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Need help replacing some concrete in my basement.

4K views 8 replies 5 participants last post by  Kingfisher 
#1 ·
Hello everyone, i am finishing my basement. we had to bust up some concrete to get access to a drain for a bath tub. the slab we busted out is approx. 1' x 2'. i have NO experience w/ any kind of concrete work.

i need advice on replacing the concrete. i know i need to replace the dirt and tamp it. then next i assume i need to mix up enough concrete, fill the hole and level/smooth out the concrete. since its winter and cold right now where i live (NC) i plan on using a 5 gallon bucket or my old wheelbarrow to mix the concrete inside my garage, so it will be warmer.

so can anyone point me in the right direction or give me some pointers on what i am getting myself into?

thanks Zach
 
#4 ·
Excellent, thanks guys. I forgot to put in the original post, part of it will be covered by the tub and the rest will be covered by some type of flooring (laminate or carpet) down the road.

i hate to be such an amature , but on mixing the cement, i assume i put the cement in the bucket and slowly start adding water and mix to a workable consistency? is that correct?
 
#5 ·
When you put the dirt back in the hole, put in some water, a layer of dirt, some water and so on. That way the dirt won't settle, and a little tamping is much more effective.
 
#8 ·
http://landscaping.about.com/od/hardscapefences1/qt/mixing_concrete.htm:
"I'm a retired inspector, with structural concrete, prestressed concrete and masonry being part of this. In your section on curing concrete you said, "Remember, you mix water into concrete mix to activate the cement binding agent within. As the mix dries, it will harden."

http://www.cement.org/basics/concretebasics_faqs.asp:
"...The factor that most predominantly influences concrete strength is the ratio of water to cement in the cement paste that binds the aggregates together. The higher this ratio is, the weaker the concrete will be and vice versa. Every desirable physical property that you can measure will be adversely effected by adding more water."

http://www.rd.com/content/openContent.do?contentId=17698:
" MIXING IT JUST RIGHT: Mixing bags of concrete isn’t complicated. You add some water, stir it up and pour it out. But to get the most strength from the concrete, you have to recognize when it has just the right amount of water mixed in. Too little water and the particles in the mix won’t stick together. Too much water weakens the concrete...."


http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/upgrade/4223337.html?page=18":
"...Mix in water cautiously; a drier mix makes stronger concrete..."
 
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