Concrete Ramp

[IBoughtAAccord]

Hey Folks,

I have a concrete dilemma and maybe some of the concrete specialists can help me.

I have a driveway that leads into my garage. The driveway sits two inches above the garage floor. I am using wood to avoid the bump but would want some ramp.

The garage floor is concrete but if I pour another concrete ramp on it, will it crack? What concrete should I use? Should I wet the concrete before laying down the new cement?

Which cement should I use? I do not want rocks but the ready mix stuff has rocks on the inside.


Here is a simple drawing of how it is. I will remove that bump as well.

Thank you!

 

[Marctrees]

My main concern would be drainage into/ onto the garage slab.

Seems to me , I would think of cutting a channel outside of garage door, and installing drain.

Marc

 

[ddawg16]

Any reason you can't grind the driveway down?

 

[bbirder]

Any reason you can't grind the driveway down?

That bump was probably put in to block drainage from entering the garage.

Sent from my LG-D850 using Tapatalk

 

[nes999]

I had the same issue as you do. I poured a little concrete ramp. I am 6 years in with no cracks.

Sent from my VS988 using Tapatalk

 

[IBoughtAAccord]

The water drains away from the garage.

Which is the cement without the rocks in it? Should I just pour it and form it with the towel or is there an easier way.

 

[garagelogician]

The water drains away from the garage.

Which is the cement without the rocks in it? Should I just pour it and form it with the towel or is there an easier way.

First off...cement is an ingredient in concrete. Calling concrete "cement" is like calling a birthday cake "eggs." There really isn't such a thing as concrete without large aggregate, that (along with more water) is called mortar. Mortar will not really work for this application.

I'm struggling to figure out why your slab would be lower than the driveway...unless it was just a construction screw-up. Can you post some pictures? If you remove the bump outside, you will get water in your garage. Just because it slopes away will not keep it dry.

Short of regrading your driveway approach, I would be more inclined to cut out a section of your garage slab, drill into it so you can tie in some reinforcement, then pour a new sloping ramp up to the level of the outside lip. I suppose you could also make a ramp out of asphalt, but you will want at least a channel cut into your existing slab so you can have some thickness at the transition point.

 

[IBoughtAAccord]

First off...cement is an ingredient in concrete. Calling concrete "cement" is like calling a birthday cake "eggs." There really isn't such a thing as concrete without large aggregate, that (along with more water) is called mortar. Mortar will not really work for this application.



I'm struggling to figure out why your slab would be lower than the driveway...unless it was just a construction screw-up. Can you post some pictures? If you remove the bump outside, you will get water in your garage. Just because it slopes away will not keep it dry.



Short of regrading your driveway approach, I would be more inclined to cut out a section of your garage slab, drill into it so you can tie in some reinforcement, then pour a new sloping ramp up to the level of the outside lip. I suppose you could also make a ramp out of asphalt, but you will want at least a channel cut into your existing slab so you can have some thickness at the transition point.

There was a construction screw up with the driveway. I will post some pictures later.

 

[Hilltopmasonry]

You cant just pour a ramp sitting on smooth concrete because where it is really thin it will crack and flake off when you drive over it...

I have done repairs similar to that in warehouse and factories where the fork lifts where having issues with the bump. What you need to do to make it last is mark off where you want the ramp and saw cut the concrete and chip about 2 inches of concrete out...

This way you have no less than 2in thickness of new concrete and it won't crack and flake off


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Marctrees]

There are special concrete and concrete like mixtures made for thinner applications.

Often a like primer is applied to help adhesion.

Kind of a whole ball of wax - NO guarantee it will not separate, crack, whatever unless you really have knowledge how to do it right.

Very few regular concrete guys have experience with this stuff.

You can look into it, but be aware basically no way will any standard concrete will work dependably for what you want.

I would think more down the lines of a steel plate ramp, pinned to the slab. Marc

 

[WNYflyer]

You cant just pour a ramp sitting on smooth concrete because where it is really thin it will crack and flake off when you drive over it...

I have done repairs similar to that in warehouse and factories where the fork lifts where having issues with the bump. What you need to do to make it last is mark off where you want the ramp and saw cut the concrete and chip about 2 inches of concrete out...

This way you have no less than 2in thickness of new concrete and it won't crack and flake off


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

^^ That is also the way we have called for it done. How much we have called to be chipped out was always dependent on the existing slab thickness and the equipment/vehicle loads. For this type of repair we also call for a concrete bonding agent to be put on the existing concrete to bond the existing to new.

Also, in some cases we have had the the contractor saw cut/demo the portion of the slab and re-pour that section with the ramp incorporated. We used this method for jobs were the concrete area is going to get really abused by the vehicles.

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

What about having an aluminum or steel ramp made?

 

[mz44]

Get a bag of non-shrink grout and smear it in there. It gets really hard. It may crack but I would give it a shot. Worst case it shouldn't be too bad to break it (ramp) back out. The best way is to chip out the existing down a couple inches and then fill.