Cement on Cement?

[Guffalo]

I have a flooding problem and wanted to know if it is possible to pour an additional 3-4 inches of concrete over my existing driveway, walkways around the house.

 

I really wanted to just rent a machine or have a truck deliver ready made concrete into a form I would create around the perimeter of the driveway/walkways. The existing surface is poured concrete.

 

Do I need to break up the existing concrete?

Do I need to get a layer of gravel over the existing concrete surface?

Is there a minimum depth I need for going over existing concrete?

 

Any help is appreciated

[damj]

I have a flooding problem and wanted to know if it is possible to pour an additional 3-4 inches of concrete over my existing driveway, walkways around the house.

 

I really wanted to just rent a machine or have a truck deliver ready made concrete into a form I would create around the perimeter of the driveway/walkways. The existing surface is poured concrete.

 

Do I need to break up the existing concrete?

Do I need to get a layer of gravel over the existing concrete surface?

Is there a minimum depth I need for going over existing concrete?

 

Any help is appreciated

I'm not a civil engineer, but do not just pour a new layer over the existing concrete. If you're going over the existing concrete, you would want to dowel in rebar to tie the new concrete to the existing.

 

You're better off breaking up the existing concrete, putting new stone sub-base, then pouring new concrete. 3-4 inches is too little ... I'm not sure how thick, but I would think 6" minimum ... but you check on that.

[stuckincincy]

I have a flooding problem and wanted to know if it is possible to pour an additional 3-4 inches of concrete over my existing driveway, walkways around the house.

 

I really wanted to just rent a machine or have a truck deliver ready made concrete into a form I would create around the perimeter of the driveway/walkways. The existing surface is poured concrete.

 

Do I need to break up the existing concrete?

Do I need to get a layer of gravel over the existing concrete surface?

Is there a minimum depth I need for going over existing concrete?

 

Any help is appreciated

 

What's the nature of your flooding? Standing water outside? Water getting into the basement, garage, or other areas?

[BuffaloBill]

I'm not a civil engineer, but do not just pour a new layer over the existing concrete. If you're going over the existing concrete, you would want to dowel in rebar to tie the new concrete to the existing.

 

You're better off breaking up the existing concrete, putting new stone sub-base, then pouring new concrete. 3-4 inches is too little ... I'm not sure how thick, but I would think 6" minimum ... but you check on that.

 

 

Iff you go with cement on cement it is not likely to last very long - it will be structurally unsound and prone to breaking up with freeze thaw cycles as water works its way inbetween. You may want to go to homeless depot orlowes and ask to verify that there is not some other methodology to do what you want. I am not aware of anything relative to the scale you are looking to work towards. There are epoxy type patching materials that will bond to existing concrete but they are intended for small areas.

[Marv's Neighbor]

If you already have a "flooding problem," your solution may make it worse. You could trap water between your driveway, walkways and your house foundation. That could introduce mold in your foundation and walls. Would the raise make your garage floor lower than the driveway? That could send run-off into your garage.

 

Obviously we can't see your problem but it seems as though you would be better served with some drainage modifications to allow the water to move away from your house and garage.

[Guffalo]

What's the nature of your flooding? Standing water outside? Water getting into the basement, garage, or other areas?

We live on a small bay on the south shore of long island. We have a storm sewer that empties into the bay through our bulkhead. When we have storm surges, or extremely high tides (2-3 times a year) water travels up the storm sewer to the street. From the street it starts coming up the driveway to the house. The lower level is a garage that is converted to mixed use (workshop/gameroom). When the water comes up it gets into the workshop/gameroom.

 

In 2005 we got hit pretty bad, 10 inches of standing water, we had to gut the whole lower level. Post 2005, we installed a french drain system with a sump pumping the water to the sewer system. The interior walls were constructed 3 1/2 inches from the foundation walls and divert any water to the french drain system. It has worked for the last few years, but as hurricane season approaches, I constantly wonder if I could improve the grading of the property by raising the concrete around the perimeter, I just didnt want to tear up the existing concrete before trying something like this.

[ExiledInIllinois]

I think there is a thing called leveling cement... Don't get me wron, I am not sure?? My neighbor (old guy) was a cement layer and he leveled/pitched his walk where the builder screwed up. Now, I know it can't be too high or low... Yet, he seems to have no problem. I will ask him.

[ExiledInIllinois]

We live on a small bay on the south shore of long island. We have a storm sewer that empties into the bay through our bulkhead. When we have storm surges, or extremely high tides (2-3 times a year) water travels up the storm sewer to the street. From the street it starts coming up the driveway to the house. The lower level is a garage that is converted to mixed use (workshop/gameroom). When the water comes up it gets into the workshop/gameroom.

 

In 2005 we got hit pretty bad, 10 inches of standing water, we had to gut the whole lower level. Post 2005, we installed a french drain system with a sump pumping the water to the sewer system. The interior walls were constructed 3 1/2 inches from the foundation walls and divert any water to the french drain system. It has worked for the last few years, but as hurricane season approaches, I constantly wonder if I could improve the grading of the property by raising the concrete around the perimeter, I just didnt want to tear up the existing concrete before trying something like this.

 

 

Ya... And don't sh*t now Guff... Looks like Hurricane Bill MAY bear down on the upper eastern seaboard? When was the last time a major hurricane wiped out New England? 1930's? 1950's?

[stuckincincy]

We live on a small bay on the south shore of long island. We have a storm sewer that empties into the bay through our bulkhead. When we have storm surges, or extremely high tides (2-3 times a year) water travels up the storm sewer to the street. From the street it starts coming up the driveway to the house. The lower level is a garage that is converted to mixed use (workshop/gameroom). When the water comes up it gets into the workshop/gameroom.

 

In 2005 we got hit pretty bad, 10 inches of standing water, we had to gut the whole lower level. Post 2005, we installed a french drain system with a sump pumping the water to the sewer system. The interior walls were constructed 3 1/2 inches from the foundation walls and divert any water to the french drain system. It has worked for the last few years, but as hurricane season approaches, I constantly wonder if I could improve the grading of the property by raising the concrete around the perimeter, I just didnt want to tear up the existing concrete before trying something like this.

 

You certainly know your enemy. I was going to suggest drain tile, but you've done that.

 

Yes, grading is vital. But from your descriptions, you get bouts of very high hydrostatic pressure. Adding additional concrete to existing surfaces will up that pressure.

 

My house has lousy grading, as well as a "down dip" driveway, with a grate and underground pipe arrangement dumping into a sump well - the garage is next to the basement. Such is banned these days - a couple of driveway oil drips from a vehicle can ruin the planet, you know.

 

I dealt with basement seeps by drilling holes where the basement slab met the foundation block, relieving pressure. Then I constructed an interceptor channel with coated 1x2 pine, to direct the seepage to a low-point drain in my utility room. Which is what you have done, although mine directs water to that floor drain, so it isn't adding water to a french drain system.

 

It works well - it handles all but unusual rain events - only light mopping if I care to do so - nothing like the volumes you describe.

 

Have you considered putting in an additional sump well and pump?

 

Because of my down-dip drive, I have a pump and two battery back-up pumps in my well. And a spare deep-cycle battery that I keep in tip-top charge. If the power goes out, I'm (literally) sunk if my back-ups won't work.

 

Can you pipe your sump discharge to the street instead of back into the sewer system? I would guess that your current pump may not be able to push more water into that (assumedely) filled sewer drain line. I would think that there is some reason why your current pump is being overwhelmed. Some codes prohibit direct street discharge. My MIL in Kenmore had to fork over a couple of grand to tie her discharge into the sewers. If you put in an additional well/pump, disguise the outlet with a spiffy, thick, bush foundation planting.

 

My pumps discharge into piping that outlets on the front curb. The main/battery back-up unit, as well as the 2nd batt. back-up. But I have a valve for the #2 battery device, so I can shunt the outflow to piping that runs to my back yard if the main pipe has some problem.

[ExiledInIllinois]

My house has lousy grading, as well as a "down dip" driveway, with a grate and underground pipe arrangement dumping into a sump well - the garage is next to the basement. Such is banned these days - a couple of driveway oil drips from a vehicle can ruin the planet, you know.

 

You have an old house? When mine was built in 1995, I wanted a drain in the garage... I couldn't have one. You know some idiots actually change their oil over the drain!

[Nervous Guy]

I saw something on Ask this Old House that is similar. They raised a settled walkway a few inches by drilling through the existing walkway then pumped in cement under the walkway raising it by using hydraulic pressure. It was kind of cool and seemed to be a somewhat commonly used technique. You could check it out.

 

http://elliottleveling.com/faq_concrete.html

[stuckincincy]

You have an old house? When mine was built in 1995, I wanted a drain in the garage... I couldn't have one. You know some idiots actually change their oil over the drain!

 

Miniscule compared to millions of American boaters with 2-cycle outboard motors...

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

We live on a small bay on the south shore of long island. We have a storm sewer that empties into the bay through our bulkhead. When we have storm surges, or extremely high tides (2-3 times a year) water travels up the storm sewer to the street. From the street it starts coming up the driveway to the house. The lower level is a garage that is converted to mixed use (workshop/gameroom). When the water comes up it gets into the workshop/gameroom.

 

In 2005 we got hit pretty bad, 10 inches of standing water, we had to gut the whole lower level. Post 2005, we installed a french drain system with a sump pumping the water to the sewer system. The interior walls were constructed 3 1/2 inches from the foundation walls and divert any water to the french drain system. It has worked for the last few years, but as hurricane season approaches, I constantly wonder if I could improve the grading of the property by raising the concrete around the perimeter, I just didnt want to tear up the existing concrete before trying something like this.

 

Not to sound like a smart-aleck, but I read the above and see this:

You live in a flood plain.

It floods 2-3 times a year.

And you're trying to make the flood plain "go away"?????

 

[Guffalo]

Not to sound like a smart-aleck, but I read the above and see this:

You live in a flood plain.

It floods 2-3 times a year.

And you're trying to make the flood plain "go away"?????

 

 

My issue is I want to just be higher than the houses nearby, not trying to make the flood plain go away.

 

The previous owner passed on the chance to have the town do the re-levelling in the early 90s after a few years of flooding. All, if not most of the houses in my street were given a huge discount for a re-leveling to a higher pitch at the town prices, not at a regular Joe price. The owners (they were owners of this as a rental property) decided to skip the work since it would have cost em maybe 1000 bucks.

[ExiledInIllinois]

Miniscule compared to millions of American boaters with 2-cycle outboard motors...

 

The key is dillution! I am supposed to report the slightlest sheen!

 

You ain't saying... Yet, in 17 years I have seen that number drop a lot with the new 4 stroke tech out there. Seems a lot of people shy away from outboards... I don't know why? They even have dirtbikes that are electric now and "they claim" can out preform a 2 cycle! Yet, they barely make a peep! Isn't the sound half the excitement?

 

We do use food based grease and hydrauliuc fluid on our machinery.

[ExiledInIllinois]

My issue is I want to just be higher than the houses nearby, not trying to make the flood plain go away.

 

The previous owner passed on the chance to have the town do the re-levelling in the early 90s after a few years of flooding. All, if not most of the houses in my street were given a huge discount for a re-leveling to a higher pitch at the town prices, not at a regular Joe price. The owners (they were owners of this as a rental property) decided to skip the work since it would have cost em maybe 1000 bucks.

 

NOLA is 8 feet below sea level... Build a dike around your house and get some really nice pumps!

 

You heard the old NOLA joke?

 

8 feet below sea level

protected by dikes

serviced by ferrys

 

[Just Jack]

Just raise the house a few inches.