Mortar breaking up

[Andrew Dwyer]

Had some tiling done on the house about a year and a half ago, the sand/cement used to finish off the ramp is breaking up.

 

 

 

 

I would like to repair this sooner than later before it starts to affect the tiling.

 

Any suggestions of a product to use to replace the cracked mortar or some additive to make a stronger mix ??

 

Water does accumulate in the channel going to the drain ( see top photo ) which is probably helping to accelerate the breakdown.

[bankruatsteve]

Doesn't look repairable, IMO.  Dig it out and replace with a French drain or channel drain?

[richard_smith237]

Typical cosmetic job done by Thai labourers... 

 

Either live with it and touch it up every year or so, or dig it all out, dig it much deeper, use rebar and re-do it with a single mix off concrete. 

[Andrew Dwyer]

I was thinking of removing the last row then replacing them with a slightly steeper angle to avoid going into the drain channel and avoiding sitting in water.

Scuffing up the existing concrete with a chisel to get better adhesion and using a stronger mix would last a few years ??

[sometimewoodworker]

2 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

Any suggestions of a product to use to replace the cracked mortar or some additive to make a stronger mix ??

I’ve got a bucket of premixed waterproof mortar that is designed for that job. It says that in English on the tub.

[Andrew Dwyer]

11 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

I’ve got a bucket of premixed waterproof mortar that is designed for that job. It says that in English on the tub.

Thanks SWW that’s what I am looking for.

Any chance of a photo/name or where you bought it ?

[DaLa]

Thin skims of concrete (or mortar) are not very durable. The 2 main reasons this is happening is , 1.  Movement of the underlying base and 2. normal deterioration due to atmospheric conditions ( rain etc).

 

As correctly suggested above, you will have to start again. To counteract the movement try some galvanised chicken wire bedded into the layer. For problem 2 try additives (for waterproofing and flexibility) and a strong mix.  Also don't feather off the mortar down to a millimetre, rather dig out a groove from the underlying base and try to make the 'ramp' as thick as possible.

 

Could be a lot more helpful in the Uk and suggest an off the shelf material , however it's difficult  to get reasonable advice here from some of the builders merchants and a lot of what you need to describe to them never makes it through the language barrier.

[Andrew Dwyer]

37 minutes ago, DaLa said:

Thin skims of concrete (or mortar) are not very durable. The 2 main reasons this is happening is , 1.  Movement of the underlying base and 2. normal deterioration due to atmospheric conditions ( rain etc).

 

As correctly suggested above, you will have to start again. To counteract the movement try some galvanised chicken wire bedded into the layer. For problem 2 try additives (for waterproofing and flexibility) and a strong mix.  Also don't feather off the mortar down to a millimetre, rather dig out a groove from the underlying base and try to make the 'ramp' as thick as possible.

 

Could be a lot more helpful in the Uk and suggest an off the shelf material , however it's difficult  to get reasonable advice here from some of the builders merchants and a lot of what you need to describe to them never makes it through the language barrier.

Yes, it seems a common problem, the mortar tapers down to a point, the thin end breaks off initially and then water ingress breaks it down further.

 

I’m quite happy to chip off the excess mortar after the tiles and replace it with a more suitable product making it shorter , and steeper, to avoid the water in the drain channel. If it needs replacing every 2 or 3 years then so be it.

 

I do see a lot of similar issues round and about but have also noticed a couple of houses in the moobahn that appear to have used a tarmac/asphalt type product to create a small ramp after the tiles finish. 

[bankruatsteve]

23 minutes ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

to avoid the water in the drain channel

Is it supposed to be a drain?  If so and not any slope, you will still have that problem.  If it is a drain, it seems you would want to make it a proper one.  Cheers.

[sometimewoodworker]

2 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

Thanks SWW that’s what I am looking for.

Any chance of a photo/name or where you bought it ?

Probably from Global House, DoHome, Thai Watsadu, or HomePro.

 

I have had it for probably 7 or 8 years.

 

1 hour ago, DaLa said:

Thin skims of concrete (or mortar) are not very durable.

That’s why you don’t use them.

[Andrew Dwyer]

1 hour ago, bankruatsteve said:

Is it supposed to be a drain?  If so and not any slope, you will still have that problem.  If it is a drain, it seems you would want to make it a proper one.  Cheers.

I see what you are saying Steve .

 

The tiling guy made the ramp 2 full tiles wide , which while aesthetically pleasing meant the mortar goes into the “ V “ channel . This channel is to send the water back to the drain , here’s a clearer photo looking in the opposite direction in front of neighbours gate :

 

 

While the mortar is not exactly pretty it is only breaking up where the car travels over it  which unfortunately the channel dips at that point and retains a little water after raining or hosing the garden/carport area.

 

Ideal situation would be to fit a channel drain I agree but that looks like some heavy work there and am not sure I want to start digging the soi up.

 

My plan is to remove the broken mortar and the excess going into the “v” channel and replace with the product recommended by SWW.

 

Failing that is to shorten the ramp by 1/2 tile giving a slightly steeper angle but keeping clear of any standing water , again using the waterproof mortar 

 

 

[bodga]

21 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Typical cosmetic job done by Thai labourers... 

 

Either live with it and touch it up every year or so, or dig it all out, dig it much deeper, use rebar and re-do it with a single mix off concrete. 

including cement not fresh air with gallons  of  water, as per  thai standard

[Yellowtail]

You could try saw-cutting a bevel.

 

I would also consider chipping out what's loose and running another row of tile to the bottom of the channel. Bag of the green Crocodile to fill and stick the tiles down.