The Floor of the Mikvah
While the otzar was being framed out, we framed out and poured the floor of the mikvah – the separation between the bor hatachton (the rainwater collection pit beneath the mikvah) and the mikvah pool. This gave us a few days of curing so it would be a nice, hard surface at the time of framing and pouring the stairs. We left a two inch keyway – a groove – around the walls of the mikvah, into which we will pour the floor. This will wedge it firmly in place, strengthening and supporting it.
There is a 2 1/2 foot square hole beneath the future stairs, for access into the pit. It has a lip onto which we will rest a fiberglass plate with a couple of big holes in it, so that no one can fall in but there will still be water transference between the two bodies of water.
Please support our mikvah project, with either a one-time donation (using the progress widget to the right) or recurring monthly donations (above the progress widget). For dedication opportunities, please contact Rabbi Rabinowitz. All donations are tax deductible.
Bird's eye view of the bor hatachton, the rainwater collection pit beneath the mikvah, before the floor of the mikvah gets poured over it - all cleaned and ready to frame up.
The wooden grid to support the frame of the floor. The wood is wedged and screwed into place, so it'll be easy to bang apart from inside once the floor is cured.
The frame, sitting upon the supporting grid (not shown). Note the square opening on the right, with the top rim to form the lip for the cover.
Dumping the concrete into place - this was poured by hand!
Such a small amount of concrete was needed, we did it by hand! Here Steve mixes the cement, fibermesh, and gravel in a wheelbarrow and shoveled down into the mikvah to pour the floor.
The floor mostly poured, still needs more concrete and vibrating. Then they can smooth it down like it is around the hole.
We also need to frame out and pour slabs above the side rainwater collection pits - we're not covering the entire hole, but enough to add an extra 18" or so to the mikvah room, to give it a bit more spacious feel. The form on the right is where the slab will be, and it is on the side adjacent to the mikvah pool.
The mikvah, showing the completed floor and the forms for the slabs above the side pits that will become part of the floor of the mikvah room.