I've just cut several trenches (2-3 ft wide x 25 ft long) in my existing concrete slab to run plumbing. The slab was about 4in thick with wire mesh and a plastic barrier between the concrete and the wet clay like soil (home located in New Orleans). I also had to break up footings in a few locations as well. I used a concrete saw to score the trenches and then a jack hammer to break the concrete. Most of the trench edges have 1-2 inches of smooth saw cut with the rest of the edge jagged. The plumbing is done, and now I'm ready to repair the slab.
I was planning to use a company that mixes short loads of concrete on site and then I would wheel barrow and poor the concrete. A few questions.
Do I need to put wire mesh?
Do I need to dowel into the existing slab or would adhesive painted on the edges be adequate?
Do I add a plastic barrier over the PVC pipe/below the concrete.
The plumber dug the trench out after I removed the concrete, placed the pipe, then back filled with the hard clay like soil (very clumpy). It appears like he mashed the clay like soil manually, but nothing else was done to compact it. It is pretty hard and doesn't move much when I stand on it. Is that ok or is it critical that this is compacted better? If so, any recommendation how without messing up all the plumbing slopes already installed.
Thanks,
Dan
I was planning to use a company that mixes short loads of concrete on site and then I would wheel barrow and poor the concrete. A few questions.
Do I need to put wire mesh?
Do I need to dowel into the existing slab or would adhesive painted on the edges be adequate?
Do I add a plastic barrier over the PVC pipe/below the concrete.
The plumber dug the trench out after I removed the concrete, placed the pipe, then back filled with the hard clay like soil (very clumpy). It appears like he mashed the clay like soil manually, but nothing else was done to compact it. It is pretty hard and doesn't move much when I stand on it. Is that ok or is it critical that this is compacted better? If so, any recommendation how without messing up all the plumbing slopes already installed.
Thanks,
Dan
