Weird Concrete
Weird Concrete
(OP)
Scenario -
Old house - at least 70 years - still has some knob & tube wiring
While excavating for an addition - back foundation wall about 7' tall was exposed. House appears in good shape - no wall cracks, etc.
Concrete foundation wall looks like a real "lean" mix of cement and 1'' to 2'' rock about 8'' thick and 7' tall and might have just been packed into place. Possibly - no water was used.
Bottom half - you can literally pick the rock out with your finger. You could go through it with a claw hammer in a few minutes. Top half that was above grade looks like it was covered with a cement over coat. Not sure what is behind that.
On the inside (basement) - it appears that an extra stem wall wall about 6'' thick and 4' tall was poured. Why - I do not know.
My questions:
Any idea what I am looking at....
Any suggestions on repairs other than repouring the whole wall - which is what I have already suggested.
Thanks for any help...
Old house - at least 70 years - still has some knob & tube wiring
While excavating for an addition - back foundation wall about 7' tall was exposed. House appears in good shape - no wall cracks, etc.
Concrete foundation wall looks like a real "lean" mix of cement and 1'' to 2'' rock about 8'' thick and 7' tall and might have just been packed into place. Possibly - no water was used.
Bottom half - you can literally pick the rock out with your finger. You could go through it with a claw hammer in a few minutes. Top half that was above grade looks like it was covered with a cement over coat. Not sure what is behind that.
On the inside (basement) - it appears that an extra stem wall wall about 6'' thick and 4' tall was poured. Why - I do not know.
My questions:
Any idea what I am looking at....
Any suggestions on repairs other than repouring the whole wall - which is what I have already suggested.
Thanks for any help...





RE: Weird Concrete
RE: Weird Concrete
If the existing wall sees more vertical load, you might want to pour a new wall next to it and bear on that if possible to avoid having to remove the existing.
Mike McCann
McCann Engineering
RE: Weird Concrete
No pictures available.
And yes we have discuessed pouring a sister wall next to it to carry a minimal load from the addition. Probably the cheaper solution although I worry a bit about the future.
RE: Weird Concrete
The extra interior stem wall sounds like something I've seen when basments have been retrofitted to older homes, usually without engineering.
I would imagine the entire wall is as youe descibe with the coating applied to the visible portions.
Where is the house?
RE: Weird Concrete
RE: Weird Concrete
Dik
RE: Weird Concrete
It looks like concrete - but you can pick it apart with your fingers.
Since we are pouring an addition anyway - customer likes the idea of a "full" basement. So - we are going to replace the wall with columns and beams.. Pretty simple and cheap. Just wonder what is happening in the other three walls??
RE: Weird Concrete
Dik
RE: Weird Concrete