Recently bought a 50s house 1 1/2 story and from the bedroom there is a balcony that is above the living room, so not a balcony that extends beyond the facade. This is in great need of renovation because the tiles and grout are cracking, and we don't want any moisture damage to the living room ceiling.... I am a novice in the area but feel that we should be able to handle this ourselves!
We do not want to lay new tiles but would like to lay some form of concrete where in the summer we can place a decking... I don't know where to start?? How do you moisture-proof the floor and what kind of concrete should be used?
Grateful for all opinions
We do not want to lay new tiles but would like to lay some form of concrete where in the summer we can place a decking... I don't know where to start?? How do you moisture-proof the floor and what kind of concrete should be used?
Grateful for all opinions
Hello Petter,
The balcony you describe sounds similar to the one we have at our house, cozy but unfortunately quite a risky construction.
First, I think you should find out why your tiles and grout are cracking. You should check if the balcony floor under the tiles is a cast concrete slab or a wooden construction. Perhaps you can lift a cracked tile and see what it looks like underneath? You might want to bring someone to do a moisture measurement in the slab and check that it's okay.
The next question is what kind of waterproofing layer is currently there. Is it okay?
If you're lucky, it's just that someone was sloppy during the tile installation on top of a good waterproofing layer on concrete. Then you can lay tiles in sand directly on the waterproofing (if the roof is insulated from below) and probably also pour concrete. Just make sure not to compromise the drainage.
If you're unlucky, your slab is made of wood with a poor waterproofing layer. In that case, the water that has penetrated has caused the wooden construction to age and become soft, which results in the tiles and grout coming loose when the roof sways. In this case, it will be quite a significant job to tear out the old and replace it with new.
You would appropriately create a new waterproofing layer with roofing felt, not ordinary roofing felt or even worse, some cheap brand, but substantial materials intended for flat roofs. My suggestion is to consult with a skilled roofer.
Flat roofs are, as mentioned, a risky construction, so you'd want to have it done properly.
/ Fredrik
The balcony you describe sounds similar to the one we have at our house, cozy but unfortunately quite a risky construction.
First, I think you should find out why your tiles and grout are cracking. You should check if the balcony floor under the tiles is a cast concrete slab or a wooden construction. Perhaps you can lift a cracked tile and see what it looks like underneath? You might want to bring someone to do a moisture measurement in the slab and check that it's okay.
The next question is what kind of waterproofing layer is currently there. Is it okay?
If you're lucky, it's just that someone was sloppy during the tile installation on top of a good waterproofing layer on concrete. Then you can lay tiles in sand directly on the waterproofing (if the roof is insulated from below) and probably also pour concrete. Just make sure not to compromise the drainage.
If you're unlucky, your slab is made of wood with a poor waterproofing layer. In that case, the water that has penetrated has caused the wooden construction to age and become soft, which results in the tiles and grout coming loose when the roof sways. In this case, it will be quite a significant job to tear out the old and replace it with new.
You would appropriately create a new waterproofing layer with roofing felt, not ordinary roofing felt or even worse, some cheap brand, but substantial materials intended for flat roofs. My suggestion is to consult with a skilled roofer.
Flat roofs are, as mentioned, a risky construction, so you'd want to have it done properly.
/ Fredrik
Thank you for that Tornhill.. Have you yourself renovated your balcony? If so, do you have tips, ideas from your renovation? I would like to have bare concrete as a base, and then you could lay roofing felt as a waterproofing layer and cast directly on top?
Hello again.
We have renovated ours. When we bought the house, it consisted of a wooden beam structure with a loosely placed (held down with bricks) metal roof, which sloped inward toward the middle 8)
When I tore down the ceiling, I found approximately 400 liters of water that was standing in the waterproofing layer...
We have cast a new slab on site (it is a brick house) and then we applied asphalt and roofing felt on it. On top of the felt lies insulation, and on top of that, gravel and tiles.
What does your construction look like? Is it wooden or concrete beams? Underlying or overlying insulation? Wooden or stone house?
I'm a bit skeptical about casting on top of a felt layer for two reasons. I'm concerned about how the adhesion to the felt will be; you don't want it to detach, and it will be VERY difficult to find and repair any potential future damage to the waterproofing layer. Do you want the concrete surface exposed for aesthetic reasons? I believe most old houses with concrete balconies have an asphalted or metal-surfaced finish.
/ Fredrik
We have renovated ours. When we bought the house, it consisted of a wooden beam structure with a loosely placed (held down with bricks) metal roof, which sloped inward toward the middle 8)
When I tore down the ceiling, I found approximately 400 liters of water that was standing in the waterproofing layer...
We have cast a new slab on site (it is a brick house) and then we applied asphalt and roofing felt on it. On top of the felt lies insulation, and on top of that, gravel and tiles.
What does your construction look like? Is it wooden or concrete beams? Underlying or overlying insulation? Wooden or stone house?
I'm a bit skeptical about casting on top of a felt layer for two reasons. I'm concerned about how the adhesion to the felt will be; you don't want it to detach, and it will be VERY difficult to find and repair any potential future damage to the waterproofing layer. Do you want the concrete surface exposed for aesthetic reasons? I believe most old houses with concrete balconies have an asphalted or metal-surfaced finish.
/ Fredrik