How to get excavated hole dry for footer
Cooper
| Posted in Construction Techniques on
My permits were delayed recently, and me being a bonehead already gave the go ahead for the excavator to dig the hole. Consequently, I have a mud pit due to unforecasted rain. Anyone have an idea of how to get the hole dry? I’ve used pumps and been bucketing water in muddy boots—dirty, frustrating, and time consuming. Are there any dessicants for large water areas? Wet/dry vac without filter? Any help is GREATLY appreciated!
Replies
A rental center may have one of those super duper pumps, that kicks out WAY more than a light duty sump pump. I would try that route first.
We had the same problem, and the pump we used dryed us up in no time.
Dustin
Have you asked the excavator? Ours dump in a layer of 3/4 rock to firm it up. (after pumping the water).
Dig deeper off to one side.
We normally are looking to run a perimeter drain to daylight, so most of ours have a way for water to run off as dug
Use pumps.
As long as the soil is not disturbed, having some water there is not a problem
If walking around to set forms for footers is a problem, place 4" of 3/4" stone there. Hay elsewhere. No hay where it will be structural tstuff.
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scape the mud to firm soil and drop a layer of gravel
Flour lots and lots of flour.
Seriously tho, as already said dig nearby deeper and try to drain off any excess water and what Brownbag said as well.
Drain as much out as you can with a trash pump, in a clean gravel well at the lowest point in the trench.
Firm up the bottom of the trench with clean gravel.
Pour with a trimmy, with the end below the water surface, if you still have standing water the day of the pour.
You might want to make a Jean Deauxes/John Q Public call to the City and find out if you are allowed to pump out of a construction site "into the street."
This gets complicated fast. In "combined" sewer systems, they don't want additional water flow into the system. In 'split' (separate sanitary & storm sewers) you may find that "construction site runoff" has been deemed "contaminated." Getting a ticket from Environmental Works or Water Services is not fun. Almost as much not fun as having a swimming pool where the basement 'sposed to be.
(Only thing worse is if the Safety man comes by and dings you for not having railings/barriers to the "workplace hazard.")
Cooper,
I just went through what you are going through; Dug the hole, was delayed a week, came back to find 8" of water in the hole (clay lined of course so it wasn't going anywhere).
I used a simple sump pump in a holey bucket to pump all but 1-1/2" of mud spooge. Then ordered some 21AA LIMESTONE (enough to cover the entire area with 1-1/2"). I specifically ordered the stone with extra "fines" that is lime dust which really soaks up the water. The result was a perfectly solid and dry hole.
The pour went perfect and I added a 6" layer of 60/40 mix (the sand and stone mix I had left over from mixing the concrete footing) to keep the area dry while building the block foundation wall.
Good luck and have fun.
Gk
Wow, thanks for the tip....my permits just came through today after a two week delay!! Luckily I only had to pump/bail four times! (And buy two unreturnable pumps from Depot as well as a huge tarp that's covered in mud!)Thanks for the advice from you and everyone...it's nice to have a resource to go to when you've got issues like this.
If Saturday Night Live is to be believed, you should be able to use a certain feminine hygene product to soak up all the water.
Family.....They're always there when they need you.
What about a giant "shamwow"?!!
we have this problem daily, we pour in the water. Get a dry mix, no more than a three and pile it up on one end, keep the concrete in a pile and hit with a vibrator once or twice, real quick. It will roll into the water pushing the water out. it like painting with a wet edge but this time its the dry edge of concrete you controlling.we also do alot of underwater placement, those are fun.
Edited 8/11/2008 10:19 pm by brownbagg
That would be less embarassing to buy anyway.
Family.....They're always there when they need you.