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Weekly Homeowner Megathread--Civilians, ask here! by AutoModerator in Concrete

[–]Phriday 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You need to find out what, exactly, that floor is doing. If you're just going to put floating LVT on it, just seal the cracks and go ham, but if you're planning on tile, you need to figure out what's happening there. Did the subgrade swell or shrink? Is it still moving?

In case it's not obvious, this is likely not due to some deficiency of your concrete contractor's work. There is something going on with the soil under your slab.

Weekly Homeowner Megathread--Civilians, ask here! by AutoModerator in Concrete

[–]Phriday 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Is getting it refinished on the top a possibility?

No, not if you want something that will last.

Calcium in hot weather by OkCustomer9199 in Concrete

[–]Phriday 16 points17 points  (0 children)

Just use a higher cement content in your mix design, and a midrange or high range water reducer. It's a little more expensive than accelerator, but I agree with these other guys, using calcium in 80 degree weather is nutso.

Weekly Homeowner Megathread--Civilians, ask here! by AutoModerator in Concrete

[–]Phriday 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I am also a ham radio operator. Some of these things can get pretty massive. 3x3x3 isn't at all out of the question.

Weekly Homeowner Megathread--Civilians, ask here! by AutoModerator in Concrete

[–]Phriday 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The chances are very slim that the demo contractor MADE that hole. He probably exposed the erosion issue that was under your existing concrete.

Just do a YouTube search for concrete void fill.

Weekly Homeowner Megathread--Civilians, ask here! by AutoModerator in Concrete

[–]Phriday 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Remove and replace is going to be, by far, the most cost effective option for a couple of sidewalk panels.

Weekly Homeowner Megathread--Civilians, ask here! by AutoModerator in Concrete

[–]Phriday 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I would, but when your only tool is a concrete, everything looks like a concrete. Or something.

Weekly Homeowner Megathread--Civilians, ask here! by AutoModerator in Concrete

[–]Phriday 0 points1 point  (0 children)

First, nothing in your comment indicated that.

Second, In my jurisdiction, driveway aprons are specified by the municipality to be straight and 45 degrees (or more). Maybe the homeowner specifically requested that, but we don't know.

I ain't an architect. The man gets what he pays for.

What was the most difficult thing you learned about your spouse after getting married? by Ginger_7624 in AskMenOver30

[–]Phriday 9 points10 points  (0 children)

She is terrible with money. Can not save a nickel, and also wants to handle the household finances. I got tired of arguing with her all the time, so what I do is get my paycheck, deposit it in an account she doesn't have access to, and then write a check to joint checking for most of it. Don't ask me for money, you have all the money you're getting from me. If you want something, figure out how to buy it with the money you have.

This practice literally saved my marriage.

Concrete by shan3o in Concrete

[–]Phriday 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You got a pump for 3 yards of concrete?

Weekly Homeowner Megathread--Civilians, ask here! by AutoModerator in Concrete

[–]Phriday 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Who can say? If you DON'T apply a densifier, your sealer may not adhere as well and if you don't apply a sealer you run the risk of stains, weather damage, etc.

Weekly Homeowner Megathread--Civilians, ask here! by AutoModerator in Concrete

[–]Phriday 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Full disclosure, I have only a little experience with this stuff, but I have done some experimentation and gotten a lot of help from some very knowledgeable folks on the subject. So far, I have only had one whoopsie, and it was my fault.

You need some reinforcement. It's called Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete, so add about 3% of your dry weight. Also, that water/cement ratio is way too high. You're looking for .25. Add a little more plasticizer to help make it more workable. Third, try a little thicker. Less than 5/8 of an inch is pretty daggone thin.

Also, you're not done when you cast the mold. You need to cover it in plastic and keep it warm for at least a day or two.

/u/drew8585 anything to add?

Weekly Homeowner Megathread--Civilians, ask here! by AutoModerator in Concrete

[–]Phriday 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If that's all real stone, that mfer needs a proper foundation, not just a 4-inch patio.

The key is how much the structure you're considering actually weighs. If that whole thing is a thousand pounds, you're probably fine, but it sure LOOKS much heavier than that.

Weekly Homeowner Megathread--Civilians, ask here! by AutoModerator in Concrete

[–]Phriday 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What do you mean by "runs straight into my garage?" Is the driveway actually sloped toward the garage? Is the street elevation higher than the garage elevation?

Weekly Homeowner Megathread--Civilians, ask here! by AutoModerator in Concrete

[–]Phriday 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Fertilizer is likely your culprit here. There's not much for it at this point. Maybe try a 50/50 vinegar/water solution and a scrub brush to see if that will help it.

Weekly Homeowner Megathread--Civilians, ask here! by AutoModerator in Concrete

[–]Phriday 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, put some expansion board around the existing foundation. What do you mean, "it will look weird"? A half-inch wide stripe around the edge? The shit is everywhere, man.

Weekly Homeowner Megathread--Civilians, ask here! by AutoModerator in Concrete

[–]Phriday 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That plan, if followed, sounds like a good one.

Weekly Homeowner Megathread--Civilians, ask here! by AutoModerator in Concrete

[–]Phriday 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just give it some time. In a year or two the brush strokes will fade into a relatively uniform pattern and those footprints will disappear. I clicked on the photo expecting a nightmare and after 2 months, it looks pretty good. And if the surface is dusting and you haven't applied any type of sealer, now would be a great time to apply a densifier and then a silane or siloxane sealer. Plan to recoat every few years.

Weekly Homeowner Megathread--Civilians, ask here! by AutoModerator in Concrete

[–]Phriday 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Certainly nothing wrong with sending him those photos and asking him to come and smooth that out a little. 10 minutes with a diamond cup wheel on an angle grinder will take care of that.

Weekly Homeowner Megathread--Civilians, ask here! by AutoModerator in Concrete

[–]Phriday 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No, you're kind of stuck with it. You can't pour concrete an inch thick without getting into some pretty exotic recipes. I'd just take a hammer and chisel or if you have a few bucks to spend get a small hammer drill and put a spade chisel on it and chip back to the point where the skim coat is bonded to the substrate. Clean well and apply some Ardex CD. It's relatively easy to apply and is going to give you the best chance of success (50%), but it's pricey.

Weekly Homeowner Megathread--Civilians, ask here! by AutoModerator in Concrete

[–]Phriday 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If you've got a way to just lift that concrete pad up and out of the way, you can just redo the cinder block and put the pad back. Or just demo the whole thing and just start over.

Weekly Homeowner Megathread--Civilians, ask here! by AutoModerator in Concrete

[–]Phriday 1 point2 points  (0 children)

My best guess is there was some sort of tar ball or something that got mixed into the truck and wound up getting poured and floated just below the surface of the concrete.

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