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I'm just in the process of doing up the cellar as it gets a bit wet so will be putting down a concrete floor instead of the old stone flags. Is it sensible to lower the floor 3 or 4 inch as I can't stand up properly down there or am I likely to upset the walls? It's only a small cellar, about 4.5m x 1.20m and on very heavy clay soil.
Also what can I do with the old coal chute as it rains in a bit? Fill it in totally with a vent to the outside or just seal it all up better?
Thanks muchly.
Not sure how the concrete makes it less wet? It is pourous, and still has gap at the side / wall joint. You may be better to lift flags, put in gravel drains to a deeper tube/pit (to below foundations) at lowest corner to drain away. We have done this twice before with great success.
I would leave a lot of ventilation in place at coal chute.
Thanks matt. I did wonder about putting some sort of soak away in but with it being heavy clay I didn't think it would work unless I get digging to Australia, and having a full on pipe drain is too much work as I doubt the council would appreciate me digging up the pavement.
I thought about water coming up between the wall/concrete join but it has never been all that wet. Just a couple of puddles where the missing flag stones were. Plus the floor will be getting a damp proof membrane underneath.
Think I'll leave the coal chute as it is and just put a vent in. A day of lifting out 3" thick stone flags and clay on your own is enough. 🙂
quite simple really - build a bar in the cellar - party central 🙂
Won't a damp proof membrane just risk creating an indoor swimming pool?! if you do the gravel drain, you can just put a cheap sump pump at the deepest point with a float switch, and a hosepipe taking the water up to an existing drain.
We've got a small drain sump in the corner and a pump with a float switch as above.