# What concrete to use on a trench?



## drgguy (Oct 10, 2013)

A house I was working on was getting a bathroom added so we has to have new drain lines installed as well the plumbing company that did it use quickcrete but the main thing about the whole thing is to make sure dirt is compacted and so there wasn't a chance of it sagging he bore holes every 12 inches and put iron rod sticking out into the trench from both side so there wasn't not issue with this later.


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

You would be better to go to the local Concrete plant, and have them work up a batch, with the raw materials, if you want to mix it and pour your own, vs. picking up a bunch of bags of quikrete.

You are talking about 37.5sqft., or 0.28 yards of concrete, total of 24 80# bags. Since it is just a basement slab, not a garage slab, you could probably get away with a few 60# bags of Crack Resistant bags, or the standard Mix 1101, in 80# bags.

http://quikrete.com/ProductLines/Products-Home.asp

Personally, I would find out if you can do a "Short Load" with the local yard. Some yards have where you can pick up a trailer that has the mix you need, you take home, pour with buckets, then return the trailer, cleaned out. Problem with that, is you need to make sure you can get the mix home quick enough, without it setting up, since it starts setting, the minute it hits the truck, if not kept in a mixer, to keep from setting up.


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## TheEplumber (Jul 20, 2010)

marty813 said:


> I went to lowes the other day to buy concrete to fill in the trench in my basement that I made to run a new drain line. I didn't realize how many different types of concrete there are. I have a trench that is about 15 feet long, 2 and a half feet wide and about 2 inches deep. It's back filled with dirt, does anybody have any suggestions to what type of concrete i should use to fill in the trench?


I would get the 4000psi quikrete, 5 gal buckets, a couple buddies, some brews and have a mixing party. 
BTW, 2" is kind of shallow


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

Eplumber, my slab for my basement, is maybe 3" max, with a 3" base of crush under it. Of course, it is also a floating slab, that was poured about 76 years ago. I habe found some spots on mine, that is about 2", so I am sure that the OP has the same setup.


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## stadry (Jun 20, 2009)

we typically use reg 3,000/3,500# bagg'd conc from apron/vest stores vs the cost of having redi-mix deliver'd for trench drain floor replacement - sometimes as many as 150b ( 300sf @ 4" thick ),,, much better value,,, conc strength is determined wy wtr/cement ratio + how much cement is in the mix design :thumbsup:

conc likes to be ' square ' so expect random cracking every 3'/4',,, control crks by grooving in jnts to influence crks where YOU want them.

absent good base compaction, steel tie bars will help prevent sag-dropped conc


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## jomama45 (Nov 13, 2008)

In certain scenario's, I've found it much easier to carry dry bagged concrete down the steps, and add the additional water weight in the basement, rather than lugging all the extra weight down the steps. It's generally much cleaner as well. The regular (generally the cheapest concrete mix bags they have, don't get a sand topping mix or mortar) quickcrete will work fine for what you're doing. Just be sure to pour it early in the day, as it can take hours to set-up in a cold, humid basement, and it will get a lot of bleed water as well, that you need to let recede before finishing.........


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