Summer Solutions for Inside and Out By Gary Ranck
Your sidewalks may crumble, your tile may tumble, can Gary save the day? Oh, our man is on the way. With good advice. And with apologies to George and Ira Gershwin.
Dear Gary,
We have a sixty-some-year-old house, and I recently noticed that,
in the bathroon, the original tile wall around the tub appears
to have some spots where the grout is missing. So far, no tiles
have fallen off the wall, but I’m guessing it is only a
matter of time. Is there something we can do to circumvent that
from occurring? Is there some material we can place on top of
the existing tiles or will we need to remove and then replace
the tiles?
Thanks in advance for a great column. - My Grout Be Gone
Dear My Grout,
Awhile back I was asked the same question, and my answer was,
if the tile is solid and it looks as though the backer (or underlayment)
is not rotten or falling apart, you could just re-grout the joints.
This can be quite time-consuming. You will need to dig the grout
out of the joints. You could get a grout saw, a grinder, or a
small power tile saw. If you want the job to look uniform, you
must do all the joints. You could however just re-grout the areas
that are missing, but it may loosen and fall out again. You will
need to dampen—not soak—the area that you are re-grouting,
then mix the grout and apply with a squeegee, forcing the grout
into the joint and compacting it. Let this area haze over a little
and buff the tile surface with a fluffy terry cloth towel. It
may require buffing several times.
Thanks for the question. Good to hear from you.
Dear Gary,
I want to replace a few sidewalk tiles in my front walk, and many
contractors do not want to do such a small job. Is it hard to
do? What type of concrete do I need? What is the proper procedure
for forming and installing the concrete? When can we walk on it
after it is poured? Is there anything we can do to prevent the
top of the concrete from coming off? Some of our walk has the
smooth top layer flaking off, exposing the stones that are in
the concrete. I guess those are enough questions.
Thanks for your help. - Concrete Advice Needed
Dear Concrete,
The biggest challenge is breaking up and removing the existing
walk. Once you remove the tiles, dig alongside of the remaining
walk and place some straight two-by-fours against the existing
walk edge. Place stakes along the the outside of the two-by-fours
to form the new sidewalk area, fastening them to the two-by-fours
with a duplex or two-headed nail. Use the height of the adjoining
walk to set the elevation of the forms.
Once the forms are set, clean out the area of the new walk, so
the depth is consistent, approximately 31/2 to 4 inches deep.
If you order ready-mix concrete from a truck, specify 3,000 to
3,500 psi concrete and tell the plant operator the tile sizes
you are pouring. They will figure out the cubic feet or yards
you will need.
Make sure you have a straight two-by-four at least two feet longer
than the width of your walk to use for a screed. When you pour
the concrete in the hole, you will use the screed to cut and level
the concrete. Lay the screed across the width of the walk and
use a sawing motion to move and level the concrete in the hole.
Use an edge trowel to make a nice, smooth perimeter edge. The
trowel also moves the aggregate down into the concrete and brings
the “cream” to the top. Use a wood float and then
a magnesium trowel to make the concrete smooth and edge again.
If you want it really smooth, finish with a steel trowel and edge
again.
You can lightly broom the surface, when nearly set, for a nonslip
surface. After the concrete hardens, you can apply a sealer, available
from your favorite hardware store. By the next day, the concrete
will be hard enough to walk on, but keep traffic to a minimum
for twenty-eight days. If the walk is in direct sunlight, cover
the newly poured concrete with burlap, keeping it damp for the
twenty-eight days. This will allow the concrete to cure properly.
Concrete will be “green” until it cures, and will
be very easily gouged or scratched. Also, until the concrete cures,
do not drive a vehicle across it, as it could crack.
Thanks for the question.
Tip of the Day
Don’t Walk on Eggshells
Do not use calcium or ice melt on new concrete for the first season.
This can cause the top to flake off, or what’s called “spalding”
or “eggshelling.” Also, the direct, hot sun can cause the same
condition during the first twenty-eight days after pouring a new
walk, which is why keeping the concrete damp is essential.
Carpenter Gary Ranck is a sales representative for Brookside
Homes. You can contact him at askgary@mountainhomemag.com
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