aener Posted March 5, 2020 Report Share Posted March 5, 2020 I've seen a few of you mention things to do with this, and I'll likely have more questions as I progress so I'll update this then, but for now I have one fairly specific question. The recent storms have done a number on my bolted-together-concrete-slab garage. Leaking profusely, and it was in a poor state even before the storms. I'm starting a DIY-level brick laying course to replace it with a brick-built one. I'm somewhat restricted for space so want to maximise internal volume, so at the minute I'm leaning toward a single skin of brickwork and tank it. I use the garage for wood working so avoiding moisture is "a goal". The current garage has a pit, and a very coarse concrete floor - it looks a bit like artex. The pit will get tanked obviously - it never floods but is always damp - but I want a smooth floor so I can have wheeled cabinets. The question: Should I be putting down a DPM on the coarse concrete and merging it with the DPC in the walls, or just tank every surface available? Whichever it ends up being, I'll be putting a skim of smooth concrete on top of it. I've not noticed any moisture coming up through the floor, but... in for a penny... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forteh Posted March 5, 2020 Report Share Posted March 5, 2020 Is the concrete rotten and porous or is it leaking through joints? If the concrete is sound then why not seal the joints with a decent poluyrethane or MS polymer mastic? Can't help on the rest, I design sewage treatment equipment not lay bricks Watch the roof, if it's corrugated and growing moss then it's asbestos, don't disturb it at all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aener Posted March 5, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2020 Some of it is damaged and the door housing is knackered, and I've sort of just got it into my head that it's something I want to do. Probably a lot of ways of sorting it out to be serviceable on the cheap, but I just... want to Plus it's ugly as sin. The roof is corrugated and there is moss on it, but it's been tested and it's not asbestos. He was puzzled as to what it is, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al_Fel Posted March 5, 2020 Report Share Posted March 5, 2020 Any pictures? Any damp proofing for the floor needs to be done before the main body of the concrete is poured. If you're just putting a screed on top then its not going to stay. You need a good few inches of concrete above the visqueen. A few pictures would help. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forteh Posted March 5, 2020 Report Share Posted March 5, 2020 Best get building then It's possible that it's just corrugated cement sheeting, most of the time asbestos was added for reinforcing though, either way I wouldn't risk breaking it if I can avoid it Still can't offer any usefull insight into your original query 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aener Posted March 5, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2020 (edited) 16 minutes ago, Al_Fel said: Any pictures? Any damp proofing for the floor needs to be done before the main body of the concrete is poured. If you're just putting a screed on top then its not going to stay. You need a good few inches of concrete above the visqueen. A few pictures would help. I'll grab some tonight. In regards to the "on top-ness", I was under the assumption I would either slop the tanking slurry or lay the DPM directly onto the existing concrete, and pour the smooth concrete onto the top of that. It's just to get the surface flat rather than the current textured one. So I guess maybe I won't bother, since there's no moisture seeming to come up - only in from the sides. Will I have issues just laying a thin layer directly onto the existing floor? Or is that only if it's a DPM? I just want a timber rack I can push out the way Edited March 5, 2020 by aener Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al_Fel Posted March 5, 2020 Report Share Posted March 5, 2020 A thin layer of self level compound will be fine. If you put any kind of DPM under it between the concrete it would just crack and break up. Asbestos is bad stuff but unless you plan on smashing it up and breathing all the dust in I'm sure you'll be fine. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aener Posted March 6, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2020 (edited) Pictures as requested. Can't really see the state of disrepair, but it's hiding there For example: Those end pieces flanking the door wobble something crazy. Enough that a solid kick can shove the door out of its runners. Not ideal with bikes and tools in there. Please note that the Environment Killer is next-door's, not mine. Also, as above - no asbestos present, thankfully. The end goal is to rip the current one out and build one in the style of the one in the background. Brick, tiled roof and large windows. Edited March 6, 2020 by aener Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al_Fel Posted March 6, 2020 Report Share Posted March 6, 2020 If it was me doing it I wouldn't worry too much about damp coming up though the floor, its well raised above any ground water. Damp is mostly caused by condensation and bad air flow anyway. I'd lay 2 courses of brick straight onto that concrete then do a damp course. For the floor You'll be fine just pouring some self level compound on when its all finished. A nice thin layer will stick great to that concrete. Check the flags out at the side of the building and make sure they are sloped away so no water can pool up and work its way in. There's always more than one way to do anything so take the advice of as many people as you can and what makes sense to you will do the job. Looks like a fun project anyway. Keep us updated 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krisboats Posted March 18, 2020 Report Share Posted March 18, 2020 Prime the floor to stop the dry concrete sucking the moisture out of any new layer and then Arditex NA on the floor. Use levelling guides and a spiked roller and have a second pair of hands to mix while you pour. Setting time is listed as 30-40 mins but you'll be looking at 15-20 before it starts to harden and becomes too thick to blend if mixing multiple buckets. If you really want to dpm the concrete to be on the safe side you can use bitumen as the dpm and then the arditex is one of the few compounds able to go onto bitumen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forteh Posted March 18, 2020 Report Share Posted March 18, 2020 4 hours ago, Krisboats said: Who are you, you new around here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krisboats Posted March 18, 2020 Report Share Posted March 18, 2020 4 hours ago, forteh said: Who are you, you new around here? if only i was new! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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