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That's interesting - I wonder where you are? Our ca. 1800 cottage has no foundation (it's literally just rocks sitting on dirt) and is in a pretty wet climate (
by CalRobert 7y ago
That's interesting - I wonder where you are? Our ca. 1800 cottage has no foundation (it's literally just rocks sitting on dirt) and is in a pretty wet climate (Ireland). Though the room that had a screed put down is drier than the others.
- Waterluvian 7y agoEast of Lake Huron in Canada. I think the difference is that the average winter temperature in Ireland is above freezing (correct me if I'm wrong). It's about 20C lower here. It's the freeze/thaw action that we are building deep to protect against.
- stanferder 7y agoI'm not an architect, but my understanding is that the foundation has to be far enough down that the ground does not freeze under it, which is why houses in the Northeast US and Canada have basements.
- wolco 7y ago6 ft so the ground does freeze/melt and the structure become uneven.
- sgc 7y agoIt's actually calculated based on the frost line for the area. I don't think when building on solid rock it matters, since the point is to avoid expansion and contraction of freeze thaw cycle pushing the house up.
- jefftk 7y agoThis depends enormously on where you are: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/pavements/ltpp/08057/07.cfm https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructur... Go farther South and it gets down to eventually nothing. Go far enough North, to permafrost country, and you not only need to dig down to the permafrost but you need to have insulation so the permafrost doesn't melt.
- jacquesm 7y agoYes, you want to go low enough that frost heave will not affect your footings. But if you anchor into bedrock then shallow is fine.
- jacquesm 7y agoNeat. I lived on lake Huron too (just East of Sault ste Marie, on St. Josephs' Island). Brutal winters. Amazing nature.