| Primary value | 75 to 100 mm (M10 (1:3:6) typical) |
| Applies to | Below isolated and combined footings · Below raft slabs · Below pile caps · Below ground floor flooring on grade |
| Exceptions | Below raft on weak soil → 100–150 mm |
| Below ground floor floor slab → 75 mm | |
| Heavy industrial flooring → 150–200 mm | |
| Mix grade for PCC → M7.5 or M10 (nominal mix 1:3:6) | |
| Measured as | Compacted thickness of plain cement concrete laid directly on prepared subgrade, projecting 75–150 mm beyond the footing edge on all sides to give a clean working platform. |
| Source | IS 456 — Clause 26.4.2.1, IS 1080 ✓ Verified |
65 related items across IS codes, knowledge articles, design rules, maps and tools
PCC blinding is not a structural layer — it exists to give a clean, level base for placing reinforcement and to stop the soil from sucking water out of the structural concrete (which would compromise the RCC w/c ratio). 75 mm is the minimum that won't crack under foot traffic during steel-fixing; 100 mm is the safer default.
Standard practice in India is 100 mm PCC of M10 grade extending 75 mm beyond the footing edge. The PCC is part of the cover-control system — without it, the bottom 50 mm of cover specified for the RCC footing cannot be reliably maintained.