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When you’re lowering a basement in Toronto, one of the most critical and overlooked steps is the sectional closing. It’s not just another concrete pour. This is where everything ties together, locking in the safety and structure of your home for the long run.
If you live in Leslieville, East York, or High Park, chances are your home sits on an older foundation. That means underpinning is more than just a renovation; it’s an essential reinforcement. And sectional closing is the final puzzle piece that makes everything solid.
What Exactly Is a Sectional Closing in Underpinning?
During an underpinning in a foundation project, the work is done in sections. After the soil is removed and new concrete is poured in each stage, there’s still one last gap, the section that couldn’t be touched until everything else had set. That final space? That’s what we call the sectional closing.
It’s the stage that links all the other underpinning footings together. Without it, you’re left with a break in the structure. And in Toronto homes, especially in neighbourhoods like Parkdale, Wychwood, or Riverdale, where soil pressure and moisture levels fluctuate, you can’t afford weak spots.
Watch a Real Sectional Closing in Action
Want to see what the process looks like? In this 5-minute video, we walk you through one of our actual underpinning projects. You’ll see how our team sets up, drills, reinforces, pours, and finishes a real sectional closing in a live basement environment.
How We Do Sectional Closings for Toronto Foundations
Precise Prep and Setup
First, the area is cleaned out and shaped to match the other underpinning sections. In older homes in areas like The Junction or Cabbagetown, foundations often have quirks, uneven lines, shallow depth, and shifting soil. We measure everything out to ensure the new concrete locks in seamlessly.
Installing the Formwork
Next, we install wooden forms to frame the new section. These aren’t guesswork, they’re custom-fit. A form that’s even slightly off can cause settling or cracks later. In tight Toronto basements like those in Trinity-Bellwoods or Little Portugal, precision is everything.
Drilling & Reinforcement
Here’s where the real strength comes in. Our crew drills horizontally into the existing concrete and installs steel rebar that ties into the older footing. This is the reinforcement that makes the entire basement act as one solid structure. Especially in zones like Scarborough Bluffs or Mimico, where groundwater shifts can cause pressure, reinforcement is what keeps your foundation from moving.
Pouring High-Strength Concrete
Once the rebar is in place and the forms are double-checked, we pour the concrete. It’s vibrated during the pour to eliminate air pockets, then carefully levelled. The concrete we use is engineered to bond with the surrounding sections and cure to structural strength, no cheap shortcuts here.
Curing and Finishing
We don’t rush the cure. The concrete needs time to gain strength, especially in cold months or damp environments like basements in North York or Rosedale. After curing, forms are removed, and if needed, waterproofing is applied to protect the new section against moisture.
Why Sectional Closings Are Critical in Toronto Homes
Toronto has a mix of soil types, aging housing stock, and a climate that cycles from freezing to wet every year. That’s a recipe for foundation stress. In places like Bloor West Village, Corso Italia, or Danforth Village, basements often start with minor cracks that turn into serious issues if not handled properly.
A poorly done sectional closing creates weak points where water can seep in, floors can settle, and walls can bow. It’s the kind of problem that shows up years later and costs thousands to fix. Whether you’re planning a full basement renovation or starting to notice signs of structural movement, like cracks in the walls, sloping floors, or water intrusion, a proper underpinning job is critical. And the sectional closing? It’s the step that ties it all together. When it’s done right, your foundation becomes stronger, safer, and ready to support your home for generations.
At Icy Reno, we specialize in precision underpinning and basement lowering across Toronto’s most demanding neighbourhoods, from East York to Etobicoke, from Rosedale to Scarborough. We understand the soil, the homes, and the building code inside out.