A masonry foundation is a structural foundation made from masonry. Historically, bricks or dressed stone were often used to create this type of foundation. Today, concrete masonry units (CMUs) are a common choice of building material for a new masonry foundation or a retrofitted foundation. The purpose of a masonry foundation is to support the weight of a structure while distributing the weight across subsurface strata, and to act as an anchor to keep the structure in place.
Masonry foundations are established in the form of perimeter or pier foundations. A perimeter foundation follows the footprint of the structure, with the weight being transferred evenly across the entire perimeter. Pier foundations consist of a series of masonry piers scattered across the footprint to support the weight, which is typically transferred by posts. Perimeter foundations are generally preferred in new construction.
A number of considerations go into the design and installation of a masonry foundation. It is important to make sure that the foundation is large and study enough to support the weight of the structure, and to address issues such as groundwater seepage. A masonry foundation is at risk of a number of problems which can be addressed during the design phase to make the foundation more stable. A poorly designed foundation can fail, causing serious problems and leading to expensive repair bills.
One common issue is settling and ground movement. Over time, ground naturally settles, which causes houses to list. In extreme cases, houses can even crack in two as a result of settling. Ground movement caused by earthquakes, landslides, and other events can also be a problem, as can frost heave, which occurs in cold climates. Water intrusion is also an issue, especially when a house is built into a hillside, in which case water runoff will tend to erode the foundation.
The depth of a foundation varies, depending on the size of the structure. High rises need very specialized foundations which penetrate deep into the ground to anchor and support the structure. Homes need much smaller foundations, and have less stringent design requirements. It is also much easier to retrofit the foundation of a home, with the home simply being jacked up while the foundation is replaced. While the foundation is being retrofitted, it is usually possible for people to continue using the structure, although they may need to exercise caution to avoid disturbing the jacks used to hold the house up.