CrashKaloop

I am moving a shower drain in a new basement bathroom. Can anyone tell me how thick is a normal concrete basement floor.

I realize that it could be 50 feet thick, but I am just trying to get a feel for the normal that most would expect.

I cut out about 12" x 8" rectangle with a skill saw, and it cut down about 2.5" easily. But now I am using a hammer drill with a masonry bit, and I am already to 8" deep.

Thanks

TarheelTerp

Not 8".
But because most are more than 2"... rent a jack hammer.

concretemasonry

A basement slab is commonly 4" thick, but there can be some thicker areas. This occurs commonly where the basement slab it poured after the basement is capped and any utilities are put in. This occurs because just getting more fill for evening out it is just as cheap to use a little extra concrete, considering the minimum charge for a small load of good fill material and it is commonly cheaper to add on a little (1 yard or so) to a load of concrete that will be coming in any case. - It all has to do with the high percentage delivery is for dirt and concrete itself since the finishing of the concrete does not depend too much on the concrete thickness.

Some basements may have 6" slabs if there is some expansive clays.

Dick

CrashKaloop

Thanks Dick

This is the answer I was expecting to get I guess. This area is only about 10" from the concrete wall of the foundation. I can guess that an area such as this would be excavated more that the center area of the floor, which probably has about 4" of concrete.

I am not concerned about how I get the concrete out, I am just concerned that I am hitting some sort of footing that is much deeper than a normal floor would be.

I guess just to test further, I will continue drilling with my 12" long bit at a point furthest from the wall. I am just hoping to hit some gravel or dirt before I run out of bit length.

Thanks again

PoleCat

Hope your not drilling through your sewer pipe! My basement floor is only 3" thick.

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lk00331

When I cut through mine to redo some plumbing and rough in for a downstairs bathroom it was 4-5 inches thick and I rented a quickie saw for $50 for the day. Made a quick job of it, but it also made a heck of a mess. I chose not to use a jack hammer for fear of running it through existing lines, but hey, thats just me.

concretemasonry

Some times it is cheaper and faster for a contractor to just use a little more concrete than regrading a floor area and bringing in some extra soil when the delivery on the soil (and compacting) could be more than an extra yard of concrete.

If it is floor slab poured between the basement walls, it is not connected to the walls and is not a structural slab technically.

Dick