With the advancements in technology, a lot of us have increased awareness about architecture and construction. It would also be fair to say that a sizeable number of us also know about the various technicalities relevant to both the professions. However, we are sure that not many are aware of how exactly is the immediate external boundary of a building is protected or treated, in spite of it being usually out in the open to see.
Hence, our today's article speaks about the technicalities as well as the various ideas that one can implement along the edge of their building. Take a look to know more about it.
In technical terms, the area surrounding the building is usually known as the plinth protection. A plinth protection usually is done by pouring an approximate 100mm layer of plain cement concrete along the edge of the building. The main idea behind this is to prevent water retention along the edge of the building, thus ensuring its longer life.
In most basic buildings, the plinth protection is usually left exposed to see. However, in cases of buildings that are well-finished, the plinth protection can be covered with a layer of paver blocks, gravels or even the surrounding lawn.
In old Japanese houses, the roofs were seldom provided with edge gutters, as a result all the water from the roof would fall directly on the edge of the building. This would then pose a risk to the waterproofing membrane of the external walls as well as continuously splash muddy water on the walls. To avoid this, the outer edge was provided with a gravel bed that would prevent the splashing of water as well as avoid water retention along the edges.
An interesting logic behind installing a gravel bed along the boundary is also that gravels make it harder to walk on or to stand, thus minimizing the risk of theft. In recent years, architects have also experimented with larger sized pebbles that can make noise when one walks on them, a simple strategy to alert the residents.
From an aesthetic point of view, a gravel bed along a building can act as a simple transition element between the building and the surrounding landscape. As seen in this example, the architects have preferred to strategically position the gravel bed and the red brick paver such that the brick house gradually extends itself into the manicured lawns. That said, it is also important to note that the red brick pavers have a critical functional aspect as well.
Gravel beds can act as excellent locations to conceal simple ACO drains that can run along the length of the building as well as to mount light fixtures that can act as sleek floor mounted wall washers.
We end our short tour of plinth protectors by this wonderfully designed house. At the end, we would like to say that, although plinth protection is not as significant as other structural and architectural elements within in a building, a well thought-out edge can do wonders to your house, both from the structural as well as aesthetic point of view.
If you liked this article and would like to know more, please read 6 secrets to the perfect garden