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The standard foundation solution in most parts of the UK is the strip foundation, also known as strip footings. Where the foundations are affected by tree roots (or their previous removal), you may be required to employ a fairly deep trench filled with concrete but with a compressible material to one or both sides of the external trenches to counteract any heave or expansion in the ground. Now use a flat needle file to create chamfered edges along the archway. With the styrofoam walls complete, apply a layer of gesso to everything. Gesso is an acrylic paste made from chalk, binder, and white pigment. It’s used as a primer to prepare surfaces for painting, but it also provides a little more strength and texture. Simply apply it with a brush, and leave it overnight to dry.
The painting technique for the dry stone wall is slightly different from the rest. To ensure the paint reaches the crevices, spray a fine mist of water, then apply a very weak dark grey wash. Next, apply a slightly watery colour that matches the prototype stone in its un-weathered freshly-cut state. Finally, add additional dark grey washes as necessary, along with dry-brushed yellowy-green ‘lichen’ spots. Strip, trench fill or pad foundations must be cast at a minimum depth of 750mm in low plasticity clays, 900mm depth in medium, and British Standard 8004 recommends a minimum depth of 1m for foundations in the highest risk areas. If there are, or were, trees nearby, depths of up to 3m may be necessary. The depth necessary will depend on the type of tree, as species have different water demands, with tall broad-leafed species such as poplars having the greatest impact. Where the soil is soft or of a low loadbearing capacity, wide strip foundations can be used to spread the load over a larger area, reinforced with steel so that the loading per square metre is reduced. To cover the entire quay, I use household filler/plaster as it’s cheap, available in large quantities, and you can make it to the viscosity desired by varying the amount of water in the mix. Apply a thin layer of PVA to the quay walls, followed by a generous coating of plaster. Once left to harden (which can be up to 48 hours), sand the plaster until the required smoothness is achieved. Michael is Homebuilding & Renovating's Director of Content, Vice Chair of the self build industry body, the National Custom and Self Build Association ( NaCSBA), presenter of multiple property TV shows and author of Renovating for Profit(Ebury).He also runs an architectural and interior design practice, offering design and project management services. He is one of the country's leading property experts and has undertaken over 30 building projects including two self-builds and the renovation of a Grade-II listed farmhouse.Providing the chalk is not too soft, foundation widths of 450mm for low-rise buildings are generally acceptable. The depth of the foundation must be below any frost action, a minimum of 700mm.
Tiny stones are glued along the top to reduce its ‘stepped’ nature; ahead of adding the capstones. The inset photograph shows one of three large clay ‘stones’ being roughened with a craft knife. Two of these are end stones (one visible on the bottom right of the main photograph), and the one left of the pliers would be used by people to hold onto while climbing over the stile. These are a relatively new foundation solution consisting of slender, hollow steel shafts with a small number of steel helices (or screw threads) welded to them. The piles are screwed into the ground until they achieve sufficient friction to support the required load. To keep the stones in our wall as horizontal as possible, multiple level trenches are dug on the steep sections of the hill. The first layer of stones can then be laid flat, working your way up the hill. Slowly build up the layers, but do try to copy the prototype where stone size and placement are concerned; larger stones are less common than smaller stones. In this practical, I’ll be focusing on a few methods you can use to construct some of these prototypes. For best results, I’ll be using materials suitable for scribing; a harbour wall made from rigid insulation and plaster (with another using DAS air-drying clay), an ashlar arch and various rubble walls made from styrofoam, and finally, a dry stone wall made out of more air-drying clay. Please note; as the painting technique I’ll be using will be similar for every practical, I shall share this at the very end. WHAT YOU NEED building is spread evenly. For a post and beam structure, the piles or groups of piles are capped with a concrete pad. Screw Pile FoundationsIf the chalk is soft it will need to be excavated until firm chalk is reached. Chalk soils can be prone to erosion, so be wary of the possible presence of hollows or caves. This can be a cost-effective way of building on sloping ground too, as the steel piles can be left above ground and linked together with tension wires or rods, and topped with a steel ringbeam or grillage to build from. Factors to Consider What Might Affect my Choice of Foundation System? Clays with the highest plasticity (and so the highest risk) are generally found in the South East of England, stretching up through the East Midlands to the Humber in the North and down to Bath in the West
Dry, compact gravel or gravel and sand subsoils are usually adequate for strip foundations. Generally a depth of 700mm is acceptable, as long as the ground has adequate bearing capacity. Local planning authorities will often allow structures to be built around trees within a root protection area on the proviso that the structures are supported by screw piles. If sewage pipes leaving the building have to be deeper than the top of the foundation concrete then they should also be ducted; they cannot be trapped within the concrete and must be able to move freely. Short bore piles are typically 2–3m long and can be reinforced with steel (Image credit: Homebuilding & Renovating) In cases where clay becomes softer as you dig down, a traditional strip foundation is sometimes acceptable, but it is important not to over dig as this may increase the stress on the softer clay beneath. A common solution is to dig wide strip foundations with embedded steel reinforcement, however an engineered foundation such as a reinforced raft or piled foundation may be necessary in some cases.Electricity and gas don’t usually need to be ducted or installed at this point as they are normally surface mounted. Finally, the building and warranty inspectors will have to approve the excavated foundations prior to any concrete being poured. Michael has presented over 150 property shows for BBC, ITV1, Channel 5, UK TV Style, and Discovery RealTime, including I Own Britain's Best Home; Don't Move Improve; Trading Up; Good Bid, Good Buy; Build, Buy or Restore?; How to Build A House; and Hard Sell.
Where it is not possible to construct conventional strip footings because the new building is hard up against an existing structure, or access to the adjoining land is not available, it may be possible to use an offset strip foundation rather than a more expensive piled foundation or a reinforced raft foundation. Typically 750mm wide and 450mm deep with a layer of A193 mesh placed in the bottom of the concrete with at least 50mm cover to the steel. The solution is generally suitable for single-storey structures.Approved Document A of the Building Regulations (England and Wales) defines the minimum widths for strip footings based on the type of ground and loadbearing wall.
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