Investor · Fort Worth, TX · Member since 2011 · 1k+ posts · 450 votes
The front porch / raised patio to my 1950's rental with a pier and beam foundation made of concrete and is cracked and actually depressed downward in the middle a couple inches. The floor level is about equal to that of the raised wood floor of the house. I would like to replace/repair that concrete patio floor, but am not sure how it is constructed. I'm pretty sure demo and replacement is the only way to go.
Are these things filled with dirt and then a slab poured or were they built some other way?
Hard to say without a picture. Potentially you could fill the crack with epoxy and put a new surface on the concrete. Would be worth having a concrete guy or five take a look and give you a number.
Hard to say without a picture. Potentially you could fill the crack with epoxy and put a new surface on the concrete. Would be worth having a concrete guy or five take a look and give you a number.
Thanks Emilio. The more I think about it, since what is there is not repairable in a way that would make it look any better, it will have to come out. I guess I'll find out. If its not filled with dirt....it will be when I'm done. I'm starting to think that it was dirt and that dirt settled - leaving no support below the slab and thus the crack. Probably needs good compaction before replacing the slab.
It's not a big project and kind of a good excuse to buy a concrete mixer....:)
With the crack and settling, may have even been a preform, I know a local concrete company makes entire stairs/handrail and ships them to site.
I had a job where an entry door was being removed that had a concrete stair case with hand rails ( 5 steps ). Not bothering to remember the house was built in 1900 we figured we would just bust it up quick and be done.......couldnt be more wrong, entire stairs were SOLID concrete, so your talking a 4x5 foot solid slab, even with 90lb jackhammer took awhile. They just dont build them like they used too.
I know Brians probably long since solved his issue, just figured I would point out you never know with these stairs what you might run into.
With the crack and settling, may have even been a preform, I know a local concrete company makes entire stairs/handrail and ships them to site.
I had a job where an entry door was being removed that had a concrete stair case with hand rails ( 5 steps ). Not bothering to remember the house was built in 1900 we figured we would just bust it up quick and be done.......couldnt be more wrong, entire stairs were SOLID concrete, so your talking a 4x5 foot solid slab, even with 90lb jackhammer took awhile. They just dont build them like they used too.
I know Brians probably long since solved his issue, just figured I would point out you never know with these stairs what you might run into.
Good story!
I just decided to do nothing for now. The tentants don't care and niether do I as long as they don't. I just put up a nice 12 by 33 ft steel carport (lot shape dictated caprort layout) for them and that is more important to them than the front porch which they don't really even use since they park by the side door. The carport does double duty as an awning over the side door so they can walk between their cars and the house without getting wet when it rains. I know they appreciate that more than fixing the ugly crack in the front porch.
I might consider fixing with a turnover. Now that I'm a week and a half from finishing my master's degree, I'll have more time to tinker around with stuff like that without spending a bunch of money or creating a time/stress cunch. I'd probably get really serious about fixing it if I decided to sell the house.