Patching openings in concrete wall

Stan in Oly, WA

Well-known Member
There are two holes at the bottom of a concrete wall that I need to completely fill with concrete or mortar. They are 54" wide, 4" high and 4-1/2" deep (front to back). The opening of each hole is the front, so I'm stumped about how to fill them completely. The material I use to fill the holes will not be subject to any stresses, and it doesn't even matter if it cracks after it is in place---but I do not want to use foam. Suggestions?

Stan
 
Not quite sure if I understand your situation from your description, but let me explain a situation I had and you can see if it applies to you. I had some bad spots at the bottom of a block wall in my basement--water was coming through them and it was obvious the builder (who cobbled everything else in the place so this came as no surprise) hadn't core-filled even the first row of blocks. Couldn't get to the top of the wall as it's got a wall on it, couldn't get to the outside without a lot of digging I didn't want to do, especially as I didn't want to take the chance of a further collapse, so I was stuck going in from the inside of my basement. Before they disintegrated completely, I tap-conned a board to the inside as a form, drilled some holes in the block above them, and filled them with concrete, which I got into the hole by attaching a short section of 2x2 box channel to the bottom of a metal bucket at a 45-degree angle, filling the bucket with concrete, putting the end of the channel in the hole I'd drilled and letting the concrete (mixed a bit soupy on purpose) flow into the hole. Poked around in each one with a section of bent-up clothes hanger to settle the concrete and continued until they were full. Not the most elegant of solutions, but it's held for several years now.
 
Does the wall have a footing where you need to infill? If it does, then just lay block to fill it in, or screw plywood forms on either side and fill with concrete to the top. I would drill and pin the concrete before you filled it with concrete. I'm sure there are better solutions, but this is what came to mind.
Martin
 
Actually, that's perfectly clear, Tim. Doing exactly what you describe is one of the solutions I had come up with, and there's no particular down side to it in this case except that I've gotten myself into a mindset where I'm very critical of the quality and appearance of my concrete work, so the problem of not being able to determine whether the soupy concrete is completely filling the cavity was the main reason I've kept looking for other ways to do it. It doesn't make sense for me to be concerned with the outcome of a patch which, once the project is finished, will not be seen again in my lifetime---if ever. But long ago I made a decision to be just as careful with the parts of a job which wouldn't be seen as with the parts that would. (It was based on seeing the difference in the finish of the internal parts of a Belgian Browning High Power compared to the finish on the internal parts of a Spanish Star pistol. It made no difference in the functioning of the two pistols, but it said a lot about pride of workmanship.) So it's probably time to get over it.

Thanks, Stan
 
Stan,
You could wreck the forms within an hour of pouring while the concrete is still green and use cement grout paste to trowel over any honeycomb that formed.
Butch
 
I would partially fill the holes with concrete, letting it slope back from the opening so you have a vee-shaped gap left to fill. Once the concrete sets, fill the remaining gap with mortar or sand mix. It might take three or four passes, but eventually you should be able to get a flat surface.
 
Hello Stan in Oly, WA,

I usually mix my own for patch work. You can use a mix made for patching, add lime to the mix that will be all you need in the mix. You can mix it in a consistency of toothpaste. It is a parging mix. Sguize it in with a bottle and a hose, close it up with a trawl. Works good.......

GUIDO.
 
I've mortared in concrete pavers to patch holes in a block wall. The underside of a paver looked identical to a block face and the repair was invisible.
 
Have a form board and a way to secure it ready.

Mix up a stiff batch of concrete to the point where it will almost stand on its own, and jam it in the hole until it's full.

Before the concrete has a chance to slump out of the hole, quickly put the form board in place and secure it.

If appearance is important, go back later and butter over the top of the repair with some mortar.
 
Hello Stan in Oly, Wa,

12 year old solid block wall end, with the mix I described in my last response, with a handful of pebbles. Works for me!

Guido.
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