Question about pouring concrete next to brick

[SRoberts006]

Quick question for all you smart people out there. I have a brick home and want to pour my concrete pad beside it for my compressor. What do I use as an expansion joint between the two? I asked the "expert" at the local big box store and was told, "just pour it right up to the brick". But I just don't think that will cut it.

Any suggestions?

 

[kd3pc]

decorative - can use pressure treated lumber or redwood.
functional - they make an asphalt/felt like strip just for this purpose, I am not sure what it is called...

Make sure to "cover" your brick with cardboard or thick plastic wrap....else you will spend the rest of the summer "cleaning" the cement from the brick....and DON'T let the concrete guys tell you they won't make a mess or splash, UNLESS they are willing to sign the contract saying so and that they will clean up things, after.

best of luck

 

[dutchgray]

If its only a small pad you could just pour it against, however I would leave a gap of a few inches to reduce noise transmission and let water run into the ground, fill it with some gravel and don't forget to hang some plastic up so you don't splash the wall with cement.

 

[SRoberts006]

Can't afford the concrete guys, so I'm gonna be doing this one myself. Not looking forward to it, but have not choice.....$$$$$.

 

[machsnell]

i am a concrete man. Technically you dont need anything there. Expansion joint is typically what is put in between mating "immovable" pours. Since your pad is small you expansion can happen on the sides that is not next to the brick assuming its dirt or stone grass etc.

If you are in a cold climate tho you might get a freeze heave on your compressor slab and it could thoretically crack or damage the brick when it pushes upward.

You could use the black expansion joint sold in 4" by 1/2" pieces from HD or you could put in some sill seal or similar bubble expansion type product which HD has also.

If you dont freeze to depth of 4" then your good. If so i would put some type of preformed expansion material.

happy pouring

 

[machsnell]

how big is your slab?

 

[Lassen Forge]

You need to at least have a vapor barrier between the two - I would also have an expansion "joint" (really, a space) so one doesn't take out the other. You also need the space to keep the vibration and sound from telegraphing into the frame of your home - not a house hazard, but it will be noisy if you don't. We put ours next to the property power drop pole (30' from the house, 50' from the shop) and while we hear it running, it doesn't rattle the windows!!

 

[SRoberts006]

Thanks for all the information. It will be a small pad, about 5' deep and 7' wide. Looking to do about 3 or 4" thick.

 

[machsnell]

separate it from brick for vibration and throw a 3 or 4 of pieces of #4 bar in it and pour at least 4".

You might want to anchor it down with pieces of rubber under the feet. They sell some horse mat at tractor supply that will protect the vibration from cracking or wearing slab over time and soften noise.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I used some sill seal as the expansion joint when I repoured my garage floor. I recently saw a similar product at Menards that was marketed as an expansion joint material. It felt just like the pink sill seal but had one difference, it was gray to match the concrete.