A balcony is not only a decoration for any home and comfortable area rest, but also perfect place for storing small household items. Repairing a balcony slab or strengthening it requires knowledge of the structure of the wall of the building itself, and also depends on the material that was used in the construction of the house.

The main types of slabs used for balconies and their features

A balcony is a slab that protrudes some distance from the wall of the building. For security purposes, it is fenced with railings along the entire perimeter. A balcony is a structure that includes a horizontal base plate, fastenings and fencing.

Today there are several types of balcony slabs, which differ in design:

Many people believe that all slabs are a continuation of the floor, but this is not entirely true. When building a balcony, a wide variety of fastening methods are used:

• Use of additional support. It is mounted on the ground floor, as it requires the presence of external steel, reinforced concrete or wooden support, fixed on the ground;
• Pinching in the structure of the wall of the house. A cantilever plate is used;
• Suspension to the load-bearing walls of the balcony platform;
• In frame buildings, the support rests on the consoles interior walls or columns. In this case, there is no load on the wall.
• In panel-type houses, for example, in Khrushchev, balcony slabs are used with floors and supported on reinforced concrete structures.
• Installation in a brick building is carried out by pinching it into the facade of the house. Overhead and underlay elements made of reinforced concrete are walled into it. They make up a niche for the stove. The edge that is adjacent to the wall is thickened. A fairly large entry into the wall of the building is required. It must be welded using steel anchors to reinforced concrete elements.

The main reasons for the destruction of the balcony

As practice shows, the main reason why balconies collapse is depressurization of joints and violation of waterproofing. As a result, moisture enters the room, forming condensation, from which mold appears.

In addition, moisture can act on reinforced concrete, penetrating into it and causing corrosion on the reinforcement. The age of concrete directly depends on the penetrating ability of water – the older it is, the easier it is for moisture to penetrate inside. Corroded reinforcement loses its load-bearing capacity and expands, which causes a deterioration in the load-bearing capacity of concrete.

Also, the destruction of the base of the balcony is caused by high pressure on the slab, sudden changes in temperature and a long absence of capital and current repairs, as for example, in Khrushchev.

The reasons for the destruction of balconies can be errors made during installation. These include: the presence of a reverse slope of the slabs, the absence of drips and drains in the lower part of the concrete slab and the absence of protective screens protecting the slab from moisture penetration.

There are 2 stages of destruction of the base of the balcony:

• The first includes minor destruction when it is necessary to strengthen the slab. Such destruction occurs in houses whose age is approaching 40 years. You can do it yourself, as this is a minor repair. For example, in cases of crumbling corners.
• The second stage is the destructive appearance of the object. These include the collapse of part of the balcony, the appearance of cracks at the junction with the wall, open sections of reinforcement, destruction is observed in the upper layer of the platform or detachment in its lower part.

Who should repair the stove?

Due to the fact that in regulations it is not stated what the balcony is (living area or part load-bearing structure), it is impossible to clearly answer the question of who to contact and who is responsible for the repairs. IN ideal the balcony slab must be replaced and strengthened by the management company, but the railings and parapet must be replaced by the apartment owner himself. However, it is impossible to accurately answer the question at whose expense the repairs are being carried out. On this basis, disagreements very often arise between apartment residents and the management organization.

If the fact of destruction of the integrity of the slab has been noticed, then you should write a statement to the management company. This document is signed by a specialist and recorded in the appropriate journal. A good reinforcement of your words would be an application in the form of several photographs of a destroyed balcony. Neighbors who live on the floor below must leave their signatures on the corresponding application. The next step will be a decision on further actions. You can wait for utilities, or you can carry out repairs with your own hands or with the help of construction crews. In the latter case, an estimate is needed in order to receive a recalculation of the rent in the future. If none of the options are suitable, you can safely go to court.

Balcony restoration stages

In order to carry out repairs with your own hands, for example, in a Khrushchev building, you need to know in what sequence and what to do.

• The first stage will be preparation for repairs - clear the balcony of debris, remove everything extra items, remove crumbled concrete.
• Exposed parts of the fittings must be cleaned of rust. The first layer is easy to remove, but the lower ones need to be processed special means.
• The mesh of reinforcement is attached to the slab with dowels. So that it fits into the concrete screed without protrusions, leave a small gap between the mesh and the slab. Formwork boards are fixed along the entire perimeter of the board.
• Next, you need to prepare a solution consisting of cement and sand, which will be poured onto the reinforcement. Subsequently, the screed is covered with cement and rubbed, that is, “ironized.” It is important to remember that the thickness of the screed is twice or more times the thickness of the mesh.
• The surface located below should be treated with a primer and plastered a little later.

If the reinforcement cage is more corroded, the best solution would be to strengthen the slab. Here it is necessary to carry out a set of preparatory measures.

• The first step is to install steel beams on the sides of the platform and secure them to the wall with a console. Weld the mesh to them and begin pouring concrete, the process of which was described above.
• Upon completion of the repair work, the surface should be waterproofed. Coating or roll-type materials are suitable for this purpose.

Conclusion

So, if you do the repairs yourself, you should remember that this is not an easy task. This largely depends on the degree of destruction of the balcony. Some things you can do yourself, but others you can entrust to professionals. construction crews. To avoid mistakes, it is recommended to carefully check the degree of wear of a certain element. If you have no experience in this matter, then it is better to contact an appraiser.

September 12, 2016
Specialization: master of internal and exterior decoration(plaster, putty, tiles, drywall, lining, laminate and so on). In addition, plumbing, heating, electrical, conventional cladding and balcony extensions. That is, renovations in an apartment or house were done on a turnkey basis with all necessary types works

Any balcony slab has its own margin of safety and over time it has to be strengthened around the perimeter or this must be done to remove the balcony. If this work is not done on time, the slab will collapse at the edges. And this already poses a danger to health and life.

Perhaps what I will now tell you about strengthening the slab will be somewhat unusual for you, but these are my findings from many years of practice. So, I’m sharing my experience!

Balcony slab

Rules No. 1: general provisions

Despite the fact that the dimensions of the balcony slab may be different, they often have the same problems, this is a weakening of the structural strength, since it extends beyond the facade and is subject to atmospheric influences.

GOST for balcony slabs 2569783 divides them into:

• multi-hollow (only for loggias);
• solid flat;
• ribbed;
• all load in monolithic house or in brick it is transferred to two or one side, pinched in the wall at two edges.

Fastening in a brick house and in a panel house is essentially the same and the same problems also arise, especially in old houses. For example:

• in all the well-known “Khrushchev” buildings, design permissible load per linear meter along the wall was 100 kg, but under the influence of moisture it decreases over time;
• It is noteworthy that in some houses of this type, over 40 or more years of operation, the cross-section of the reinforcement in the slab has decreased by four (!) times, therefore, by this moment permissible load is 50 kg;
• the situation in “Stalin” buildings is much worse, since they are older and reconstruction has long been needed there, because the service life of the slabs has already come to an end - they are more than 50-60 years old;
• therefore, it is not recommended to allow any additional loads - in some cities, slab collapses were observed and people were injured;

• so those who are looking for how to properly fill a slab should take into account that this is not a restoration, but excess weight. In addition, the pouring does not strengthen the reinforced concrete structure in any way, but simply lays an additional layer on top;
• Naturally, the question may arise here: at whose expense will the repair of the rotten slab be paid? But this already depends on the service agreement that you drew up when purchasing your apartment. Although any organization will resist such a replacement in every possible way (I know from my own experience);
• if you need to replace the stove, then you better contact any private company, since they will dismantle and install it with the help of special equipment and specialists.

Rule No. 2: strengthen the slab

If the top layer collapses, remove it

But how to do it major renovation and calculation of loads if you notice that the slab has begun to collapse? First of all, if the top layer is full of cracks and potholes, then you better remove it, getting to the mortgages and reinforcement.

But don’t rush to re-fill anything. If you have the skills of a welder, turner, mechanic, or have a technical education, then you can independently determine whether the reinforcement scheme will withstand further loads. However, if you do not understand this, then it is better to take the help of a specialist.

You can knock down the collapsing top layer later if you are sure that the mortgages are “living” - this is the same as the reinforcement of the vault - the entire structure is supported by. Therefore, you will need to cut the fence flush with the slab.

And weld the 50th corner to the vacated mortgages around the perimeter - this will strengthen and replace the old edging. But I want to repeat once again that this is only possible if the reinforcement is in good condition, and this can be determined by the condition of the mortgages.

If you do not expand the balcony, then in place of the knocked down top layer, after the perimeter has been fastened and the fence has been installed, you can pour a light screed, no more than 2 cm thick.

But what to do and how to restore mortgages if they are rotten? To do this, screw a steel strip 40 mm wide along the length of the slab to the wall with anchor dowels and weld the same strips to it across the slab (towards the offset) after 60-70 cm.

After this, screw each strip in two or three places onto dowels with screws coated with anti-corrosion coating. This will simultaneously play the role of embeds and reinforcement, and if you pour it, weld 6 mm wire or thin reinforcement across the strips.

How to repair a balcony slab if it also begins to fall apart along the lower part of the perimeter? In this case, weld pieces of reinforcement to the corner that you installed on top in order to attach a similar corner to them from below, as shown in the top photo.

You can make such repairs yourself if you know how to handle electric welding and have certain physical abilities. But it is best to carry out such work with two people for insurance at height.

Rule No. 3: expanding the balcony

Now let's figure out what to do if you need to expand the balcony along the base of the slab? Of course, you first need to carry out its restoration, which was mentioned above.

But if you are convinced that the reinforcement frame is severely damaged, then expansion should be avoided. However, this design, which I propose to do, places minimal load on the slab, and you will now understand why.

To ensure that the entire load of the expanded structure does not fall on the slab, first of all you need to screw a 20x40 mm or 40x80 mm profile to the wall of the house with anchor dowels in increments of no more than 30 cm, only lying down.

Weld 40x80 mm profiles to it, installing a welded strip or 20x20 mm profile on the front edge of the slab so that they become strictly horizontal. It turns out that one end of the future floor will no longer rest on the slab, but on the wall, thereby weakening the load. Also, stands need to be made between the horizontal profile and the plate - you simply weld pieces of metal from waste there.

Along the edges of the slab, to the corner with which you strengthened the perimeter and to the profile under the wall, weld another profile to move forward. Now all you have to do is make the extension on the sides.

Temporarily grab the profile before starting to extend it for emphasis and drill into the wall (a hole cutter with a diameter of 100 mm) 40 cm, as shown in the photo above. Drive a 40x80 mm profile in there, but do not cement it yet so that it remains mobile.

At this point you have the floor joists protruding forward and all you have to do is weld the cross member to the front edge. To do this, you need at least three people - a welder and two helpers who will hold the profile.

Then cement the outer profiles into the holes (you can add a little tile adhesive to prevent the mortar from cracking) and let it dry. Thus, part of the load is transferred to the outer joists - that’s the whole calculation, taking into account the weakening of the slab.

Conclusion

If you live in a new house and your balcony slab is in excellent condition, then renovation work you won't need them, as they simply won't make sense. But you should follow all recommendations regarding expansion.

Finally, I would advise, if possible, always avoid additional pouring of concrete, so as not to create unnecessary load. I invite you to participate in the discussion of this issue in the comments - share your experience!

September 12, 2016

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A balcony is a decoration for any home, as well as an excellent area for relaxation and performing small chores. Strengthening and repairing a balcony slab on the wall structure of a building has its own characteristics and depends on the material of the building itself.

Features of fastening balcony slabs

People ignorant of construction believe that a balcony slab is a protrusion of a floor slab. This is far from true. In construction, a wide variety of methods for attaching balcony slabs are used:

• clamping or pinching in a structure outer wall building;
• use of cantilever floor slab;
• resting on consoles of columns or consoles of internal walls (in frame buildings);
• hanging a balcony slab from internal load-bearing transverse walls or from the ceiling;
• resting on attached reinforced concrete, steel or wooden structures.

In brick buildings, the balcony slab is strengthened using the pinching method. Reinforced concrete overhead and underlay elements are walled into the outer wall of the building, which form a niche for the balcony slab. The edge of the slab adjacent to the outer wall must be thickened. In cases with brick houses, the entry of the balcony slab into the wall is quite large. The plate must be welded to reinforced concrete elements using steel anchors.

In panel-type houses, balcony slabs rest on reinforced concrete structures using ceilings. Strengthening the balcony slab in frame buildings is carried out using beam technology. In this case, there is no load on the wall of the building, since the balcony slab rests on the column consoles.

Why not a solid slab?

It would seem that it is really impossible to make floor slabs with a projection for the balcony? After all, a whole product is always stronger. But this method will shorten the lifespan of not only the balcony, but the entire house. Corrosion of the reinforcement will penetrate deep into the slab, and the ceiling will lose strength. This threatens emergency conditions and demolition of the house.

What if you pass the balcony slab through the wall?

It seems that the support area in this case will be larger. But building construction cannot withstand long-term multidirectional loads. If a balcony slab is passed through a wall, its inner edge will press on the wall, trying to lift it. This situation threatens sudden catastrophic destruction.

In what cases is repair of a balcony slab required?

There are several types of repair of balcony slabs:

• small;
• average;
• emergency;
• capital.

Important: Remember, it is difficult for an ignorant person to determine how damaged the balcony slab is. Defect assessments should be carried out by professionals.

If cracks appear on the surface of the balcony slab, do not cover them with mortar. In this case, it is necessary to determine the degree of corrosion damage to the reinforcement. The cracks may be very deep, which will not be noticeable from the outside. If minor damage turns out to be shallow, then minor and medium repairs can be done independently.

The need for a major overhaul of the balcony slab is visible to the naked eye. This is indicated by the destructive appearance and large cracks throughout the slab. Capital or emergency repair Balcony work should only be done by professionals.

The following signs indicate the emergency condition of the balcony and its slab:

• exposed reinforcement;
• the appearance of deep cracks at the junction of the slab and the wall;
• destruction of concrete on top of the slab and its peeling off from below the slab;
• collapse of slab fragments.

In this case, to repair an emergency balcony, you will need more than one piece of special equipment and a team of qualified installers. Such a slab will most likely have to be broken out of load-bearing wall.

Who is responsible for repairing balconies?

None regulatory document and the law does not clearly state: is a balcony part of a supporting structure or a living space? In this regard, the question may arise: if the balcony is in disrepair, where to go and what to do? In theory, the balcony slab should be repaired by the management company, and the parapet, railings, and gratings should be repaired by the owner of the apartment. But some confusion in the legislation does not provide an exact answer to this question. On this basis, between homeowners and utility companies disagreements often arise.

Conclusion: Do not let the balcony fall into disrepair. Any search for the truth will not restore the balcony slab. To avoid emergency situations, repair the balcony slab yourself.

If you notice signs of destruction of the balcony slab, you must inform the utility service about this fact in writing as soon as possible. The document is certified by a housing office specialist and registered in the appropriate journal. It makes sense to attach several photographs of the collapsing balcony slab to the document. Your neighbors below must put their signatures on this document.

Then you can do the following: restore the balcony slab yourself, but with guarantees of recalculation of the rent. Or wait patiently for utility services to take over the repairs. If none of the options suits you, feel free to go to court.

How to repair balconies

The main cause of damage to balcony slabs is moisture. Penetrating inside the slab, water can activate corrosion of the reinforcement. In old houses, the protection of concrete from moisture is reduced; water easily penetrates to the reinforcement. Corroded reinforcement loses bearing capacity, expands and destroys concrete.

Restoring a balcony slab involves several working stages:

1. The repair begins with cleaning the balcony: everything unnecessary is taken out, garbage is removed, and crumbled concrete is carefully removed.
2. Exposed fittings are cleaned of rust. Upper layer rust is easily removed. Next, the reinforcement bars must be treated with a special anti-rust agent.
3. Welded reinforcing mesh is laid on the surface of the slab and fixed with special dowels. It must be completely recessed into the concrete screed. To do this, a gap is left between the plate and the mesh.
4. Formwork boards are attached around the perimeter.
5. A solution of sand and cement is poured onto the reinforcing mesh and “ferruginized” (the screed is covered with dry cement and rubbed down).
6. The lower surface of the balcony slab must be plastered, having previously treated the surface with a primer.

Remember that the thickness of the concrete screed must exceed the thickness of the reinforcing mesh by two or even more times.

For severe corrosion reinforcement cage reinforcement of the balcony slab will be required - this is a larger-scale job:

1. Rolled steel beams are installed on the sides of the balcony slab and cantilevered to the wall.
2. The reinforcing mesh is welded to the beams.
3. Then the work of pouring concrete described above begins.

When the reconstruction of the balcony slab is completed, it the surface needs to be waterproofed, which is mandatory if the balcony is open. Various are suitable for this waterproofing materials roll or coating type. In particular, penetrating waterproofing Penetron has proven itself well. It is applied to a pre-wetted surface in two layers, after which the surface must remain moistened for three days, and mechanical stress and temperatures below 0 degrees are not allowed.

Installation of balcony railings

Of course, the old fence may still be quite strong. But a major overhaul of the balcony slab already implies the installation of a new enclosing structure. In addition, if in the future you plan to glaze the balcony and insulate it, then it won’t hurt to think through a high-quality base in advance.

When installing fences without welding work not enough. On a compact inventory welding machine, which works from the network, even a beginner can work. But there are two more options:

• invite a qualified welder;
• secure the balcony railing using anchors; in this case, welding is not required.

The frame of the new fence is made of rectangular profile pipe. This fence is easy to install and will have an attractive appearance. Next, a galvanized steel ebb is attached along the entire perimeter of the balcony slab. This will protect the edge of the slab from precipitation. screed on the balcony and what you will need for this.

Removable balconies

Residents of city apartments with balconies have a unique opportunity not only to insulate and glaze this area, but also to increase the area of ​​their housing. Now you can install a fence under the glazing with removal. What does it mean?

When installing the fence frame, using a professional trick, you can move the glazing beyond the parapet by about 30 cm. Considering that this action is performed on three sides of the balcony slab, the increase in space will be significant. This option is especially ideal for owners of very small balconies.

Advantages of remote balconies:

• Increasing space by expanding the area of ​​the balcony slab.
• Getting a wide window sill.
• Strengthening the load-bearing structures of the balcony slab.

The balcony is not only an important part of any apartment or private building from a utilitarian point of view, but also from an aesthetic point of view. True, dilapidated buildings can pose a danger, as they can simply fall. Securing a balcony is not that difficult. Read more in our material.

Mounted

Hanging balconies differ from capital topics, which can be installed on any floor, regardless of whether there are balconies below or not. They can be installed anywhere, since they are mounted on a special frame, which, in turn, is fixed to beams.

You can also hang clotheslines there, install a dryer, a window sill, flower pot. The differences, in general, are exclusively in design terms. But there is one very important “but”: such buildings need additional strengthening.

Slab reinforcement scheme small balcony using stretch marks

Moreover, the brackets themselves metal carcass Over time they rust, the structure will have to be strengthened at least once every 5 years. This rule should not be neglected, because you need to understand that we are talking about the safety of human life.

Before talking about the features of permanent balconies, it is worth adding that most often it is used for finishing hanging balconies. plastic material such as PVC or siding. A window sill, clotheslines, a flower pot and a dryer can be installed there, we must repeat, the same way as on a permanent one.

Capital

As you might guess, a capital balcony is a structure that comes out of a load-bearing wall apartment building. In new buildings, all such structures are exclusively capital.

Basic methods of fastening balcony slabs

On the one hand, such a design can withstand a very heavy load. On the other hand, it is extremely difficult to repair it; it will require large quantities time and a lot of money.

To drain water, even in capital balconies, the slab is laid at a certain slope.

The main thing that needs to be done when strengthening such a structure is to strengthen the load-bearing balcony slab, fences, parapet and everything else - this is also important, but secondary.

You can also install clotheslines on the loggia, place a flower pot, install a window sill in front of the parapet, organize a dryer, do glazing by installing any window, whether plastic, wooden or aluminum.

Features of fastening concrete slabs

Many people believe that a balcony slab is load-bearing slab of the apartment building itself, which simply protrudes slightly from the facade. In fact, this is far from the case.

Strengthening the balcony by creating a new frame

There are several mounting methods:

• support on protruding structures;
• support on columns or in-wall consoles;
• hanging the slab from the walls of the building;
• use of a cantilever plate;
• pinching on a load-bearing wall.

IN brick houses the slabs are installed exclusively by the pinching method, since the walls themselves already carry a fairly large load, which is why this rather complex method of fastening is used.

However, regardless of the mounting, on such a balcony you can install a clothes dryer, a flower pot, ropes, and a window sill in front of the parapet. It is interesting that the edge of the wall, which is adjacent to the balcony, must be thickened. Moreover, the slab itself is not exactly straight at 45°, but has a slope of at least 2°. Why is this necessary?

One of the options for strengthening the load-bearing wall of the balcony

Trivial for water drainage. It is not difficult to imagine what will happen if there is no such bias. Brick wall it will simply begin to collapse. In panel-type houses, which make up more than 60% of the Russian housing stock, fastening is carried out somewhat differently. Here the slabs are installed precisely on the beams, on reinforced concrete slab, coming from the ceilings. It is much easier for builders to make such fastenings.

But on the other hand, this design is much less reliable than in the first case. And repairs are more expensive later. Although it’s also easy to install a window sill in front of the parapet, clotheslines, and a dryer here.

Many people wonder why builders cannot simply lengthen the load-bearing part right away, because everything will be much simpler this way, and such a structure will not require any expensive repairs? It's not that simple here. The fact is that such a solution will significantly reduce the service life of not only the balcony itself, but also the apartment building as a whole.

So, a panel house with major renovations should last about 120-150 years. But if you make balconies of this type, the maximum service life of the house will be 70 years. State interests, what can you do about it?

An example of a balcony slab reinforcement scheme

Strengthening a concrete slab in various ways

Factors that indicate that the balcony slab needs additional strengthening and repair:

• the reinforcement is partially or completely exposed;
• deep cracks appeared not only on the slab itself, but also on the adjacent facade of the apartment building itself;
• there are peelings on both the top and bottom of the slab;
• fragments collapse.

It is advisable to treat all elements of the balcony with anti-corrosion liquid.

Recovery involves several stages:

As you can see, strengthening the balcony slab is not so difficult, although all this must be considered in each specific case separately. After strengthening, you can completely calmly install a window sill, hang clotheslines, install a dryer, and do glazing (you can choose a wooden window, but for some reason everyone is just obsessed with plastic ones).

A plastic balcony is no longer as relevant as it was 10 years ago: a wooden one is both more beautiful and more convenient to use.

If the reinforcement is very worn out, then significant reinforcement will be required, which is carried out in 3 stages:

It sounds trivial, but when working with balconies it is necessary to take into account all safety requirements. To begin with, the work site needs to be fenced off on the ground floor so that a piece of concrete slab does not suddenly fall on someone passing by.

Carrying out such work without fencing and warning signs is a violation not only of safety rules, but also of Russian legislation.

Video

You can watch a video on how to properly repair balcony slabs.

In the old building, balconies are often in disrepair and pose a danger not only to the owners, but also to passers-by, so major repairs are required.

To avoid falling out of pieces of concrete or collapse of the structure, it is necessary to reinforce, strengthen, correct the tilt, seal the cracks or restore the slab again. Next we present detailed instructions how to conduct an examination, we will tell you at whose expense the examination is being done and restoration work, and we will examine in detail the question of how to repair a balcony with your own hands.

Who should do the repairs?

The balcony slab is a common property and the management company is responsible for its condition. Everything that is inside the balcony is the property of the apartment owners, so the burden of responsibility for the repair and maintenance of these useful areas lies on your shoulders.

Emergency balcony, what to do?

If you notice:

• that the balcony was tilted, and the normal slope to ensure the natural outflow of precipitation is 3% from the outer wall to the inner one;
• at the junction between the slab and load-bearing wall cracks appeared;
• pieces of concrete fall off the slab or reinforcement is exposed;
• The parapet is rusty and wobbly.

You should urgently write an application to the housing and communal services department with a request for repairs, which will reflect in detail all the problems. If you do not do this, then all responsibility for accidents will lie with you. The response to your complaint must follow within 4 weeks: a commission is created, an examination of the balcony is carried out, and a report on the emergency condition of the slab is drawn up.

After the examination, a conclusion is issued, as a result of which you will simply be prohibited from using this structure. Although all costs for repairing the stove should be borne by management company, they will notify you in writing about the lack of funds for these purposes, and you will simply lose part of your usable space. Therefore, repairs will have to be done on your own and at your own expense. To get back the money spent, you need to collect all the receipts and demand reimbursement of expenses through the court.

Attention: If, after a written ban, you continue to use the emergency balcony, then in this case you will be held responsible for accidents.

Balcony repair, photo of the slab before reconstruction

Where to start renovating a balcony

If you decide to do the balcony repair yourself, first of all you will need a project that can only be completed by a design organization that has permission for these types of work. Specialists go to the site, assess the condition of the extension, on the basis of which the necessary measures to restore the slab are determined and an estimate is drawn up. It is important to note here that work related to the reconstruction of the balcony is best carried out through an agreement with specialists. Only in this case will you delegate all responsibility to them, even if during the repair process something falls off and falls down, causing damage to property and health.

Of course, hiring professionals to carry out repairs entails significant costs, so many refuse the services and restore the stove themselves. And then we will analyze in detail how to repair a balcony with your own hands, step by step:

• restore the slab;
• strengthen the structure;
• seal the cracks;
• secure the parapet.

Balcony repair in panel house by strengthening the console with a reinforced concrete beam

How to properly prepare a balcony slab for major repairs

Before making repairs on the balcony, you should clear the area and take out the trash. Then, with an ordinary hammer, with a handle about half a meter, we begin to knock on the concrete, the blows should be of medium strength. Such manipulations will remove all the weak solution. Listen to the sound of impacts, it should be dull, if there is a hum, it means there is a void inside, in this place we break the concrete in order to subsequently eliminate the defect.

When the entire surface of the slab is cleaned, we examine the cracks using a regular metal ruler. We push it into the joint; if it sticks, then the gap is superficial and does not pose a danger. And if, after increased pressure, it slips deeper, then a break is possible, so you will have to not only repair, but also strengthen the slab.

Advice: To make a major overhaul of all balcony elements, it is recommended to reach an agreement with the neighbors above and below, since the structures have common elements, and it is better to repair them together.

Repair of loggias and balconies, photo how to enlarge usable area when restoring the slab

How to strengthen a balcony slab

If after the examination you are convinced that the slab does not have significant damage, it is enough to weld its perimeter with metal corners and strengthen the connection with the wall with anchors.

How to make repairs if the slab is tilted

If the slab is tilted by more than 3°, and most likely a crack has appeared at the wall/slab junction, reinforcement of the balconies is required:

• Installation of supports is possible if the balcony is located on the lower floors. A concrete platform is poured under the balcony or columnar foundation. Metal pillars with a diameter of 100-150 mm are installed on it, a circular banding with a corner is made along the upper heads, this structure will support the slab.
• If repairs to a balcony on the upper floors are required, you will have to install upper or lower brackets or mensols.
• The upper reinforcement is a strand of metal cable with a diameter of 20-24 mm, which is attached using long anchors on the sides of the balcony. One end is fixed to outside slabs, and the other on the wall at a height of 900-1200 mm from the floor. The slab/wall joint is additionally tightened with a metal angle.
• Lower reinforcing mensols are preferable, but they enter the neighbors' territory, so in order to install fastenings, you will need to obtain their consent. From metal profile rectangular corners are welded, which are secured with long anchors into the wall.

Ways to repair a balcony slab

How to repair a balcony if part of the slab is lost or completely destroyed

If you need to restore a lost slab or in case of expanding the area of ​​the balcony, the best solution would be to introduce channels into the body of the wall, which will become the basis of the extension. For this work it is necessary to involve specialists, since the integrity of the supporting structure is affected. 2-4 deep holes are made in the wall, a channel or high-strength reinforcement is inserted into them, then concreted, and, as a rule, welded on top steel sheet, which serves as the basis and at the same time the formwork for pouring a new concrete slab.

How to make a new reinforcing frame to repair a balcony

Balcony repair technology if reinforcement is exposed in the slab

The destruction of a concrete slab is inevitably associated with exposure of the reinforcing frame. After the surface is cleaned, all signs of rust are removed with a stiff brush, and can be additionally treated with vinegar. After which the rods are treated with an anti-corrosion primer and filled with concrete.

If some of the rods are lost, you should especially pay attention to the strength of the reinforcement at the wall/slab junction, then the metal frame will have to be welded. To repair, remove the layer of concrete down to the reinforcement with a hammer drill, cut off all damaged by rust metal parts. Drill several holes in the wall. Then insert new rods into them, concrete them and weld them to the remains of the frame. Next is done from above concrete screed, and for strength, you can additionally lay a reinforcing mesh.

To hide the reinforcement along the edges of the slab, it is recommended to weld the perimeter with a corner, make formwork and fill the structure with concrete.

Preparing the slab for screed

How to seal cracks on a balcony

It is better to seal the gap between the slab and the wall in a comprehensive manner, together with the neighbors below. And if you are repairing a balcony in a Khrushchev-era building, then the roof of your balcony is the floor of your neighbors above, so in this case you will have to use them too, so you can not only restore your own balcony, but also avoid leaks during precipitation.

The joint is well cleaned and embroidered in a V-shape, coated with liquid bitumen, onto which a fiberglass or roofing felt tape is glued, extending 100 mm onto the slab and wall. The patch is again coated with bitumen and laid on top metal corner or a galvanized strip folded at an angle, which is drilled onto the anchor for strength. Then you can do general waterproofing of the slab and further repairs.

Balcony repair, photo example of how to properly seal the cracks to ensure the structure is airtight

Parapet repair

If the parapet is dilapidated, and especially before glazing the balcony, it needs to be strengthened. As a rule, this is done using an equilateral metal angle:

• scald around the perimeter of the stove;
• fasten to bottom harness several vertical posts - be sure to secure 2 on the sides with anchors to the wall, and 2 on the outer corners of the slab;
• scald the top vertical racks railings from the corner.

Balcony repair, option of parapet reconstruction with subsequent removal of glazing

To expand the balcony, the racks are welded not vertically, but at an angle. For glazing, it is recommended to make the top railings 100 mm or more wide. Below are instructions on how to repair a balcony; the video will help you understand the technology of strengthening the parapet.

How to landscape a balcony with your own hands

To turn open balcony in useful and comfortable meters, after restoration of the slab, the outside of the parapet should be sewn up with corrugated sheets or siding, and protective curtains should be hung.

If a closed and warm balcony is planned, after glazing the extension is insulated inside stone wool or polystyrene plates. To do redecorating, it is enough to cover the thermal insulation layer with a vapor barrier membrane, make a lathing, and, if necessary, install light