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How Do We Maintain Concrete Balconies?
03/11/2021 9:30 am
Does anyone have any experience with waterproofing concrete balconies?
Can you share your experience, products used, company used etc.? Our building is 1960’s concrete building. The concrete balconies need waterproofing according to the reserve fund study. This includes sanding, cleaning and fixing and sprawl [spall?] or delamination, and coating them with a non‑permeable waterproofing.
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4 Replies
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@MarkH
19/10/2021 11:16 am
I would recommend you get an engineering company involved.
Look for a member of Canadian Condominium Institute (CCI).
Balcony work needs to be done carefully as it can impact the envelope of the building.
Is your building a post‑tension cable building? That would complicate things.
Balconies can be expensive and challenging. In my building, a post‑tension cable building, sometimes there are two layers of concrete. The bottom one is structural and includes post‑tension cables and the top is to protect the bottom one.
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@GibsonT
I agree with working with an Engineering Consultant, but have also recently learned that there is no code requirement for waterproofing exterior concrete. We are reviewing the same issue at this time, and although there is no need for surface water proofing, there is a need to review the concrete overall to ensure no delamination, and the envelope tie‑ins are properly maintained.
A Corporation is wise to invest in a BECA‑Building Envelope Condition Assessment ‑ this will aid in the direction, and priorities of needed work and will allow you to make more qualified decisions on how best to manage your reserve.
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MarkH
We have concrete balconies: some have been enclosed to create ‘sun rooms’. The balconies were cast as part of the reinforced (not post‑tensioned) slab, so they are very effective radiators of our central heating to the outdoors. A few years ago the corporation had them examined and repair work was prescribed to stop spalling and delamination, and rust where the reinforcing rods had become exposed.
The treatment involved sand‑blasting and repairing the concrete, then coating the concrete with epoxy to match the colour of the buildings. We had to remove everything from the balcony to allow the work, of course.
As Terry Gibson suggested, look for an engineering consultant familiar with condominiums to evaluate what is needed, prepare a specification, and oversee work by the contractor after bids have been evaluated. The list of CCI‑SA professional members should yield good results.
We had installed removable plastic tiles to make the concrete more attractive; that brand is no longer available, but Ikea Altappen is similar:
https://www.ikea.com/ca/en/p/altappen‑decking‑outdoor‑light‑gray‑90420898/
Do not put down outdoor carpet on the concrete (and especially not on wood). It traps moisture, causes rot, and breeds mould. Our tiles allow air circulation and drainage, so the balcony is usable as soon as the rain stops.
