Question before putting my epoxy down... PICS

[jaysen]

I've already prepped the floors and now just waiting for a day off to lay the epoxy... I decided on not filling my expansion joint because for some strange reason I dig them ? weird. Anyway, I noticed when filling my cracks, I noticed there is a rubber(?) piece of serperator between the garage floor and stem wall...

I'm at work right now and can't take any new pictures but here's a picture of a crack/hole that I had to fill along the stemwall.. IN this picture you see what I'm referring too; the bottom half of the picture is the garage floor and the upper half is the 8" stem wall - What is the stuff in between ?

My other question is what do I do with this ? Do I mask this part off as best as possible and not paint over it? just forget about and paint over it ? Or, try and fill w/ putty/cement before putting down the epoxy...

My concern is that because it is OBVIOUSLY not concrete, would the epoxy adhere to it as is ? To give a better description of the "thing" I can manipulate it slightly with my fingers however sturdy enough that I cannot cut and pull out. My Greatest concern is it seems to store water similar to a sponge so it worries me..

 

[Aberdale]

The stuff is expansion joint. It allows your garage floor and the apron out front to expand and contract without cracking the concrete.

You could paint it, but the epoxy will likely crack where your tires run over it. If it was mine, I would leave it as is and epoxy up to it.

Dale

 

[jaysen]

Dale, I thought "expansion joints" were the squares/sections formed/cut in the concrete to do what you described ? Perhaps I didn't explain myself well, or I'm just not understanding (probably both, forgive me)

This stuff I'm referring too is only along the part that butts up to the stemwall, the end of the apron (separating the garage floor and driveway) that runs past my garage door, and actually at the end of my driveway where it buts up against the sidewalk.

 

[bazzateer]

It fills the expansion joint to prevent water ingress. Any water retention will only be in the first few mm and will not spread down into the joint. As said, paint up to it but leave it free to 'breathe'. Having it there is a good thing!

 

[Aberdale]

Dale, I thought "expansion joints" were the squares/sections formed/cut in the concrete to do what you described ? Perhaps I didn't explain myself well, or I'm just not understanding (probably both, forgive me)

This stuff I'm referring too is only along the part that butts up to the stemwall, the end of the apron (separating the garage floor and driveway) that runs past my garage door, and actually at the end of my driveway where it buts up against the sidewalk.

The cuts in a large concrete slab are not expansion joints. They are merely "crack directors" so that when the slab eventually does crack, it cracks down a straight line instead of randomly across the whole slab. The black stuff in the crack is expansion material as the apron/floor expands, that black stuff compresses. When the apron floor contracts, the black stuff expand again to keep the crack filled and keep moisture out.

You could design a gap without the black stuff and it would allow the two slabs to expand and contract anyway. However, that crack would quickly get filled up with dirt and water. When it gets below freezing, the water will freeze and exert pressure on the apron/floor, and would likely push the apron away from the garage and/or crack it as the ice expands.

Dale

 

[jaysen]

got'cha! thanks

 

[Wingnut65]

Correct as noted. If the concrete block walls are built first, then a 4" tall by 1/2" wide expansion joint material is placed around all the walls before the slab is poured. It will be flush with the top of the slab when done. If it wasn't there, as the slab heats and cools thru the seasons, the expansion of the slab would basically expand and push the walls outward causing cracks or worse, which is usually not desired. So, what you have is a stem wall with a secondary pour. Perfectly normal. Sealant can cover it if you wanted to run the epoxy up the wall a few inches.

Good Luck

Jeff

 

[jaysen]

Jeff,

could you recommenda a "Sealent" that is epoxy safe/compatible - I'm going to be using EpoxyMaster w/ an HPU Clear for the finish... I'm already not liking (imagining) the way it is going to look once finished - sigh.