Choosing the Right Foundation for a Two-Story House

When constructing a house, especially a two-story one, choosing the right type of foundation is essential to ensure it can support the weight of the entire structure. An improperly chosen foundation can lead to serious issues, such as cracks or even the collapse of the building.

Then, how do you choose the right foundation for a two-story house and what are the different types available? Read this article to find the answer!

Why Is the Foundation of a Two-Story House Crucial?

Before exploring the different foundation options for a two-story house, it’s important to understand why the foundation is crucial for multi-story homes. In general, the foundation of a two-story house serves to support the safety, stability, and longevity of the building. Here are some reasons why you should carefully consider the foundation for your two-story house:

1. Prevents Soil Shrinkage

First, the foundation of a two-story house is important to prevent soil shrinkage as it connects the building structures to the ground beneath it. Soil can change in volume or shift due to factors like groundwater movement or seasonal changes. In this case, a strong foundation ensures that the building remains stable, even when the soil beneath it shifts.

2. Supports Structural Load

Second, the foundation is the element that supports the entire weight of the building. However, when constructing a two-story house, the load it carries is significantly higher compared to a single-story house. That’s why you need a strong foundation for a two-story house to prevent the structure from collapsing.

3. Increases Property Value

Besides supporting the building structures, it can also add value to the property. The house foundation is a valuable investment as renters and buyers are more likely to choose a house with a secure and sturdy foundation.

4. Prevents Cracking

A solid foundation also helps prevent cracks in the walls or other parts of the structure, which could compromise both the appearance and safety of the home. That’s why the foundation must be suited to the soil type at the construction site to prevent damage caused by shifts or changes in the ground.

5. Improves Disaster Mitigation

A strong foundation is essential for buildings in areas prone to disasters, such as earthquakes or landslides. In such areas, you may need an earthquake-resistant foundation to ensure the building remains safe during seismic activity.

6. Enhances Resident Safety

The foundation of a two-story house must be built securely to prevent the risk of collapse or structural damage. Multi-story homes like two-story houses inherently carry higher security risks, so an unstable foundation can pose a significant danger to both residents and the building itself.

7. Extends Building Lifespan

A well-built foundation can greatly increase the lifespan of a two-story house by preventing premature damage. Therefore, it can save on construction and repair costs in the long run, as the house will require fewer repairs and can stand the test of time.

How to Choose the Foundation for a Two-Story House

As mentioned earlier, the foundation for a two-story house must be chosen carefully to ensure the building’s durability and stability. Then, what factors should be considered before selecting the right type of foundation for your two-story home? Here are some tips you should note:

1. Consider the Soil Structure

The first thing to consider is the soil structure at the location where the house will be built. The soil condition might vary, being either dense, soft, unstable, or other variations. For hard soil, you can choose a stone foundation. On the other hand, if the soil is soft, a chicken claw foundation might be more suitable.

2. Plan for the Building’s Lifespan

The second tip is to consider how long you intend to use the building. You probably want a durable structure that will last for many years. However, there may be times when you only need the house for a short period.

For instance, if you are building for long-term use, you should choose a foundation that ensures the home’s strength and stability. On the other hand, if the house is for temporary use, investing in a highly durable foundation may unnecessarily increase construction costs.

3. Consider the Architectural Design

Last but not least, you need to take a closer look at the foundation plan for your two-story house and the overall architectural design. If you are building a house with heavy materials, make sure the foundation you choose is strong enough to support the entire load of the structure.

Types of Foundation for a Two-Story House

Now that you understand the importance of choosing the right foundation for a two-story house to ensure the stability of the building and the safety of its occupants, here are the types of foundations you can choose based on your needs:

1. Foot Plat Foundation

The first type of foundation for a two-story house is the foot plat foundation. It can be installed at a depth of 50 cm to 2 meters from the ground surface for strength. However, you should also consider the type of soil.

For example, if your house is on hard soil, the foundation should be installed deeper than 2 meters and supplemented with a strauss pile foundation. For this type of foundation, you can use a mixture of crushed stone, sand, reinforced concrete, cement, and wooden planks.

2. Stone Foundation

The next type of foundation is the stone foundation. This type is typically used for buildings on stable and suitable soil, as it can be installed at a depth of 60–80 cm from the surface.

The stone foundation is typically trapezoidal and integrates with the beam, which makes it also suitable for single-story houses. The materials for this foundation include cement, sand, and river stones. For a two-story house, you might consider adding another type of foundation, like a shallow foundation, to improve stability.

3. Chicken Claw Foundation

Chicken claw foundation is a type of two-story house foundation that resembles the shape of a chicken claw, with concrete pipes placed firmly at the base of the foundation. This type of foundation is ideal for homes built on soft or unstable soil.

This foundation uses stone slabs with a thickness of 12 cm to enhance the stability of the building and prevent soil shrinkage. It is considered more efficient as it requires fewer materials and can be constructed quickly. In general, the chicken claw foundation is installed about 1 meter below the surface. But, the excavation depth may vary depending on the type of soil.

4. Pile Foundation

Pile foundations can be used for multi-story buildings, but the depth depends on the soil conditions. Pile foundations are typically made from steel or concrete. This type of foundation helps distribute the gravitational load evenly into the ground, making the building more stable and strong.

5. Well Foundation

A well foundation is a variation of a shallow foundation that uses piles. This type of foundation is suitable for soil with a specific depth and is ideal for structures that require pile usage. To construct it, you can pour concrete into the foundation and fill it with crushed stone and concrete. The excavation diameter is about 80 cm.

6. Bore Pile Foundation

This type of foundation is commonly used in the construction of multi-story buildings. Bore piles are typically installed in the ground at depths ranging from 2 to 20 meters. To achieve this depth, a drilling machine is used.

Once the hole is drilled, rebar and concrete are placed in the pile. This foundation is suitable for buildings built between other structures or in confined spaces.

7. Continuous Foundation

A continuous foundation runs along the length of the building to distribute the load evenly. It has a trapezoidal shape and a foundation width of 70–120 cm for a two-story house. This type of foundation is ideal for structures that need earthquake resistance.

8. Injection Pile Foundation

This foundation type is used to reinforce an existing foundation to prevent leaks in the building. It is also suitable for preventing concrete leakage. One of the injection types typically used for this purpose is hydraulic injection.

9. Strauss Pile Foundation

Strauss pile foundations are known for their strength and are frequently used in multi-story buildings since they are capable of resting on the soil. This type of foundation is also efficient and cost-effective due to its use of concrete and steel reinforcement.

10. Franki Pile Foundation

The Franki pile foundation combines the characteristics of both bore pile and pile foundation types, offering a more solid and durable structure while remaining cost-effective for construction.

That was all the various types of foundations for two-story houses that you should consider when planning your dream home. Choosing the right foundation is crucial for the longevity and stability of the building. In addition to the type of foundation, materials such as cement are also important. For this, you can consider using Semen Merah Putih for your foundation mix.

Semen Merah Putih offers a wide range of cement and concrete products for your home construction needs, including Semen Merah Putih Watershield, which features water-repellent technology and triple protection for buildings, safeguarding them from water seepage from three sources: external, internal, and from the ground.

Interested in using Semen Merah Putih? Contact us now for more information about our products!