How to stop water from seeping in from garden to garage? ( garage below ground level )

Question

I recently had the garage renovated and in the process got an existing concerte block smashed and pulled back to the same level as the back of the garage.

The carpenter who built the garage covered it with planks and left. Now there is water seeping in from the wood and the exposed clay.

The garage is sitting lower to the rest of the house and separated by garden from where the water in now draining into the garage.

What steps should i follow to concrete and waterproof the section.
There was cemented and extended before

EricL · Answer

Hello @newbieDIY

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's marvellous to have you join us and thanks for sharing your question about your garage.

This is a bit tricky as you'll be putting up a wall that needs to sealed from the other side so that when water gets to your wall it will not absorb it but rather redirect it.

Building a masonry wall now will temporarily stop the water from flowing into your garage. But in time the water will travel into the masonry and now you will have a condensation problem. Water will now be sitting inside the masonry and if there is enough of it will even flow out of the surface of the wall.

To serve as a possible water seal. I propose using a James Hardie 2400 x 1200 x 6mm 2.88m² Villaboard Lining - 2400 x 1200 x 6 and painting it with Gripset Betta 1L Waterproofing Membrane Bitumen Rubber on all sides. Place this in front of the open soil and then build the masonry wall in front of it.

In this manner when the water gets to the sealed villaboard it will redirect the water and not enter the masonry wall.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

Jewelleryrescue · Answer

Hi @newbieDIY

A brick wall will stop alot of that water at the same time it will cover that earth under the garage and stop erriosion of the dirt. And  can look ok to alot better than whats there.,

Do you  feel up to laying some large  bricks  called  besser bricks  ?

It wont be hard as you have a cement slab to put them on.

Lay the  bricks down on a bed of sand cement pre mix morter and  at the ends Level the bricks while you tap them into the morter and place the next one.  You can get  matching capping cement caps and half size bricks.  On the dirt size you might need two bricks  high to full enclose opening.

Afterwards paint them too look nicer.

Examples  are

Brighton Masonry 390 x 190 x 190mm Full Besser Block

https://www.bunnings.com.au/brighton-masonry-390-x-190-x-190mm-full-besser-block_p3451359I/N: 3451359   $3.87 Brighton Masonry 190 x 190 x 190mm Half Besser Block - VIC Only

https://www.bunnings.com.au/brighton-masonry-190-x-190-x-190mm-half-besser-block-vic-only_p0811049 I/N: 0811049   #3.60

Brighton Masonry 390 x 190 x 40mm Cap Besser Block

https://www.bunnings.com.au/brighton-masonry-390-x-190-x-40mm-cap-besser-block_p3451360I/N: 3451360

$2.54