation of the brick structure occurs. The masonry is placed 20 cm below the freezing level. If the building is heated in winter, then this factor can be ignored.
Regardless of the type of base, its coating must be smooth and checked for horizontalness. The formwork does not reach the floor surface by 6-7 cm. 2 roofing felt sheets are used as surface waterproofing.
Shallow columnar foundation
- At the points where the pillars are placed, the top layer of soil (15-25 cm) is cut off.
- A sand cushion (10-15 cm) is created.
- A base plate with parameters 50x50 cm is placed;
- A pillar assembled from concrete blocks 30x30 or 20x40 cm is placed.
Recessed base
- At the points for placing the pillars, recesses with parameters of 20-30 cm are created.
- The resulting gaps are filled with sand.
- Formwork is installed from pipes protruding 40-50 cm above the ground;
- A frame made of reinforcement is placed.
- To reinforce vertical pillars, you will need reinforcement with a cross section of 1 cm.
- For horizontal piping, reinforcement with a cross section of 6 mm is used.
- Concrete is being filled.
- Protruding pipe elements are cut off.
- To tie one 20 cm post, you will need 2-4 rods with parameters equal to the height of the post.
- Vertical rods are placed at a distance of 10 cm from each other.
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One of the important elements of arranging stoves and fireplaces for private houses and country houses is the foundation for the structure. Experienced stove makers explain that the foundation for the fireplace must be built simultaneously with the construction of the building, otherwise the process of laying the fireplace will become more complicated.
Some owners own houses They prefer that the fireplace design when decorating the interior of the room is only decorative. In this case, a foundation for the fireplace will not be required. A foundation must be built if you plan to lay a full-fledged structure in which the fireplace will be used constantly.
It is customary to make a foundation for a fireplace from concrete mortar, brick and rubble, which can withstand moist air. It is necessary to leave a gap between the base of the household and the foundation of the fireplace, provided that it cannot be less than 5 millimeters. You need to pour sand into it and compact it. It is strictly not recommended to connect these two types of foundations, since they are subject to different degrees of load. As a result, distortions and cracks may appear.
When laying out a foundation for a fireplace, the area of the base should exceed the lower part of the structure - protrude from all sides at a distance of 10-15 centimeters.
The installation of a fireplace, according to experts, must be included in the list of works at the stage of designing a house. Later, during the construction of the main foundation for the building, a foundation is laid for the fireplace.
Otherwise, when the house is already built, creating a foundation for the fireplace will cost the property owner a significant amount, since it will be necessary to open up the floor covering. If you do not equip the sole, the structure will be fragile and unreliable, because you cannot insure against ground subsidence.
You should take into account not only general nuances, such as interior design, heating efficiency, but also how convenient it will be to install the fireplace. You also need to take into account that the location of the fireplace cannot violate the integrity of the load-bearing walls.
The sole for the stove structure must meet a number of requirements:
- the depth of the pit, depending on the soil, should be more than 50 centimeters;
- the area of the foundation must be made larger than the size of the base of the fireplace;
- The depth of the hole is determined depending on the degree of soil freezing and exceed it by at least 20 centimeters.
Stages of building a foundation for a fireplace
First of all, it is necessary to have information regarding the soil on the site where the house is being built (already erected). If the soil is clay deposits, then it should be taken into account that with high humidity, the fireplace structure may even tilt - the base will not be able to withstand the load.In the case where the soil mainly contains sand, the pressure of the weight of the fireplace will cause shrinkage. If the soil is composed of rocks, you don’t have to worry about the depth of freezing. Provided that the fireplace is lit constantly, this circumstance should also not be paid attention to, since this degree of operation does not allow the soil to freeze.
When the soil analysis has been carried out, we begin to prepare the necessary building materials, among which:
- gravel;
- crushed stone;
- sand;
- cement;
- old broken brick.
They dig a pit after the future foundation has been marked. The lowest layer of the foundation should be compacted and made as level as possible. Read also: "".
The foundation is laid in the following sequence:
- the first layer of 20 - 25 centimeters consists of fine gravel or crushed stone. It is filled with concrete;
- the second layer consists of large stones, they are also filled with mortar, and gravel or crushed stone is poured into the remaining gaps.
Concrete is laid 15 centimeters below the level of the floor covering. Then it is leveled with a screed and the first layer is laid, according to the fireplace arrangement diagram.
The base of the masonry is created in two rows with the installation of waterproofing in two layers. The result is a structure that is level with the subfloor.
A fireplace table is placed on top of the brickwork - the lower part of the firebox.
Rubble concrete base under the hearth
Rubble concrete is well suited for arranging the base for a stove. The main working stage is the installation of formwork. It is coated with bitumen and covered with roofing felt or roofing felt. This is necessary to prevent cement fluid from seeping into the pad.The foundation for the fireplace is poured in layers:
- The 1st layer is made up of large stones with a diameter of less than 15 centimeters. They are laid loosely. Crushed stone is poured into the remaining gaps.
- The first layer is poured with a solution of sand and cement in a ratio of 3:1. It is advisable not to do it in advance large number mortar, but only based on laying bricks during the day.
- Then a rubble concrete solution is prepared in the following proportion: 1 part water: 1 part cement. The result should be a mixture with a thickness reminiscent of cream. The solution is laid in layers. Experts recommend doing one layer in one day. True, if specialized equipment such as a construction mixer or concrete mixer is used in the work, all of it can be done much faster.
Reinforced concrete slab as a foundation
To make a concrete base, such as in the photo, for a fireplace you will need:- sand;
- crushed stone;
- Portland cement;
- waterproofing materials;
- formwork panels;
- reinforcement fittings
- They dig a pit in which they lay reinforcing mesh with a cell size of 10-15 centimeters.
- The pit is filled with a solution, for the production of which 1 part of cement and 4 parts of gravel are taken. It is advisable to divide the filling into 2 stages. It will take about two days for the concrete to harden.
- In order to avoid the harmful effects of the sun's rays in hot weather, the concrete is covered with roofing felt.
- To improve quality indicators concrete, after dismantling the formwork, its surface is moistened with water. Sheets of formwork are removed in the summer after 5-7 days, and in winter time in 10-14 days.
- If ready concrete base has defects, carry out special waterproofing measures. For such work, special compositions are used, the components of which depend on the amount of groundwater. If they are completely absent from the soil, waterproofing is done using sand and cement in a ratio of 1:1 or 2:1.
- At the end of the work, the pit is filled with non-heaving soil.
Pile foundation for a fireplace structure
Pile foundations represent a foundation related to the deep variant of laying. According to experts, the optimal solution is a 4-support structure. As a result, it turns out that the fireplace is located on stilts connected to each other by reinforced concrete screed.Reinforced concrete or asbestos pipes are used as piles. When using the second option, the products are additionally reinforced with steel reinforcement.
To calculate the load acting on the piles, you need to know the approximate weight of the fireplace structure. A solid large brick hearth weighs about 6 thousand kilograms, including the foundation - almost 2 tons, and the fireplace + chimney - 4 - 4.5 tons.
For example, with a soil bearing capacity of 1 kg/cm², the diameter of each pile should be 15 centimeters.
Which method of creating a foundation for a fireplace structure to choose depends on the owner of a private house, on his preferences and capabilities. But still, the main parameter is the characteristics of the soil and the weight of the fireplace. Without arranging a high-quality foundation, a problem will certainly arise soon - either repairs or restoration of the structure will be required. You could also lose your fireplace altogether. Eliminating the shortcomings will require a considerable amount of money.
The durability of the structure can only be achieved if all the requirements and rules set out in the instructions are met.