How to Direct Water From a Cement Floor to a Sump Pump Pit

Mark the edge of the trench between the sump pit and the intended end of the French drain by snapping a chalk line on the floor 1 foot away from the wall.

Tear up the concrete inside the chalk line. Put on safety goggles, ear protection and gloves. Use a jackhammer to remove the majority of the concrete from the chalk line to the wall, but use a hammer and a chisel for the last couple of inches next to the wall so you don't damage the wall with the jackhammer. Remove the chunks of concrete from the trench.

Use a shovel to remove the dirt inside the trench until the trench is about 1 foot beneath the top of the basement floor.

Apply a waterproof membrane to the surface of the walls to help seal them. Coat the wall inside the trench as well as the wall above the trench.

Place 2 inches of gravel into the bottom of the trench. Slope the gravel down toward the sump pit, and then tamp down the gravel.

Connect a PVC elbow to the end of the drain tile that will be on the far end of the French drain. The drain tile is plastic pipe that has holes in it to allow water to flow through. The top of the elbow will extend above the floor, providing you with access to clear the French drain without tearing up the floor.

Wrap landscaping fabric around the drain tile. The landscaping fabric will block some of the dirt and other material that can clog the drain tile.

Place the drain tile in the trench, with the PVC elbow pointing up at the opposite end from the sump pit.

Fill the trench with gravel until the gravel reaches the underside of the concrete floor.

Mix a batch of concrete, and fill the trench with it. Smooth the surface of the pour with a trowel so that the concrete blends in with the rest of the floor.

Place a PVC cap on the elbow.