Low spot in concrete floor

[Bevis]

With it being a rainy day, I walked out to the detached shop, and noted a wet spot, w/ some standing water on the floor. It appears that I have a low spot there.
Is there something I can put down to fill in the low spot Like a self leveling concrete or

 

[GSSFC]

I have the same issue. The floor contractor actually admitted he was short on concrete. There really isn't anything you can do. Nothing will bond well and it will eventually chip off I am told.

Tim

 

[Bevis]

This area is next to an exterior wall.

 

[krusty the clown]

there is a product called thin patch that is supposed to work for this but i think eventually it will lift. my shop has low spots like yours and it only is an issue if i hose out the shop. now i mop it. my question is how is the rain water getting in and wouldn't fixing that take care of the problem?

 

[Steve in Mi]

It appears that I have a low spot there.
Is there something I can put down to fill in the low spot Like a self leveling concrete or

As my neighbor would say, "the only reason you have a low spot there is because it is surrounded by a high spot". Profound right? Is grinding the high spot to match the low spot an option?

The previous owner had constructed a shower in the basement and used Dow SaraBond mortar (a laytex modified product) to form a sloping floor to a floor drain. The mortar was paper thin as it tapered to nothing at the drain and not more than 3/4" thick at the outside edges (4 foot square). I tore the shower out but removing that SaraBond was a pain as a good deal of it had to be removed with a grinder. Only the outer few inches was separable from the original floor by smacking it with a hammer and chisel.

 

[REP]

Garon makes something called trafficfast - heres the link

This or tiger pro - link

Both will last a long long long time. I think either would work for you just fine.

Caution: Garon Products = Money
Benefits: Garon Products = Excellence

They will also ship in small quantities.

 

[Bevis]

my question is how is the rain water getting in and wouldn't fixing that take care of the problem?

After looking at it closer today, there is a low spot from the edge of the floor to about 2' in from the edge. Looks like that area must've gotten a dip in it while it was being finished.

 

[fotoflojoe]

Subscribed and keenly interested.
I have several low spots.

 

[krusty the clown]

After looking at it closer today, there is a low spot from the edge of the floor to about 2' in from the edge. Looks like that area must've gotten a dip in it while it was being finished.

how did the WATER get in? the low spot isn't really an issue if no water gets in from the rain right?

 

[GSSFC]

It is possible there isn't a leak but rather the water puddles when a wet or snow covered vehicle is brought in and melts and collects in the low spot. That is what happens in my shop.

On edit: I just re-read the original post and saw it was contributed to a rainy day. I thought it might have just been a wet vehicle.

 

[Bevis]

when ever it rains, It leaks into the shop under the wall. Most of the time aftr a rain i just notice it being wet. But since I was off yesterday and it was raining I decided to go out and see if I could find where the water was coming in at.
The bottom of the wall sits in 4" - 6" from the edge of the floor. Maybe I could just get some type of flashing to put at the bottom of the wall, behind my metal siding...

 

[bomber]

if it's coming under the wall, something is stinky in Denmark ;-}

Flashing can help, for certain, but I think you'd be better off addressing the root cause.

If I'm reading you right, the wall sits inboard from the edge of the slab -- if this is the only place you're taking water, I would consider lowering that part of the slab outside of te leak . . . . . . perhaps put some sort of a drain tile?

 

[pattenp]

I've used the QuikCrete leveler with good results. You have to prepare the spot well to asure a good bond. I haven't had any flaking or lifting problem with the patch.

 

[Kevin54]

when ever it rains, It leaks into the shop under the wall. Most of the time aftr a rain i just notice it being wet. But since I was off yesterday and it was raining I decided to go out and see if I could find where the water was coming in at.
The bottom of the wall sits in 4" - 6" from the edge of the floor. Maybe I could just get some type of flashing to put at the bottom of the wall, behind my metal siding...

How about some pics? Why is the wall in from the edge of the floor? If it is the way I picture it, the you WILL need some type of flashing. Caulking may slow it down but not stop it. What I am picturing in my mind is a concrete slab, then 6" in you have fastened down a 2x (sill plate) on top, then the wall is built off of that. If that is how it is, the water will run underneath. Flashing would stop it, but the flashing would need to be Z'd, running up the wall, across the slab, then over the edge of the slab.

 

[Question]

I have the same problem.. you might try cutting a grove in concrete from the low spot to outside the door, ... should drain automatically if the slope is right... got to keep the crud out of the grove.....good luck..

 

[Bevis]

What I am picturing in my mind is a concrete slab, then 6" in you have fastened down a 2x (sill plate) on top, then the wall is built off of that. If that is how it is, the water will run underneath. Flashing would stop it, but the flashing would need to be Z'd, running up the wall, across the slab, then over the edge of the slab.

It's the way you have it pictured. Yes, I agree that the flashing would need to be Z'd.

 

[Bevis]

Some Pics:

SW Corner View (low spot closer to this corner)

Where it leaks under wall (span of 14")

Low spot in the floor

 

[krusty the clown]

i would be more concerned about the wall rotting away than the water on the floor.

 

[Kevin54]

It would be hard to flash without removing the siding. For starters, I would try caulking all along the sill plate. If that doesn't work, then flashing would be the only permanent solution. Makes for a good summer project. Why was the building not taken to the edge of the foundation when built? Just curious.

 

[Junkman]

It is hard to tell the outside grade, however, you could have someone come in with a bulldozer, and starting about 10' away from the building cut a swale in the ground, This will cause the surface water to run away from the building. The basic problem that I see in your building is one that I see often. Building on the same plane as the surrounding ground. I like to see buildings set up about 12" or more and the surrounding land sloping away from the building. This allows nature to work best to keeping the building dry. If you have gutters on the building, consider having the discharge downspouts take the water further away from the building. This can be done by simply using PVC pipe at the bottom and exit point of the PVC 10' away from the building, or by trenching and having the discharge at a lower portion of the property. Water always takes the path of least resistance.

 

[Bevis]

I've tried the caulking but it didn't work. it was supposed to have a small rat wall poured in it, that the sill would have sat on. I was out of town when that section was poured, and didn't see it till it was too late. I'll go Monday and check out the flashing, as I have a guy in town that I bought the rest of the roof and siding from.
Junkman: the barn was built higher than the ground (2'), except next to the wall shown, as that is near my drain field. No gutters on the building, water runs off the roof and drains away from the building.

 

[tfi racing]

Is the water rising up over the concrete from the ground?Or is it running down the wall,hitting the concrete then finding its way in under the sill?
That siding would be difficult to flash on the outside,you have to find a way to have the water drain off that slab,away from the wall.It appears that you might be able to trim the siding a few inches above the slab and maybe slide a flashing underneath that would extend over the edge of the concrete.

 

[brownbagg]

self leveling grout will work fine. It come in a bag, Five star is one name. Home depot has one by quikcrete that works good too.

 

[Bevis]

its rolling off the siding and finding it's way in.

 

[Torque1st]

It looks like he has a bit of a curb where the slab is so it is probably not water running in from the surrounding earth. Most likely it is just water running down the side of the building and then under the sill. One unfortunate thing is that the water may be running a ways along the sill before it finds a way thru the sill.

Several things come to mind:

Try loosening the siding at that location and slip in a 4-8' long piece of Z-flashing with caulk at the ends.

A groove cut in the floor where the water comes in continued out to the outside so it drains to the outside may help. Critters may decide it is a superhighway tho.

Grinding away some of the slab on the outside may give the water a chance to run off to the outside also.

 

[Kevin54]

It is hard to tell the outside grade, however, you could have someone come in with a bulldozer, and starting about 10' away from the building cut a swale in the ground,

I don't think it is the surface water causing it. Any rain is probably coming from that direction, hitting the siding and running down and underneath. Most pole barns are built with the floor poured last and the siding overlaps the floor so no water can get in. This looks to have been built different with the floor poured around the post. Is it built like this on all 3 or 4 sides? You will definately need to flash to cure it though. One main concern would be that the OSB will eventually rot in the area of the water. Even if it would be caulked in that area, any place where water comes in contact with the sill plate, even though the water would not run through, the sill will wick water, and you will and up with problems between the sill plate and the OSB. Flashing won't be bad, just time consuming. And FWIW....OSB + dampness will not take too long to start to rot or deteriorate. And if you would ever decide to insulate, any moisture problems would have to be addressed first. If you "Z" flash, make sure that the flashing overlaps by a considerable amount and caulk between the two.

 

[Bevis]

I'm doing the flashing, and will overlap it. the OSB is about 3 or so inches off the floor, and the bottom sill is a PT 2x6. The outside of the slab is 12"x12" footer then a 5" floor and alot of rebar (guess that's why the inspector signed off and said he wouldn't be back agian).

 

[Bevis]

Finally got this problem fixed two months ago. Cut the bottom of the metal siding 1.5" and slid the flashing under it. the day I finished, it came a blowing downpour, inside of shop was dry

 

[hetkind]

that reminds me...need to do a little grinding on the floor in the mechanical room...the drainage isn't perfect to the floor drain and I still have an open fourth wall

Howard

 

[Torque1st]

Glad you got it fixed!