2. home-theater
  3. 185926-96513

Level the floor

We've just moved.  The audio playpen is the basement, which has an issue I haven't dealt with before: uneven floor.  Left-right is level, but front to back there's a steep slope.  At a distance of 18 inches, the slope is about one inch.

I figure others have dealt with this enough that there's "a way" (or an eternal argument...).  Educate me?

Available equipment would be fine; surprise uses of stuff would be terrific.

Thanks.

mrj
puptent's avatar
puptent
191 posts
 

When I was a kid our basement floor shifted (bentonite clay). A contractor came in and fixed it, I think a combination of mud-jacking, and a leveling concrete thin layer. Ours was pretty dramatic, I only mention it because there are contractors out there that specialize...

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jonwolfpell
386 posts
 

That’s a big slope but just because the basement floor sunk or rose in as area, doesn’t necessarily, & hopefully not, mean the foundation walls moved. They’re most likely not contiguous. 

mrj OP
9 posts
 
tk21
208 posts
 

A slope of 1 inch every 18 inches?  Across the whole length of the room?  How is your house still standing?

I know, right?  The neighbors to the north have been astonishingly understanding.  I haven't checked with Canada yet, they're busy.

 

 

mrj OP
9 posts
 

jonwolfpell

 

That’s a big slope but just because the basement floor sunk or rose in as area, doesn’t necessarily, & hopefully not, mean the foundation walls moved. They’re most likely not contiguous.

 

This is a common shape on houses here.  19th/20th century Illinois; when they were first built the basement was not a useful floor, so much as a "bottom".  The concrete was poured in sometime after, with existing pipes and whatever already in place, so a perfectly level floor would have led to a ceiling hitting heads.

It's not sinking, it was made that way.

 

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