Pourbacks

A concrete pourback is typically a piece of concrete that is poured/built right next to an already existing piece of concrete. Plumbing reparations are a good example of the applications of a concrete pourback. When there is a plumbing line under a concrete foundation which needs to be repaired, at times, the only way to repair these plumbing lines is to cut out the area of concrete that is above these plumbing lines to allow the plumbing professionals to obtain direct access to the plumbing lines. In such scenarios, the concrete can typically be sawcut, demolished, then removed. The plumbing professionals will then be able to complete the plumbing repairs with direct access to the plumbing lines.

After the concrete plumbers have successfully repaired the plumbing lines, the concrete foundation must be “resealed” with concrete in the area of concrete which was demolished and removed. The most efficient and cost-effective way to do this is to perform a “pourback” (as typically called by the concrete professional industry). The pourback consists of placing rebar reinforcements on the faces of the edges of the existing concrete slabs. Holes that allow fit rebar pieces are drilled on the lateral faces of the existing concrete sides surrounding the removed concrete area. Then rebar with epoxy is inserted in these holes. Additional rebar, wire-mesh, and/or other types of concrete reinforcement may be placed inside this pourback area. Finally, concrete is poured back into the area where the previous concrete was demolished. This new piece of concrete is now “grabbing” onto the existing concrete via the rebar, as to diminish vertical and horizontal displacement, making the whole area of concrete previously removed become a “monolithic” piece of concrete again.