Water in Basement.....Help

[JB4310]

Scotty,
As far as the type of material for capping the trench, we just use the premix concrete, Home Depot and Lowe's both have what they call high strength or 5000 psi made by sakrete or quickcrete, we buy the 80 lb bags and mix 2 bags at a time in a contractor size wheelbarrow.
Like Eric mentioned, sometimes the stone can make it a pain to finish, especially the high strength stuff I'm recommending, but the trick is just make it a little wetter to the point where it will pour out of a pail, not just plop out in clumps (don't make soup though), then if your having trouble finishing it with the trowel don't be afraid to splash more water on it, makes it alot easier.
I use a large steel brick trowel on trench's up to 10-12 inches wide and a mag float on wider areas, agitate the mix aggressively as your leveling it out, this will help prevent shrinkage. Keep up the good work, your almost there!!! JB,

 

[scott_vt]

Scotty,
As far as the type of material for capping the trench, we just use the premix concrete, Home Depot and Lowe's both have what they call high strength or 5000 psi made by sakrete or quickcrete, we buy the 80 lb bags and mix 2 bags at a time in a contractor size wheelbarrow.
Like Eric mentioned, sometimes the stone can make it a pain to finish, especially the high strength stuff I'm recommending, but the trick is just make it a little wetter to the point where it will pour out of a pail, not just plop out in clumps (don't make soup though), then if your having trouble finishing it with the trowel don't be afraid to splash more water on it, makes it alot easier.
I use a large steel brick trowel on trench's up to 10-12 inches wide and a mag float on wider areas, agitate the mix aggressively as your leveling it out, this will help prevent shrinkage. Keep up the good work, your almost there!!! JB,

Mornin John,
Is there any special plastic I shold be using to cap the stone ? And I believe you stated earlier that I only need to make the replacement floor 2" thick, is that correct ?

Oh yes one more question, would you like to take a quess on how many 80 lb bags I need to cover a 31' trench 16" wide by 2" deep ?

BTW after all that rain yesterday, and we had a bunch, no puddles, ahhhh .....

Thanks again !

 

[JB4310]

Scotty,
It doesn't matter about the plastic, anything to keep the wet, freshly mixed concrete out. 2 inches is good for the cap, you can go a little thicker if you want since your footing is low enough, just don't place the concrete directly on the footing, you need a layer of stone to "bridge" the footing.
As far as how many bags, when I guessed, I came up with 15 bags. when I figured it on paper, using your dimensions, it comes to 10.7 bags. I never figure that closely cause for us it's better to have several extras on the truck than come up 1 short late in the day when we're trying to finish a job.
John,

 

[scott_vt]

Scotty,
As far as how many bags, when I guessed, I came up with 15 bags. when I figured it on paper, using your dimensions, it comes to 10.7 bags. I never figure that closely cause for us it's better to have several extras on the truck than come up 1 short late in the day when we're trying to finish a job.
John,

Good Afternoon Guys,
The " Pouring of the Concrete" is done, 10 bags =
!!!

Other than a little outside pvc plumbing and some cleanup we are done, Amen !!!

Its raining out and I have a DRY basement ! Very satisfying if I dont say so myself ! Once again thanks for all the pointers, from the posters on this thread !

 

[WayneB]

Nice work Scotty, are you for hire?

 

[NuBota]

Other than a little outside pvc plumbing and some cleanup we are done, Amen !!!

)

What do you mean "done"? Now you can use your tractor to dig a trench and drywell - filled with gravel and drain tile - and run you pump discharge to that...

Very well done there Scotty. That's a good deal of work to do by yourself - but you won't regret it.

And I'd bet John will be up to his eyeballs with work if this rain keeps coming

-Eric

 

[scott_vt]

Nice work Scotty, are you for hire?

Good Evenin Wayne,
Absolutely Not !!!

I learned one very important thing doing this project ! I can do almost anything once, but Im way too smart to do it a second time !

Although I can give armchair advice now !

 

[scott_vt]

And I'd bet John will be up to his eyeballs with work if this rain keeps coming

-Eric

Good Evenin Eric,
With the kind of rain we are getting, John will probablly be too busy to log onto TBN !!!

PS... I would rather use the tractor to drag some logs up to the house through the fields or some quality bushogging would work also !!!

 

[RobS]

Congrats Scotty, a job well done. If you were closer, I'd offer a beverage of choice. Heck, if you were closer I'd have probably lent a hand!

 

[scott_vt]

Congrats Scotty, a job well done. If you were closer, I'd offer a beverage of choice. Heck, if you were closer I'd have probably lent a hand!

Good Evenin Rob,
I still have visions of that martini with olive sitting sureptiously on that black formica counter top in your newly remodeled basement !!!