Concrete expansion joint replacement - worth it?

[escanlan]

Originally Posted by Katana49

All of what you wrote is irrelevant. Every home being built now has wood being used in their expansion joints. That's been going on here in TX since I've been here in the 80's.


Now, you can post a link to whatever you like, it doesn't change the fact that wood is what is used for the expansion joint in pretty much every single home around here, now does it? You can go outside and look... and it's free to do so.

This reminds me of what I was told or heard or read many, many years ago. That is just because something has been done wrong for "X" many years does not make it right. Instead it just makes it being done wrong for "X" many years.

[Katana49]

Originally Posted by escanlan

This reminds me of what I was told or heard or read many, many years ago. That is just because something has been done wrong for "X" many years does not make it right. Instead it just makes it being done wrong for "X" many years.

LOL Well you're absolutely welcome to do it the "right" way when it's completely unnecessary and not cost effective.



Reminds me of what I've heard many, many years ago... If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[Sunbather]

No one worth their salt doing concrete these days will utilize wood...but residential construction is all about cheap, cheap, cheap with a <10 year filter on their lens. So yes, you will still see it done in residential construction today.

The problem is that to do things right costs money. The studies and the industry standards are great, and they are enforced or followed in commercial and industrial design. However, on the residential side, it's always lagging and sometimes never catches up. Sometimes for good reason (the payback is just never there for a residential build sometimes vs commercial) and other times purely because homeowners and contractors alike don't like to pay for things, for different reasons.

From a technical standpoint, no, wood is NOT the correct choice. From a realistic standpoint, yes, you will continue to see it used in new residential construction. It's an old, cheap way to do it, even if it is the wrong way. I would never utilize it if I were building something for myself.

[Katana49]

Originally Posted by Sunbather

From a technical standpoint... From a realistic standpoint...

You can make that argument about an awful lot of things, but ultimately, most of us live in reality. Wood works, and that's not debatable. Is it the absolute best material for the job, cost no object? Of course not.

[Sunbather]

Originally Posted by Katana49

You can make that argument about an awful lot of things, but ultimately, most of us live in reality. Wood works, and that's not debatable. Is it the absolute best material for the job, cost no object? Of course not.

Wood is not a recommended product by any industry concrete standard. In many US climates it 'works' for <10 years. Not good long-term sight from a construction standpoint. The cost difference to have it done correctly isn't even that dramatic. It's not even debatable in the commercial or industrial world - you don't use wood. But again, residential trends toward cheap. We're not talking stainless steel tubing vs PVC here. If you do something, do it right.

[Katana49]

Originally Posted by Sunbather

If you do something, do it right.

For something important, sure. I'd argue that a residential driveway expansion joint doesn't rise to the occasion. You want to talk about pool mastic, sure.

[EDS_]

A buddy is a long time foundation, pool and all around concrete guy.

He said my idea of mastic only works if the gap is mostly filled with that strip foam stuff and then topped with sanded mastic as mastic is very expensive.

His favorite way to fill expansion joint gaps is to tamp them full of decomposed granite.