I'm renovating an old house that has a sand floor in the basement. I have packed the sand down and want to put in a cement floor. What do I do now? Ex.How much gravel do I need,and how thick should the concrete be? Is there any other suggestion you can recommend?
Answer:
Unless you're on municipal sewer, you should put in a sump pump. The gravel will have to be at least four inches deep so it covers the drainage tile you'll be putting in to lead water off to that sump. The concrete slab will also have to be three inches thick. Here's something for your sump: Sump pumps should never be allowed to operate alone. There should always be as much back up for them as possible. One system is to have a second pump on hand for urgent, quick replacement. This means that the actual hook-up would probably be better done with hose clamps and radiator hoses than corrodable, threaded joints. Another is to install a "T" with a threaded cap somewhere along the interior line so that if the hose plugs for whatever reason (frost, collapse, vermin, etc.) another hose can be attached inside and there is no embarrassing gap in service. The preferred system incorporates two pumps in the same hole (both of them submersible) set at slightly different levels for being activated. Sump holes should also be fitted with covers which have weather stripped holes only large enough for the various protrusions (pipes, wires, etc.) through them. Three-quarter-inch plywood makes a good cover and if the necessary holes are drilled in a straight line, the plywood can be cut to fit around all the protrusions, the edges of it properly weather-stripped and put in place. This keeps an otherwise large surface of water from evaporating into the basement and substantially raising humidity levels there.
