Lowering a concrete floor

[Anonymous]

I have a Georgian town house which has had lots of TLC since we have owned it.

Now trying to sort the kitchen which has a low ceiling and solid concrete floor which I suspect replaced previous flagstones or timber suspended floor. Trial drillings show the concrete is about 6" thick (very hard!) and without a membrane or insulation underneath.

As the ground levels outside are ok (i.e. a good bit lower than the floor now) I want to lower the floor & replace with a new one that has a membrane & some insulation & to do this I need to either

1. Remove about 2" from the top of the concrete

or

2. Remove the concrete and start again.

I have seen other posts on this subject but no one has said if there is a method of removing only the 2 inches or so & if not - is the simplest way of getting it all up with a big pneumatic drill ?!

any advice appreciated

Jools

 

[Anonymous]

Concrete can be planed.
Dusty/noisey work
Have a look at HSS Hire at
http://www.hss.com They only appear to have a hand held one but I'm sure there is a bigger version available

 

[Anonymous]

DMC

This was just the sort of pointer I was hoping for as I had rung my local hire centre (not HSS) and they said they didn't do anything suitable.

Unfortunately tho' when I rang HSS they told me the same story.

Obviously taking 2 inches off the top is preferable to removing it all - it's just trying to work out how.

I wondered if anyone has tried cutting from side to side in both directions (so the floor looks like a choclate bar) and then trying to chisel the individual blocks out ?

cheers

julian

 

[Anonymous]

You could cut 2-3 inch deep parallel lines across the floor with a wet blade clipper floor saw. Break off the chases with a medium electric breaker and then regulate the surface with a 3 or 5 headed trolley scabbler or a scarifier, if it's too rough, HSS hire out this stuff.

 

[Anonymous]

I know it's more work, but I'd be tempted to break it all up rather than potentially weaken/crack it by leaving it in. Then you could install a dpm and insulation as well.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks Dusty,

I agree - that's what I thought would be the only practical way of thinning the existing floor.

I was hoping someone would post a response confirming that they actually used this method with success otherwise I suspect per PDHs response that it would actually be quicker & easier to take the whole thing out. In which case is it simply a big breaker & hold onto your teeth ?!

cheers

julian

 

[Anonymous]

Why?

 

[Anonymous]

I read this thread with great interest as I have a living room with a concrete floor and can't face ripping the whole thing up but would like to reduce by an inch and lay quarry tiles on top.

If anyone has any experience of doing this advice would be much appreciated?

Is this sort of equipment mentioned safe ina residntial house - it isn't likely to shake the house into a state of collapse?

Many thanks,

Peter

 

[Anonymous]

Do try a discreet bit of exploration first, Peter. For all you know the concrete's only an inch or so thick and would come up really easily. And you never know what might be hidden underneath - quarry tiles, perhaps (it has been known...).

 

[Anonymous]

I wish, there are quarry tiles in the hall and kitchen but this room for some unknown reason has been concreted. Concrete was placed over the tiles, but now I have removed this from the other rooms this concrete is at the same level as the tiles. I have so far drilled down about four inches so it is quite thick!

I understand there is a cellar somewhere so I would like to think if I lift the concrete I will find this.

Thanks,

Peter

 

[Anonymous]

There just might be good reason they put the concrete in in the first place. Perhaps the stucture needed the extra strength, but who knows you might find your cellar beneath it. Or even a medieval treasure trove. But then Moo Evelyn would have to have an eye on your work. Because my former neigbors in Cambridgeshire used to quickly fetch the plough, when ever they saw anything which looked slightly old or even ancient in their fields.