Foundations for your log home

Every log home needs a foundation under it. The question always comes up is... what type of foundation to go with? In my earlier blog I talked about slabs and crawl spaces. Today I'm going to be talking about full basement foundations. Not counting pre-fab panelized concrete walls, there are three types of foundations. They are concrete block, poured concrete and insulated concrete forms (ICF). Here in my area the most popular style of basement is concrete block. They are found everywhere and most of the contractors bid the jobs with them so it keeps the price competitive. A block wall will take a little longer to build so weather such as rain and cold can be a slight factor. Properly waterproofed and insulated, concrete block walls offer a great result for the right cost. Thermax rigid insulation is one of the better ways to go for insulating. It is both the insulation and vapor barrier. Code in your area may or may not allow fiberglass insulation against the foundation walls. The next type of foundation is poured concrete wall. Poured concrete walls are formed up with concrete forms with solid concrete poured in the forms. After the walls are cured the contractors strips the forms and you have a finished basement wall. Waterproofing and insulating on a poured wall is the same as on a block wall. Poured walls can be constructed in weather that may not be as suitable for block wall construction. Next on the list is insulated concrete forms that are also known as ICF. ICF are foam blocks that are installed on site and used as a form with the concrete poured in the opening. The foam plays double duty as both form and foundation insulation. An ICF foundation will run you a bit more for costs but keep in mind it is already an insulated foundation as soon as it is completed. Waterproofing is critical on ICF and exposed foam on the exterior needs to be covered. A scratch coat serves the purpose fine but some will opt to cover those areas with cultured stone. There are plastic strips on the interior to make fastening your wall finish easier to the foam. Some builders have found it is just as easy to tip a 2x4 wall up against it though. Keep in mind that the foam needs to be covered on the interior of the home as well. This will result in added cost during construction if you weren't planning on finishing off the basement right away. I have built many homes over the years on ICF foundations and every homeowner has been happy with the results. There is alot of time and research that goes into the planning of your log home that is well beyond the log home package. Your local log home builder and dealers are there to help you through the phases.