1 Attachment(s)
Leaking Masonry Front Stoop
I have a Cap Cod style home with a masonry front stoop (brick with slate landing set in a bed of mortar). The basement perimeter follows the outline of the house, however the stoop and foyer are an appendage to the structure and don't extend down the basement. During rain, I notice water seepage in the corner of the basement where the foyer and stoop meet the basement foundation. At first I thought it was downspouts causing the problem, however I have provided underground drainage and drain at the street. I believe the culprit is the landing of the stoop where I have noticed spalling of the mortar bed and the slate is loose in areas. I plan on removing the slate and mortar bed and resetting the assembly.
My question, should I be considering some sort of water membrane or sealant between the mortar bed and brick stoop or will this cause problems with the bonding of materials? Is there a certain type of mortar I should be using? Is there a better solution short of demo of entire stoop and rebuild?
Sorry for the long winded post, but I thought was necessary to get the full picture. Thanks for you help and suggestions!