Foundation question
 

I’ve read some mixed reviews ( good idea/bad idea) on installing a foundation during the winter months. Does anyone have any first hand knowledge?

I have been in the ready mix concrete business all my life and have poured many foundations in the winter time.

The key is that the ground not be frozen when the foundation is excavated to avoid settling when the ground thaws. The concrete itself is not an issues as there are additives in the concrete to assure it does not freeze before it has cured.

Thanks for the info., I should have asked earlier but does it matter if the home won’t begin the building process until the Spring?

Not at all. This is done all the time as it puts your building schedule in a good place.


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Not to hijack this thread, and hopefully helpful the OP, a question to Joey2665; can you provide any insight into why we see so many cracked basement floors these day.

I dont really see cracked walls, but I have not seen any basement floor that was crack free.

In years past it was the opposite. you can look at older homes and see plenty of cracks in foundation walls, and none in older homes floors.

I also notice most builders not using rebar in the walls and only low cost wire in the floors, no one seems to use much metal these days.

Any thoughts about what really works and not???

Thanks

As far as the use of rebar and wire goes in concrete, concrete like every other product has advanced with technology there are now many additives that we can put into the concrete including fiber reinforcement that substitute for rebar and does not compromise the strength or integrity of the concrete.

As far as cracks in the floor in the basement goes remember the basement floor is not structural so they tends to be less attention paid to it sometimes they only put a 2 inch bass for the floor which if there’s movement is going to lend itself to crack where years ago in the foundations and I use the poor the foundation floor was 4-6 inches. But also keep in mind that 50+ years ago many basement floors were dirt they weren’t even concrete.


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A rule of thumb is: For every 20 running feet concrete will shrink about 1/4 inch as it drys and sets. That is why concrete has control joints, to tell it where to crack so that you get a straight line.

Newer concrete should be air entrained. That is microscopic air bubbles chemically induced into the concrete to give it help with expansion and contraction. Many concrete companies use a product like Daravair manufactured by WR Grace to enhance freeze/thaw protection. It is put into the sand before it goes into the truck. Concrete placed outdoors will typically have 3% to 5% air entrained. When it is being placed air entrained concrete will appear to be wetter than it really is so it is easier to work with.

Concrete placed during the winter in New England will arrive heated in the truck to help start the curing process. That is usually done by making the concrete at the plant using hot water as it is loaded into the truck.

Also, regarding cracking, many basement floor contractors will tie the rebar in the floor to the rebar in the walls. That is wrong. It will prevent any contraction in the slab and most certainly cause it to crack.