Gap between Asphalt Driveway and Foundation.

[Mister B]

Last year I bought an older house with 2 detached garages. A 26’x30’ and a 40’ x 60’. I have an old deteriorating asphalt driveway that goes out back around the house and meets up with these 2 detached garages. The asphalt driveway butts up against the cinderblock wall across the front of the garages. Where the asphalt driveway meets the cinderblock wall, there is a gap probably half an inch to an inch wide in some places that water can get down into. I’m worried about water getting down in there and eventually causing damage such as cracking of the cinderblock walls or settling of the concrete floor inside the garage. How would you go about sealing up a gap like this? In a few places I can actually see down into the gap several inches. I was thinking of maybe taking some sand to fill in the deeper parts of the void and then after filling it almost to the top getting some driveway crack filler and pouring that into the crack afterwards to seal the driveway up against the foundation of the garage? Do you think that would work alright, or is there a better way of doing this?

 

[akdiesel]

I agree with your use of sand to fill the void. Not sure what was laid down under the garage floor in other words if they used a vapor barrier or not.
I am assuming you live an area that has a freeze thaw cycle.
I would also use a tar type of caulking product that can expand or retract with the temps above the sand filler. This will help seal it up better as well as bond to the foundation and the existing drivway.

 

[Mister B]

I do not know if there is a vapor barrier under the floor. I doubt it though, since it is an older garage. I live in PA and yes we do have freeze thaw cycle.

 

[kbs2244]

I agree on the sand to fill it up to about one inch deep.
Then use the thick, tar like stuff they sell for patching mobil home roofs.
It comes in gal cans at the hardware store.
Go with the black, not the silver.
I would use paint stirring sticks to apply it.
The stuff is nasty and sticky.
Don't plan on saving any tools.

 

[Torque1st]

I would agree on the roof mastic to fill it. I use a 12-18" length of 1/2" thinwall electrical conduit with the last inch or so mashed flat to stir and apply the gunk. Paint sticks snap to easy especially this time of year.

Tamp the sand down well with a rod then use that foam backer rod to top it off and fill the gap. You could even use some sackcrete tamped in dry for more support then dribble in a little water. Leave about a half inch for the mastic to fill. A torch to heat the asphalt may help adhesion.

 

[200horse]

wouldnt that tar stuff get soft in the summer time?? might make a mess running it over with a car tires???

 

[Torque1st]

It will soften some, less over the years. A person can also dust sand over it.

 

[Steve in Mi]

I filled a crack between a sidewalk and house brick using Great Stuff foam. Mask off both the horizontal and vertical surfaces you don't want foam to stick to and fill the crack by inserting the plastic application tube down in the crack. Don't try to fill it all the way - "practice" starting with a little in the bottom of the crack and wait maybe 10 to 30 minutes to let it expand fully. Once the crack is full and the foam is cured, the excess foam above the asphalt surface can be trimmed using a hacksaw blade or a very sharp blade using a slicing action (not a pressing cut). I used some fiber aluminum roof coat on top of the foam, before removing the masking, to keep the SUN's UV from degrading the foam. The foam seals out water and has some 'give' to it. I have a strip that has been in for about 15 years and still looks like it is doing its job.

 

[e-tek]

I'd go with the mastic - that's what is in the same area on my home and it's been there a long while. It doesn't soften in summer. I wouldn't use expanding foam as UV and moisture both degrade it. It's not water proof and the mastic is.

 

[Mister B]

Sounds good. I think I will probably fill the deeper sections with some sand and then use the roof patching tar for the last inch or so to seal everything up good along the wall.

 

[srocc]

Try poly sand.Hardens like concrete when wet.

 

[Torque1st]

Try poly sand.Hardens like concrete when wet.

Regular sackcrete poured in dry and broomed into place will harden with moisture also and it is cheap!
See post #5

 

[akdiesel]

You will want the sand to allow for drainage. I am not sure if that type of sand will allow for it.

 

[Steve in Mi]

I'd go with the mastic - that's what is in the same area on my home and it's been there a long while. It doesn't soften in summer. I wouldn't use expanding foam as UV and moisture both degrade it. It's not water proof and the mastic is.

Where do you get your information - in a dream?
Without defining the foam and mastic you are referring to it (your words) is misleading at best and flat out wrong in all likelyhood if it isn't actual personal experience.

Example; Dow Corning Mastic 11 will dry out, crack and shrink in only a couple of years exposed to sun light. Others last longer - which mastic are you referring to? Trade name or compound info would help.

You say, "moisture degrades foam". And, "it's not water proof ". Oh yah, what foam would that be your spouting off about? Open cell sponges would leak but they certainly don't degrade from contact with moisture. Sliced bread is a foam and it would fail as you say - is that what you tried and are reporting on? How would we know from your post what tidbit you have for us?

Closed cell urethane (Great Stuff), polyethylene and many many others are not adversely affected by moisture and are certainly water proof. Think - flotation devices, gaskets and spray-on roofs.

So what foam and mastic are you talking about?

 

[Torque1st]

Where do you get your information - in a dream?
Without defining the foam and mastic you are referring to it (your words) is misleading at best and flat out wrong in all likelyhood if it isn't actual personal experience.

Example; Dow Corning Mastic 11 will dry out, crack and shrink in only a couple of years exposed to sun light. Others last longer - which mastic are you referring to? Trade name or compound info would help.

You say, "moisture degrades foam". And, "it's not water proof ". Oh yah, what foam would that be your spouting off about? Open cell sponges would leak but they certainly don't degrade from contact with moisture. Sliced bread is a foam and it would fail as you say - is that what you tried and are reporting on? How would we know from your post what tidbit you have for us?

Closed cell urethane (Great Stuff), polyethylene and many many others are not adversely affected by moisture and are certainly water proof. Think - flotation devices, gaskets and spray-on roofs.

So what foam and mastic are you talking about?

No need to get nasty!

Please read the previous posts in this thread.

The mastic we are referring to was covered in previous posts. It is a common roofing tar/sealant.

The foam type is also referenced in previous posts and while moisture resistant it is not sunlight resistant and must be covered.

 

[Steve in Mi]

No need to get nasty!

Please read the previous posts in this thread.

The mastic we are referring to was covered in previous posts. It is a common roofing tar/sealant.

The foam type is also referenced in previous posts and while moisture resistant it is not sunlight resistant and must be covered.

Nasty?

I read all the posts but appearantly you didn't as my post was the first with regard to foam. That post got discounted by the same poster that slammed copper for air lines with no previous experience w/copper and misinformation about its safety for such use.

If you reread you will see that you are echoing my already stated comments regarding UV.

You might be somebodies mother but your not mine so buzz off!

 

[e-tek]

Steve in MI - chill out bro - It's a forum of ideas and experiences dude (or do your freinds say 'douche'...).

Check the forum RULES:
- We are all here to help eachother. If someone asks for help, don't go calling them stupid. Also don't go knocking other people for what they have or want in their garage. Basically if you don't have anything nice to say don't say it.

My personal experience was stated as: "I wouldn't use foam..." meaning the spray expanding foam because, I've seen it degrade when I used it between my the foundation and wood on my cottage. After a season in the sun before covering it it turned yellow and brittle. As for what I called "mastic", it's a rubber sealant that was used between my driveway and the cement block foundation and was just installed at my neighbours - best stuff I've ever seen - hardens just enough, but allows a little movement, is waterproof and doesn't shrink away.

As for copper in airlines...how would you know what my previous experience is? All you have to do is read some plumbing manuals and bone up on the burst pressure of solder under heat. Do some homework: educated people don't get so mad!!

 

[Steve in Mi]

Steve in MI - chill out bro - It's a forum of ideas and experiences dude (or do your freinds say 'douche'...).

Check the forum RULES:
- We are all here to help eachother. No kidding. If someone asks for help, don't go calling them stupid. Also don't go knocking other people for what they have or want in their garage. Basically if you don't have anything nice to say don't say it. What is nice about your reply? I haven't called you stupid nor have I knocked anybody for what they have or want in their garage - where do you get this stuff. I only asked a couple of questions. I gave my experience of using Great Stuff foam, it has worked well for me and I thought others might benefit from the information. I didn't tell anybody they should use it. You are the one telling folks not to use foam giving reasons 'moisture degrads it' and 'not water proof' - I know those are not true characteristics for Great stuff so I was interested to know why you would make such claims immediately following my post about Great Stuff. I concluded (since you didn't say what foam you used) that you had used some other foam. I asked what foam, hoping to learn about the foam you tried and found unfavorable. Having worked in foams research for a number of years I'm interested to learn from others experiences etc.

I had already mentioned the problem with UV and Great Stuff and covering with UV stable material. I asked for clarification on the type mastic you were talking about because at least a couple had been mentioned up to that point. NEWS FLASH - NO MENTION OF RUBBER SEALANT (until now) - humm.

My personal experience was stated as: "I wouldn't use foam..." meaning the spray expanding foam because, I've seen it degrade when I used it between my the foundation and wood on my cottage. After a season in the sun before covering it it turned yellow and brittle. As for what I called "mastic", it's a rubber sealant that was used between my driveway and the cement block foundation and was just installed at my neighbours - best stuff I've ever seen - hardens just enough, but allows a little movement, is waterproof and doesn't shrink away.

As for copper in airlines...how would you know what my previous experience is? You said so. All you have to do is read some plumbing manuals and bone up on the burst pressure of solder under heat. Do some homework: educated people don't get so mad!!

I did my homework on copper for air lines probably before you were born but didn't install copper air lines in my first garage until 1971. I don't tell people what to use for air lines but I will warn of the dangers associated with PVC for that application.

All RED Italics type added.

BTW, Thanks for removing the name calling from your last paragraph - It's in folks e-mail that are subscribed to this thread. Kind of a contradiction of your second sentence don't you think.

 

[e-tek]

Really Steve, it's just 'foam' and 'mastic'...not life and death.
Cheers.

 

[Mister B]

My first question to the board and this happens. WOW....

 

[akdiesel]

Somtimes these forums get out of hand, but don't let it keep you from asking / answering questions.

 

[e-tek]

My first question to the board and this happens. WOW....

My aplogies Mister B - I certainly didn't intend for that to happen...Please don't let it stop you from asking questions - most of the guys here are great and can accept others opinions and experiences at face value.