How to Install a Sump Pump Liner

If you have drainage issues on your property, you may wish to install a sump pump liner and pump to address them. This article will tell you how to build a sump hole and install the liner. The process of creating the sump hole and installing the liner is quite simple. Read this article for general information on building a sump hole and installing a liner.

Step 1 - Mark and Dig the Hole

The sump hole should be located in the lowest part of the area near an exterior wall and a power outlet, if the sump will be draining a basement. Power should be supplied via a GFCI equipped outlet. You may need to rent or borrow a jackhammer to break through the basement concrete.

Using the top of the sump pump liner tub as a template, mark the ground for cutting (if necessary) and digging. The hole should be approximately 4-inches larger than the diameter of the sump liner. That allows adequate space for the pump and the associated pipes.

Dig the hole at least 2.5-feet deep. Line the bottom of the hole with approximately 6-inches of very coarse gravel. This gravel forms a solid base for the pump and will keep the pump from ingesting dirt and debris. Level the gravel and set the sump pump liner in the hole.

Step 2 - Lay the Piping

Cut and attach the discharge pipe before fully setting the pump in the hole. The pipe should extend approximately 3-inches above the floor level. Back fill the hole with coarse gravel to 8-inches from the top of the liner. Fill the hole to approximately 4-inches from the top of the liner with dirt.

Step 3 - Seal the Liner

Seal the sump pump liner in with concrete. Trowel the concrete around the sump pump liner lid and level it with the rest of the floor. This step will only be necessary if you are installing a concrete floor basement. If the floor is dirt or the installation is outside, then it only needs to be sealed in with dirt.

Step 4 - Install PVC Pipe

If you are installing the sump pump in a basement, drill a hole in the header to fit the diameter of the discharge pipe, which is usually a 1.25-inch PVC pipe. Cut a PVC pipe to 8-inches and push it through the hole.

Route piping through the discharge pipe to the pipe through header and secure it to studs using brackets. The discharge pipe should end at least 6-feet from the foundations.