How to Fill in Large Concrete Channel in Basement Floor

By Mark J. Donovan

Sometimes when finishing a basement existing oil or plumbing lines imbedded in the concrete basement floor may need to be removed. In some cases it may be fine to just cut them back flush with the concrete floor and leave them where they lie. Other times, however, the lines may need to be cut out of the concrete basement floor. When this situation is necessary the question frequently comes up on how to fill the channel or large crack that is formed in digging out the lines. In addition you can use shims underneath the sleepers to create a level subfloor surface.

The answer to this question depends on the depth of the channel / crack. If the channel that is cut out of the basement concrete is deep, for example deeper than 2 inches, then Quickrete is appropriate for filling in the channel. If however the channel is shallow, e.g. less than two inches, it is best to use a floor leveling compound.