Historic Building Restoration Tip – Concrete Expansion Joint.
When you pour concrete that bumps up against your building, you need to put an expansion joint between the building and the concrete. This will help prevent damage to the building if the concrete expands in hot weather. I used neoprene rubber sheet material for this and it can be purchased in cut rolls or sheets. By suing sheets and cutting the with needed yourself, there is less waste and also cost savings. Thickness needed is determined by your usage – thickness and width of the concrete and the temperature variance of you location plus the temperature when you pour the concrete (cold temperature when poured, more expansion when hot). On the internet you can find additional information that will help you in determining the thickness needed. The neoprene material can be purchased from a number of sources and on line. Because of the small concrete slab size and my location, I did not need to use thick neoprene rubber material.
Material I am using was purchased at Lowes – description: Rubber-Cal Neoprene Sheet- 60A Durometer- Smooth Finish- Backing, 0.187-in Thick x 36-in Width x 60-in Length- Black
