Crawlspace advice please

[Immigrant]

I need some crawlspace advice please. This is what my new addition crawlspace looks like at the moment. The plan (according to the contractor)is to insulate the walls and run poly over the crushed rock up to the walls. The crawlspace is only 3 feet below grade. I have a sump in the one corner, and an access hatch on the opposite end. The sump will have a pump in it, but if i need to service the pump, will i not damage/puncture the poly? Is there a product that is thicker than poly that you can walk on.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Prairiekid]

Do you need poly? My parents house doesn't have poly, it's just a sand gravel bottom with a sump pit. My condo doesn't have poly, just spray foam on the outside walls. I don't really understand the need for it.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[JustBen]

Lay some treated wood planks before laying the poly if you are concerned about puncturing it.

[jmedical]

If your worried about punctures create some panks to crawl on.

[doetracks]

When we were selling our duplex in Fort St. John, this is what the crawl space looked like:



In order to sell, we basically had to poly and insulate. It was a work of art when we were done, and the property sold easily.

Poly is not that difficult to install, and good thick stuff won't puncture very easily.

Hardest part for me was shimmying under the joists. I apparently have a bit of claustrophobia.

[Grizzly Adams]

Last one I saw,poly was under the rock as I recall. Wooden foundations are pretty Passe these days. Engineered ?

Grizz

[Dewey Cox]

Put poly down, and pour a concrete slab.
That will protect the poly, and you'll have all the storage space you'll ever need.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[does it ALL outdoors]

Originally Posted by Dewey Cox

Put poly down, and pour a concrete slab.
That will protect the poly, and you'll have all the storage space you'll ever need.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My thoughts exactly

[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by does it ALL outdoors

My thoughts exactly

Actually a bit of a head shaker here, nothing but anchor bolts to resist soil pressure. Building wooden foundations is a science in itself and very demanding. usually requires an engineer approval, not having one can be a buggar at selling time.

Grizz

[LKILR]

Spray foam the walls and floor. Insulation and vapor barrier in one

[OpenRange]

You can have a contractor lay a slurry slab. I have a crawl space that had a dirt floor, I just put down poly and had a guy come with a little pumper unit with a 2" hose line. They were able to pump into the area with this self levelling slab and it works for what I need. Just make sure you have lots of air circulation because the concrete creates a lot of humidity.

[Immigrant]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams

Actually a bit of a head shaker here, nothing but anchor bolts to resist soil pressure. Building wooden foundations is a science in itself and very demanding. usually requires an engineer approval, not having one can be a buggar at selling time.



Grizz

Not sure what you mean. The walls is sitting on this...



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by Immigrant

Not sure what you mean. The walls is sitting on this...



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Customary to pour an L shaped footing for the foundation wall to sit against if there is no floor intended.

Grizz

[Immigrant]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams

Customary to pour an L shaped footing for the foundation wall to sit against if there is no floor intended.

Grizz

I see what you mean......

[tirebob]

http://www.basementsystemscalgary.co...e-barrier.html

This is the type of system we probably going with. It is similar to pool liner and is very tough and durable. In combination with a sump and dehumidifier it will be water tight, dry and clean.

[Kim473]

Originally Posted by Dewey Cox

Put poly down, and pour a concrete slab.
That will protect the poly, and you'll have all the storage space you'll ever need.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Just to add to this, Poly, styrofoam insulation, then concrete. Also a heat vent and your floor upstairs will not be cold in the winter.

[NCC]

If you do put a few tiny holes in the poly it won't hurt anything; many homes don't have a vapour barrier in the crawl space. If your worried about it, find some sump liner. It will be a PIA tocinstall but would puncture.

I wouldn't put a concrete floor in a 3' crawl space. You'll be unlikely to ever use it and if you do get water down there it will be difficult to get rid of, unless your contractors make the floor perfectly drained towards the sump. That's unlikely based on what I've seen in full height basements.

[tchammer]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams

Actually a bit of a head shaker here, nothing but anchor bolts to resist soil pressure. Building wooden foundations is a science in itself and very demanding. usually requires an engineer approval, not having one can be a buggar at selling time.

Grizz

Was wondering if that would get noticed. What we have done on crawlspace wood foundations has worked well and is economical. Lay a treated 2x6 down on the inside of the wall on the footing tight to the bottom plate. Quick bolt this down every two or three feet depending on backfill height with 5/8 quickbolts. Install these bolts a little over 1" in from the INSIDE edge of the 2x6, this allows you to have most of the strength from the 2x6 pushing on the bolts. Again I am referring to the edge that is closest to the gravel not the wall itself. Then install a 2x4 on the flat on top of the 2x6 butted tight against the bottom of the wall studs, nailing with galvanized spikes two every 12 to 16 inches. This not only anchors the bottom plate from pushing in, it also anchors the studs from being pushed in off the plate as well.

[Immigrant]

Originally Posted by tchammer

Was wondering if that would get noticed. What we have done on crawlspace wood foundations has worked well and is economical. Lay a treated 2x6 down on the inside of the wall on the footing tight to the bottom plate. Quick bolt this down every two or three feet depending on backfill height with 5/8 quickbolts. Install these bolts a little over 1" in from the INSIDE edge of the 2x6, this allows you to have most of the strength from the 2x6 pushing on the bolts. Again I am referring to the edge that is closest to the gravel not the wall itself. Then install a 2x4 on the flat on top of the 2x6 butted tight against the bottom of the wall studs, nailing with galvanized spikes two every 12 to 16 inches. This not only anchors the bottom plate from pushing in, it also anchors the studs from being pushed in off the plate as well.

THanks for the info guys. I will see what i can do to address the issue