12ozd
Well-known member
Looking for options / opinion on this floor.
Garage floor pics
Floor is appx. 10 years old. My original plan was to epoxy coat (w/ chips) at time of installation. Plans got changed, and here I am now, ready to finish.
The floor - 4-5 " concrete poured on 4-5 " base of #57 stone on undisturbed subgrade. WWF, foam insulation and vapor barrier used. Slab had sprinkler used every day for appx.7 days. (built in june) in No.Va.
2 floor drains were installed, slab was to be sloped to the drains.
The problem - While I was "watering" the slab during the curing process, I noticed water pooling at various places around the slab. One drain actually had water pooling about 2 feet from it, "not to it, from it!"
We also discussed expansion joints would be installed between the garage doors, not in the center of the slab. This would make them less noticeable from the outside. No joints were put in.
I notified the contractor, met his partner at my house and showed him my concerns.
He said he really didn't have a way to fix it, and It was O.K. like it was.
I obviously was not going to accept that. I called the contractor back, told him I would rather deal w/ him and not his partner.
Following friday (4th july weekend) I arrived home and found he had sent a crew out to fix my slab. They had poured some kind of "&^%$" on the slab and attempted to smooth it out w/ a 2x4. (see grey material in pics)
There were plastic 1 gallon bottles and paper bags laying in the yard. Evidently a 2 part mix. To say I was pi*&ed would be an understatement!
Nice way to start my holiday weekend. Obviously the crew had the same thoughts.
Then I notice the expansion joint that was saw cut in the middle of my slab!
Not only was in the middle, it was crooked as he77!
Closer inspection revealed that he went (cut) around a grade peg in the floor!
Next week I call the contractor, explain the situation, his response; "no way, no way that crew did that, they are one one my better and most experienced crews, can't be as bad as you say".
Meet him at my house later that day, he is literally speechless.
He asked me if i was sure his crew did that. (who else is going to do that?)
Trying to come up w/ a resolution, he offered two options.
1. Demo the slab and start over.
2. Pour a 2-3" cap on top.
I wasn't to fond of either option. No way was I letting them demo the slab,
(it is inside of 2 poured concrete walls) I was afraid they would damage the walls or footers during the demo.
Which led us to option 3; send a crew out w/ a stone grinder and remove the coating. Ultimately we settled on this one, I made sure a different crew came out for this. He wanted the installing crew to fix it, but there was no way they coming back out.
I actually requested the wall crew come out, they poured the footers, walls, and did an excellent job! Yes, same company.
Wall crew comes out, spends about 8 hours grinding the floor. (dust for days!)
Finally tells me "that's about as good as it's gonna get".
I agreed, and left the rest between me and the owner.
Now the slab is better, still not acceptable, but I am running out of options and have to accept the fact that the floor is not going to be perfect.
Conversations w/ owner lead to him offering to paint the slab to finish the job. NO, not gonna happen. We agree to a discounted price, to get the floor epoxy coated.
10 years later here I am. Want to finish the floor, but not sure what to do!
While pressure washing the floor, the "grey coating" started to peel up.
I think the floor is to wavy to do (hard) tile.
I don't really want to do a plastic floor tile either, I do detailing in there and although there is slotted tile for drainage, water would sit under the tile where it does not drain.
Thanks for taking the time to read this long post.
Tried to include as much info as possible.
Garage floor pics
Floor is appx. 10 years old. My original plan was to epoxy coat (w/ chips) at time of installation. Plans got changed, and here I am now, ready to finish.
The floor - 4-5 " concrete poured on 4-5 " base of #57 stone on undisturbed subgrade. WWF, foam insulation and vapor barrier used. Slab had sprinkler used every day for appx.7 days. (built in june) in No.Va.
2 floor drains were installed, slab was to be sloped to the drains.
The problem - While I was "watering" the slab during the curing process, I noticed water pooling at various places around the slab. One drain actually had water pooling about 2 feet from it, "not to it, from it!"
We also discussed expansion joints would be installed between the garage doors, not in the center of the slab. This would make them less noticeable from the outside. No joints were put in.
I notified the contractor, met his partner at my house and showed him my concerns.
He said he really didn't have a way to fix it, and It was O.K. like it was.
I obviously was not going to accept that. I called the contractor back, told him I would rather deal w/ him and not his partner.
Following friday (4th july weekend) I arrived home and found he had sent a crew out to fix my slab. They had poured some kind of "&^%$" on the slab and attempted to smooth it out w/ a 2x4. (see grey material in pics)
There were plastic 1 gallon bottles and paper bags laying in the yard. Evidently a 2 part mix. To say I was pi*&ed would be an understatement!
Nice way to start my holiday weekend. Obviously the crew had the same thoughts.
Then I notice the expansion joint that was saw cut in the middle of my slab!
Not only was in the middle, it was crooked as he77!
Closer inspection revealed that he went (cut) around a grade peg in the floor!
Next week I call the contractor, explain the situation, his response; "no way, no way that crew did that, they are one one my better and most experienced crews, can't be as bad as you say".
Meet him at my house later that day, he is literally speechless.
He asked me if i was sure his crew did that. (who else is going to do that?)
Trying to come up w/ a resolution, he offered two options.
1. Demo the slab and start over.
2. Pour a 2-3" cap on top.
I wasn't to fond of either option. No way was I letting them demo the slab,
(it is inside of 2 poured concrete walls) I was afraid they would damage the walls or footers during the demo.
Which led us to option 3; send a crew out w/ a stone grinder and remove the coating. Ultimately we settled on this one, I made sure a different crew came out for this. He wanted the installing crew to fix it, but there was no way they coming back out.
I actually requested the wall crew come out, they poured the footers, walls, and did an excellent job! Yes, same company.
Wall crew comes out, spends about 8 hours grinding the floor. (dust for days!)
Finally tells me "that's about as good as it's gonna get".
I agreed, and left the rest between me and the owner.
Now the slab is better, still not acceptable, but I am running out of options and have to accept the fact that the floor is not going to be perfect.
Conversations w/ owner lead to him offering to paint the slab to finish the job. NO, not gonna happen. We agree to a discounted price, to get the floor epoxy coated.
10 years later here I am. Want to finish the floor, but not sure what to do!
While pressure washing the floor, the "grey coating" started to peel up.
I think the floor is to wavy to do (hard) tile.
I don't really want to do a plastic floor tile either, I do detailing in there and although there is slotted tile for drainage, water would sit under the tile where it does not drain.
Thanks for taking the time to read this long post.
Tried to include as much info as possible.
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