Concrete basement provides additional storage and living space for you. There are different ways that a basement might be constructed. The method used will depend on the standard construction of the area and the soil conditions. Whether you are in the process of building a brand new home or have moved into an existing home with a basement, understanding various types of basement construction is providing insight into your home's foundation. There are three different types of basement construction you might run into in your home.
So called Floating Basement
If you live in an area reach with clay soil, basement foundations are becoming unstable as the conditions of the clay are fluctuating. For that reason, many concrete contractors are willing to install floating basement walls under similar conditions. Floating basement walls don’t actually connect to the flooring. They, instead, are suspended from floor joints under the main level of the house. This allows some breathing room for the ground to swell and rise without causing a structural damage to the home. Most owners don't even know they have floating basement, because the space between the flooring and walls are covered with floorboards.
The type of concrete foundation you have will depend on soil conditions under your home and preferences of the builder who constructed the building. It is good to know about the type of basement construction your home might have in case you have problems with your basement structure. A properly constructed concrete basement provides a firm foundation for all the lifetime of your home.
Another option in foundation construction is ready made concrete slabs. They are constructed at a different location and then transported and installed into the basement area. Heavy machines like large cranes are used to put concrete slabs in place. The advantage of using ready made slabs is that concrete is hardened and poured in an environment with climate control. The disadvantage is that the foundation is assembled in sections. Therefore you need to make sure that spaces between sections are properly treated. This type of construction necessitates a third party involvement. That’s because the average concrete contractor will not have possibilities to hold the space or equipment to create the foundation slabs himself.
Basements of Poured Concrete
This is the most common type of concrete basement construction. Poured concrete basement involves a structure to hold the concrete, then pouring the concrete into the structure on site. This basement is durable, weather proof and fire resistant. The walls aren’t prone to leaking due to no cracks or openings throughout construction to let water and air through. The quality of basement construction depends in part on the mix that was used. Too much water in the mixture can weaken the walls. They’ll become more prone to water and wind pressure. Make sure that the concrete contractor used for your basement has enough experience in this type of work. So, the right mixture should be poured for your foundation.