Concrete base “fix”?

moneysaver1978

Sun is finally out! While fixing the fence, I’d like to look at making the shed base look better. I was thinking of filling the gaps and holes before skimming or painting.

Any suggestions or recommendations to make the base look better? Could I use some leftover postcrete as a temporary fix until we are in a position to replace the whole base?

FreeBear

moneysaver1978 said:  Could I use some leftover postcrete as a temporary fix until we are in a position to replace the whole base?

Scrape out as much of the debris as possible from the cracks. Sift the postcrete to get rid of the stones, and make a sloppy mix. Pour in to the cracks, using a stick to push it right down. Smooth off and leave. Postcrete will set fairly rapidly, so you'll only have a short amount of time to work it. Mix small batches, not that you will need much.

It is only a shed base, and the repair, cosmetic more than anything else. It just needs to be functional, not a work of art.

ThisIsWeird

I'd give this stuff a go: https://www.screwfix.com/p/no-nonsense-mortar-repair-buff-310ml/196gl#product_additional_details_container

Not sure if it's that exact product that I used - it may have been https://www.screwfix.com/p/no-nonsense-mortar-repair-grey-310ml/361jp - but it was superb. Filled in little cracks and joints, and was able to smooth it out using a wet tool. Sticks well, and has a gritty, sandy, texture, so looks just like mortar, and to date hasn't budged.

NB - it does take a while to set - 1mm per day! - so that deep crack will take ages, so you may wish to first part fill with something else - frame sealant or whatevs. Or, build it up in layers. But it should retain some flex even tho' it sets pretty hard, so will hopefully cope better with your base (which I suspect will have some movement...) than cement would.

FreeBear

ThisIsWeird said: NB - it does take a while to set - 1mm per day! - so that deep crack will take ages, so you may wish to first part fill with something else - frame sealant or whatevs. Or, build it up in layers.

A 5-10mm wide crack, even if it is 50mm deep, will only take 5-10 days to set - You're only thinking in one dimension

moneysaver1978

Thank you all for your insightful posts!

Sadly the shed is facing the back of the garden so I was thinking of making the base look "cleaner" (at least around the shed!). So FreeBear's suggestion of making a sloppy Postcrete should work!