Home Improvement Stupid Question MegaThread

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5hout
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Home Improvement Stupid Question MegaThread

#1

Post by 5hout » Sun Feb 26, 2023 3:52 am

1. Polebarn. Front door has a slab in front of it that has settled and drains back towards garage. 2 fixes come to mind.

A. Build frame around slab, pour a new top on it and slope properly.
B. Use grinder to put a bevel on the edge closest to building so it drains sideways (right into a drain).

Both seem annoying, but B. seems like the 1 I can do, and if I don't like it, do A easily after.

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Re: Home Improvement Stupid Question MegaThread

#2

Post by Hardartery » Mon Feb 27, 2023 12:16 pm

5hout wrote: Sun Feb 26, 2023 3:52 am 1. Polebarn. Front door has a slab in front of it that has settled and drains back towards garage. 2 fixes come to mind.

A. Build frame around slab, pour a new top on it and slope properly.
B. Use grinder to put a bevel on the edge closest to building so it drains sideways (right into a drain).

Both seem annoying, but B. seems like the 1 I can do, and if I don't like it, do A easily after.
B.
Top coats and thin slabs on top of existing slabs crack and break easily in addition to tending to delaminate - especially in cold climates. It's likely that your options are B, or tear out and repour the apron. Unless you want to pour something in the neighbourhood of 4" thick over the existing slab and I doubt that would work well.

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5hout
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Re: Home Improvement Stupid Question MegaThread

#3

Post by 5hout » Mon Feb 27, 2023 6:28 pm

Hardartery wrote: Mon Feb 27, 2023 12:16 pm
5hout wrote: Sun Feb 26, 2023 3:52 am 1. Polebarn. Front door has a slab in front of it that has settled and drains back towards garage. 2 fixes come to mind.

A. Build frame around slab, pour a new top on it and slope properly.
B. Use grinder to put a bevel on the edge closest to building so it drains sideways (right into a drain).

Both seem annoying, but B. seems like the 1 I can do, and if I don't like it, do A easily after.
B.
Top coats and thin slabs on top of existing slabs crack and break easily in addition to tending to delaminate - especially in cold climates. It's likely that your options are B, or tear out and repour the apron. Unless you want to pour something in the neighbourhood of 4" thick over the existing slab and I doubt that would work well.
I had planned on 2 inches on thin side to 3 inches on thick side of fiber reinforced concrete. That said, insane freeze thaw action in that specific location so I was kind worried about water underneath fucking it up. Thanks mucho, going to cut a bevel.

The good news is last year I spent a good bit on extra dirt and rental of equipment and regraded .4 acres of my yard. We got .75 inches of rain on soaked and frozen ground, and I could see the water pouring down through the regraded areas. Might flood later this year, but 100% would have had standing water in barn last year so progress!

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Re: Home Improvement Stupid Question MegaThread

#4

Post by Hardartery » Mon Feb 27, 2023 6:31 pm

5hout wrote: Mon Feb 27, 2023 6:28 pm
Hardartery wrote: Mon Feb 27, 2023 12:16 pm
5hout wrote: Sun Feb 26, 2023 3:52 am 1. Polebarn. Front door has a slab in front of it that has settled and drains back towards garage. 2 fixes come to mind.

A. Build frame around slab, pour a new top on it and slope properly.
B. Use grinder to put a bevel on the edge closest to building so it drains sideways (right into a drain).

Both seem annoying, but B. seems like the 1 I can do, and if I don't like it, do A easily after.
B.
Top coats and thin slabs on top of existing slabs crack and break easily in addition to tending to delaminate - especially in cold climates. It's likely that your options are B, or tear out and repour the apron. Unless you want to pour something in the neighbourhood of 4" thick over the existing slab and I doubt that would work well.
I had planned on 2 inches on thin side to 3 inches on thick side of fiber reinforced concrete. That said, insane freeze thaw action in that specific location so I was kind worried about water underneath fucking it up. Thanks mucho, going to cut a bevel.

The good news is last year I spent a good bit on extra dirt and rental of equipment and regraded .4 acres of my yard. We got .75 inches of rain on soaked and frozen ground, and I could see the water pouring down through the regraded areas. Might flood later this year, but 100% would have had standing water in barn last year so progress!
Yeah man, water is construction's worst enemy. You COULD apply something like Thorobond or equivalent bonding agent before pouring, but honestly IME it's just a waste of time wherever there are serious freeze/thaw cycles. You just end up tearing out a bigger mess 2 years down the road and re-pouring, so better to try the groove.

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Re: Home Improvement Stupid Question MegaThread

#5

Post by Skid » Mon Feb 27, 2023 8:22 pm

I had a shed with the same issue of water coming in because the slab wasn't level. The slab extended out from the shed about 3 feet and was covered with a roof but with the sideways rain we get here sometimes the water would come into the shed. I used a masonry blade in a circular saw and cut a 1 inch deep groove across the concrete. Water goes up to the groove and then into the groove and out the sides. If it is really bad cut another groove 1/2" parallel to the 1st groove and use a cold chisel to break out the concrete in between the grooves. Water will channel out the sides for sure.

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Re: Home Improvement Stupid Question MegaThread

#6

Post by JonA » Tue Feb 28, 2023 12:10 pm

I don't know, man. That situation sounds pretty dangerous. You never know how much sunken space is under that concrete slab and just having it out in the open, in front of the door like that sounds like a liability nightmare.

Then only solution that I see, is that you are going to have to put an addition on your pole barn to cover up that concrete and keep it safe. Probably need to put some big tool cabinets over the slab to keep people from walking on it. You can pour a properly graded slab in front of the new addition.

It's the only way.

----

How big is the slab? Is it too big to jack up and reinforce with polyurethane foam underneath?

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Re: Home Improvement Stupid Question MegaThread

#7

Post by 5hout » Tue Feb 28, 2023 1:25 pm

JonA wrote: Tue Feb 28, 2023 12:10 pm I don't know, man. That situation sounds pretty dangerous. You never know how much sunken space is under that concrete slab and just having it out in the open, in front of the door like that sounds like a liability nightmare.

Then only solution that I see, is that you are going to have to put an addition on your pole barn to cover up that concrete and keep it safe. Probably need to put some big tool cabinets over the slab to keep people from walking on it. You can pour a properly graded slab in front of the new addition.

It's the only way.

----

How big is the slab? Is it too big to jack up and reinforce with polyurethane foam underneath?
I like the way you think! It's not too big to do that, but there's a drainage pipe running through it so jacking it up would necessitate a drainage pipe rebuild in a really annoying way.

I have thought about a big awning, but when I looked at prices for pre-built frames they were fucking silly. Waiting till I have time to do something myself.

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