Replies

1. 
   RoyW | Aug 25, 2002 05:44am | #1

   Butch – have you considered cutting a drainage channel at the (4”) driveway slab to keep most of the water from getting to the door? Putting a door, whether steel or wood into a “trough” is always a bad idea. A 1½” slab is thick enough to use pea gravel. 3000 psi min, check with concrete company.  I’m not following most of the remaining parts of your post but seem like a lot of trouble ahead. Is the weather seal on the bottom edge of the door in good shape? The weather seal and the channel should work well to keep out most rains in mild climates. Is the floor sloped? Several companies make garage floor coatings if you need to clean up the surface but don’t need to slope

1. 
   Handydan | Aug 25, 2002 11:52am | #2

   Unless I misunderstood, when you are done you will have a trough full of water for your garage door to sit in?  This souds like a plan that needs a little more planning to me.  Either do as suggested before and add a drain to the drive way, or at least extend the new floor far enough to be under the door and get it out of the trough.  Sounds as though you have figured out the poor, but that is the least of the problems.  Cut a trench, then add gravel or drainage pipe, then cover with grating made for such projects.  My opinions only, of coarse.

2. 
   hpw007 | Aug 25, 2002 12:43pm | #3

   Dude,Handydan, thanks for the reply. Now I'll try to answer your questions and maybe it'll be a little more clearer what I'm trying to do. The driveway is already 1" below the existing concrete slab. This "trough" will be open to the driveway side. NO the weather seal is'nt in good shape and will be replaced, and yeah the floor is sloped to the inside of garage hence the problem.  I've formed with slope to outside. I'll now have up to 2" of to 1 1/2" of concrete. That's what I did yesterday was forming.  I used cedar instead of P.T. in the field and around the perimeter since it will be getting very little water on it.

   My question still is should I use sand mix or the pea gravel. One of you said use pea-gravel and I've had others tell me to use sand mix.  If you were dong it what would you do.

   Edited 8/25/2002 8:09:08 AM ET by butch

1. 
   DouglasD | Aug 26, 2002 03:46am | #4

   I work for a concrete batch plant operation with just enough knowledge to be dangerous with concrete info.  But if I were you I'd go to the local batch plant operator, tell him what I had in mind, and ask for his suggestions.  There several options that are available, depending on what you want for a finished product.  For example, we are just finishing up a project of capping rehabbed bridge decks with a silica fume concrete mix that uses an aggregate of about 7/16" that would work for you great if you need a high strength surface ( how does 9000+ psi concrete strike you!) if you want to spend mega bucks.  Personally, I would rather have a 3500 or 4500 psi concrete if I was capping a shop floor.  A lot depends on what the plant has available for aggregate.  Good luck with your project.

1. 
   Handydan | Aug 26, 2002 09:45am | #5

   Well I am not the expert on concrete that you would hope for, but if it is going to be at least 1.5 inches thick, I would go ahead and use the pea gravel.  I am curious though, how does the water get over the lip that is created by the slab being an inch above the driveway?  Please don't tell me that there is a puddle that gets deep enough to wash into the garage because the driveway doesn't drain to either side.

   Dan   Please remember that water is natures solvent and eventually ruins everything.