fieldstone basement walls ,circa 1840, good condition w/dirt floor. about six foot of headroom. i wanted more. rented a conveyor, took another foot out in 2 stages. formed, rebarred and poured a 2 foot high pony wall around the perimeter to deal with the lateral forces at the bottom of the stone foundation walls. cross section is about 4 inches. I will pour a higher stem wall of standard thickness over this to buttress the field stone wall ( I left rebar studs at intervals in the pony wall to tie in to) I will rebar and pour a floor also. If one can pour a footing and stem wall at the same time, can one pour a floor slab and stem wall at the same time?
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story
By considering things like energy-efficient mechanicals, window orientation, and renewable energy sources, homes can be evaluated to meet the energy codes. Here's what the IRC has to say.
Featured Video
How to Install Cable Rail Around Wood-Post CornersHighlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Replies
Greetings novaterra,
This post, in response to your question, will bump the thread through the 'recent discussion' listing again.
Perhaps it will catch someones attention that can help you with advice.
Cheers
"I can't say I was ever lost, but I was bewildered once for three days."
Thanks for the bump start. I'm researching this as I go. Plenty of postings about monolithic pours in the archives. It seems to me that retropouring vintage stone basements ,especially seasonally damp ones, would benefit from the monolithic approach because, as I visualize it, it eliminates the seam at the wall/floor slab interface where water is most likely to continue to find its way in.
I don't know the typical, (or maximum) stem wall height in a monopour, or if the footing and floor slab can be poured with the wall. I'm sure the mud in the wall will try to find its way to to lowest point so it follows that the footing and slab would need some setup time before one poured some serious pressure into the wall form. I don't plan to amateur such an undertaking. I'm interested in the feasability of it at this point. This is a personal project so bottom line/ manhours are not critical. If precedents exist (or it can be proved on paper) I'd consider making a run at it.
I'm not the guy to ask about concrete and hopefully someone qualified will be along shortly with advice.
But anytime I mess with concrete I use a concrete vibrator to move the air pockets out of the mix.
Seems that might benefit you since you're placing next to an old existing foundation.
be 2cents
Sometimes what you get is no response.
In the event you are not aware of the search function here on Breaktime you might find it in the archives.
If you scroll down in the lower left corner of your screen there is a search function that will take you to previous threads dealing with whatever you type in the search bar.
If you type in 'porcelain' or other keywords of the subject matter you'll get a supply of data from those old threads.
And you might want to try the JLC Forum.http://www.jlconline.com/cgi-bin/jlconline.storefront
Cheers
porcelain? porcelain? Oh well, I slipped up.
A person with no sense of humor about themselves is fullashid
Edited 6/14/2005 11:16 am ET by razzman
Razzman, Thank you for the input. I have received very good guidance from you and VaTom re my inquiry, the Breaktime protocols ,etc., and I have used the search archive with good results. My delayed response, on occasion, is because I'm currently at my "real" job which entails travel, a laptop, and an aircard whose signal strength varies with my location ( I'm a merchant seaman.) I will be ashore and on site around 20 June, doing what I enjoy the most, and will be logging on regularly. JLC seems to make a point of being propriatory. The Breaktime crowd has a sense of humor. I think I'll hang with y'all for awhile. Thanks again. Work safe. nt
if you go to jlc, just remember they do not like DIYer, they are not nice people. If you are not a professional they will let you know. They even have it written in their forum aggreement to ignore any non professionals.
Guess better eliminate the recommendations and quit linking to the site then.
Thanks for the clarification.
A person with no sense of humor about themselves is fullashid
It varies.First of all Gary's trim and finish forum has answered and even welcomed beginners.And they still have not figured what a "professional" is either.But go over there an ask a question like "I am building my house and have poured the foudnation. What do I did next" will certainly get less and "professional responses". And the same here.But someone like DJMerc aksing about logic of using open cell vs closed cell foam for an unvent roof will be accepted and get good answer as long as he does not use the dirty 3 letter term (DIY).
I see and understand.
A person with no sense of humor about themselves is fullashid
I think you need an expansion joint between the floor and the walls.
Yeah. I'm searching the archives for water proof , or sealing, slab/wall keyway references , bentonite snake oil preparations, fiber vs nonfiber concrete, perm vs. nonperm slab underlayments. School is definitely in. Thank you.
One membrane type material is bitchathane (sp?). The stuff is very elastic, so it has the advantage, unlike most coatings, that if the wall cracks, it can stretch, and won't fail and let water in. Ain't cheap though...
Matt
bitchathane = bituthaneI'm sorry, I thought you wanted it done the right way.
A mono lithic pour is hard enough without a house in the way . I think that you would be happier with water stop strips . A rubbery length of extruded whatever its made of , has flanges on each end and some have ribs in the midsection. You insert it into the floor pour and leave half sticking up then the wall is poured over the remainder . The other thing if you can is dig a little deaper around the foundation and install drain tile . Exit to daylite or a sump . Then most of your moisture will be taken care of before it gets to the water stop.
A DIY (or anybody else) friendlier water stop is bentonite ropes. But it seems novaterra considers bentonite "snake oil". I've found bentonite to be extremely successful.
It's the only water-proofing I'll use, assuming sufficient backfill pressure. Even our Health Dept. much prefers it for wellsPAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
Got it. Getting a plan here... Thank you.
That stuf does work great. Prefered method here for sealing abandoned wells .
took another foot out in 2 stages
are you saying you undermined your existing stone foundation walls ?
i think what i am reading from your desire to do a monolithic pour is more about water control through eliminating a cold joint than cost savings from one less pour. i think you should forget about the cold joint and make sure you put at least 6" of crushed stone with drainage piping. 6 mil reinforced poly on top of the stone. solve the water pressure problem before the pressure can be applied under the slab.
you are going to knock yourself out trying to eliminate the cold joint only to have the slab crack anyway....
carpenter in transition
Tim, I agree. The advice posted to me so far has led me toward that conclusion. I'm searching product info, etc at this point. I expect I'll have questions as things evolve, but I have to research first. The input at this site has really focused the project. To answer your excavation question: The existing walls were not undermined. The process was done conservatively. The existing footing reinforced as I progressed. There is a post w/drawing, which VaTom shrunk for me, showing the 24" high concrete perimeter wall which now holds things in place. This wall was rebarred like a beam. From what I read, stone walls connect well with concrete pours. Razzman has since suggested using a vibrator. I didn't have one for this first round but I worked the mix pretty well with some caveman tool. I forget what. I read that post and beam structures have high loads at post/mudsill intersections. I avoided the corresponding foundation areas until last. Did them one at a time. Let them set up. This whole process took a long time. Any thoughts you might have, if this thread stays alive, I would appreciate your posting. There's some serious field experience out there and it's all gold to me. Thank you. Work safe. nt