Raft Conservatory Foundations

Consists of a large concrete slab...

Raft foundations are often used if the conservatory is more than one storey to spread the load across a larger area - this is usually the whole area of the structure. Raft foundations may be necessary if there are other structural loads close by in case the individual pads affect each other. A raft foundation consists of a large concrete slab; this has to be large enough to spread across the whole area of the structure. The raft is sometimes made even less flexible by incorporating ribs or beams into the concrete slab.

Benefits of Raft Foundations

Resists soil movement...

Raft foundations usually work well in areas where the soil is loose and soft and this means that it has a low load bearing capacity. Using the raft means that the load of the building is spread over a greater area. When the soil is loose it often shifts or resettles; using raft foundations helps to considerably reduce settlements where the soil level becomes uneven. The raft or concrete slab helps to resist these movements between the loading positions which makes the foundation safer.

Raft Foundation Issues

Can break away from the existing property...

One of the problems with using raft foundations is that they can break away from the existing property if there is insufficient care taken to make sure that the edge of the raft which is against the edge of the property doesn't break away when the raft has settled. This is because the existing property and the new conservatory settle at different rates.

• Two Storey Conservatories.
• Solid Foundation.
• Limited Movement.

Raft foundation issues can be avoided providing the builder has taken the time to ensure that the weight of the conservatory has been calculated correctly and whether the ground is sufficiently packed to support the load of the conservatory.

Click here for a conservatory quote that includes raft foundations.