Leaky garage walls- advice required

Guys/Gals

I have an old pre-frabricated garage, which is made up from pieces of concreate. Over the years, it's started to leak through the gaps in the concreate slabs which make up the walls. Instead of forking out 5 grand plus for a new garage, I was going to attempt to seal the walls using an external waterproof sealant (Thomson waterproof concreate sealant, etc) and for the gaps, something like UNIBOND waterproof PVA. I was going to attempt to use a foam product (don't know which one) but I think the gaps are too small.

Does this sound plausible?

Any advice would be helpful.

Freddie

Reply to
FreddieLIVES
Loading thread data ...

Freddie,

Not sure about the seal situation but i have just been on an 'Asbestos Awareness' course so i would urge you to make sure that your garage isnt made out of asbestos cement... this was heavily used until the mid 70's on as it gave a really high strength to the concrete without taking up too much room like rebar does. Its no problem unless its broken or chipped though. Better safe than dead in 20 years!!

Gerry

Reply to
Gerry

A "Building Silicone" or a polysulphide sealant (toolstation sell both) used with a mastic gun (they sell those, too) along the joints might be the first thing to try. Seems unlikely that much is getting through the panels themselves, so covering the lot with magic solutions is probably a waster of money.

Well, most advice...

Not a very good course, then, eh?

Reply to
Autolycus

Apologies for the seemingly senseless advice then chaps... I thought that it might be a good idea to check it, thats all!! Obviously not.

The chap that ran my course did tell me that men quite like to be macho about asbestos though, that lots and lots of people think that 'they wont get affected'... breathe deep boys ;o)

Gerry

Reply to
Gerry

More sales bullshit then. Hope you didnt pay for it.

Why not get informed:

formatting link
especially
formatting link
informed or I'll conclude youre a shill.

NT

Reply to
bigcat

If the concrete panels were fine for years, why would they now need coating in waterseal?

If there are gaps, it seems evident thats the problem to solve. Cement mortar, or a tough sealant would usually be the thing.

Expanding foam can expand with huge force, enough to being walls down. NT

Reply to
bigcat

In article , Gerry writes

I'm sure your advice is well meant but the risks associated with asbestos cement really are minimal, as this quote from the paper (that's learned study, not raging tabloid) that bigcat pointed to should show:

Second sentence sums it up.

"This paper is concerned solely with high density chrysotile products, their manufacture and use and the health risks that have been associated with these activities. The conclusion has to be that it is difficult to demonstrate any health risks. The culture of fear that has grown up around all asbestos products would be better focussed on the real dangers of the amphibole materials and then the effective safety of high-density chrysotile products could be realised. Demonising products that have no material effects on the health and safety of the population is very expensive. Enshrining in law practices based on a denial of scientific facts will cost every man. woman and child in this country a small fortune. Examples are already appearing. In not too long a time thousands of houses will be deemed worthless and unsaleable; mortgages will be denied, insurance refused and small businesses will be bankrupted."

Thanks to bigcat for the link with extra thanks for sorting out the google posting.

Reply to
fred
[19 lines snipped]

Why should asbestos be different from so many other things?

Reply to
Huge

The garage has always leaked, but I have only been in the house for 3 years and I know, according to the neighbours that the garage has been there for at least 25 years.

Anyway guys/gals. Thanks for the advice and I will get some sealant for the gaps.

Regards

Freddie

Reply to
FreddieLIVES

snip

Thanks to bigcat and huge, the information you provided was both sensible and useful.

The course that i attended was an 'Awareness' course, with no sales pitch, it was free to me too! It was said that Asbestos cement was one of the 'most' safe Asbestos product although if broken still can release fibres. With this in mind I thought it may be worth telling Freddy as his garage is probably from the Asbestos era.

Gerry

Reply to
Gerry

I fixed my concrete sectional with stuff called trowel mastic I found at thee back of a B&Q after advise in this forum. It's gritty and oily and wearing gloves I pushed it by hand into the bottom edge of the walls and partway up the gaps, smoothing it off like sealant. I needed 1 1/2 tubs to do mine. It has worked well, for 18months. Recently one corner has begun to leak again. Sod's law dictates it is the corner with things in that are difficult, or problematic to move. I shall wait for warmer weather before tackling it though.

My garage sits on a concrete pad and in places (like outside this problem corner) it slopes inwards towards the walls so that rain pools there and so is free to work its way under the walls. It may be that I have to fix that problem for the internal repair to last longer.

Peter

Reply to
Peter Ashby

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.