I have a room in the basement, kind of like a root cellar, about 12-14 square meters (130-150 square feet). It’s all unfinished, and I’d like to set up a sort of workshop there. My next step would be to plaster the walls to make it feel a bit more cozy. The tricky part is the floor: the slab in the middle is split. On the left side, there’s a concrete slab, but on the right side, there’s just bare earth. I’m not sure why the previous owner did it that way. I want to level and fill the half with the bare earth to match the concrete slab. How should I approach the construction sequence? Should I dig out to the level of the slab, install a waterproof membrane (like a bituminous sheet) in the earth-contact area to protect against potential hydrostatic pressure, and then fill it with a concrete screed up to the slab height?
Thanks for your help.
Thanks for your help.
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nordanney5 Aug 2020 13:37Peter Silie schrieb:
I can leave the wall as it is, no question, but how should I proceed with the floor? I definitely want to seal it weatherproof, including protection against rising water. The basement has remained as it has been since 1959. Why do you need to take measures against rising water half a century after construction? What is the reason? And how are you securing the other floors and walls in the basement? If you do it, do it comprehensively.
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Peter Silie5 Aug 2020 13:50nordanney schrieb:
The basement has stood as it is since 1959. Why do you need to take measures against rising water half a century after construction? What is the reason? And how are you securing the other floors and walls in the basement? If you do it, do it comprehensively.I can’t say when and why he opened up the floor slab. In any case, I want the hole closed; that can only be beneficial, whether it worked for half a century or not.
The other floors in the basement are fully tiled, only this room presents an "exceptional situation."
Peter Silie schrieb:
The other basement floors are fully tiled; only this room is an "exceptional case."Then store the potatoes in the other rooms as well and observe the difference.https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
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Peter Silie5 Aug 2020 14:2211ant schrieb:
Then store the potatoes in the other rooms as well and observe the difference You guys are quite the jokers.
I want to close the hole, come on, I need help. A ground-contact floor has no place in a basement.
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fach1werk5 Aug 2020 16:02This is a damp basement. That’s actually a good thing. It doesn’t damage houses. It’s just not suitable for metal tools. In our basement, I once stored apples as an experiment for as long as they lasted, which was three winters, although they were old varieties.
If someone really insists, they have to treat not only the floor but also the joints: scrape them out and fill with plastic-reinforced joint mortar. It is possible to renovate such a space. I had a neighbor who did this, and it stayed in good condition. The approach was: a concrete slab, then screed and tiles, all installed as a floating floor. The concrete slab was about as thick as one used for a garden shed. However, the story doesn’t end there: it will remain damp for a long time, dryers will be needed down there, later a small heater might be introduced, it’s dark as well, and if the walls were painted, damage spots appear quickly. For a damp basement, being stubborn is costly—but if someone thinks it’s worth it?
On extremely hot days, I had cellar dinners down there: a long table, white linen, candle holders, staying until you start to feel chilly. Wonderful!
Best regards
Gabriele
If someone really insists, they have to treat not only the floor but also the joints: scrape them out and fill with plastic-reinforced joint mortar. It is possible to renovate such a space. I had a neighbor who did this, and it stayed in good condition. The approach was: a concrete slab, then screed and tiles, all installed as a floating floor. The concrete slab was about as thick as one used for a garden shed. However, the story doesn’t end there: it will remain damp for a long time, dryers will be needed down there, later a small heater might be introduced, it’s dark as well, and if the walls were painted, damage spots appear quickly. For a damp basement, being stubborn is costly—but if someone thinks it’s worth it?
On extremely hot days, I had cellar dinners down there: a long table, white linen, candle holders, staying until you start to feel chilly. Wonderful!
Best regards
Gabriele
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