I have a concrete front stoop that drains some water into the basement, so I am going to knock it out and pour a new slab with better grading. The slab will be about 4 feet square, and fits into a corner so that two sides abut the house and two do not.
How do I frame this slab, knowing that it will be up against the house on two sides?
This poster had a similar problem, but he accepted an answer that calls for leaving a few inches of gravel between the house and the slab. I can't do that – below the slab is basement!
There are references (here and here) to using "pre-formed joint material" to separate the house from the slab. What kind of material is this, and is it used instead of a wooden form on the sides that touch the house?
Best Answer
The expansion joint compound you are referring to is a material placed between two concrete slabs to prevent cracking when they expand and contract. Unlike wood, this material will resist rotting.
You'd still build a wood frame for pouring the slab, but you'd fill the joint touching your house with this material after it has set and the form is removed.