pouring a new concrete floor
#1
06-15-03, 08:55 AM
pouring a new concrete floor
Newby here so please bear with me,
I plan on re-doing my basement to add more livable space for my growing family, I currently have water seepage thru the lower blocks of two adjoining walls in one corner after a heavy rain, I plan on adding an interior drain ( as was mentioned in other posts that I read here ) to solve the incoming water problem, However, the current concrete floor is in very bad shape, its not a uniform thickness throughout ( 1" in some places & 2 or 3 " in others ) it has also been busted up in an area where the former owners put in a sink drain.
What I would like to do is, bust up the old floor & remove, then level the dirt floor where needed, add 4" of pea gravel add a 6mil VB and then top it with a 3" pour of concrete.
The basement is approx 21' X 35' is it possible to pour my own floor using a rented mixer, or is a ready mix delivered by truck the only option?, do any of my ideas seem sound? I have plenty of other questions to ask,but I'll leave them for later.
Thanking you in advance for any help or suggestions.
I plan on re-doing my basement to add more livable space for my growing family, I currently have water seepage thru the lower blocks of two adjoining walls in one corner after a heavy rain, I plan on adding an interior drain ( as was mentioned in other posts that I read here ) to solve the incoming water problem, However, the current concrete floor is in very bad shape, its not a uniform thickness throughout ( 1" in some places & 2 or 3 " in others ) it has also been busted up in an area where the former owners put in a sink drain.
What I would like to do is, bust up the old floor & remove, then level the dirt floor where needed, add 4" of pea gravel add a 6mil VB and then top it with a 3" pour of concrete.
The basement is approx 21' X 35' is it possible to pour my own floor using a rented mixer, or is a ready mix delivered by truck the only option?, do any of my ideas seem sound? I have plenty of other questions to ask,but I'll leave them for later.
Thanking you in advance for any help or suggestions.
#2
06-15-03, 10:28 AM
I would bring in someone to check your existing slab first, just to make sure a complete demo and redo is necessary. That's alot of cement removal for a weekend 
I think it would be cheaper and easier just to have a cement truck mix it for you. Hopefully you have an outdoor entrance to get the cement in from the truck. Otherwise you are going to have to make numerous trips up and down steps with very heavy buckets of wet cement.
I think it would be cheaper and easier just to have a cement truck mix it for you. Hopefully you have an outdoor entrance to get the cement in from the truck. Otherwise you are going to have to make numerous trips up and down steps with very heavy buckets of wet cement.
#3
06-15-03, 07:28 PM
Put the VB under the stone or put 2" of sand over it to allow the moisture in the concrete to hydrate coorectly. Use a 4" slab with fibermesh. Unless you are very fast with mixing and very experienced with concrete floating and finishing, get a pro to do it.
#4
06-17-03, 04:12 AM
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I am getting ready to do almost the same job next week. These are not easy. I cannot see your floor, but I can imagine it. On the one I will be dowing, it is about the same size. We will bust out all the concrete. Use about 4" of sand, dampened and tamped. Bring in a concrete truck, used 6 or 7 guys, run the concrete through a basement window. Pour 4" with mesh, and finish. This is a job for a pro. This job will take about 1 week.
Many things must be done first that you have not even thought of yet, and I will not bring up here. Good Luck
Many things must be done first that you have not even thought of yet, and I will not bring up here. Good Luck
#5
06-17-03, 10:11 AM
I appreciate the replies everyone,
Jack, can you tell me why you will only be using sand (4") as opposed to gravel , is it because of the sub-soil conditions? or is it because its a more easily attainable product locally? are you putting poly under the sand? also, I understand that it would be ideal to pour the floor all at once BUT is it even feasable to pour the floor in sections?
Thanks again for any and all suggestions.
Jack, can you tell me why you will only be using sand (4") as opposed to gravel , is it because of the sub-soil conditions? or is it because its a more easily attainable product locally? are you putting poly under the sand? also, I understand that it would be ideal to pour the floor all at once BUT is it even feasable to pour the floor in sections?
Thanks again for any and all suggestions.
#6
06-18-03, 04:32 AM
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Yes, I put poly down. I could use 1/2" minus gravel also, but sand packs so nice and level and tight. You could pour in phases, but then you have seams which may result in a sealing problem. With 1 pour, you have no seams hence no cracks. Now this is how I do it, you don't have to do it this way.
