Sealing edges of old concrete floor

[JohnATC]

I need advice on an old concrete floor.

The floor meets the wall below the damp course.

There's no modern membrane up the wall, instead there seems to be a 1" wide vertical layer of fine gravel/sand next to the wall, then clay before the concrete starts?
(see pictures)

The gravel next to the wall seems to get damp through the brick when it rains.

The old tiles were layed with a small 1cm gap between wall & tile, which was covered by the skirting.

I need to know if it's possible to seal this gap, without causing damage (with expanding foam or something, what is the best method?)

Otherwise, I think moisture will come up from the gravel & make the space under new cupboards damp, like it did to the old skirting board.

Anyone got any experience of this type of floor?

Untitled

• JohnATC
• 9 Jul 2011
• 1

Untitled

• JohnATC
• 9 Jul 2011
• 1

 

[JohnATC]

OK, so I took up some of the old tiles & it looks like the "clay" between wall & concrete is about 3 inches wide here, I need to seal this for damp before laying new tiles.

What is the best way to do this using modern materials?

I wonder if
SikaDur Epoxy patching mortar from B&Q might be any good, or how about
Kerapoxy Epoxy Grout?

I want to stop damp that comes through the wall below the damp course from coming up at the edge of the tiles.

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• JohnATC
• 14 Jul 2011
• 1

 

[dormermike]

Hi, sorry i cant answer your question but have a similar issue myself. Except my concrete floir goes right upto wall, albeit below the dpc. Brick below dpc is wet.

I wondered do you have a cavity wall in that area? Mine is cavity but outside is dry, so suspect its a high water table or bridged cavity.

For sealing, i guess you could try a layer of dpm with quickdrying cement (waterproof) over the top...?

 

[JohnATC]

This floor meets the wall below the dpc too, I'm looking at those damp proof creams on ebay, wonder if I could inject those vertically down into the clay along the wall & top off with epoxy grout?

It's not very wet, but does get damp when it rains.
What I'm really looking for is some kind of liquid that'll act as a pourable dpm, with enough strength when set to lay tiles over.

 

[dormermike]

Cavity wall?

 

[JohnATC]

Not a proper cavity & suspect it's bridged at bottom