Repair Heaved Basement Floors
Repairing uneven or heaved concrete basement floors can be a challenge. In some cases the "repair" for the problem may be the removal of the floor and pouring a new slab. Smaller heaves can be repaired in other ways. The first step is always to determine the cause and implement a solution to the heaving problem. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. String a line across the basement from wall to wall at the point of the concrete floor. If the concrete is higher than the string, it has been heaving upward. If not, portions of the slab are sinking.
2. Install drain tiles and/or sump pumps to reduce moisture content in the soil below the slab. Drain tiles are installed in a trench either just inside or outside the foundation wall. Sump pumps are placed in sump holes at a level below the concrete floor. Concrete heaves when the soil moisture below it freezes and expands. Providing drainage will reduce future heaving but will not alleviate heaving that has already occurred.
3. Measure the amount of the heaving. Small differences in levels can be evened out by pouring an overlay across the existing slab. The Concrete Resurfacing Network suggests overlays of 1/16 to 3/8 inch are possible. Mix a mortar-type cement mix with mall or no aggregate and spread it across the old slab. Slabs where the heaving exceeds 3/8 inch are likely a candidate for slab removal and replacement, according to Service Magic.
Tags: concrete floor, Heaved Basement, Heaved Basement Floors, Repair Heaved, Repair Heaved Basement
