# Sealing perimeter of house with something cement-based



## stadry (Jun 20, 2009)

closed-cell backer rod & joint sealant ( gun-grade 100% silicone or polyurethane ),,, NOTHING that you've mentioned will last w/o significant cracking/spalling/displacement

irc


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## hellohello (Oct 17, 2013)

Thanks irc, I appreciate the response. The gaps are as big as 1.5" in some areas, so I figured it might make the job look better if I used something cement-based to start. If I used a sealant of some sort, it would be a half-inch in some spots and 1.5" in others, so it wouldn't look uniform. I wanted to use my margin trowel to patch at a 45-degree angle all along where the sidewalk meets the foundation. If it cracks down the line, then perhaps I could use a sealant to seal up those cracks. Good idea/bad idea?


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## Canarywood1 (May 5, 2012)

hellohello said:


> Thanks irc, I appreciate the response. The gaps are as big as 1.5" in some areas, so I figured it might make the job look better if I used something cement-based to start. If I used a sealant of some sort, it would be a half-inch in some spots and 1.5" in others, so it wouldn't look uniform. I wanted to use my margin trowel to patch at a 45-degree angle all along where the sidewalk meets the foundation. If it cracks down the line, then perhaps I could use a sealant to seal up those cracks. Good idea/bad idea?


 

If you don't mind patching it now and then again when this patch opens fine,get a bag of grout from HD or Lowes and have at it.


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## eharri3 (Jul 31, 2013)

Also realize that it won't just crack and need patching and then be done after that. You are in Philly which means freeze/thaw damage will be an on going issue as well as further movement of the structure. It will crack and you can caulk those cracks. Then it will crack some more and you'll have to patch those too. Then it will crack more and you will caulk again. 

In applications like this the better long term solution is a masonry sealant with a backer rod. Even if it is uneven it will look better than a cement substance that is crumbling and patched with caulk in a bunch of places.


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## wkearney99 (Apr 8, 2009)

You'd want to be careful to make sure to understand why the walkway subsided. That and make sure the slope doesn't now point toward the house, leading to potential water problems in the future.


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## stadry (Jun 20, 2009)

there's backer rod to fit - you just won't find it @ the apron/vest stores :no: you figured wrong - the freeze/thaw in philly'll soon make a mess of your very fine repair,,, so what if it doesn't look 'uniform' - looks like **** now so any improvement's better, right ? :thumbsup:

so here's what you do - install backer rod & jnt sealant then let it set up a day,,, come back & do it again using a spatula - that's the tool pro's use for caulking but you can sneak 1 out of the kitchen :whistling2: put on an overcoat of sealant :thumbup:

irc

ps - + what the other guys said 'cept woody but he's right about 1 thing - you'll be doing it again,,,,,,,,,,,,,, & again,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, & again


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## carpdad (Oct 11, 2010)

There is caulk called OSI quad at homedepot, color gray. After time, it will blend into the concrete. Best adhesion to about anything, and will not harden. If you want, you can sprinkle the caulk with any grey cement dust.

First wash out the joint with hose and let dry. 
Figure 1/4-1/2" of caulk, and about 1/2 for backer. Fill the deeper joint with sand and tamp.
Mask tape the wall and side walk. Press in the tape as much as possible, but don't worry about it too much.
Over fill the joint about 1/8. Press down and smooth with trowel. Feather edge to the tape with wet finger then remove the tape.
Regular tube should fill about 5' (?) of 1/2 x 1/2 joint. If you have 10' of joint as such, I'd get 4 tubes and return what I don't use.

If this gets to be too expensive (you posted something about the walk wrapping around the house?), masonary cement mixed with white liquid (forget the name:huh may give you longer lasting fill.

I have ants inside too. It's probably got nothing to do with the side walk. Judging by the size of some of them, I think either it's warming up here in north or growth hormone is in the drinking water as well as in the rain.


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## eharri3 (Jul 31, 2013)

I just used OSI quad for something. One of the best sealants I have ever worked with.


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## life_aquatic (Oct 24, 2012)

I just did this job. As others said, backer rod, and I used Quickrete brand self-leveling sealant (because that's what they had at Lowe's). The color of the sealant is a brighter than the 1960's concrete, but so would all those things you suggested. But I think it actually looks kind of sharp. Like if someone saw it they would say to themselves, "Ain't no way waters getting in there."
Now I have a similar but bit bigger job that I'll be posting in a minute


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## stadry (Jun 20, 2009)

not going to debate about quikrete vs sika BUT remember the word ' spatula ' ? that's for knife/vertical grade,,, sl isn't the right mtl ALTHO you may get away w/it

irc


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