Project & Insights
Parking Spot Restoration at Kenaston Gardens: A Comprehensive Repair Process
September 18, 2024
Restoring parking spots in an underground garage is critical for maintaining the safety and longevity of a residential building’s infrastructure. At a low-rise residential building located on Kenaston Gardens in North York, Joint Seal Waterproofing recently completed a parking spot restoration project that addressed surface damage and enhanced the functionality and durability of the garage floor.
The Repair Process
The restoration involved a systematic approach to ensure a long-lasting solution. The following steps were taken:
Concrete Patch Installation: The first step was to remove any loose or damaged material from the parking spot area. Using a grinder, we ensured a clean, stable surface, free of debris. Once the surface was prepared, we applied an industrial-strength adhesive to promote a strong bond between the existing surface and the new material. The concrete patches were then installed to restore structural integrity.
Regrading the Surface: To prevent water accumulation and ensure proper drainage, we regraded the parking area to provide a slope that directs water flow away from critical points. This step is essential to reduce the risk of water pooling, which could lead to future deterioration and possible leaks in the parking garage structure.
Primer Application: With the surface repaired and leveled, we applied a primer to create a secure bonding layer for the specialised coatings that followed. The primer is crucial for promoting adhesion between the concrete surface and the traffic topping material, ensuring that the system performs as intended.
Specialised Traffic Topping Layer: The next step was to apply this layer which is designed to withstand the high stresses caused by vehicle traffic, offering enhanced durability and resistance to wear. This traffic topping is engineered to handle the heavy loads of vehicles entering and exiting the garage over time, ensuring a longer-lasting surface.
Waterproofing Coating: The final step involved applying a durable waterproofing coating to the surface. This coating not only provides protection against water infiltration but also acts as a barrier against deicing salts and chemicals that can seep into the concrete and cause corrosion over time. Waterproofing is essential to prevent further damage and extend the life of the structure.
The Importance of Parking Spot Restoration
Parking spot restoration in underground garages is crucial for several reasons. Over time, the constant exposure to vehicular traffic, water, and deicing chemicals can cause significant wear and tear on the concrete surface. Cracks and surface damage can lead to water infiltration, which may compromise the structural integrity of the garage, leading to costly repairs or even safety hazards. Proper surface grading and the application of waterproof coatings help prevent water buildup, extending the lifespan of the parking garage and providing peace of mind to building residents.
Learn more about a great variety of concrete repair and waterproofing solutions we offer for parking garages by visiting our website: /garages
Related: parking garage waterproofing and repair · garage floor repair and traffic topping · thin-patch concrete repair · floor coating systems · documented projects · common questions
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
How soon after patching can cars go back on a garage level?
Most of our patching in occupied parking garages is back under traffic the same day or the next, because the adhesive and polymer cements cure in about four hours rather than the days conventional concrete needs. On one Scarborough garage floor repair the self-levelling material cured in under thirty minutes and the level reopened within a few hours.
Are cracks in a parking garage slab structural?
Cracks in a parking garage slab are usually not structural in themselves, but they are the path by which chloride-laden water reaches the reinforcing steel, and corroding steel is structural. The width and the wetness matter more than the length. A wet crack in a drive lane deserves attention before a dry crack twice its size.
Is a delaminated patch a structural problem or a cosmetic one?
A single delaminated patch in a parking garage slab is usually not structural on its own, but the open seam lets salt water reach the reinforcing steel, and corroding rebar is structural. The patch is the symptom. What matters is how long the water has had a path in, which is why deferred patching gets more expensive rather than staying the same price.
What should we do with the parked cars while we wait for a garage leak repair?
Relocate the affected vehicles and tape off the bays underneath the leak. On a Vaughan condominium garage we inspected this month, the management company had already moved the affected residents into visitor parking and closed off the drive aisle section, which stopped further staining while the source was traced. It costs nothing and removes the complaint that drives everything else.
Does the whole garage have to close for ceiling repairs?
A parking garage does not usually close for ceiling repair, because the work is staged in sections with cars moved out of the affected bays only. Patch materials cure in around four hours, so a section is rarely out of service long, and the coating over the top generally sets the schedule rather than the patch.
How long before a thin patch can be walked on or driven on?
Polymer cement patches with Polyforce Plus adhesive cure in roughly four hours, comparable to how long conventional concrete takes to set, so most repairs take foot traffic the same day. Temperature affects it, and whatever coating goes over the patch usually governs the return-to-service date rather than the patch itself.
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