Problem with brand new concrete

[mrpizza]

Brand new floor. Poured in two pieces, total pour is 40x64. The joint in the middle is uneven, its up to 1/4" higher on each side in different spots. Joint is 40' long. Floor is smooth power troweled.


I want the smooth finish. I dont want aggregate showing. What options should I pursue? I am wanting them to cut out the bad part and repour. Grinding down would be rough and/or show aggregate. Haven't spoken to contractor yet. Any advice before I do call tomorrow morning?

 

[NitroShark]

I would take the opportunity and grind it flush and coat the floor with a epoxy system. Your expectation now to fix it is not realistic IMO.

If the cost of an epoxy system turns you off, you could just grind the area that is uneven and put down a coating in a stripe/divider type layout that would breakup and define the floor layout.



.

 

[larry_g]

What did your contract say? Did it spec out the maximum variation in height? You've been around this forum long enough to read all the concrete horror stories and yet allow this to happen on your own pour...

lg
no neat sig line

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

You will have a bigger mess trying to cut this out.
Grind it and epoxy. Maybe have the mason pay for this or help out?

 

[spudley]

You will have a bigger mess trying to cut this out.
Grind it and epoxy. Maybe have the mason pay for this or help out?

Agreed, but I wouldn't call a hack concrete installer that careless and inattentive a "mason".
Good luck, this should be interesting...

 

[Zippercat]

1/4" variance on a 40' line in separate pours is probably within specs for a standard job. Call another local contractor and ask him if his standard pour would be that close.

How is this variance going to impact your use? Visually you and a concrete pro are probably the only folks who'll ever notice.

Good luck!

 

[casmurbax]

Wish you luck in getting it rectified, but pictures of the job would be nice.

 

[mrpizza]

No epoxy! I have zero interest in it. Havent talked to the contractor yet, it was late last night when I saw it.


Larry g you can keep the peanut gallery comments to yourself

 

[LB-1911]

Brand new floor. Poured in two pieces, total pour is 40x64. The joint in the middle is uneven, its up to 1/4" higher on each side in different spots. Joint is 40' long. Floor is smooth power troweled.

I want the smooth finish. I dont want aggregate showing. What options should I pursue? I am wanting them to cut out the bad part and repour. Grinding down would be rough and/or show aggregate. Haven't spoken to contractor yet. Any advice before I do call tomorrow morning?

Hindsight is always 20-20, I thought you had them break it where you were going to have a partition wall.

Here is the best shot of the first half I could get.



Power troweled nice and smooth

All the concrete is finished! Now I wait for the garage doors which should be tomorrow or Friday. Ordering all my framing lumber on Friday I hope.

 

[mrpizza]

The pour happened and I wasnt there. Too busy at work this time of year to be out there, or I would have had them put the joint under the wall.

 

[mrpizza]

I am meeting the concrete contractor out there this evening.

My plan was to use densifier and ghostshield sealer on the whole floor. Would this smooth out any grinding areas and make it look close to the power troweled finish?

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Absolutely NOT. These are water based, penetrating treatments. They don't change anything visual.

Topical product is what you are looking for.

 

[mrpizza]

Well hell. I am assuming the densifier sealer combo would keep the ground areas from dusting in the future?

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Well hell. I am assuming the densifier sealer combo would keep the ground areas from dusting in the future?

Yes, will help with this.

 

[swharris]

The pour happened and I wasnt there. Too busy at work this time of year to be out there, or I would have had them put the joint under the wall.

I feel you on the not being there. Many here are retired who have the luxury of being on site for every minute of the build. I for one am not and there have been so many things that have happened on my project when I was not around. That said, I took days of the pours off just to eagle eye them. Thankfully, they were awesome. If anyone in So.CA is looking for a concrete guy, hit me up. They are highly recommended...not cheap though ;-)
Our pour:https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipMqrBcrAqzlkhmARFPlEa4ptv91aCzEfUDtgr576O4Zn7Bf2iODrLqWrpCFAu1ubg?key=a2tnZlJIb1lRUEZaWGt4S1ZkZEJRQWtWZTNEWFBn

Luckily I have a very nosey retired with nothing to do neighbor. As annoying as he is normally, he's been a god send when he catches something and calls me at work. If he drank, I'd by him some booze for being my watch dog.

Best of luck with the project.

 

[mrpizza]

Just an update to this thread, I have been working out there and rolling stuff around while I build the last two weeks. I haven't given the joint on the floor or anything a second thought, it hasn't bothered me or hindered anything I have tried to do. Contractor said they would grind it a bit if I wanted them to, but I think I will just leave it as is. Not as big a deal as I originally thought.

 

[larry_g]

Well those of us in the peanut gallery are glad you have this settled. For others that may read this, spec'ing how flat and level is what you should be doing to prevent problems.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[njc41980]

Well those of us in the peanut gallery are glad you have this settled. For others that may read this, spec'ing how flat and level is what you should be doing to prevent problems.

lg
no neat sig line

+1

Everyone always wants to blame the contractor, but as it turns out, they can't read minds. Contractors do not know where your walls are going to go if you don't tell them, and they can't anticipate if someone wants a floor flatter than standard.

If you're rolling stuff back and forth across a cold joint without noticing it, I'd say that your concrete guy did a pretty good job.

 

[mrpizza]

+1

Everyone always wants to blame the contractor, but as it turns out, they can't read minds. Contractors do not know where your walls are going to go if you don't tell them, and they can't anticipate if someone wants a floor flatter than standard.

If you're rolling stuff back and forth across a cold joint without noticing it, I'd say that your concrete guy did a pretty good job.

Actually, this dude knew exactly where the wall was going to go since I strung a line across while he was there.

Its still bumpy, just not a hindrance as much as I thought. Still kinda crappy, not worth bitching about. I have much better things to do!