Features and Benefits
Many people want to have a balcony, regardless of whether they live in a private household or in an apartment building. But not everyone has it. And here the question arises of how to make a balcony with your own hands. At first glance, this seems difficult and difficult, but after studying all the points below, you can easily cope with this task.
If we talk about the advantages of having a balcony in an apartment or house, then the following can be distinguished:
- Expansion of the area of the apartment.
- Availability of an additional emergency exit from the premises in case of an emergency.
- Possibility of arranging a balcony as you wish. You can make a workshop, a private office, a recreation room out of it, or even equip it like a cellar.
But since it is planned to build a balcony on our own, it is necessary to remember about some of the features that will have to be encountered during construction:
- First, you need to get the appropriate permission. Without it, the extension will be considered illegal and will need to be dismantled.
- Secondly, you will have to independently select the necessary materials and carry out all construction work.
- Thirdly, it is necessary to draw up competent drawings and diagrams of the future balcony, according to which all construction work will be carried out.
- Fourthly, it is necessary to decide even before the start of construction how waterproofing will be performed from the inside of the balcony and outside, whether ventilation will be needed, and how exactly the lighting will be carried out.
- And, fifthly, whether the balcony will be open or closed.
At the same time, some features may arise depending on where exactly the balcony will be built: in a private house, on the first floor of an apartment building or on the last.
Only after completing all these points will it be possible to proceed directly to the construction of the balcony with your own hands.
Now directly on the construction of the structure. It can be located on a foundation, but this option is suitable only for those who make an extension in the country or in a private house. Or on a suspended frame - this option is suitable for tenants whose apartment is located above the first floor.
On the foundation
First of all, it is necessary to mark the area of the future building. Next, we clean off the top layer of soil and dig holes for posts or columns.
Now you need to drive in special support piles. Making them at home is almost impossible, so it's better to buy ready-made ones. In order for them to firmly anchor to the bottom of the pit, a layer of concrete should be poured, no more than 20 cm thick. To increase the durability of the structure, all voids between the piles and the ground, after their installation, are well spilled with concrete mortar and left until completely solidified.
Now we tamp the bottom of the dug hole and fill it layer by layer with sand and gravel, not forgetting to tamp each layer hard enough.
It is necessary to assemble the formwork from solid boards, on which we lay out the aluminum frame. If done correctly, the result should be a reinforcing mesh. In order for the structure to be finally strengthened, it is necessary to give it a month's rest. To do this, we cover our foundation with a material with waterproofing properties and connect the posts with channels along the upper edge. Particular attention should be paid to ensure that the height of the foundation and the house are at the same level. At this, the screed of the open balcony is considered complete.
After the specified time has elapsed, we lay a reinforced concrete slab on the solidified base and, using a perforator, make a hole in the wall for mounting the block of the future balcony. Next, the balcony block to be installed and level all the slopes with cement mortar, and it is better to seal the deeper slots with polyurethane foam.
Now we start building the walls. It is better to abandon the usual cinder block, and use foam concrete blocks, which will reduce the pressure on the foundation. For the strength of the walls, reinforcement should be performed every three rows of masonry.
The final stage of construction is the construction of the roof. Removing the canopy with a slight slope away from the walls will prevent moisture accumulation on the roof and keep the walls dry. You can use a ready-made metal frame or wooden logs; as a roofing material, you can choose any that suits you. But, the roof, as well as the visor, should have a slight slope. If desired, such a balcony can be glazed or special PVC structures can be used. The ceiling can be sheathed with wood or plastic, it all depends on how exactly the balcony will be used in the future.
Now all that remains is to conduct the light, while the wiring must be done with high quality and with grounding. And the finishing event will be the interior decoration of the balcony and its improvement. Since such a balcony is being built in a private house or in the country, it will become an excellent cellar for storing conservation, a workshop, a sauna or even a bathhouse. The use of a variety of shelves, nightstands and cabinets will allow you to turn it into anything.
The main thing is to choose the right interior design and, in accordance with it, to equip the new room.
Cantilevered
If, however, you still want to build a balcony with your own hands in a city apartment, then it is worth remembering that if the apartment is located up to the third floor inclusive, it is necessary to install large supporting columns. If the apartment is located above the third floor, then slopes take over their function.
In any case, construction should begin with the establishment of columns, as described above, or with welding the slopes, which should be mounted from the outer edge of the outrigger platform to the wall of the house. Further, regardless of which support method is chosen, it is necessary to install the outrigger beams. Unlike a balcony built on a foundation, here the beams are brought directly into the room itself, which allows them to be securely fixed and strengthened.
The further work plan is the same as when erecting this structure in a private house, namely, reinforcing the site, concreting, installing a balcony block and erecting walls.
Thus, almost everyone can expand their living space.
Ideas for arrangement
Now that the balcony has already been built with his own hands, it's time to equip it. You should start from scratch, namely finishing the floor, ceiling and walls, painting the balcony inside and, if necessary, wallpapering. These are basic work that must be done in any case. The further work plan depends on what exactly will now be located in the new extension.
Most often, people use the balcony as a storage place for unnecessary things. We offer you 4 options for its improvement with benefit
- A place to rest. In this case, beautiful decor is simply irreplaceable here. It can be paintings, flowers, beautiful curtains, in general, anything that will allow you to relax and enjoy the beauty of a new place. A bird feeder will also be very useful here, because in the warm season, you can watch feathered friends. And in the cold, wrapped in a warm blanket, climb into bed and enjoy the beauty and silence.
- Dinner Zone. Depending on whether you built the insulated balcony with your own hands or not, it can be turned into a dining room. In the warm season, you can take out an additional bench there, and in the winter it will be enough that there is a refrigerator and a dining area. The decoration of the room in this case should be appropriate: fruit compositions, napkins and dish racks can also be with images of fruits and vegetables. The decoration can be whatever you like, the main thing is that the cozy balcony turns into a really cozy dining room.
- Workshop. A new balcony can be a great place to work for the jack of all trades. Equipment can be neatly laid out on pedestals, tools can be hung on the walls. In general, you get a clean, comfortable workshop without unnecessary trash. But in this case, it is recommended to decorate the room with any easily washable material in order to make it easy to maintain cleanliness.
- Storage for vegetables. Often, residents of city apartments and private houses are faced with the question of where to store vegetables and fruits, as well as how to grow greens and vegetables at home. And this is where the balcony comes to the rescue.
In any cabinet located on the balcony, you can put special boxes for vegetables, in which they will always be visible and where they can be stored as long as you need it. And if you purchase special brackets for balcony boxes for potatoes and other vegetables, then they can be fixed on the wall. At the same time, cabinets and shelves will become suitable for storing canned food on them.
You can also equip a small greenhouse here, in which you can grow greens, early cucumbers, tomatoes or even melons, as many owners of balconies and loggias do. In any case, you can decorate the balcony not only with the help of decorative elements, but also with the help of edible plants.
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Interesting solutions in interior design
And if you still have not decided what exactly you want to do on your new square, then we suggest that you study unusual examples of balcony decoration, perhaps you will also like something here.
A cozy hammock armchair in combination with a small palm tree and decorative elements made in an oriental style will allow you to quickly forget about the hardships of a hard day and give you peace and tranquility.
Do you often have to work from home, but is distracted by the noise and clamor of your household? Then organize for yourself just such a workplace where no one will disturb you, and you can be alone with your thoughts. Such a simple, even slightly minimalistic interior design will allow you to relax and for a second feel like you're not in a noisy city, but on the shores of the Pacific coast. In any case, everyone can build a balcony with their own hands and everyone can embody in it what he lacks most.
