How To Repair Crumbling Cinder Block?

[DerbyDad03]

How can I fix the problem shown in the following pictures:

This crumbling cinder block is right next to the side door of a garage. Some of the door frame can be seen inside the hole but there is also some of the cinder block left on the door side of the hole.

The block has (had) a ~1/2" skim coat inside and out, but most of it is gone on the inside and it's crumbling next to the door on the outside (look below the hole).

If I built forms inside and out, could I fill the area with concrete to fix it? If so, what kind of concrete would I use? What prep to the rest of the existing block would be required?

If it helps at all, replacing the door would not be a bad thing for this garage, so if ripping out the door frame would make the repair easier, I will do that.

Thanks for any suggestions.

[hrhofmann]

Where do you live, are termites a possible problem, what made the cinder block crumble, moisture that froze, etc?

[willshak]

DerbyDad03 wrote the following:

Yes. Bagged concrete. I know some people still refer to this block as 'cinder block', but it is different than cinder block. This is 'concrete block'. Cinder block was more darker in color having been made from burnt coal cinders. I don't think that they even make cinder block anymore,

[DerbyDad03]

Western NY.

How would termites do that to a cinder block?

[aemeijers]

Prolly got full of water and froze, from a leak around door. Before I tried to form-in-place, I'd look real hard to see if I could whack the broken block out with a sledge, and tuck a new one in there. Garage walls are pretty flexible, especially if they aren't rocked on the inside. May be able to jack wall at sill plate, or at the top of the door rough opening, and get enough clearance to english a new block in there.

[Joe]

Hack out all the crumbling blocks necessary and buy some bagged mortar mix and decent brick. Read up on simple bricklaying and fill in the gaps left by the crumbled block with brick. Standard brick sizes should match the vacant spots pretty well and good mortar mix is robust enough for building support. Best of all, you can start and stop the job as your time permits. Address the cosmetic concerns, if any, with recommended brick/masonry finishes.

Joe

[hrhofmann]

If termites ate into the wood, then perhaps moisture could get to the concrete blocks more easily and hasten its disintegration.

[dadiOH]

Yes. Or mortar, depending on the space.

Grey

Wash it off with water

[DerbyDad03]

Could you explain what you mean by "Or mortar, depending on the space"?

[dadiOH]

Concrete has rocks in it. If the space where you are trying to put it is too small to use concrete, use mortar. Thinset is nice.

[DerbyDad03]

Can Thinset be used to fill a space with the volume I'm dealing with?

I'm estimating (from memory) ~ 128 cubic inches, right?

8" block width x 4" height x 4" length

(I'm including odd shaped spaces below and to the sides of the hole.)

[RicodJour]

You want aggregate - it makes the concrete stronger. What dadiOH meant was that if you can't use concrete due to the aggregate size, you can fill in the smaller gaps with thinset/mortar.

I'd chip out the old block, back to where it's solid, and infill with new block set in mortar, fill the block solid and parge inside and out.

R

[DerbyDad03]

I was in HD this afternoon and saw 2 guys (customers) loading bags of cement onto a cart. I asked if I could pick their brain(s) and they too suggested chipping out the old block and replacing it.

The block in question is in the corner of the garage with one 16 OC stud bay above it. The jack stud for the door also sits on the sill plate that rests on this block.

I assume I should support the wall with a brace between the top plate and the garage floor, right? I shouldn't rely on just the door jamb to support the wall. (There's a room above the garage. The knee wall in that room is right above where I'll be taking the block out.)

[RicodJour]

You're really still in the diagnosis stage - you're trying to find out how bad the situation is. Once you start chipping you might find that there's more than one crumbing block.

If the door wasn't there I'd probably just knock out the single block and do the repair, but it's always best to be cautious, so sure, install temporary shoring of some sort.

R