# Poured Foundations +-



## phanley (Jul 20, 2007)

:thumbup:What do you think about poured foundations????:thumbup:

Donnay Homes uses a high-quality poured concrete wall system for your new home foundation. 

We at Donnay Homes believe There's never been a better option for a residential foundation than the a poured foundation. Donnay Homes custom made foundations are specifically designed for your new home and constructed with high-strength concrete, EPS foam insulation and paperless interior-grade wallboard, meaning that your new foundation is far superior in quality and appearance to a traditional poured-in-place foundation.
After simply taping the seams, painting or hanging wallpaper, your Donnay Homes basement is ready to become the space you've always dreamed about - a family room, workout center, wine cellar, home theatre, game room, office or anything else. Donnay Homes can also do that work for you. 
Donnay Homes poured wall systems are manufactured and installed by Donnay Homes, The oldest home builder in Minnesota . Donnay Homes poured wall systems are energy efficient, mold and mildew resistant, quiet, warm and comfortable, and the perfect foundation for your new home. 

*Benefits of Poured Concrete Foundations* 

Donnay Homes poured concrete walls provide owners with stronger, drier, better basements. They offer performance that block walls simply can’t match.

Strength:
Donnay Homes poured walls have a compressive and flexural strength several times that of block and far beyond the required safety factor. 

Water Resistance:
The increased strength, density, and joint-free construction of Donnay Homes poured walls dramatically reduce basement water problems. A water-tight basement means less problems for you as a home owner. 

Fire Resistance:
Solid wall construction affords at least twice as much protection against fire as hollow core concrete block. 

Design Flexibility:
Donnay Homes poured wall techniques are adaptable to most home designs and offer the choice of either brick or smooth finishes. 

Maintenance Ease:
Donnay Homes poured wall construction is virtually maintenance free.


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## Tscarborough (Feb 25, 2006)

I hope you wrote Monty a check for that ad.


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## concretemasonry (Dec 1, 2006)

Most of the claims listed are completely wrong and carefully slanted by a peddler/ad creator that has little real knowledge of real construction, especially as concerning basements, water penetration and stuctures. As the famous P. T. Barnum said "There is a sucker born every minute".

I would dismiss buying from a builder that made such erroneous claims. - I would love to be on the other side in court on one of my investigations regarding basement problems and ability to substantiate claims. I have done it enough to not even have to prepare much.

Could Monty be Vern's son?


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## K2 (Jul 8, 2005)

I like poured foundations. i don't like post #1


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## Chris Johnson (Apr 19, 2007)

I'm an ICF contractor and I agree with post # 4


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## JustaFramer (Jan 21, 2005)

Bejezzus. So your telling me you pour $200 a yard mud for a foundation. It better have a 5000 psi at break. I better smell ammonia or your full of horse manure.


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## Joasis (Mar 28, 2006)

Hmmmm......nice ad copy, just the wrong market.


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## firemike (Dec 11, 2005)

K2eoj said:


> I like poured foundations. i don't like post #1


Got to agree!


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## concretemasonry (Dec 1, 2006)

Only a framer would think the compressive strength is important. There is more to it than that.

P.S. - you can also get 5000 psi - 6000 psi block if you want them, but no intelligent person would need that strength.

You build a basement to resist the soil/water conditions. If you look at standards, the steel reinforcement is about the same for either block or poured for a given thickness. Block is just cheaper and better if you want thicker walls.


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## K2 (Jul 8, 2005)

> Block is just cheaper and better if you want thicker walls.


That would not be true in my area.


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## JustaFramer (Jan 21, 2005)

concretemasonry said:


> Only a framer would think the compressive strength is important. There is more to it than that.
> 
> P.S. - you can also get 5000 psi - 6000 psi block if you want them, but no intelligent person would need that strength.
> 
> You build a basement to resist the soil/water conditions. If you look at standards, the steel reinforcement is about the same for either block or poured for a given thickness. Block is just cheaper and better if you want thicker walls.



HUH? I build forms all day long for high PSI mud. 
Most of the forms I build doesn't get filled with that 3000 psi residential sh!t mud. :laughing: 

As for re-bar I have built a few walls that were double curtian with 6"x6" on the hors and verts. And a couple sidewalks that required 3"x3" hors and verts double mat. 

Since you are a cement mason maybe you can tell me the proper nomenclature for that ammonia admixture mud. I now it's around 200 plus a yard use in elevator shafts alot.


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## concretemasonry (Dec 1, 2006)

Framer -

My 40 + years of experience is heavy on masonry construction, mortar, design, building codes, material standards and cement based products.

I do not deal directly with concrete mixes, but get involved with friends and customers that get me dragged into it.

There is nothing wrong with 3000 psi concrete. Higher strength concrete will take more cement, which requires more water, which will shrink more and can give you more cracks in a slab or wall.

Regarding the "ammonia admixtrue" mud or concrete, there have been many patented materials over the past 30 years that have used the concept of ammonia gas in the concrete. The general idea is to create amonia gas that slows the set of the concrete and still creates a lighter weight cement paste (not really light, but different) with delayed setting. It supposedly is important when pouring concrete in high lifts where you want to control the setting since it is easy to dump the mud too fast. Like most of the highly sophiticated spit and concrete admixtures it is fussy stuff that can be affected by many things like temperatures, the fines in the concrete and the other admixtures used at the same time. The high price is not for the materials, but for the pre-testing, mix design, extra controls and inspection and the liability even if the admixture is used as specified.

Some fly ash (which may generate ammonia) can cause the setting to be retarded. This is good except when you have a big slab to finish in cool weather.

I like to keep it simple and that is why masonry is attractive to me. Unlike concrete, you know the strength of the material used (the block) since it is already cured, the strength of the mortar is rarely important, so you rely on a man to do good work by having plumb walls and tight mortar joints. If you need high strength for a 20 story building, you just make stronger units and test them before you lay them. Then add steel in as few cores as possible and dump in wet grout. - No waiting for 28 day strengths of something (concrete) containing cement, sand rock, admixtures and spit.


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## JustaFramer (Jan 21, 2005)

We have independent inspectors on the jobs. the concrete I am thinking of gives a tight almost water proof pores. Smells like ammonia.

Usually pour at about a 5 slump sometimes plasticizers are used.


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## Tscarborough (Feb 25, 2006)

Here is the real skinny on compressive strength. Let's assume a simple 20'x40' house. Using a 8" lightweight CMU foundation wall with NO vertical reinforcing, you will get a bearing surface of around 32 million pounds. I doubt a 2 story stick built home will approach that.

Compressive strength is not the issue. Tensile (and bond for masonry) properties are what are important. In addition, what works for concrete often has the opposite effect on mortar; the only thing they share is the use of cementious materials as a binder.


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## JustaFramer (Jan 21, 2005)

I have nothing against masonary. Personally I like CMU when it has a architectural design. When it is just painted it isn't that great.


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## Tscarborough (Feb 25, 2006)

The same thing applies to poured foundations, Justaframer. Technically, a poured concrete foundation wall would be fine at around 300PSI for most applications (3.5 million pounds of bearing surface for an 8" wall).


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## K2 (Jul 8, 2005)

Around expansive soils the term I hear is "beam stength". 
Essentially a concrete wall can be lifted by a crane, like a beam , and dropped down without losing any of it's character. So when the clay soil swells and pushes the wall up and then lets it down, or leaves it up, there is minimal damage to the superstructure.


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## JustaFramer (Jan 21, 2005)

Tscarborough said:


> The same thing applies to poured foundations, Justaframer. Technically, a poured concrete foundation wall would be fine at around 300PSI for most applications (3.5 million pounds of bearing surface for an 8" wall).



Oh yeah a house wouldn't need high end mud. Never said it did. Alot of the walls I formed up were 5-6 sack mixes. Last walls I worked on were 30 feet tall poured them in two sets at 15 feet each. 

Now there is red iron hanging off those walls that supports the pan decking slabs. :whistling 

I'll take some pictures on Monday.


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## Tscarborough (Feb 25, 2006)

When you start hanging things off of it, the equations change. Not for the compressive, but for the tensile. The amazing coincidence of almost exact thermal charcteristics of steel and concrete allow them to work togther to create "beams" or "members" that have both compressive and tensile strength. That is what makes reinforced concrete such a versatile construction material. Reinforced segmental masonry can be used for many of the same purposes, but the design details as they relate to specific practices do not share a common set of requirements.

In short, reinforced concrete and reinforced masonry are not the sme thing, even if used to to a common purpose.


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## tkle (Apr 15, 2006)

So when the cat pees in the sand I can charge more?
Thanks for turning a worthless thread into an education.:notworthy


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