×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Why do a second pour?

Why do a second pour?

Why do a second pour?

(OP)
Why would they pour a 2 inch second pour over an existing basement floor? This is a new house and the basement was complete, then a second pour of cement was put on top.

RE: Why do a second pour?

Perhaps to level it or to have the concrete have a minimum thickness? Dunno...

RE: Why do a second pour?

This isn't normal practice, but there may be a good reason for pouring a 2" topping.  Why not ask the contractor?

RE: Why do a second pour?

I would go see the contractor, look him in the eye, and decide whether his explanation is bs or not.  There are good reasons for topping your slab, but it's pretty unusual, and I would definitely be wary, especially if the contractor didn't mention to you why they were doing it.  It's possible that the slab was cracked extensively due to poor workmanship, which may result in further cracking of the new concrete, hence aesthetic damage and possible water intrustion.  Ask him!  If you suspect him of 'evildoing', you can hire a testing firm to do some remote sensing, possibly using a GPR that may confirm your suspicions, maybe even in civil court.  Good luck.  

RE: Why do a second pour?

The most probable reason is that the foundation settled, causing some unsightly cracks. Perhaps the owner had a clause restricted the number or size of cracks allowed. Or, the workers forgot to put in some drain tile to the sump pump before the 1st pour???

My 2nd guess would be for leveling or meeting minimum thickness, as dik suggested.

Best to ask and find out, then let us know!
Ken

RE: Why do a second pour?

If it was cracking, the cracks will reappear.  We have repoured when the flood was grosely out of lvl.

Jheidt has the right idea, just ask...

RE: Why do a second pour?


It could also be possible that the contractor missed his finished floor elevation and therefore added the necessary topping to achieve this.

RE: Why do a second pour?

I suspect the finish did not come out well. Often times the slab concrete is very wet. If it is too wet it will shrink ecessively, causing cracking. It could also be as DDS1 said the grade was off. If the two inches of reduced clearance (if the grade was right) is not a problem, you are probably okay. Ask the contractor. Just rember no matter how well you plan, things happen you don't expect. If he didn't charge for the 2 inches, It sounds like he had a problem and took care of it, although he should tell you what happened.

RE: Why do a second pour?

In these parts once upon a time there was a standard practice to pour a "mud slab" first. This slab was 2 to 3 inches thick. The concrete quality was less, the finish not intended as final. It provided a clean dust free platform for storing materials.....whatever else benefit I don't know.

At the completeion of the job, they would pour the final slab over this.

Perhaps you had an old timer leading this project.

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources