Damp Proofing Garage Floor

[Adam_B]

I have a garage which is attached to the main house, this is being used as a utility room/storage. Recently I noticed hard black ball shapes coming from the carpet, I looked into this and formed the opinion this was damp. I pulled up the carpet tiles and noticed that there was chipboard underneath which was damp and rotten, this chip board was placed directly on the main garage floor.

I have recently pulled up the capets tiles and wooden chip board which was directly on top of the concrete so that I just have the original floor. I have been looking at how to damp proof this, I an happy having the original floor however on looking at various bits online do not know which was to go.

Should I buy KA tanking slurry and a self level compound and paint this?

ShouldCan I/should I buy a paint which I can paint straight on the floor which also acts as a damp proof membrane such as

... fer/p33714

I have been looking into epoxy sealants which can be painted straight into the concrete, however don't really know enough about this and if it will work.

Please help

[nothanks]

I've recently used "Sika Bond Rapid Liquid DPM 5Ltr Bottle (Damp Proof Membrane) - 20m² Coverage" when re-laying a parquet floor in a 1930s house. It was quick to do, but the solvent fumes are quite strong.

[Brian Gaff]

I see a lot of planning applications to turn garages into a habitable room and as well as obviously blocking up the door where the car goes in, many seem to include a damp proof membrane before the final flooring. Sounds like this has not happened here at all. Brian

[Roger Hayter]

The cheapest solution is to take off the carpet and chipboard and let the surface of the concrete dry naturally. With a bit of luck insufficient damp will pass through for the surface to stay wet in air. If it does, no simple coating will last long.

[Muddymike]

You could replace the chipboard floor but with a polythene DPM under it.

Mike

[tabbypurr]

As someone said it may dry out once it's all exposed, then no further actio n needed, just don't re-cover it.

If that doesn't do it, probably time to seal it. But be aware that doing so can sometimes make the walls very damp. Any waterproof coating can damppro of it, eg epoxy, bitumen, etc. Epoxy is the longest lasting. Bitumen's chea p but not good in direct sunlight. You can also get other types of waterpro ofing compounds.

You mentioned self levelling compound, is there a problem with the floor be ing lumpy?

Finally you'll have a lot of problems here if you use the dreaded website y ou're on now. Most contributors blank all hoh posts. This is news:uk.d-i-y.

NT

[Tim Watts]

If you do that, I can recommend an epoxy that *will* work (because I used it on a very damp floor):

F Ball Stopgap F76:

Clean the subfloor (concrete)

Mix half and roller on (ceiling roller on long pole and wearing wellies makes this easy.

Mix other half and roll on 2nd coat at 90 degrees to first coat.

You could probably get the same effect from an epoxy floor paint and don't bother covering.

[Tim Watts]

+1

Bitumen is also a nightmare if you then want to apply any bonded covering later - nothing sticks to it, except more bitumen.

[tabbypurr]

ction needed, just don't re-cover it.

g so can sometimes make the walls very damp. Any waterproof coating can dam pproof it, eg epoxy, bitumen, etc. Epoxy is the longest lasting. Bitumen's cheap but not good in direct sunlight. You can also get other types of wate rproofing compounds.

bonded coverings can be stuck down with bitumen... it's not an ideal glue b ut it works.

NT

[nothanks]

Having recently re-laid a 1930s parquet floor that was laid on bitumen I don't see why anyone would choose to use the stuff these days. Supposedly Sika 5500S works with bitumen, but I scraped off most of the bitumen before using it.

[tabbypurr]

action needed, just don't re-cover it.

ing so can sometimes make the walls very damp. Any waterproof coating can d ampproof it, eg epoxy, bitumen, etc. Epoxy is the longest lasting. Bitumen' s cheap but not good in direct sunlight. You can also get other types of wa terproofing compounds.

ue but it works.

it's cheap, long lived & 100% waterproof. Why would you use Sika?

NT

[Fredxx]

I have used carpets that breath on such a surface. Just don't use foam backed ones!

[nothanks]

Mainly because it goes brittle and Sika doesn't. Also, I thought I'd read that there were restrictions on the use of bitumen inside buildings ... ?

[tabbypurr]

er action needed, just don't re-cover it.

doing so can sometimes make the walls very damp. Any waterproof coating can dampproof it, eg epoxy, bitumen, etc. Epoxy is the longest lasting. Bitume n's cheap but not good in direct sunlight. You can also get other types of waterproofing compounds.

glue but it works.

Bitumen adhered parquet floors last nearly a century before needing restick ing. Sika has no such great proven history.

I can't think of ay reason to restrict indoor use of bitumen, nor am I awar e of any such rule. Since it's applied to the skin for medical purposes it seems unlikely unless you can point to the relevant Act of Parliament.

NT

[Chris J Dixon]

I have always liked the smell of fresh tarmac, but seeing some being laid recently it seemed far less pungent. Has the recipe changed, or are my aged nostrils less sensitive?

Chris

[tabbypurr]

It's bitumen rather than coal tar or petroleum pitch. Tar & pitch pong if hot, I use cold bitumen in paraffin solvent indoors, no whiff issue.

NT