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PearlWhiteGT · 04-24-2009, 08:20 AM

Is there any way to make this look better or fix it? I plan on laying tile over the patio floor but can't stand that the column is hanging over the concrete & the other one isn't. Took a pic of both sides so that you could see what I am talking about.

Good one.

Bad one.

Leah Frances · 04-24-2009, 10:03 AM

Is that EIFS on the column? Looks like some EIFS on the house. If so, you better have someone look at the columns before you have a problem, other than aesthetics.

vsheetz · 04-24-2009, 10:26 AM

What is the source of the problem?

Is the column not anchored at the botton, should be, and has been moved a few inches over? If so, move it back and anchor it. Is the concrete not squared at the edge and not under the post? Is the post not placed correctly at the top, making it wrong at the bottom? Or other?

txpatioslab · 04-24-2009, 10:29 AM

It seems like you have a good opportunity now to resolve this issue since you'll be tiling over anything that doesn't look perfect. I know this sounds simplistic, but it looks like you just need to pour some extra concrete outside the existing edge to match the dimensions vis a vis the column per the other side. As long as it's not a structural issue, this shouldn't be too large a project. You'd only have to pour a small amount of concrete, so it's not too big of a job, but pouring concrete is never a small job either.
I'm a bit of a hack, so I'd talk to some concrete contractors regarding how long to let the new concrete cure prior to tiling, how to tie the new concrete area to the old concrete, whether you should include an expansion joint, etc.
I also don't know the impact of wet concrete interacting with EIFS, if any, if you do have that on the column and the house.

txpatioslab · 04-24-2009, 10:48 AM

I had to look EIFS up on Wikipedia, so I don't know much about it.

**thekctermite** · 04-24-2009, 11:01 AM

EIFS is like stucco that comes in a bucket instead of mixing on site. It has residential applications but is more common in commercial construction.

I'd add a few inches to the patio before tiling. Just get a hammer drill and drill in rebar dowels every foot or so to tie the old and new concrete together structurally. I'd use epoxy to secure the dowels. I'd also run a piece of rebar lengthwise in the new piece.

Be sure to use good exterior caulk to seal the joint between the tile and the stucco/EIFS. That is a degradation issue just waiting to happen.

Mop in Hand · 04-24-2009, 11:03 AM

Looks as if the concrete form was not centered before it was poured. Hard to tell. Is it perfect? No. I doubt the column has moved unless there is some cracking elsewhere. If it bothers you that much, I suppose you could build a form the distance that is short and pour some more concrete along side it. Since your are tiling it anyway, the new pour will not show. However, the new will have to be attached to the old, which means some short pieces of rebar will have to be anchored to the side of the old concrete about a foot apart. You could skip the rebar but I would advise against it, do to the fact sooner or later movement will occur between the old slab and the new pour which will more than likely crack the tiles. Or take the easy way out and plant some shurbs or flowers around it.

PearlWhiteGT · 04-24-2009, 12:21 PM

Here is a pic of the patio. They said it is stuco. The column didn't move, I think they just didn't center the slab right.

newbpainter · 04-24-2009, 01:06 PM

If you can, call whoever did it and tell them to fix it.

curapa · 04-24-2009, 05:13 PM

From the pic I would say it was the slab guys fault. As for the fix, do as thekctermite said above.

PearlWhiteGT · 04-25-2009, 06:35 AM

Thanks!

Maintenance 6 · 04-26-2009, 08:31 AM

You'll want to be really careful about tiling on top of the existing concrete. You don't want to create any pockets where water can be trapped against the columns, or against the exterior wall of the house.

PearlWhiteGT · 04-29-2009, 01:56 PM

How would it look if I just added one big piece of slab on that side of the house all the way to the end of the wall connecting the two. I could use that area for my bar-b-que pit. Just don't know if it will match the house. I want to use my patio for entertaining. Any advice would be great!!!