The INTEGRA™ Foundation System is designed to produce a maintenance free basement that provides the homeowner with a drier, stronger and more durable alternative to a block foundation.

The INTEGRA™ Engineered Foundation System is 17% stronger than a poured foundation without vertical rebar or a block foundation built per code.

View cross section of an INTEGRA™ wall.

Click here to watch our morphing wall presentation. A poured wall from start to finish. This presentation will take a moment to load!!

Concrete Strength: Minimum of 3,000 pounds per square inch. Concrete includes a mid-range water reducer and a has a maximum slump of 4 ½"

Minimum Wall Reinforcement

• Two rows of #4 rebar horizontally (one on top and one on the middle tie)
• One vertical piece of rebar every 6 lineal feet
• Two diagonal rebar at each window to reduce shrinkage at bottom corners
• Inside corners have a minimum of 3 rows horizontally to increase against tensile forces

Control Joints: At least every 20 ft. At each control joint Waterstop is place in wall or a high grade caulk (Sikaflex) is put at exterior

Foundation footings: Minimum of 8" thick by 20" wide

Column pads: Minimum size of 30" x 30" x 12"

Spread footings: Minimum size of 18" x 8"

Foundation Anchors: Choice of Simpson MASZ Straps (zinc-coated for corrosion resistance) or 5/8" galvanized anchor bolts every 6' (code dictates the use of 1/2" anchor bolts every 6', but studies have shown that these will fail when used for basements 9' or taller)

Drainage system: FORM-A-DRAIN with a minimum of 12" of stone backfill at the time of the footing to prevent soil contamination of system before backfilling and installing the basement floor. For more information on FORM-A-DRAIN, click here.

Uniform Brick Pattern: Standard to the inside of the basement. Smooth basement walls are available upon request.

Windows: All vinyl with insulated glass, weather stripping and removable screens. For more information on our windows, click here.

Concrete Strength is determined in Pounds per Square Inch (PSI). The higher the PSI the stronger the concrete is. The Uniform Dwelling Code requires a minimum of 2500 PSI. We use a minimum of 3000 PSI concrete which is the warm weather concrete mix design. In cold weather the concrete will actually get much stronger.
Back to top

Slump is a measurement of how much water is added to the concrete. The Uniform Dwelling Code requires a maximum of no more than 6 inches. We use a mix with no more than 4 ½". The more water that is added to the concrete the weaker it becomes and will cause additional cracking. If there is not enough water, the concrete will be too stiff to put into the concrete forms, and the appearance will be compromised.
Back to top

Wall Reinforcement refers to the steel rebar rods that are added to the wall to add strength to the walls. The horizontal reinforcing reduces shrinkage cracks and the vertical reinforcement adds the tensile strength to the wall that concrete lacks. The Uniform Dwelling Code does NOT require any steel rebar reinforcement.
Back to top

Control Joints are a way of controlling where the concrete wall will crack. Concrete is a product made with water and when the concrete begins to dry it shrinks which causes cracking. Waterstop is placed behind the control joints.
Back to top

Waterstop is a steel plate that runs the height of the wall to prevent water or other debris from entering in our designated cracks.
Back to top

Foundation Footings are the base for the foundation walls. The minimum footing size required by code is 16" wide by 8" thick. We use a 20" wide by 8" thick footing. The wider the footing, the sturdier the wall will be and the better it will distribute the home's weight.
Back to top

Drainage system is the system that drains water away from the foundation. A standard drainage system includes 3" perforated, round plastic tubes. We use a hard plastic drainage system that is poured directly with the footings. This helps prevent crushing and movement away from the footings, which are problems associated with the use of 3" drain tile.
Back to top

Brick Pattern is a uniform pattern that imitates standard size brick. It provides a unique finished look to your foundation. The concrete mix and a properly maintained concrete form will provide the best looking finish.
Back to top

Windows can vary in shape and size. There are also many different ways to install them. We use pour in place windows that use a window "buck" which is nothing more than a form to pour the windows in the concrete wall. This process provides a smooth finished sill around the window.
Back to top