For a long time it was believed that the foundation should be poured only when it gets warmer - in spring, summer or autumn. However, modern materials and devices in construction have radically changed this approach. Now pouring the foundation in the fall has become as commonplace as in the summer. It's just that approaches to this case have changed a little.
It must be said that if the pouring of concrete can be postponed until the summer, then it is better to do so. Indeed, in the autumn, more resources are spent on additional equipment, fillers and materials that will not allow concrete to freeze, creating conditions for its full solidification.
How concrete hydrates
People are often interested in when it is possible to fill the foundation in the fall, and whether it is worth doing it at all in such an unpredictable time of the year. Now let's look at how concrete solidifies in order to better understand all the processes and plan the construction accordingly:
- at the initial stage, a crust appears on the surface of the mixture, it is sodium hydrosilicate;
- after that, the harder particles of the foundation surface harden;
- the next stage of solidification is the contraction of the shell due to the evaporation of the liquid;
- this process begins to go to the center until the mixture acquires the declared strength.
Based on this scheme and answering the question of whether it is possible to pour the foundation in October, experienced builders confidently say: “It is possible!” And we will describe why by comparing this process in summer and autumn-winter time.
Comparison of concrete poured in heat and autumn
It is logical that in the summer heat the foundation will dry many times faster. But will its structure become dense, as necessary? After all, the whole house depends on it - how long it will last, whether cracks will appear in its walls. Rapid hardening occurs due to the fact that the water evaporates rapidly. However, this is not very good, because voids are formed instead, which make the concrete brittle.
In the fall, pouring the foundation - in October, for example - may be difficult because frosts begin. As a result, water crystallizes, and voids are formed due to the fact that ice forms in the mixture, which also expands, creating microcracks. That is why the pouring of the foundation in the cold season is carried out using special technologies.
Concrete properties that benefit builders
When the mixture solidifies, a chemical reaction takes place in it, which causes heat. Thanks to this, the concrete dries better, but due to the fact that the ambient temperature is low, it does not form voids and does not dry out. Therefore, the answer to the question of whether it is possible to pour the foundation in the fall is unequivocal: yes. The most important thing in this matter is to carefully calculate everything. In addition, pouring concrete must be included in the construction plan, this will allow you to prepare all the necessary materials, apparatus and fixtures in advance.
In the cold, it is better not to flood the poles, unless they are sufficiently insulated. Indeed, in such conditions, the internal heat is enough for a very short period of time, during which it does not have time to completely freeze. It is better to limit yourself to only a low foundation, in which case the chemical reaction can continue and dry the solution for much longer.
Concrete curing factors
Often, in order to have time to build a house in spring and summer, the owners are always interested in whether it is possible to pour the foundation in October, so that in the spring, when it gets warmer, they can immediately start building a house. After all, when the foundation is ready, the construction will go much faster. And this is especially important when the building is planned to be large, and there is a risk of not having time to rebuild it before the next cold weather.
The following factors affect the quality of concrete:
- volumes and dimensions of the structure;
- proportions of fill elements;
- cement quality and grinding;
- climate;
- opportunities for heating and insulating concrete.
In order for the cement to react faster, it must be ground as finely as possible, then the pouring of the foundation in October will be much better, because voids do not form in it. Only aggregates and water need to be heated. In no case should this be done with cement, because it will lose the properties that are necessary for a quality foundation. But this is very undesirable.
When adding warm water to cement, its temperature should not exceed +30 °C. If it is added first to the placeholder, then it can be hotter. If the solution is well mixed, then it can withstand the temperature longer. In addition, it fills the form more tightly, penetrating into all corners and crevices.
Difficulties related to autumn weather
First of all, the question of whether it is possible to pour the foundation in October arises from the fact that the earth is frozen, and it is unrealistic to dig it manually. Of course, this is true, but you can use a technique that can dig a pit of any length and depth. Just calling an excavator will require financial investments.
Solve the problem of concrete freezing
The next unsolvable problem of the builders of the past years was that in the cold, concrete loses its qualities, becoming brittle. This is because its components do not mix under such conditions due to the crystallization of water due to exposure to frost. Therefore, pouring the foundation in autumn, and even more so in winter, was something unrealistic.
Now everythingsolved with the help of chemical additives that do not allow the water to freeze. In addition, special concrete is sold, which already includes substances that contribute to its normal solidification at sub-zero temperatures. Its properties are no different from its summer counterpart.
However, there is an opinion that the use of chemical additives in the concrete of a residential building is undesirable, because many of them are poisonous. Therefore, when constructing a building, this nuance must also be taken into account.
Still, to pour the foundation, in October or February - it doesn’t matter, s alt is added to the solution. Its content should not exceed 2%, it does not allow the water to freeze. Accordingly, all ingredients are fully mixed and solidified. Without heating, this method can be used up to -5 ° C, and if the temperature drops even lower, then it is worth using heating, which will be discussed later.
You can also make the solution not subject to freezing with the help of acid additives. They are added, after which a chemical reaction occurs in the mixture, which raises the temperature. Under such influence, the concrete dries out. And, of course, in severe frosts, the foundation should be additionally covered so that the heat generated does not immediately disappear.
Concrete heating
In practice, answering the question of whether it is possible to pour the foundation in October, many builders prefer not to add chemistry to the solution, but simply heat it up. For this, special machines that are equipped with heating can be used. However, when pouring, everything should be done very quickly so that the cement does not have time to freeze. But even if it happened, it's not worth itpour boiling water into it. This will cause voids to form inside the structure, which will make its quality much worse.
Foundation insulation
When the foundation is being built in autumn, another method can be used to protect against low temperatures. Nothing is added to the concrete, its consistency remains the same as in the summer, only the foundation is insulated. This can be done with different materials. Mainly use:
- only;
- polyethylene;
- tarpaulin.
In general, you can use any material at hand. In severe frosts, the foundation is even covered with sawdust, which perfectly protects against sub-zero temperatures. The main thing is that the top layer is waterproof and can protect from precipitation. In addition, you need to make a slope so that the water does not remain on the material, but goes sideways from the foundation. In general, it is worth doing everything in the form of an awning, it will be more convenient.
Often the question arises as to whether it is possible to pour the foundation in the fall, also because there is a lot of dampness around, in addition to frost. This is also solved very easily: a heat gun is directed under an awning made of polyethylene, roofing felt or tarpaulin. It drives warm air inside, heating the solution and facilitating the evaporation of moisture. Thus, you can easily dry the foundation even in January frosts.
Still quite often, polyethylene greenhouses are placed on places filled with concrete, inside of which they put a heater or a heat gun.
Electric drying of the foundation
There is another great way to dry the foundation. When poured intothe solution is laid wire. It can be copper, steel or aluminum. On the one hand, all ends are divided into two bundles, they will be connected to the welding machine. Light bulbs are connected from the other side, two ends to each. The lamps must be 36 V each, the most important thing is that you need to connect everything correctly. If there is an error somewhere, then nothing will work. Next, the wires are connected to the lamps in pairs and connected to the device. The first ones should light up, at first with a dim light, but as the concrete begins to dry out, they will burn brighter and brighter. In this way, you can perfectly observe the progress of the entire operation and know when the foundation will be ready. This method is also suitable to heat the foundation in October or another cold month.
Many builders generally prefer autumn pouring of concrete, because it does not dry out, as it happens in the summer heat. The method of pouring, or rather, the method of retaining heat in the mixture, must be chosen based on weather conditions, available equipment and materials.
