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old house added onto years ago wood floor to concrete..just removed carpet and..

old house added onto years ago wood floor to concrete..just removed carpet and..


  #1  
Old 09-09-11, 05:53 PM
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old house added onto years ago wood floor to concrete..just removed carpet and..

This house was added onto in the living room about 40 years ago where a side porch with cement floor was. ...well floor still there just part of the living room now.

I have just removed the carpet in this area and see that the transition from wood to cement floor looks like they just leveled out/filled seam with morter but now after all these years in places the mortar has cracked and busted and there are some gaps about 1 inch wide and worst appears to be about 3/8 inch deep (haven't picked at it yet to makes sure all loose pieces are out). Most is just a small crack running along wood and cement.

Whats best way to (well lets say budget fix and may last 15-20 years) fill these back in? I figure just remove loose pieces fill in with mortar or cement and maybe touch up with leveling compound to even/smooth it out.

Would some-type of a cement/mortar crack repair be better?

I'm going to install the vinyl planks (resilent) when/ if I ever get all the old padding removed from the wood ...thanks!
 
  #2  
Old 09-10-11, 02:59 AM
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I'd chip what I could and refloat the area where the concrete is lower than the wood, bringing it up to wood level. Use floor leveler, not just concrete. It will self level for the most part if you follow the directions well. Has the mortar/concrete cracked beyond the 3/8" depth? Do you think it is just the top slurry layer that is damaged, or does it go deeper?
 
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Old 09-10-11, 06:42 AM
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To add to Chandler's comments is there any evidence of moisture damage where the concrete meets the wood? If there is any due to moisture coming through the concrete in the past it would also make sense to leave perhaps a 1/4 inch gap between the concrete and wood and fill it with an appropriate caulking. This approach might also avoid future joint cracking potential as the wood expands and contracts with humidity changes during the year. This could be the reason you have the current problem you have also with the cracking joint.
 
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Old 09-10-11, 07:12 AM
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Thanks for the info. Wood does not appear to be rotted (not soft and still looks good)

Have not gotten motivated yet this morning but did notice that on the old cement floor have some high spots that will be too much even for the vinyl planks so going to go and get a angle grinder and a disc to knock it down.

Since this is a temp fix until kids get old enough to move out I understand my solutions aren't a permanent fix and will still have a noticeable slop and possible a slight hump but you should of seem it before hand.

After reading the comments have decided to use a flexible floor patch and leveler (maybe the dap stuff) for the cracks and gaps and also use it to smooth it out more. The amount of sloop is too much on the concrete to use just a leveling compound its about a 4' by 14' and figure the slop is about 1"-1.5" (guessing) and figure next go around I'll correct it all the right way but know just want to mask the worse of it.

Good thing is so far what carpet we have removed the hardwood floor is in pretty good shape (minus few layers of paint (lead paint most likely) better than rest of the rooms so may even go back with it a few more years from know...Thanks!

I'm about to drink some more coffee and I'll be ready to start..
 
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Old 09-10-11, 12:03 PM
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Well cracks are deeper than I thought. Stuck a 3" knife blade in it and almost 3" in one place and it bottomed all the way down in another so possibility it could be all the way through.

thinking about now just filling shy of the top with some caulk and using some patching/leveling compound to fill it rest of the way up and feather out the leveling compound to reduce the slop.
 
  #6  
Old 09-10-11, 01:31 PM
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Rather then caulk, get Butyl Rubber in caulk form. The rubber will adhere like crazy and will always stay pliable so it will give and take with the weather, not that you have that much fluctuation, what 95 to 15?
 
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Old 09-10-11, 04:20 PM
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lately been feeling like 100 to 15...any hoo aint butyl rubber what they used to seal windshield seals years ago? Seems like I recall using thay on my old 67 stang...thanks again for the info.
 
  #8  
Old 09-10-11, 06:11 PM
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Yeah, I think we did use butyl rubber on windshields, years ago. It came in one color, black. We haven't had it too bad up here in the mountains, mostly high 80's. Next week 70's, and mandatory open-your-window-nights....breeze.
 
 

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