How thick is a poured concrete basement wall?
In general, poured concrete basement walls that are 8 feet tall or less and have no more than 7 feet of soil pressing against them from the outside function well at a thickness of 8 inches. When a taller wall or a higher level of soil or both come into play, the thickness should increase to 10 inches.
Do poured concrete walls leak?
POURED CONCRETE WALLS typically leak along the joint between the floor and the wall. High hydrostatic pressure outside the foundation can cause water to seep through solid concrete walls. Pressure against a concrete block foundation often weakens mortar joints, causing cracks that allow water to penetrate.
How thick do concrete block walls need to be?
8″
The nominal width of blocks for exterior walls and load bearing interior walls should be a minimum of 6 inches and the face shell a minimum thickness of 1″. It is better to construct exterior walls of 8″ thick concrete block.
How thick should my concrete wall be?
As a practical consideration, residential designers need to keep in mind that concrete foundation walls are typically 6, 8 or 10 inches thick (nominal). The typical concrete compressive strength used in residential construction is 2,500 or 3,000 psi, although other strengths are available.
Are basement walls structural?
The major structural components of a basement are the wall, the footing, and the floor (see figure 2-2). Basement walls are typically constructed of cast-in-place concrete or concrete masonry units. Basement walls must be designed to resist lateral loads from the soil and vertical loads from the structure above.
Should you seal basement walls before finishing?
Nothing will ruin a beautiful remodeling job like soaked carpets, moldy drywall and damaged furniture so it is essential that a basement be fully waterproofed before any finishing work begins.
Is rebar required in foundation walls?
Rebar is placed horizontally and vertically in the wall, in a grid pattern. The cover required is 2 inches for foundation walls, or walls exposed to weather, and 1 1/2 inches for walls that aren’t exposed. Horizontal spacing for #4 rebar is a minimum 2 feet, within 12 inches of the top and bottom of the wall.
What size footing should be used with a basement wall?
How deep should block wall footing be? Normally a foundation wall with seven rows of block will be 24 inches wide and 12 inches deep and should have a footing 30 inches below grade.
