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pouring of concrete in old coal room of 80 year old house.

pouring of concrete in old coal room of 80 year old house.


  #1  
Old 12-13-17, 08:58 PM
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pouring of concrete in old coal room of 80 year old house.

This house in Columbus, Ohio, was built in 1926. A corner of the basement is walled with concrete block to enclose a space measuring about 6' X 6', or maybe closer to 7' X 7'. This space seems to be a coal room that was used to store coal back in the day when the house was built and, we believe, had a coal furnace. The floor is very rough and has debris that looks like it might be the residue of the coal storage era. I scrapped some of this debris away from a small spot to see whether I would simply encounter earth/soil under it or something else. I discovered a hard base under the loose debris on the surface and this hard base seemed like it might be coarsely poured concrete. But, further investigation is needed for a clearer picture this hard base is. We simply have some large black trash bags covering the debris so that some things can be stored there without tracking dirt into the main part of the basement.

Regardless of what is under the upper layer of debris, we are wondering whether we could pour concrete to create a smooth and clean floor inside this room, thereby making it more useful. Could a product such as Quickrete be used to cover an area this size? And, could this be done with simple tools such as concrete mixing tub that can be purchased at home supply stores, and other simple tools to mix, pour, and level the concrete?

The 3rd photo shows the doorway into the room and shows the door threshold (raised concrete and a wood board).
 
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  #2  
Old 12-14-17, 06:07 AM
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Yes and no. Yes, you can use bagged concrete mix to pour a new floor. Are most people up to the job... no.

For a 4" slab you will need 55 bags (60lbs per bag). And if you've never mixed concrete by hand in a mixing tray... it's quite a job. OK for a couple bags especially when time isn't a concern but it would be a huge job to do 55 bags fast enough for pouring a floor. That's after you've transported the 3'300 pounds of concrete mix to your basement.

My first step would be to get in there and clean up the floor you have. A pressure washer and wet/dry shop vac would help. But you really can't plan anything until you clean up the floor. Depending on what you find underneath you might be able to use a resurfacer which would be much easier. Or, you may find a floor that is usable.
 
 

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