Garage Floor Leaks into Basement

[Mike Lamb]

This garage floor is built over a storage space in the basement and is leaking into the basement. Might an epoxy coat on the floor help stop the leaking? Then the owner could squeegee out nuisance puddling if he wants.

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[kurt]

Maybe. It's about all you can do at this point.

I'm finding multiple problems with these garages over storage spaces. It should be approached like a rain screen application with a "roof" membrane and drainage plane outlets.

There's also problems at the garage apron. The foundation is cut down to create a pocket for the planks and water comes in around the pockets. There needs to be a membrane or something similar (maybe Rubber Wall?) over the plank/pocket area.

These things require engineering and installation detailing that they (mostly) aren't getting.

[Marc]

Isn't this garage floor sloped downward towards the door?

Did it always leak?

Marc

[Jim Katen]

It would be relatively easy to stop the leaks in the field with an elastomeric coating. But the cold joints are always going to leak.

[mjr6550]

From the bottom it looks like precast. From the top it looks like poured concrete. Is it precast or poured, or precast with a topping coat.

Urethane caulk or epoxy could be used to seal joints. Possibly even urethane injection. Methacrylate coatings are also an option.

[kurt]

Chicago and concrete platforms intended to hold out water don't go together so well. I can't count the number of times I've had condo associations or individuals call me to figure out a coating that will stop concrete planks or platforms from leaking.

For reasons I don't understand, it's not as simple as prophylactic coatings.

[Rob Amaral]

Salt from snow-melt on cars/tires inevitably gets on/in/through these systems and works on the re-bar..