Cladding material for the foundation of a house. How to veneer and finish the base of a house - a description of possible materials and technology for plastering. Advantages of finishing panels

The base of a house made of brick or concrete needs reliable protection from destructive environmental factors. Such protection is not always provided during the construction of a building, and often owners are forced to install it themselves. We will tell you how and with what to cover the base of a brick house.

Why is it necessary?

Designs of brick houses with a basement often involve using this floor as part of the living space of the house. This means that the basement will be connected to the heating system, therefore, in case of poor thermal insulation, energy losses are inevitable.

Moreover, the maximum losses will occur through the above-ground part of the walls of the basement gap. The floor in the basement is located quite deep underground and does not freeze in winter due to natural insulation by an infinitely thick layer of earth. The ceiling is also protected by the warm ground floor, and heat does not escape through it.

Only the walls of the basement masonry remain, and here the purpose of their cladding becomes clear:

• The finishing coating allows you to protect the plinth masonry material from moisture penetration. The basement, located at the very bottom of the structure, is most susceptible to contact with water, which penetrates from the thickness of the concrete foundation, flows down the walls of the house during rain, contacts the masonry in the form of snow drifts, enters in the form of splashes bouncing off the ground, etc.;
• Brick houses with a basement require high-quality insulation, and the insulation, in turn, requires finishing and protection. Here we see the need for a durable and reliable cladding that will hide the thermal insulation and protect it from wear and damage;
• The plinth structure is subject to heavy loads, since the entire house presses on it. In addition, if the basement is unheated, then its walls may freeze, and the accumulated moisture will expand and damage the structure of the material. Therefore, it is better to protect the masonry from moisture and frost using appropriate finishing;
• The proximity of the ground leads to various types of debris, dirty splashes of rain, dust, etc. falling on the lower part of the wall. Porous brick or concrete absorbs all these substances and becomes dirty. The presence of a durable coating makes this problem insignificant, since the dense surface of the facing material is easy to clean.

It also often happens that projects of brick houses with a basement contain such a scheme in which. The above-ground part of such a foundation does not fit well with the brickwork of the walls and needs to be lined with suitable material.

Important! Finishing the base is needed not only as a decorative element, but, to a greater extent, as a functional protective structure that protects the masonry from premature wear and aging.

Types of finishes

The options for finishing the basement of a brick house are very diverse. The construction market is overflowing with all kinds of materials and technologies that can be used for these purposes. In addition, natural raw materials are widely used, including various types of natural stone, sandstone, pebbles, etc.

Of the modern technologies, the most in demand are such varieties as ventilated facades, siding, blockhouse, metal profiles, stamped concrete, ceramic facade tiles, porcelain stoneware and others.

As practice shows, laying natural materials such as marble, granite, pebbles or sandstone requires extraordinary abilities and extensive experience, which means you will have to hire expensive craftsmen. At the same time, the price of the stone itself is also very high, and as a result, facing work can be too expensive.

Based on these considerations, we have identified the most practical and affordable methods for finishing basement masonry:

• Ventilated facade. The coating made of porcelain stoneware and other relatively natural materials looks great;
• Siding. Easy and quick to install, relatively cheap and perfectly imitates all types of natural coatings;
• Metallic profile. The cheapest and simplest coating, at the same time quite durable and reliable, although not entirely aesthetic.

Important! The use of modern facade systems allows not only to reduce the cost of work, but also to place a layer of thermal insulation under the coating, which is very important for the base.

Installation of cladding

Let's start installing the cladding. We will work with our own hands; the material we use is polymer-sand plinth tiles, which are attached using ventilated facade technology ().

1. We put the walls of the basement in order, eliminate cracks and other defects, remove all protruding objects;

1. We mount the frame guide profiles. We use a galvanized steel profile measuring 28x67 mm. It is important to maintain a strictly vertical position of the surface of the frame structure, and place all its parts in the same plane;

We install the frame.

Finishing the basement of a private house is an important part of the ongoing construction work, the quality and reliability of which determines the appearance of the structure under construction, its original design, and the relative durability of the building.

The basement part, rising above the base of the building, needs to be protected. Finishing the base of a house is a decorative component with which the building can be given an original appearance.

This method will protect the underground part of the building and protect the bottom of the outer wall from negative influences.

Types of plinths and building materials

Finishing the base with stone will add presentability to the house

When deciding how to decorate the basement of a house, several components are usually taken into account. In this case, the presence of underground structures, the type of foundation used during construction and the building material from which the house was erected are of primary importance. The external finishing of the base with stone is determined by the reliable type of foundation, the desire to provide the house with a presentable and rich appearance, and to confirm the reliability and massiveness of the structure.

Stone design is more often used for certain types of bases, when the choice of decorative finishing for the foundation is not limited by its reliability, the availability of free space, or the desire to make it cheap.

Decorative tiles are a lighter and cheaper material

The relative massiveness of the stone and the light material from which the walls were built often inclines the owner of the building to cladding the base of the house with decorative tiles, as a fairly reliable, but lighter building material.

The main parameter for choosing the finishing and decorative component of the plinth is the type of lower base of the outer wall, which was determined when creating the project. It is characterized in relation to the foundation and upper part of the house and is equipped differently for practical reasons:

The cladding of the foundation of the house and the materials that are purchased for it are largely dictated by the structure of the base chosen when creating the project.

The development of modern production of building materials has diversified the usual list of raw materials compared to what was previously available to the developer.

Fashion trends from modern home construction designers include contrasting finishing of the foundation of the house, which is chosen in contrast to the material of the walls. Smooth walls dictate embossed materials on the plinth, implying a smooth lower finish on the outside.

Use of natural stone

Natural stone is not cheap, but it is strong and durable. This traditional type of building decoration never goes out of style. An alternative to decorating the base with natural stone can be equally successful finishing with granite, sandstone, limestone and marble.

Natural stone is an expensive material

For finishing, you should purchase stone in the form of cut decorative tiles with a smooth polished or intentionally rough surface with natural protrusions preserved.

This is an expensive finish, the naturalness of which in an unpolished form costs even more money than smooth and polished.

Porous stone tiles require waterproofing, which further increases the cost of finishing work.

Brief characteristics of facing materials

Clinker tiles are so decorative that they are not only used to decorate the foundation of a private house, but are also used in interior spaces as a facing material. Clinker tiles for cladding the basement of a house are at the same time decorative, practical, and at the same time look quite expensive.

With its help you can decorate both the walls and the sidewalk near the building. An additional dominant feature of the building being finished can be ensured by selecting tiles in a contrasting or well-harmonizing color scheme and the color of the walls to match the variety of shades produced on an industrial scale.

It is also convenient to use because it can be glued with frost-resistant glue directly onto the foundation of the house.

Plaster is applied in several stages

Decorative plaster is an excellent option for finishing the foundation with your own hands, providing the opportunity for a comprehensive manifestation of imagination, from the color scheme to the creation of a variable structure.

However, for its use, a number of preparatory stages are carried out, not so much expensive as labor-intensive, starting with coating with a primer layer and up to fiberglass reinforcement.

The plaster itself is also applied in several layers and covered with a protective layer, but it only lasts for several years.

Consideration of options for finishing the base with decorative plaster is applicable only for a low construction budget.

PVC panels successfully imitate natural stone and tiles

PVC panels are an inexpensive material for covering the base, using which you can imitate any other building material and choose any shade of color for this.

Finishing the basement with your own hands is an excellent option for low-budget and short-term construction. He leaves a wide selection of imitating surfaces and their colors to the consideration and whims of the future happy owner. Moreover, special foundation panels are produced that are stronger and more reliable than conventional PVC wall panels.

A reliable base can ensure the reliability of the building. When lining and insulating it, you should not skimp.

Selection of finishing materials

Materials for cladding the foundation are selected taking into account the intended purpose and type of base. The type of base is used based on the presence or absence of additional equipment to protect the house from weather conditions. For more information about how and what to finish the basement of a house, watch this video:

The main task of the plinth is to protect the lower house foundation from pollution, erosion, natural precipitation and sunlight. All this in a cumulative effect, if the foundation is not reliably protected, in a few years can destroy even concrete.

The use of various types of finishing for the base is of a predominantly protective nature, but at the same time the decorative component is also important.

Finishing the foundation with your own hands

The answer to the question of how to sheathe the foundation depends on what material the developer chose. Such work requires some special knowledge, but it is quite realistic and feasible to do everything yourself.

To decorate a house with your own hands using decorative plaster, you need to apply a primer layer, let it dry, very carefully apply a layer of putty, apply reinforcement, and then, to finish the base, apply a layer of decorative plaster with a spatula and form its texture.

PVC panels are more convenient to mount on a frame

Decorative plaster still needs to be sanded and painted, but compared to other types of work, it is inexpensive and quite reliable. Modern acrylic paints provide frost resistance, and it turns out quite beautiful.

For further decoration with brick, tiles or PVC panels, you can finish the base with concrete or ignore finishing materials and simply paint a flat concrete surface with polymer paint so as not to veneer it. Concrete is applied to a metal mesh, which is secured with dowels, after which specially designed formwork is built around the perimeter of the building, and the formation of a concrete base begins.

The disadvantage of poured concrete is that you have to wait for it to dry, but its surface is suitable for many finishing options. To decide how to cover the foundation of a house, you need to consider a lot.

Layer-by-layer finishing of the base with stone-look tiles

Natural stone will last for many years

The advantages of natural stone are undeniable, and in general, this is a fairly profitable investment, considering that the stone for the plinth can be used for many years, and if handled skillfully, no work will be required for decades.

Stone facing tiles for the foundation give the house a rich and solid look, are not afraid of moss, and have undoubted ennobling properties, but such finishing is more expensive than others.

In addition, this requires the mandatory installation of a drainage system and puts significant pressure on the foundation, so it is used relatively rarely for the basement of private houses. Clinker bricks, polymer panels and artificial stone require approximately the same technique and amount of glue. For more information about finishing with natural stone, watch this video:

You can decorate the base of a brick house with your own hands, using almost any materials for strengthening and decoration, but for the use of each of them there are certain technological subtleties of preliminary preparation of the facade.

Low tides will protect the base and foundation from destruction

What is important for a home is not so much the decorative as the protective component of the base. It should serve as a screen for the dwelling from the lower base, so the option of placing it flush with the walls does not serve any function other than partial beauty.

The protruding version of the plinth perfectly protects the foundation and underground insulated structures, but is too vulnerable to weather conditions, and before deciding what to cover, you need to choose how to protect it from precipitation from the roof. Otherwise, any decorative panels will become unusable within a few years. How to finish the ledge so that the tides look harmonious must be decided before the start of the tile or panel stage of cladding.

The ebbs can be made from metal with a polymer coating of copper sheets, clinker bricks or ordinary metal.

Basement: tides and insulation

Wood finishes are good for suitable homes, and their durability can be ensured by the use of preservatives. Stone and decorative tiles are an ideal, but expensive option, the choice of which should be approached taking into account all the components.

You can decorate the base of the house with various materials that can reliably protect the upper part of the foundation from getting wet, solar ultraviolet radiation, and mechanical damage. Typically, brick, clinker, stone masonry or siding are used - polymer or composite panels that qualitatively imitate masonry.

There are all types of cladding available on construction markets. Before determining which material is best suited for the architectural style of the cottage, you need to consider the following factors:

• the protruding base will have to be additionally protected with ebb tides;
• flexible tiles that can be used to cover a concrete surface have a minimum layer thickness;
• Brickwork expands the plinth structure to the maximum;
• inside the frames on which panels, siding or corrugated sheeting are attached, insulation can be placed to eliminate heat loss through the ceilings and floors of the lower floor;
• By default, frame systems are more maintainable and can be updated at any time during operation.

Advice! It is better to decorate the protruding plinth before facing the facades, so that, if necessary, hide the upper fastening flange of the ebb under the finishing material of the wall.

Brickwork

To cover the base with brick, it is necessary to make a separate base for the masonry. On heaving soils, this requires replacing 40 cm of soil with crushed stone and/or sand compacted in layers.

Unlike a concrete foundation, this facing material has half the service life when in contact with the ground. On top of the underlying layer, roll waterproofing in 2 - 3 layers is required. To completely eliminate subsidence of the brickwork, a rigid bond with a plinth is used:

• after laying 2–3 rows, blind holes are drilled in the supporting structure to a depth of 4–6 cm;
• 6-10 mm reinforcement is inserted into them, connecting the main wall with the cladding;

It is recommended to use ceramic brick, slotted, hollow stone or hyper-pressed modifications. The masonry is carried out exclusively in half-brick rows. To eliminate the cold bridge, which is essentially the plinth structure, basalt wool or extruded polystyrene foam can be placed between the facing brick and the supporting structure.

Important! The insulation must be combined with the thermal insulation of the facade or placed along the top of the plinth inside under the layer of wall cladding if there is no thermal insulation.

Clinker

You can finish the ground part of the foundation of the house with clinker tiles. The budget will be approximately equal to brick cladding. However, this material has some advantages:

• the maximum possible service life of all known claddings;
• availability of ready-made corner (external/internal) elements;
• fastening to walls, no need for your own foundation;
• slight loading of the load-bearing frame due to the low weight of the clinker;
• high artistic value of decorative coating.

There are different types of clinker tiles that imitate masonry, torn, rock, polished stone. Therefore, you can choose the design option for the base in full accordance with the architectural style of the private cottage.

Clinker tiles are attached with an adhesive solution, panels made of this material are attached to the frame. The first option does not allow you to insulate the above-ground part of the foundation, the second allows you to install polystyrene foam inside the sheathing.

Advice! There are clinker tiles for steps, which allows you to achieve maximum aesthetics in the perception of facades when finishing the plinth with the same material.

Polymer sand tiles

An inexpensive option for finishing the basement of a house is a polymer-sand composite, from which tiles of different formats are made. This material is very light, practically does not load the foundation structure, and is attached either to the frame sheathing or to tile adhesive.

The texture usually imitates natural stone or brickwork. The material is moisture-resistant, with a minimal coefficient of expansion, resistant to solar ultraviolet radiation, aggressive environments and mechanical damage. The tiles are cut with a hand saw in any direction; you can choose any format to reduce cutting waste.

Important! Additional elements for this cladding do not exist, so precise adjustment in corners and joints is required.

A natural stone

If there is cheap natural stone in the region, you can finish the basement of the house with this material. This option is more suitable for seasonal buildings in which external insulation of the underground and above-ground parts of the foundation is not required. Heavy material is placed on mortar or tile adhesive, significantly loading the structural frame of the cottage, and does not adhere to the insulation.

Granite, gravel, dolomite stone has high strength and moisture resistance. However, when facing, many mortar joints are obtained that do not initially possess the indicated characteristics. Therefore, finishing costs increase for the purchase of grouts, which provide waterproofing of joints.

Important! The stone cannot be fixed to the frames, so the maintainability of the cladding is zero.

Fake diamond

Of all the modifications of artificial stone, concrete slabs with a decorative outer layer are usually used to finish the base of a house. To improve its characteristics, the material is modified with moisture-resistant additives and painted according to the mass to increase the wear resistance of the front surface.

The fastening of artificial stone is standard - an adhesive layer after treating the foundation with a primer. This cladding can be used with any façade covering. Integration into the exterior and architectural style is high by default.

Tiles, porcelain stoneware

To finish the basement of a house with tiles or porcelain stoneware, you will first have to level the surfaces. The thickness of the adhesive layer should not exceed 1 cm; modifications can only be used for external use.

Porcelain tiles are much stronger, tiles have a wider range, and a richer choice of textures, colors and formats. Therefore, when using tiles, cutting costs can be reduced. The material slightly loads the foundation; the seams are rubbed with special moisture-resistant compounds.

Important! Tiles are not a complete waterproofing material. Therefore, before cladding, the surface of the base can and should be treated with a primer and coated with bitumen mastic. The tiles do not adhere to glass hydroisolate.

Plaster

A budget option for finishing the basement of a house is traditionally leveling the surfaces with plaster and putty solutions. However, these materials require protection from moisture and additional decoration. Therefore, they are painted with water-based, dispersed, acrylic, acrylate and oil compositions.

The same materials are used in wet facades, as they adhere quite firmly to polystyrene foam or basalt wool when using reinforcing mesh. Therefore, the base of a building for seasonal use can simply be plastered and painted, while the base of a permanent residence is better insulated and plastered and covered with decorative plaster.

Basement siding

If you're on a budget, vinyl basement siding may be a better choice for your building. Despite the name, entire facades are often finished with this material on the outside. For example, a budget “frame” can be completely covered with basement siding, giving the home the architecture of a brick cottage.

Photo of a panel of vinyl basement siding imitating brick.

Unlike standard linear panels, basement siding is produced in the form of modules with dimensions of about 1.2 x 0.5 m and 18 - 30 mm thickness. The texture usually imitates stone or masonry; the panels have locks to connect them together. Insulation can be placed inside the frame sheathing, reducing the heat loss of the building.

Important! Basement siding has the widest range of additions. In addition to ebbs and corners, manufacturers produce starting and finishing strips and clamps for concealed fastening of panels.

Profiled sheet

Lining the ground part of the foundation with corrugated sheeting is a budget option. In this case, the facades are of low artistic value, so it is better to use this cladding for outbuildings. Installation is carried out on a frame made of timber or galvanized profile, fixed to the base from the outside.

Sheets can be fixed to purlins with rivets or self-tapping screws. For corrugated sheets, there are additional elements that allow high-quality decoration of external and internal corners, and installation of ebbs above the base.

Important! When choosing corrugated sheeting, there is virtually no cutting waste, since you can order sheets of the required height that are mounted without adjustment.

Flexible tiles

This method of cladding the ground part of the foundation is, in principle, not the intended use of roof cladding. Flexible tiles are very thin and cannot hide even minor flatness defects, so they require a perfectly flat base.

This decoration technology is more suitable for installing columnar or pile-grillage foundations. The load-bearing vertical elements are covered with sheathing or purlins are attached, asbestos-cement sheets are hung on them, their surface can be covered with flexible bitumen shingles, additionally secured with self-tapping screws. Typically, the types of tiles that are most similar to stone are chosen.

The use of composite materials made of fiber cement for finishing the basement of a house allows us to provide a 20-30 year service life. The panel is created from a mixture of cement and wood fibers by hot pressing, the outer surface is laminated or covered with a protective layer. They are made to imitate various materials - wood, brick, stone.

In addition to weather resistance and a self-contained front design, fiber cement panels have self-cleaning properties. Dust and dirt are washed away by rain or water from a hose. The panel locks are supplemented with sealing elements that ensure high tightness of the facing layer.

Photo of a plinth made of fiber cement panels

Thus, the base can be decorated in many ways, depending on the available construction budget, the architectural style of the building and the preferences of the owner. It is necessary to focus on the service life of the coatings, the weight of the cladding, the thickness and price of the materials.

Reading time ≈ 9 minutes

Many owners of private houses are wondering how to cover the outside of the house foundation, and at the same time do the procedure cheaply and beautifully. If you don’t know how, then we will not only tell you, but also attach a photo to make it more effective.

The base is the part of the foundation that is above the ground. Therefore, the same finishing features are used here as for the rest of the base. This includes many actions:

• creating a blind area;
• primary plastering (not in all cases);
• waterproofing actions and much more.

But individual characteristics arise from the terrain conditions and the characteristics of each individual building. A beautiful foundation goes well with.

Beautiful finishing option

After the construction has seemingly been completed, many are wondering: how to finish the basement so that it is beautiful and at the same time not very expensive? The modern construction market is replete with finishing materials, but often their cost is very high. And often such work will require not only experience, but also professional tools. Therefore, if we talk about inexpensive cladding, the choice is not so great. Let's look at each of these options in more detail.

Options for beautiful foundation cladding

If you are looking for something to cover the outside of your house’s foundation cheaply and beautifully, as in the photo, then explore the options below. They are quite budget-friendly in terms of costs, but no less beautiful than expensive cladding options. In addition, to work with such materials, you do not have to spend money on equipment and look for craftsmen with experience. You can do everything yourself.

Preparing the base for finishing

Before covering the base, it should be properly prepared for this. Since it is very important for the entire building, care must be taken to ensure its safety. To do this, it should be well insulated and waterproofing materials should be installed. Also, before this, you should take care of choosing the material for cladding the house, for example, choose.

The entire structure is adversely affected by atmospheric phenomena such as rain, wind, snow, and changes in temperature conditions. The main task is to prevent cold air. It should not leak into the building. Otherwise, it will displace warm air. Another unpleasant phenomenon will be condensation, which is sure to appear at the point of contact of cold and warm air masses.

Base finishing

Condensation is very dangerous, since moisture provokes the appearance of various mold and fungal growths. So it is important not to skip the preparatory work.

1. If the house is not new and was built quite a long time ago, then it is worth carrying out work to free the basement from the ground. You will have to remove the soil to the required level.
2. Then the walls should be left for a while to dry thoroughly.
3. After this, you should clean and level the working surface so that the finish of the base is as smooth and correct as possible. This way the slabs of insulating material will lie flat and tight to the foundation.
4. Installation of insulation boards occurs from the bottom up.
5. To secure, use special long dowels.
6. After laying the slabs, they are often reinforced. For this purpose, a construction mesh is used. The cladding is installed directly on it.

The lower part of the foundation walls should be covered with earth. Waterproofing actions occur before insulation and cladding work takes place.

Foundation treatment scheme

Important: if the building is built on an area with high soil moisture, then a drainage system should be installed around the perimeter of the house. And the foundation itself is covered on both sides with a special solution that does not allow moisture to pass through.

Preparation begins with a thorough inspection of the foundation:

• it must be durable and have a smooth surface;
• you need to remove all dirt, dust and debris so that it does not interfere;
• if you notice any recesses and other defects, then use special means to remove them and level the entire surface of the base as much as possible; you can also use plaster for this;
• after everything is done, let the surface dry thoroughly;
• now you should treat everything with a primer to increase the adhesion between the finishing layer and the facade itself;
• if panels are used in the finishing, then preliminary lathing is indispensable.

Plaster

Foundation finishing

The simplest and most affordable option for finishing the foundation is plaster. The versatility of this material allows it to be used for finishing work on buildings built from any material - brick, cellular concrete, foam blocks, and so on. The exception is wooden houses. After all, harmony between plaster and wood can hardly be achieved.

The advantages of this material are:

• high vapor permeability;
• withstands large fluctuations and temperature changes with large differences;
• has good maintainability;
• the material is easy to work with and does not require special skills or equipment;
• resistant to moisture and liquids - the level of moisture permeability is determined depending on the presence of certain additives and their quantity added to the plaster solution;
• the color of such cladding can be changed quite often, and the cost of changing the palette will be small;
• plaster allows you to imitate a variety of finishing materials, for example, you can create an imitation of natural stone or tile (the skill and imagination of a craftsman can do wonders);
• the costs for this material are minimal.

Plastered basement of the house

But naturally, this type of finishing also has some disadvantages that should not be overlooked:

• the strength of the material is not at the highest level, so the service life is quite short;
• caring for such a coating has its own difficulties - if dirt gets on the plastered foundation, it can only be cleaned when it dries; decorative mixtures for plastering are more unpretentious in terms of maintenance, however, such compositions have a high cost;
• If the plaster is applied superficially, then the paintwork will have to be renewed periodically.

1. If you did not plan to insulate the foundation separately, then it is still recommended to lay polystyrene foam boards before covering with plaster. This will not only insulate, but also level the base.
2. A plaster mesh is mounted on the slabs.
3. After applying the plaster, it can be painted. Choose the right paint for this. But here opinions differ. It is still recommended to introduce the paint into the plaster solution itself. This will make the composition uniform in color. On the other hand, painting the top will clog all the pores and then moisture will not get inside. But at the same time, vapor permeability suffers.

Artificial stone

If you choose the right stone, it will be an excellent option for cladding the foundation. This is a durable and relatively inexpensive material. And the appearance allows you to achieve a beautiful aesthetic effect.

The advantages of the stone are:

• stone (artificial) is quite easy to create yourself, so you will spend more time on construction work, but less money;
• many facing options;
• long service life;
• high strength;
• maintainability;
• the weight of such material is not very large;
• ease of work (just stick the stone onto the base).

Base finished with artificial stone

The disadvantages include:

• finishing work is carried out only in the warm season - this is justified by the characteristics of the adhesive solution;
• This method requires increased attention and accuracy from the worker, and the work itself takes a lot of time and effort.

So, when choosing this method, you should be prepared for a difficult work process. Moreover, this finishing option is combined with.

Another option for stone finishing

Brick

Brick is also an affordable material, and its cost is quite reasonable. It has many advantages over other foundation cladding materials:

• a large selection of decorative brick color palettes;
• resistance to temperature changes - resists high and low temperatures equally well;
• does not absorb water well;
• as a cladding it also provides good sound and thermal insulation;
• long service period (within 20 years).

Despite these positive qualities, brick also has several disadvantages:

• the weight of the brick for cladding is quite decent, so this will create additional load on the foundation of the house;
• to sheathe the base with brick you will have to choose special compounds for gluing the brick;
• the walls must be perfectly smooth, since it is almost impossible to stick it on an old and cracked wall.

But still, this material is one of the most popular methods in comparison with stone and other artificial materials.

Brick cladding foundation

Tile

Before you start finishing the base with tiles, you should decide on its type. There are several types of such facing tiles.

1. Clinker tiles. Its thickness and weight are slightly less than brick. Installation occurs by gluing. In this case, it is worth applying a special frost-resistant solution to the tiles and the base itself. The advantage is high speed. It almost does not absorb water and gives a beautiful aesthetic appearance to the building.
2. Stone tiles (natural). It will look chic and impressive. These tiles are made from marble or limestone. Its cost will depend on this.
3. Sand (polymer) tiles. Made from composite tiles. Lightweight, therefore does not create additional load on the building. Screws act as fasteners. Has good moisture resistance.
4. Tiles with added resins. Has flexibility. The tile can imitate clinker tiles and other materials. It can be cut with scissors, so it is very easy to work with.

Tiling with resin additives

To clearly see the process of sheathing the base, watch the video, which describes this process in detail.

Now you know how to cover the foundation of a house from the outside, doing it cheaply and beautifully and so that everything looks like in the photo. The main thing is to go beyond your own desires and individual characteristics of the building. After all, facing the foundation is not just an improvement of your home, but also additional protection for the base itself. By correctly selecting and combining materials, you can keep the building in its original form for as long as possible. And then you can have a stove in the bathhouse!

In construction, an important point is the insulation and protection of any element from external factors; its quality will affect energy costs, optimal microclimate and the service life of parts of the building. Since the basis of any building is the foundation, I will talk below about its decorative finishing and protecting the basement floor from moisture and other factors.

Finishing the foundation with facing stone

Which material to choose

Cladding the foundation is something that can be done with your own hands; the main thing is to choose the best material that will combine all the necessary properties. By the way, facing the foundation can also be done during the repair of the old foundation. First, you need to understand why foundation cladding is needed? Although the foundations of houses are built from durable materials, they also need to be protected from moisture, precipitation, wind, mechanical damage and other adverse factors. Therefore, facing the foundation is initially the protection of the foundation of the house and the preservation of its operational properties for a long time. Also, treating the base will help protect the basement from moisture and cold and decorate the house. Since the construction market is replete with necessary materials, our task is to choose the best one.

Finishing the base with stone

A common finishing is decorative plaster; its qualities and properties in modern construction fulfill all the necessary conditions for high-quality surface treatment. This finish is an inexpensive and unpretentious option for decorating and protecting the foundation.

But I would not use plaster for several reasons - firstly, it is a labor-intensive process, and secondly, there are many other materials that can provide high-quality protection for the house and create a noble appearance. Moreover, protecting the basement floor from cold and moisture requires thermal insulation qualities.

Of course, you can use various sidings and slabs, but nothing brings as much nobility to a home as facing stone. Therefore, I opt for sandstone, and you will find out what it is below.

Natural stone cladding

Noble finishes

The foundation cladding should not only fulfill its intended purpose, but also act as a decorative element of the basement floor. Natural stone has always been a noble and durable building material, so finishing the base with stone looks harmonious and rich.

Do-it-yourself plinth finishing

Choosing from all the options, I settled on sandstone, which has many properties:

1. Facing stone is a natural building material, time-tested. Its lifespan is simply staggering, more likely to require a home renovation than an old sandstone. The brick foundation, lined with sandstone, looks noble and natural.
2. The strength of the material allows it to withstand heavy physical loads, so elements protected by sandstone are not susceptible to mechanical damage.
3. Repairing an old base using sandstone treatment will help create excellent protection against moisture.
4. Due to the ease of installation, you can cover the brick foundation with your own hands.
5. Due to its porous structure, sandstone has some thermal insulation properties, which makes it possible to reduce heat loss through the basement floor.
6. Facing stone is great for finishing various surfaces, be it the facade of a house, interior walls or a brick foundation.
7. The facing stone looks equally harmonious on a brick house or on a wooden one. Not everyone will be able to imagine the look created by a cottage whose base is lined with sandstone.
8. The natural texture and patterns of sandstone fit well into a variety of architectural styles.

Finishing the base with natural stone

Combining all of the above advantages, facing stone perfectly protects a brick foundation or any other type of foundation. It is worth noting that a brick foundation is the optimal surface for finishing with natural materials. This base is easy to process, which allows you to cover the surface with sandstone with your own hands in a short time.

Covering foundation surfaces

Facing stone is a fairly undemanding element, so you can do the renovation of an old basement floor from the outside yourself.

The following tools were useful to me for the repair:

• A metal brush is necessary for preparing the surface and cleaning it.
• A chisel and hammer will be needed in case of repair, to remove the old coating (plaster).
• The ax was useful to me in making notches for better adhesion to the surface.
• I prepared a spray bottle or brush to apply the primer.

Finishing the foundation with stone

If the foundation is not uniform, which is rare, a construction mesh is used, I did without it.

Having prepared the necessary tools, I began to repair the outer surface of the basement. He did all the necessary work to prepare the surface, cleaned it well and coated it with a high-quality primer. Next, I took a specialized glue for stone laying and began laying out my future masterpiece step by step. The seams between the elements were filled with mortar and carefully processed. The end result was a great view of the basement.

We start doing the cladding from the corner

Finishing a screw foundation

Houses with a brick foundation have a huge advantage over their counterparts. The fact is that the construction of a pile foundation does not allow finishing with sandstone, so the question immediately arises - how to cover the pile foundation from the outside. For me, this question was quite interesting, because it is simply necessary to protect the basement from moisture and cold, and it is necessary to decorate the bottom of the building. But if a brick foundation can be finished with sandstone, then what kind of solution can be found here?
Why come up with such a complex base, which is then difficult to choose a finish for, you ask. But a screw foundation is the only optimal solution for unstable and heaving soils. It is the screw foundation that is able to penetrate to great depths and provide reliable support for the house. And the choice of finishing for the base is quite possible using a material such as corrugated sheet.

Covering the base with a metal profile

This material appeared back in 1820 and became very widespread in the construction industry. The corrugated sheet is made of galvanized steel using cold rolling, after which it is subjected to the creation of the required shape - trapezoidal, wavy. This is done more to add rigidity than for beauty. Corrugated sheet is a unique material used in the construction of new buildings and renovation of old ones. Steel sheets are used not only for finishing basement floors, but also for repairing roofs and walls. In the assortment you can find profiled sheets for facing stone or “wooden” elements. I was very pleased with this choice, because it makes it easy to create a unique style with your own hands.

In the assortment you can find profiled sheets for facing stone or “wooden” element

Do-it-yourself cladding of a screw base

Typically, screw foundations are used in the construction of light houses, for example, wooden ones. Therefore, the decorative finish of the screw foundation should be in harmony with the wooden elements. Fortunately, I found a variety of profiled sheets that look like stone, which goes well with wooden houses. The result is an imitation of a completely natural, natural house.

Profiled sheet “under the stone”

Sheathing a screw foundation is not a difficult task, so I took it on myself and, adhering to the following scheme, did an excellent job:

• For the base of the sheets, I made a wooden sheathing, having previously soaked the parts with an antiseptic solution.
• To avoid deformation of the sheets under the influence of heaving soils, I left a gap between the ground and the element. To do this, I filled the junction of the earth and parts with sand to a depth of 500 mm.
• I used self-tapping screws to attach the sheets to the wooden sheathing. To avoid dents, I tried not to overtighten the fasteners.
• I covered the joints of the material and the corners with additional elements.

This is how, with a little effort, you can cover your foundation yourself.