The Home Improvement Thread

[dev null]

So, since I don't want to spam the woodworking thread with home improvement ideas and questions, I thought it would be a good idea that it have it's own thread.

 

So, all you Tim 'The Toolman' Taylor types out there, please gather and share ideas and advice here. I don't want to encroach on anybody's livelihood, so let us keep it as close to DIY as possible.

 

I will start of with a request for advice.

 

I have moisture coming up from the ground through the concrete floor of my garage.  Do I:

 

a) Tile the floor using a tile cement with some damp proofing stuff mixed in

b) Redo the screed and use damp proofing in the cement mix

c) Paint the old floor with some epoxy paint?

 

Bear in mind that I already have some spots where there is some cavities under the floor, as I get a hollow sound when I tap on the floor, and these are the same spots that have the most moisture coming through.

 

Laat wiel.

[Eddy Gordo]

Does you exterior walls have any weep holes?

Check and see if they blocked. Sometimes this is a cause for damp

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

So, since I don't want to spam the woodworking thread with home improvement ideas and questions, I thought it would be a good idea that it have it's own thread.

 

So, all you Tim 'The Toolman' Taylor types out there, please gather and share ideas and advice here. I don't want to encroach on anybody's livelihood, so let us keep it as close to DIY as possible.

 

I will start of with a request for advice.

 

I have moisture coming up from the ground through the concrete floor of my garage.  Do I:

 

a) Tile the floor using a tile cement with some damp proofing stuff mixed in

b) Redo the screed and use damp proofing in the cement mix

c) Paint the old floor with some epoxy paint?

 

Bear in mind that I already have some spots where there is some cavities under the floor, as I get a hollow sound when I tap on the floor, and these are the same spots that have the most moisture coming through.

 

Laat wiel.

Well, it's neither option A nor C. That will only last a short amount of time, and fail. 

[dev null]

Does you exterior walls have any weep holes?

Check and see if they blocked. Sometimes this is a cause for damp

 

No, the stupid builder built the walls for the garage without any cavity, and thus, there are no ventilation holes either. So we have basically a double row of bricks, connected through the mortar. Also, the north-facing wall has no gutters, and thus no water run-off. Also, it is on the neighbour's side, as the wall is part of the boundary, so there is nothing I can do about the drainage on that side. As you are also aware, the north wall will get the most rain when the North Wester is blowing during a normal Cape winter storm.  So I have to look at the best way to fix this situation.

Edited August 4, 2016 by Moridin

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

In short - yerfecked. That's going to be a big job, mate. 

[popcorn_skollie]

No, the stupid builder built the walls for the garage without any cavity, and thus, there are no ventilation holes either. So we have basically a double row of bricks, connected through the mortar. Also, the north-facing wall has no gutters, and thus no water run-off. Also, it is on the neighbour's side, as the wall is part of the boundary, so there is nothing I can do about the drainage on that side. As you are also aware, the north wall will get the most rain when the North Wester is blowing during a normal Cape winter storm.  So I have to look at the best way to fix this situation.

 

There is no permanent solution but if you chip off the plaster and apply some dampcrete or dampsure and skim over it once its dry it will reduce the rising moisture for a good 5 years or more. Of course this means doing both sides of the wall for it to be effective.

[popcorn_skollie]

In short - yerfecked. That's going to be a big job, mate. 

 

Ya its gonna be *** expensive. Is it a double garage?

[V12man]

So, since I don't want to spam the woodworking thread with home improvement ideas and questions, I thought it would be a good idea that it have it's own thread.

 

So, all you Tim 'The Toolman' Taylor types out there, please gather and share ideas and advice here. I don't want to encroach on anybody's livelihood, so let us keep it as close to DIY as possible.

 

I will start of with a request for advice.

 

I have moisture coming up from the ground through the concrete floor of my garage.  Do I:

 

a) Tile the floor using a tile cement with some damp proofing stuff mixed in

b) Redo the screed and use damp proofing in the cement mix

c) Paint the old floor with some epoxy paint?

 

Bear in mind that I already have some spots where there is some cavities under the floor, as I get a hollow sound when I tap on the floor, and these are the same spots that have the most moisture coming through.

 

Laat wiel.

None of those - either:

 

a - leave it and live with it, or

 

b - chop out the floor, level and compact - put down some high density insulation and plastic sheeting, and relay the concrete - powerfloat the floor, and then put down an epoxy you can refinish when it gets damaged.

 

Job done - anything else will need to be redone - and is therefore a waste of time and effort, and money

 

- also - you might want to check for leaking pipes/irrigation etc around the garage.... sometimes that's a problem... and if you fix it, your damp goes away.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

The best solution would be to get at it from the neighbour's side. But IIRC you said they have a structure there as well, meaning you can't get in to deal with it properly?

 

If you CAN get in, then deal with the cause first - improper drainage and waterproofing on the outer wall and near the foundations. That means waterproofing membrane, that plastic sheeting with little dimples (like an oversized bubble wrap, almost) and digging to the base of the foundation, laying weeping tile & loads of G4 stone. Then cover up again and finish with sheeting or ANOTHER layer of brick.

 

Then you have to dig under the foundations and fill the hollows. You may as well blast through the floor itself in those areas, given that you'll need to do that anyway to have a proper chance of getting a long lasting solution. 

 

Then chip away across the floor, re-pour the cement and ensure that it's properly damp proofed (as per v12's suggestion)

 

Or you could just tear it down and rebuild it from scratch with all the proper stuff in place from the beginning... 

Edited August 4, 2016 by Myles Mayhew

[Flemish Lion]

If any of you are looking to replace steel / wood / alu windows or doors, you need to do so with UPVC. I did my bedroom windows / doors last year and the difference in temperature is amazing.

 

I'm now busy with converting a patio into a sunroom with UPVC.

 

No need for burglar bars as they have multi locking / windows tilt and turn option and double glazing.

 

Get hold of these guys: http://www.moonstar.co.za/

 

And it pretty sound proof too and no maintenance and all custom made.

 

I should become a sales agent for these guys

[Long Wheel Base]

Well, it's neither option A nor C. That will only last a short amount of time, and fail. 

Agreed, I am as we speak in the process of building a workshop/garage and I had some guys come over to give epoxy quotes and they all want to know if there is plastic under my floor. So clearly epoxy doesn't do well with moisture underneath.

 

OP, This is another cool thread to follow. Thanks.

[Long Wheel Base]

If any of you are looking to replace steel / wood / alu windows or doors, you need to do so with UPVC. I did my bedroom windows / doors last year and the difference in temperature is amazing.

 

I'm now busy with converting a patio into a sunroom with UPVC.

 

No need for burglar bars as they have multi locking / windows tilt and turn option and double glazing.

 

Get hold of these guys: http://www.moonstar.co.za/

 

And it pretty sound proof too and no maintenance and all custom made.

 

I should become a sales agent for these guys

Whats the pricing like?

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Agreed, I am as we speak in the process of building a workshop/garage and I had some guys come over to give epoxy quotes and they all want to know if there is plastic under my floor. So clearly epoxy doesn't do well with moisture underneath.

 

OP, This is another cool thread to follow. Thanks.

No. No floor likes moisture underneath, but due to the average thickness of an epoxy flooring solution if the underlying material (substrate) isn't bone dry and properly prepared, it WILL fail. 

 

Same as floating cement over an existing floor that hasn't been keyed. Or re-plastering a wall that hasn't been properly cleaned and keyed... Or laying wooden flooring directly onto concrete, without any waterproof membrane and lining. 

 

Of all the things, proper surface prep is KEY. 

 

Used to walk around job sites with my dad back when he was a national waterproofing ^ epoxy rep for ABE back in the day. Epoxy is strong enough to withstand molasses - IF the underfloor is prepped properly, and the contractor laid the floor correctly. One liiiittle gap, and it's tits up

[Flemish Lion]

Other projects I'm busy with:

 

Paving along our bedrooms - about 25m to go. Alternating light grey 30x30 pavers with a dark grey 15x15 paver and filling the spaces with white pebbles.

 

Converting an unused Jacuzzi into a vegetable patch. Already moved it out the house.

 

Soundproofing the wall between my nanny's room and my kids room with Soundlite boards - will glue them on with foam.

 

Completed DIY projects:

Putting in new irrigation pipes / sprinklers and fully automated the irrigation with a 6-phase rainbird. Covered about 100m of piping underneath my driveway, under a pathway etc.. I'll also extend it to my vegetable patch.

Painted the house and bedroom roofs - I got someone to do this for me.

Painted many of our rooms

Plastering and fixed flooring around my new UPVC doors and windows

Installed Pool heating panels - also got someone in

Fitted a 500kg magnet to my one arm swing gate - got someone in to do electrical part

Installed a climbing wall for my son

 

With two small kids and cycling I'll probably need to get someone to assist else it will take too long to complete.

Edited August 4, 2016 by Flemish Lion

[Flemish Lion]

Whats the pricing like?

For my bedrooms I got a quote for Alu for R55k and ended up paying R65k for UPVC.

 

If you take into account the LT savings on energy, the security aspect (no need for burglar bars) and sound proofing (my neighbors parties and friggen dog barking) it's worth the extra R10k.

 

Only problem I see is that they use Belgian (Deceuninck) locks / handles and German Rehau steel to re-enforce the UPVC which are becoming more expensive. Although the Rand is recovering a bit   

[Gandalf]

Always heard the ad on mix fm, got quite annoying but it stuck, i think they give free inspection for rising damp.

 

http://www.aquapol.co.za/

 

although not DIY, soz