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I recently purchased a house built in 1937 that has had a number of additions to it. One of these additions was an extension of the house over the original foundation. This resulted in a small area of the basement that is over bare earth. The inspector mentioned putting down vapor barrier and someone else mentioned pouring concrete. What is the best way to approach this and what type of barrier/concrete is best used?

Thanks

photo of exposed earth

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A vapor barries usually cosist of 4-6 mil plastic, followed by 1" down to pea gravel stone by up to 4" thick. This will help with weed, mold control and drainage. Local codes may influence this, so I would check with your local building inspectors office.

The concrete utilized should be a 3500 psi strength, since it's in a basement, and your not driving on it. If you decide to use concrete (over plasic and stone), it should be 4" thick ( 3 1/2" nominally). Good luck!

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  • Should I use concrete without aggregate, or does it matter? Thanks!
    – Erick T
    Commented Jun 23, 2017 at 4:15
  • No, you'll want aggregate in the mix for sure
    – rsschuler
    Commented Jun 23, 2017 at 15:06

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