[Maine1]

Looking for suggestions and advice on what to do with this front porch. Its a concrete slab with slate set on top. Most of the slate slabs are loose.

I’m hoping to do this myself but dont have a lot of experience with stone/concrete work but not afraid to try.

If I pull up all the slate I’m left with a rough, uneven surface.. Not sure what To do with it. Reuse the slate? Bricks? Something else?

Help me out so I can stay busy and not go out of my mind while I’m furloughed! Thanks!



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[Maine1]

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[joed]

You could reuse the slate if that is the look you want. I would try to number the pieces and take a picture so you can fit them back together.
The concrete needs to be solid if you will be doing over again. Rough surface is fine but it can't be crumbling and breaking up.

 

[Maine1]

Honestly, I would rather do something else with it but not sure what.. The porch is low and could be raised up closer to the bottom of the front door. Can the slate be removed along with loose material and then a layer of fresh concrete poured on top?

Was thinking about making it level with a fresh layer and then possibly use bricks or some other stone/blocks to make a new surface. Is that possible?

 

[Nealtw]

Best would be if you could stay 1" below the siding, some step up to the door is good thing.

If you are raising it I would also raise the feet of the posts so they are not sitting in a wet pocket.

 

[Maine1]

Lets say I remove all the slate and loose mortar.. I'll be left with a rough bumpy , uneven surface. Us it ok to just make a form around it and pour over top of it a couple inches? If so, what should I use?

 

[joed]

As long as the concrete is solid and not crumbling two inches should be fine. Rough surface is fine as long as not crumbling.

 

[Maine1]

As long as the concrete is solid and not crumbling two inches should be fine. Rough surface is fine as long as not crumbling.

Thanks! Any tips on what type to use? Just regular concrete mix?


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[stadry]

if placing 2" doesn't get you too close to the sill, i'm ok w/it,,, think the best method's to chop out the old & place NEW conc,,, if you want overlay, recommend using either polymer-modified cement extended w/2gal of pea stone per bag or 5,000psi bagg'd conc mix,,, you can find either on shelves @ favorite apron/vest store,,, plan on priming w/grout b4 placing reg conc.
you'll likely find the existing slab's got cracks but no original joint(s),,, if that's the case, the cracks MAY be acting as joints,,, tough call w/o seeing pics of the slab w/cover stone removed & then pressure washed to clean condition

 

[Maine1]

if placing 2" doesn't get you too close to the sill, i'm ok w/it,,, think the best method's to chop out the old & place NEW conc,,, if you want overlay, recommend using either polymer-modified cement extended w/2gal of pea stone per bag or 5,000psi bagg'd conc mix,,, you can find either on shelves @ favorite apron/vest store,,, plan on priming w/grout b4 placing reg conc.
you'll likely find the existing slab's got cracks but no original joint(s),,, if that's the case, the cracks MAY be acting as joints,,, tough call w/o seeing pics of the slab w/cover stone removed & then pressure washed to clean condition

Thanks for the advice! I'll look into that further. I'd rather not remove the entire pad if I dont have to so I'll probably try to work off of it assuming its not too bad once I remove all the stone on top.

 

[Colbyt]

You might find a good slab under that mess. If yes power wash and call it done.

 

[Maine1]

OK, so here’s where I’m at. I removed all the slate and the loose mortar that was below it and there was also a bout an inch thick pour on top of the original slab that mostly came up. The 4 x 4‘s on the corners were actually run all the way down into the ground. Of course they were rotten at the bottom and surprisingly weren’t even holding any weight at all.

I was thinking about just making a form around the existing slab and pouring maybe a couple inches on top of what’s there now. Would it be OK to fill in those corners once I’ve make a form around it?

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[Colbyt]

I have poured 2" caps a few times where doing otherwise for more than I cared to do. So far they are holding.


As for those post area, I would get at lest 1 rebar pin into the slab for each of them, pour them level to the existing slab and pour the cap.


Chance are the caps will give us both problems down the road and is not as good as a new slab. Sometimes you got to do what you got to do.


How much clearance to the bottom of the siding with the 2" cap?


Enen though those posts did not appear to be holding anything I would get some temp braces in place.

 

[Maine1]

I have poured 2" caps a few times where doing otherwise for more than I cared to do. So far they are holding.


As for those post area, I would get at lest 1 rebar pin into the slab for each of them, pour them level to the existing slab and pour the cap.


Chance are the caps will give us both problems down the road and is not as good as a new slab. Sometimes you got to do what you got to do.


How much clearance to the bottom of the siding with the 2" cap?


Enen though those posts did not appear to be holding anything I would get some temp braces in place.

I’ll still have a few inches of clearance at the siding if I go about 2 inches thick.

I do have some bracing

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[Maine1]

Finally got some good weather today so I’ll be working on this some more.

Question.. Should I pour the corners flush with the existing slab first, wait some time for it to set and then pour the top up 2 “? Or should I pour it all at once?

If 2 steps are better, how long should I wait before pouring over the top?

Thanks!


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[stadry]

i'd form the whole thing then place starting w/corners keeping in mind what colby posted,,, are you placing a bonded OR unbonded overlay ? in either case, i think we'd use mechanical anchors

 

[Maine1]

i'd form the whole thing then place starting w/corners keeping in mind what colby posted,,, are you placing a bonded OR unbonded overlay ? in either case, i think we'd use mechanical anchors

I’ll be pitting rebar into the sides of the existing corners with epoxy. I also have a paint on bonding agent to put over the existing pad first.


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[stadry]

not fans of bonding agents but we do soak the existing conc 1st to achieve a ' surface saturated dry ' condition ( conc won't absorb any more wtr BUT there will be NO standing water [puddles] ),,, we'd use polymer-modified cement extended w/3/8" stone + mechanical anchors

 

[Colbyt]

Question.. Should I pour the corners flush with the existing slab first, wait some time for it to set and then pour the top up 2 “? Or should I pour it all at once?

If 2 steps are better, how long should I wait before pouring over the top?

I would do it in 2 steps with 24 hours between them.

 

[joed]

If you pour it all at once it will almost certainly crack at the edges.
Pouring separately will have a better chance of not cracking but no guarantee.
Assuming you are going to put the post back in those corner positions, the concrete under them should be more than just a slab extension. It should be dug down below frost with a post hole digger.