3 Benefits of Solid-Pour Foundations for Alaskan Homes
Your foundation must be strong enough to bear the load of your home without settling, and it must provide a barrier against the pressure and moisture of the surrounding soil.
Two of the most common types of residential foundations are concrete block foundations and solid-pour concrete foundations. Although concrete block foundations may be lighter and easier to install in our climate, solid-pour foundations tend to be stronger and more durable.
Here are three reasons to consider an on-grade solid concrete foundation for your new home in Alaska:
Floorplan Versatility
When building your forever home, you don’t want your design to be limited by building materials or location. A skilled team can create some unique floor plans using concrete blocks, but a poured concrete foundation is the best option if you want the ultimate versatility for your dream home’s layout.
Concrete can conform to virtually any shape you can imagine for your custom home. From a standard four-sided home to a home with different wings, unique angles, curved lines, and arches, it’s all possible with a poured concrete foundation.
Concrete blocks may seem like the ideal solution for building in remote areas because transporting and pouring concrete can be difficult. But Falcon Alaska specializes in remote concrete work using on- and off-the-road systems and equipment that make it easy to pour concrete foundations despite Alaska’s terrain.
Protection From the Elements
Your foundation must be water- and fire-resistant to provide a safe and comfortable home for your family for years to come.
Concrete block foundations can provide some protection from the weather, but their mortar joints tend to allow moisture to seep through, and the blocks can be damaged in a fire.
Poured concrete foundations are more fire-resistant because they’re one continuous structure without joints. They provide a better barrier against moisture and can be sealed more easily, making them more resistant to frost damage from freezing and thawing ground.
Enhanced Durability
Although concrete blocks are made from concrete, they’re not solid and must be stacked and cemented with mortar to create a strong foundation. These joints between the blocks introduce lateral weakness to the system, allowing soil to deform the foundation walls over time.
Solid-pour foundations are stronger and more durable than concrete blocks. Depending on the mixture, solid concrete can have significantly higher compressive strength than concrete blocks.
Concrete foundations can have higher lateral strength with continuous reinforcement from rebar, mesh, or fiber additives throughout the structure. This means solid-pour foundations can withstand more load from the home above and higher pressures from the surrounding soil.
Contact Falcon for Residential Concrete Services in Anchorage & the Mat-Su Valley
When you want a strong, long-lasting foundation for your custom home, choose a solid-pour foundation from Falcon Alaska. Since 1995, we’ve been a premier design-build company with in-house architectural designers, interior designers, and a concrete construction team.
We have the personnel and the expertise to handle concrete pours for single-family homes and residential community projects, so you can always count on our team for scalable solutions. We offer full residential and commercial concrete services throughout the state, and we specialize in remote concrete services for undeveloped land.
As a highly experienced design-build company, we can handle your entire home build, from the foundation and framing to interior and exterior finishes. You can count on our team for an uncompromising vision and seamless execution.
Schedule a consultation with our Alaska custom builders by contacting Falcon today.
