Many businesses benefit a lot from the visual aesthetics and durability of concrete. Commonly seen at the driveways, ramps, parking lots, patios, walkways, and more, concrete serves its purpose as to beauty and functionality.
But of course, the concrete may deteriorate over time due to a lot of factors such as chemical exposure, extreme weather conditions, structural stress, and improper maintenance. Fortunately, the majority of these typical concrete issues have corresponding solutions.
To extend the functional life of your concrete structure, a well-thought-out plan for repair and maintenance work is exceptionally necessary. To create a personalized plan, assessment and inspection of the concrete structures need to be done first. The fundamental cause of the problem such as joint failures, cracking, water leaking, etc. should be identified and addressed effectively. Otherwise, repairs may not work as planned and the same concrete issues and damages may arise repeatedly in the future. When that happens, you’ll likely incur a lot more costly repair and maintenance fees causing potential loss in trading. Thus, proper repair evaluation must be followed.
We are happy to discuss a maintenance plan which includes site visits and inspections to identify the existing issues in the area. Here are some of the practical problem-solution examples delivered by Brandboy in Australia.
PROBLEM: Ramp joint has failed. Water was getting into the joint and leaking out either on one side against the building or on the other side over the ramp to below level. Where the joint was leaking against the building, the blockwork is believed to be hollow and as such the water has then entered the building and came into the building at the stairwell.
SOLUTION:
- Remove and clean the existing joint, prime and re-seal with Sikaflex Pro in accordance with manufacturers recommendations. Seal the back of the concrete kerb and the building with Sikaflex Pro as well. Apply waterproof membrane to joint area.
- Fix an aluminum cover plate (galvanized 6mm floor plate) on the high side of the joint with mechanical fixings to cover the entire joint, and seal the underside of the plate to the slab at the fixing location with Sikaflex Pro.
- Repair the concrete cancer under the ramp using suitable epoxy repair systems.
PROBLEM: Water could pond around the stair void. In some areas, the reinforcement to the parapet was exposed on the car park level.
SOLUTION:
- Build up the area in a course that the water falls away from the stair void area.
- Treat the exposed reinforcement in the parapet wall at the roof car park with the same epoxy repair system as that used for under the ramp.
- Roof over stairs, using colour bond roof, pitch dependent, install flashings to parapet. Install colour bond gutter and termination flashing. Seal around window, door and joint between wall and the concrete slab.
- Remove all black waterproofing in the corner of the car park. Waterproof with epoxy and liquid membrane.
When it comes to the repair and maintenance of your concrete structures, it is best to leave the job to an expert professional. For a 12-year triumphing record in transforming spaces, Brandboy can offer affordable solutions to your concrete issues and excellent repair, maintenance and refurbishment services across Australia and New Zealand. We specialize in concrete repairs, waterproofing, electrical and plumbing, flooring and painting, joinery, touchpoint installation, and the list could go on! We also have taken a broader approach to address any issue in commercial and retail spaces. If you need skillful assistance with your concrete repairs and maintenance, you can reach us at 0451 816 788 or click here to fill out our contact form and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible!
