I am finishing up installing a french drain system on the inside perimeter of my basement. Since I was already using a jackhammer, I decided to break up a slightly larger area in one corner to add a floor drain for the utility room.

I am a novice when it comes to concrete but I have poured a concrete walkway before. Keeping a slight pitch and screeding was simple because there was a wooden form on each side of the walkway. However, in the picture below, you can see that this is a little harder for me because I'm in a corner.

I was thinking of using a 2x4 and ripping it to the proper height. I would place it on top of the footing and rest it against the wall on the right to help get a slight pitch toward the drain while screeding. This would have course require me to pull out the wood and fill in the gap with a second pour, but the floor would be nice and smooth.

Is this a good idea or do you guys have a better way of doing this?

It looks like the existing slab is above the footing. Mark the wall with a chalk line, pour the concrete and give it 1/2" or so back to the surface drain. Looks like the drain is flush with the floor. Might want to lower the drain a bit, if possible, that way it will easily flow.

It's hard to tell from the picture but the drain is actually a half inch below the old floor. I figured if the sides matched up with the old floor then I would still have enough of a pitch to the drain.

Perfect setting. Good luck and send us a picture of the finished job. Hope we helped, Brian

Nail a 2x4 to the wall 1 1/2" above floor level and use the bottom of the 2x4 for guide.