The whole house rests on the foundation or it will sink. What does the foundation rest on? Why doesn’t the foundation sink just as easily?

Question

I get that some foundations do have sinking issues, but how does having a foundation help? If the foundation is poured and solidifies, what stops the weight of the house from immediately sinking/tilting the foundation?

In: 2809

Answer 1

It’s like how a boat floats because the weight is put out over a wider area. If a house was just sitting on the ground there would be alot of weight in certain parts which makes it easier to sink. The foundation spreads it out.