Should I be concerned? Clay brick masonry expands over time. The fibrous material in the expansion joints between my house and patio has been squished out. I simply left a small gap which I filled with the sand between the two. The specifications call for expansion joints every 20 feet. The patio shown here (about 20 x 20 ft.) needed two intersecting joints. Joint filler strips are used to make expansion joints, control joints and construction joints in concrete to create gaps that allow the concrete to move freely or crack in a controlled manner. When it comes to expansion joint repair, there are a few options to consider. Step 2 - How to Install Expansion Joints in a Typical Residential Foundation. Having a strong solid expansion joint helps with the following: Helps to inhibit the growth of weeds ; Helps to block water from getting below the concrete causing erosion. The patio will be up against the house foundation on 2 adjacent sides. If you tile over an expansion joint then you need to “honor” that joint in the tile as well. Large Sample Concrete Expansion Joint Pack Trim-A-Slab is a product made from exterior-grade Trim-A-Slab is a product made from exterior-grade materials designed to replace rotten or missing wood often found in driveways and sidewalks over 5-years old. Good question. I have been contracted to build 2,000 linear feet of 5-foot-wide, 4-inch-thick sidewalk on a 4-inch gravel base. It enables water to drain, but none of the pavers have lifted and the concrete is fine. Can I fix this on my own or should I find a handyman? Just treat the concrete as if it were another row of pavers and fill the joint … Protecting a basement foundation from water damage and cracking is essential. In the UK clay brickwork experiences thermal expansion for up to 20 years after the bricks have been moved from the kiln. An expansion joint or movement joint is an assembly designed to hold parts together while safely absorbing temperature-induced expansion and contraction of building materials, and vibration, or to allow movement due to ground settlement or seismic activity. BUT, you want to prevent any additional movement. dennis_phillips7 July 2, 2010. You could use Expansion Joint filler. In some places it sticks out by more than an inch. In this case what I would use is a polyurethane caulk made for masonry, like this one: Loctite PL10 Often the gap to be filled is quite deep. The expansion joints are normally located between sections of bridges, paving slabs, railway tracks, and piping systems. Very satisfied with everything….until a few weeks ago. An expansion joint is a material placed in the cracks (or joints) between concrete slabs to protect the slabs from cracking when they contract and expand as the temperature changes. An expansion joint may also be placed between a driveway and adjacent concrete slabs, such as the foundation of a house or garage.These planned spaces allow each section of concrete to move independently of the others. You want the rod to fit tight in the joint, so buy it one size larger than the gap. After some heavy rains, followed by snow, and brutal temperatures, I started noticing that the expansion joint between the new driveway and existing … When sealing an expansion joint between a slab and a wall, a cold-pour sealant applied via a mastic gun is the easiest option. A gap between a basement foundation and a sidewalk leaves both structures vulnerable to severe water damage. Expansion joints, on the other hand, are typically used to accommodate thermal and moisture expansion in clay brick masonry. 3 years ago. An expansion joint is a continuous vertical or horizontal joint, left completely free of mortar and filled with elastomeric sealant to keep it watertight. A 20 foot square of newly placed concrete will shrink about an 1/8 to a quarter of an inch in the curing process. For gaps and joints more than 1/4 in. When installing a new slab against an existing one, many concrete masons put expansion joint material between the two slabs. You can replace the wood with new wood, replace it with caulk, or replace it with a filler strip. Filling the space with semi-flexible, rot-resistant material blocks moisture while allowing the structures to shift without cracking. (I can do SIMPLE repairs). I added a paver patio against my already existing concrete patio over 5 years ago. Of these options, wood is clearly the worst. Even with an older house, compacting soil is a good idea because pavers next to the house see a lot of foot traffic and compacted dirt will keep them from sinking. the01animal July 2, 2010. go to building supply and get expansion joint. I am going to assume that you have a concrete patio which has a small gap where it meets the house foundation. The expansion joint caulk is available at contractor supply stores, well-stocked home centers and hardware stores. The house has veneer fieldstone on the walls from ground level up. place that against house and pour your patio. The purpose of an expansion joint is to allow the concrete slab to expand and contract with temperatures changes, without cracking the slab. wide. An expansion joint is in the substrate, for instance, in concrete. In other spots it is recessed. Expansion joints are put in place before the concrete is poured. Asphalt-saturated fiberboard was the staple expansion joint … Expansion joints are full-depth, full-width joints placed at regular intervals along the pavement, usually 50 to 500 ft (15 - 150 m) with contraction joints in between. (If it matters, I live in Phoenix, Arizona.) It’s quite common to see controlled breaks in concrete and those are usually expansion joints. An expansion joint is installed in the slab in one of several ways. This is why contractors will put an expansion joint between the driveway and garage floor. I contend that expansion joints are needed at a minimum of every 50 feet and where This is an out-dated practice that allows slabs to migrate and transverse contraction joints to open too wide causing joint … There also is a tear away strip on top of expansion foam that is designed to be removed and a suitable flexible weatherproof sealant applied once the path has settled. They are commonly found between sections of buildings, bridges, sidewalks, railway tracks, piping systems, ships, and other structures. If the wood expansion joint has totally rotted leaving a gap, it can create a tripping/falling hazard. House slabs; When concrete is first placed, it will shrink slightly in the curing or hardening process. A 16 x 20-ft. patio would need one dividing the 20-ft. length. Erosion creates its own set of problems. I don't know the answer but I … This material acts as a shock absorber, absorbing the stress from the slab's movement. Backer rod A driveway expansion joint, also known as an isolation joint, is a space put between adjoining sections of concrete to help control cracking. A thin layer of sand placed between the slab and the top of the footing allows for some additional expansion. that is the name and they’ll know what it is. This means that Abelflex is a plastic foam that has bubbles in it that aren’t linked so water can’t run through it. As previously stated above, expansion joints are gaps to allow and accommodate the expansion of adjacent elements, primarily due to thermal movement, but … The house has a brick exterior where the patio will meet the house, and he is wondering if he should just pour the concrete right up to the house, or place an expansion joint along the back of the house and pour up to that. A Guilty Party Permalink Asphalt saturated fiberboard, designed for expansion joints. wide; joints 12 to 16 ft. apart, 1/2 in. The intent isn't so much to allow 'room for expansion' but rather to isolate (separate) the concrete slab from the foundation wall. It allows for movement in the tile. Expansion joints allow each section of concrete to move independently of the others. These hole occurred all along the length of the gap, which runs between two sides of patio and our house. meets the house. I have the same patio as you are describing, coping and patio is made up of pre-cast pavers. Expansion joints are cuts in concrete slabs, or the joints between walls and concrete slabs, that go completely through the slab to the base material. An expansion joint is designed to absorb safely the expansion and contraction of several construction materials, absorb vibrations, and permit soil movements due to earthquakes or ground settlement. Typically, most expansion occurs within 6 months, but as the process is irreversible, this movement needs to be accommodated by using movement joint fillers, or expansion joint … ... We have a concrete patio off the back of our house. Reply. The technical (confusing) answer: Abelflex is a closed-cell, cross-linked, 100% polyethylene foam expansion joint and space filler strip. Joints can be installed in the interior of the slab with maximum spacings of 25 feet. An expansion joint and a movement joint are generally terms for the same thing in building and construction. Like the01animal says – expansion joint material. 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