HELP! Please.
Here is the situation. Slab foundation (Dallas TX style). Former concrete patio out the back (10’x11′) with house on three sides. Former homeowner enclosed patio and gained 110sf of living space. Patio is still at floor height at the interior connection. The one exterior wall edge has sunk at least 3 inches creating a 10′ wide ramp into the old part of the house.
Current homeowners have had a foundation repair company pier that edge so it is now stable and has not moved. They did not level the patio, simply just piered it.
The entry door in this exterior wall is all out of whack and must be reset. Exterior wall surfaces are tolerable. Room is carpeted. HO wants the floor leveled.
The self leveling products all seem to be limited to 1 inch thick.
Should I do 1″ per day with floor leveler until the floor is level or should I get it near level with sack crete and then come in with floor leveler? If the latter, how long should the concrete cure before the leveler is applied?
Or is the some other method I should consider, short of tearing out the patio slab.
Thoughts?
Replies
Keep looking. Some levelers go from a feather edge to a max of 3/4 to 1". Others have a minimum thinckness of about 1/2" and go up from there.
What part of Dallas ... just curious. Used to live in Rowlett.
"Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
Good to know, I'll keep looking.A little west over in Richardson.You wouldn't believe the growth over between Rowlett and Sachse over the last 2 years.TFB (Bill)
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"Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
ThanksTFB (Bill)
mud jack it
BrownBaggie just told you the cheepest and fastest way to fix it. Believe him.
Yeah, mud jacking is a good way to go if the slab has actually sunk.
Self level mortars are way too expensive at that thickness.Best way to go here,if the slab is now stable,is to place a bonded mortar bed.Don't have to rush either...like with the placement of self leveling mortars.The best part is that it consists of cheap and readily available materials: tile mortar(to bond it),sand and cement.
Sounds like the previous owner enclosed the patio that had no foundation under that fourth side, built a wall on that edge, may have even made it a bearing wall with roof rafters bearing on that wall adding more weight. Even though there may not be much freeze/thaw movement in Dallas, there may be movement (rise and settlement) due to soil saturation/drying under the slab. Do you also see any signs of ceiling/roof connection movement at the other end of the enclosure?
You have it pictured correctly. The only roof related issue that I've seen is a broken fascia behind the gutter. The sunken edge has been "piered" so it shouldn't move anymore. I do need to confirm that the ground outside drains away from the whole mess.It will be interesting to see what the "patio" looks like when we pull the carpet next week. Home owner said he floated it(or had it floated) once already before the foundation work was done.TFB (Bill)
I was going to suggest mudjacking then I realized that the slab is now stablized with the piers.And mudjacking would be between the bottom of the slab and the "ground". And the ground is (or at least was) unstable.Topping is the way to go..
.
A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
Is there a door going out of the down slope side of the house? Also what type of flooring are you putting is the patio? If no door, you should think of floating with mud then preparing it with some sort of membrane so if it cracks,it won't transfer. If there is a door then you probably at least jack up that outside wall part of the way and split the difference on the slope. An1/8 in. per ft slope over 10' is tolerable and would get you close to splitting that drop.
Yep there is a door. its the main reason they called. Hinge side is 4 inches from side all. Latch side towards the middle. Gap at the top 1/8 inch. Gap at the bottom, about 1 1/2 inches. Deadbolt catches by a hair. (door frame has torn itself apart at the threashold)Carpet and pad going back down.Yeah, I don't think I'm going to get this dead level. Just hoping to get it more comfortable to walk into the space for these folks.TFB (Bill)
Unless you just like putting esthetic bandaids on structural wounds, either temp support the roof/walls and R&R the patio slab or walk away from the job.
You don't really think that the supportive soil under this ramp has settled to final compaction in an even and ramped manner over the entire 11', do ya?
Since they didn't compact the subsoil, (the most basic prep for a slab,) or place any footing at one edge, what makes you think they did anything else required in a slab foundation?
There are no footings on the sides either or the slab would have only settled down the middle like a valley instead of like a ramp.
I am also having a hard time imagining just how they put effective piers under an existing slab.
SamT
There are three kinds of people: Predaters, Prey, and Paladins. For the life of me, I can't see why Prey feels safer from predators by disarming and emasculating Paladins.
I think I'm with Sam -- sounds like the thing is pretty well beyond hope at this point.
So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable Creature, since it enables one to find or make a Reason for everything one has a mind to do. --Benjamin Franklin
be honest, it really needs to be jack hammer and done right
The lady of the houses did say she would like to bulldoze the whole house and rebuild. Change Order? :)
TFB (Bill)