Concrete cutting (only very small piece. Possible?)

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timmmay

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#3080559 29-May-2023 08:40

Would it be easier to put a strip of something behind the door as a barrier to prevent water coming in? You wouldn't want wood as it would degrade over time.

eracode

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#3080567 29-May-2023 08:51

Insanekiwi:

@eracode - thank you for the great idea. I think this could potentially work with good quality double side tape if I can get something similar. Maybe worthwhile looking at Aliexpress too!

Presumably you mean look at Aliexpress for tape? Extrusion is very easy to buy here. You can get a wide range of dimensions and thicknesses. For example:

https://www.bunnings.co.nz/rapidmesh-32-x-20-x-1-4mm-x-1m-aluminium-unequal-angle_p0191481

DS tape may work but as you say would need to be very high spec to last against heat, sun, rain etc. Such tapes are available but are pretty expensive. The very high spec tapes are really only available overseas - and possibly not from Aliexpress.

I'd say don't dismiss the pop rivets - easy to do and strong. If for any reason you wanted to un-do it, they're not hard to drill out to remove - in which case no real harm done - just a few small holes remaining in the underside of your door.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

eracode

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#3080569 29-May-2023 09:03

timmmay:

Would it be easier to put a strip of something behind the door as a barrier to prevent water coming in? You wouldn't want wood as it would degrade over time.

Then you will be driving over it all the time - and it makes sweeping out the garage more difficult. This would not prevent the water getting in - it might stop the water getting further in.

A simple flashing as outlined above would prevent water getting in by directing it outside and away - and leaves the garage floor dry, smooth and undisturbed by surgery.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

djtOtago

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#3080572 29-May-2023 09:13

There should be a local roofing supplier in your area who also makes and bends custom flashings. Take one of @eracode drawings to them with some measurements added and they will be able to make a nice flashing.

If your door is one of the standard colour steel colours, they will also be able to match the colour. Or pick some other colour that works for you.

I'd also recommend using Pop rivets :)

eracode

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#3080575 29-May-2023 09:16

djtOtago:

There should be a local roofing supplier in your area who also makes and bends custom flashings. Take one of @eracode drawings to them with some measurements added and they will be able to make a nice flashing.

If your door is one of the standard colour steel colours, they will also be able to match the colour. Or pick some other colour that works for you.

I'd also recommend using Pop rivets :)

Why go to the effort and expense of getting something made when an off-the-shelf extrusion would do the trick just as well?

If going to use one of my suggestions, I’d say don’t use the first one. IMO the second one is a fair better and simpler idea and is easily DIYable.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

Insanekiwi

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#3082416 30-May-2023 14:41

Thank you all - I have a few options to consider; and have spoken to a local builder that I know well. See what would be the best option available. To be honest it only happens once in a couple of months as the door does have a seal underneath and doesn't let anything to come in aside from two small points from capillary action. I will give the seal a good clean first I haven't cleaned it in 4 years with silicon.

I think the neatest looking solution is to cut the concrete by a little - and I have got a local contact here so maybe start off from there. Once I have resolved this issue; I will let you all know which method I went with.

Eracode - thank you for all the designs / links you sent through; highly appreciated.

mdf

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#3082505 30-May-2023 17:43

Jase2985:

does your door not have a rubber seal on the bottom of it? why not just put one of those on?

http://www.ravenseals.co.nz/domino/raven/ravenweb.nsf/html-v/catalogue2

They do a couple others which may also suit

^ This. Have a look for an RP141.

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Tick

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#3085804 6-Jun-2023 23:03

I've seen contractors do concrete cutting and have done it for a friend and myself. I'm a contractor and very hands on so your mileage may vary.

It's a very simple process and doesn't take long. I would strongly recommend hiring the equipment out for half a day rather than the suggested diamond blade on a skilly. Reason for this is that a dedicated concrete saw has a hose attachment that lets out water to cool the blade and reduces the amount of dust in the air.

What you want is a concrete saw on a trolley or a hand held but with wheels at the bottom. Just set the height (or pop a block under the handle if hand held) and pull it along the line. It's difficult to cut a wobbly line as the blade keeps you straight, but make sure you cut on the inside of the garage side of the line so you dont have to do corrections. Better to have a bigger gap as it doesn't matter if theres a gap behind the door, but having to touch it up with a grinder is annoying.

Cut several lines about 50mm apart then break them with a cold chisel. You'll have to grind the bottom nice and flat which will generate quite a bit of dust. A dust shroud thingmo helps, or someone holding a hose over the work. Takes about $200 and half a day but it's the only sure way to keep the water out. I've tested a raised rubber strip but it isn't bulletproof

Note that you'll have to adjust the door closed position if it's automatic. Very easy to do and takes 2 min, just look up the manual for your garage opener. If you have a two track door then you might have to adjust the tracks slightly or get a garage door guy

OllieF

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#3088304 11-Jun-2023 09:40

Insanekiwi:

Thank you all - I have a few options to consider; and have spoken to a local builder that I know well. See what would be the best option available. To be honest it only happens once in a couple of months as the door does have a seal underneath and doesn't let anything to come in aside from two small points from capillary action. I will give the seal a good clean first I haven't cleaned it in 4 years with silicon.

I think the neatest looking solution is to cut the concrete by a little - and I have got a local contact here so maybe start off from there. Once I have resolved this issue; I will let you all know which method I went with.

Eracode - thank you for all the designs / links you sent through; highly appreciated.

Have you thought about contacting your builder. Recently had a 20 year old garage with the same problem (among other things). Got a builder who did the whole job and to fix the rain driving in under the garage door, the solution was to cut a long retancgle of concrete, and install a channel grate which was then joined to the existing down pipe of the garage. Even in the floods earlier this year iin Auckland, the garage stayed dry.

Bung

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#3088306 11-Jun-2023 10:01

Have you looked at the OP's photo? There is already a channel grating. The problem is the edge of the door sits behind the rebate that should stop water being blown into the garage and directed to the grate.

eracode

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#3230823 15-May-2024 15:35

@insanekiwi There’s a current thread that’s sort of similar to your one from last year. Just wondering what you ended up doing with your garage door/floor?

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Insanekiwi

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#3242083 29-May-2024 08:41

eracode:

@insanekiwi There’s a current thread that’s sort of similar to your one from last year. Just wondering what you ended up doing with your garage door/floor?

Sorry just saw this thread again after your GZ notification which was lost into the void.

I have spoken to a very experienced builder and yes the correct answer is to cut that little piece out. The downside is that the garage door will come down little lower and there is a chance that I may need play with the top of the garage door to make sure the seal it good which again is easy to fix but the problem I am having is not serious enough to bother with all this.

What I decided was to get a new door seal which I haven't fitted yet as there is no water ingress any more (I gave the existing one a good clean with a rag) even in heavy rain. The new bottom of the door seal is much better in quality (possibly it being new, but also it is little taller (but flattens out easily with pressure) so once I replace that - that should be suffice for what I want to achieve.

I did put the floor lip on my shed to minimise water ingress with hard side way rain and it helped significantly too. The traffic there is small and no cars driving over it so I just used double side tape and it's been holding for months!

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