To begin to understand the topic of repairing an open balcony that has not been glazed, that is, it is an ordinary balcony without windows, you need to understand what a balcony is. Essentially, this is a reinforced concrete slab protruding from the facade of the building, on which a metal fence is installed on three sides. The thickness of the slab is 14-15 cm.
Let's just say that there are no specific requirements for the repairs being carried out; everything will depend on the condition of this reinforced concrete slab. The cost of repairs will depend on this.
Overview of the design features of the balcony
A balcony is often confused with a loggia. The first is a protruding element of the facade, represented by a continuation of the floors (a concrete slab with iron reinforcement or a wooden beam) and a fence 0.9-1 m high. The second is recessed into the walls of the building, which provides the room with side walls and a ceiling on the top floor. Read more in the article “What is the difference between a balcony and a loggia?”
French balconies are considered the first open balconies. They are represented only by fencing, and doors are installed instead of windows. Later, bay windows appeared - projections in the facade to increase natural light. Then they began to build individual summer areas, combining the advantages of both options. For warm regions, the protrusion is normalized to a minimum limit of 90 cm, in the middle zone from 1.2 m.
Making a visor
A canopy is not a mandatory component of the design of an open balcony, but given the climate, you should consider how to protect your piece of paradise from rain and snow, especially if there is furniture here, you spend a lot of time or store something significant.
Traditional canopies made of slate or metal tiles will not be the most harmonious solution here. In addition, the sounds of rain on such surfaces will interfere with your rest. But polycarbonate can be safely called a modern, effective option: it can be almost transparent or colored, of any shape and configuration.
Criteria for choosing finishing materials
An open balcony is exposed to the environment in all its manifestations. These are precipitation, changes in humidity and temperature, ultraviolet radiation.
In order for the decorative finish to last in accordance with the stated terms, it is necessary to select materials that meet the following criteria:
- Water absorption close to zero.
- Thermal expansion with minimum value.
- Mechanical stability during freezing and thawing.
- Inert to sunlight, moisture, biological damage.
- Maintainability to exclude complete replacement of decorative finishes.
Failure to comply with the conditions leads to drying out or swelling of the coatings. Due to precipitation, fungus, mold, bacteria, areas of rotting, peeling paint, and cladding may appear. In the sun, fading and loss of strength of the finish often occur.
Floor screed
To preserve the properties and geometry of the floor covering, it is first necessary to perform a high-quality screed. At this stage, the arrangement of waterproofing is of great importance, because the room will be regularly exposed to water and high air humidity, when even load-bearing structures are “at risk.”
The screed is made using traditional methods that ensure the appropriate level of quality, strength and durability.
Usually this stage is a preparatory stage for laying a decorative finishing coating, although the concrete base may remain as such. This is not only profitable, but also quite practical, unless, of course, you plan to furnish the interior in an elegant style.
Preparing the base to be decorated
Regardless of whether the floor, walls or ceiling are to be repaired, the base must be prepared. The event is aimed at eliminating leaks under the finishing coating, providing protection against biological damage and corrosion, and improving adhesion between different materials.
So, repairing an open balcony without glazing begins with cleaning furniture, shelving, flowers, and things. The space must be free for movement and placement of construction tools. Next, all old decorative trim is removed.
For this you may need:
- knife or brush with metal bristles;
- trowel or spatula;
- hammer or hammer drill with a spatula attachment;
- screwdriver or screwdriver;
- sweeper, broom and dustpan for cleaning up garbage.
It is also important to check the foundation for strength. Anything that is weak must be eliminated. This also applies to metal protrusions (for example, fittings, hardware), build-up from solutions. Foci of biological damage must be destroyed and protected with antiseptic compounds. The products are selected according to the material being processed and used outside the building. Read more in the article “how to get rid of mold on the balcony.” Cracks need to be opened using a hammer or spatula.
At each stage of repair of an open balcony, the working base must be primed.
The material is selected according to the following criteria:
- moisture resistance;
- inertness to aggressive chemicals and biological factors;
- the ability to penetrate deeply and strengthen the surface.
It is also important to consider the type of follow-up work. So, impregnation is enough to fill cracks and chips. To level the base with reinforcement and tiling, it is better to choose a composition with enhanced adhesion. Read more in the article “laying tiles on the balcony”. More often, preference is given to products with quartz filler. When finishing with paint and varnish materials, it is worth starting from the manufacturer’s recommendations. Read more in the article “how to paint a balcony”.
Photo design ideas
Every design detail is a special touch that creates comfort for each person and his family individually. By choosing a design in harmony with the surrounding landscapes, craftsmen find amazing organic ideas and possibilities for their implementation. It is only important to choose the right materials that will last long enough in the rather aggressive conditions of open space.
Check out ideas on how to decorate a closed balcony.
Repair of an open balcony
Finishing work on an open balcony should be carried out in dry weather at a temperature of +5-+10 degrees Celsius. Less often, the requirements for thermometer readings differ from the standard ones, as the manufacturer indicates in the recommendations for use. The procedure for repairing a room is represented by waterproofing the base, installing cladding, sheathing, sidewalls and ceilings, and painting structural elements.
Waterproofing
On trading platforms, the range of waterproofing materials is presented in roll sheets, membranes and polyethylene, pastes, and liquid compositions. Walls on an open balcony, as a rule, are not treated. But it is necessary to install a hydrobarrier on the floor. It’s easier to work with films and soluble products yourself.
The main thing is to create a continuous sealed coating.
Silicone waterproofing for balconies
An important requirement before the event is the installation of a slope for independent drainage of rain or melt water. Developers initially comply with this rule. If the base is damaged, then you need to fill the floor with a cement screed or form a new wooden flooring. In order not to measure the degree of inclination, it is enough to maintain a difference of 5-6 cm per meter of the site. It may take 3 weeks for the coating to dry depending on the layer.
If concrete is poured, it is recommended to reinforce it with reinforcing metal mesh. In places where it meets the walls, it is necessary to leave a technological gap of 1.5-2 cm. It is needed to eliminate pressure on the structure during thermal expansion.
Decorative floor finishing options
For an open balcony, you can use paint and varnish products, ceramic or rubber products. The only wood materials allowed are decking boards on the balcony. An original solution is to install a lawn.
When choosing cladding or sheathing, it is important to consider the mass of the coating. If the building is old, then the load on the floors can be fatal. So, it would be better to exclude cement-based balcony floor tiles and porcelain tiles. In terms of durability, clinker would be the best option.
A budget option is linoleum for the loggia, but it will last a maximum of a season due to its poor resistance to natural conditions.
Ceramic tiles, artificial stone (for more details, “finishing a balcony with stone”) for decorating an open balcony must be selected that are suitable for outdoor use and constant loads from furniture and people. To prevent slipping, the surface should be rough or textured.
Options suitable for mechanical cleaning are also being considered. The seams between the elements must be at least 2 mm wide. This is important in order to prevent cracks from occurring when the coating moves. They can be grouted 2-3 days after tiling the floor.
The rubber coating on an open balcony is easy to install, repair, and is not afraid of water. The porous elastic structure prevents icing and slipping. To clean, simply remove the tiles and sweep away accumulated debris from the floor. In addition to tiles for the loggia, manufacturers offer products in rolls and in the form of crumbs. The latter option is non-removable, seamless, and allows for the installation of multi-colored floors with patterns. Other analogues are made in solid color. Installation may require adhesive solutions recommended by the manufacturer.
Varnishes and paints are chosen for outdoor use on wood or concrete. A prerequisite is high wear resistance. As a rule, manufacturers indicate applicability regarding gender. They can be applied using a brush, roller or spray gun in 2-3 layers.
The connection between the loggia floor and the wall must be covered with a plinth. These can be ceramics, wood and plastic. The need is explained by protecting the base from moisture penetration. If the side partitions have a solid design, then the corners there are also decorated with plinths.
Decking is the only wood material acceptable for flooring outside the building. It is made from hard rocks that do not rot. Additionally, the material is treated with polymer additives. Installation is carried out by logs, which must first be impregnated with antiseptics and fire retardants.
Decorative wall decoration
There are times when it is unacceptable to make changes to the façade design of a house. These could be historical sites or elite areas. In other cases, you can resort to painting, plastering, cladding and paneling. If this is not a private house, then when choosing materials for finishing an open balcony, you need to start not only from personal preferences, but from the general design of the facade of the building.
The mechanical load on the walls is insignificant, so the tiles should only be resistant to weather conditions. Because of this, cladding with glaze, porcelain stoneware, and any type of artificial stone is acceptable. The gaps between the elements can be 1-1.5 mm.
If it is intended to use cladding material, then it is better to assemble the supporting sheathing of the balcony from a metal profile with an anti-corrosion coating. In this case, the wooden beam will last less. Popular options include plastic panels, decking, and corrugated sheets.
If we consider materials on a relatively modest budget, then we can apply façade paint or decorative plaster to the loggias. It will be more difficult to apply the solution without the skills of a painter, but such a coating will last much longer than paint film. Most plasters can be painted over and over again.
Fencing work
The simplest design of fencing for an unglazed balcony is a polygonal metal profile or iron reinforcement. Residents independently replace such options with forged structures or install wind protection. This can be shockproof glass, corrugated sheets, slate, plastic panels.
Metal products must be cleaned with a brush or a drill attachment with hard metal bristles. Next comes treatment with a degreaser and primer.
Cleaning up dust and debris
Carrying out preparatory work will allow you to determine the condition of the surfaces being repaired and subsequently make high-quality repairs. First of all, all things and furniture are removed from the loggia. If the fence is made of forged lattice, then dust from the bindings is removed with a stiff brush. The walls are carefully cleaned - dirt is removed with a damp cloth.
Balcony door - how to install and repair it is described in the article on our website.
What is a balcony block and the nuances of its installation can be found in this article.
Repair of a glazed balcony
An unheated balcony with glazing is being renovated in a similar way to an open area. Additionally, insulation is carried out. For mineral wool, you will need to assemble lathing on the walls. Logs must be installed on the floor for any thermal insulation material.
Most often, preference is given to the following options:
- Styrofoam. Depending on the density, it will last more than 10 or 30 years. The slabs are not afraid of water, but are destroyed by sunlight and solvents. In terms of thickness and strength, it is better to choose extruded fabrics.
- Mineral wool lasts at least 30 years if installed correctly. The slabs and canvases must be protected from the street side with a water barrier, and a vapor barrier must be laid inside, since the material is afraid of moisture. Stone wool is more durable and denser in its category.
- Expanded clay is poured onto the floor. The disadvantage is that the layer should be 25-30 cm. But clay granules are not afraid of water and retain heat for a long time.
For wall cladding in the case of an insulated balcony, it is permissible to use moisture-resistant plywood and treated lining. The surface can be periodically coated with varnish (for example, yacht varnish) or paint. It is better to avoid plastic indoors due to the release of toxic substances when heated in the sun. The standards are acceptable, but may cause an allergic reaction.
Fencing installation
The fencing installed by builders during the construction of a house does not always satisfy apartment owners with both its aesthetic properties and durability. Over time, any structures also require repair or replacement. Therefore, you can choose railings to suit your taste and budget.
Among the popular solutions are metal balusters with elegant railings, mounted at a certain distance from each other. The gap between them makes such a fence visually quite light and unobtrusive, and also provides an overview of the surrounding views.
A practical option is to install small borders at the bottom of the fence. They will protect against the loss of any small items that may fall from the balcony, and will also ensure the safety of small children.
Quality condition of the structure
Of course, if the house was built not so long ago, say 25-30 years, then the quality of the used balcony without glazing should be excellent. There is no need to think about how to carry out repairs, because the process is reduced only to finishing the metal fence from the outside.
Some apartment owners fence it off on both sides, installing bars up to the ceiling, decorating them at their discretion. This option will be discussed below. If the quality of the slab leaves much to be desired, then it will have to be repaired. How? Here are several options:
- If the defects of the balcony slabs are not very large, for example, cracks on top, small chips and gouges, then a simple thin screed made of cement and sand based mortar will solve this problem.
- If the cracks are deep and vertical, then you will have to remove the top concrete layer, check the quality of the metal reinforcing frame and re-fill a thick screed of concrete mortar.
- If the frame of the balcony slabs does not meet the quality requirements, then it will need to be reinforced with metal reinforcement and corner structures along the entire perimeter of the balcony. In this case, this structure will have to be attached to the facade of the building, as an element separate from the balcony slab. Let's face it, this is a very complex repair that requires a professional approach. With your own hands, if you are not an expert in this matter, you will not be able to master it.
Advice! Determining the vertical cracking of a slab is very difficult. But it is this type of crack that is the most dangerous. Therefore, it is recommended that, before starting to repair a balcony without installed windows, you call a specialist to diagnose the entire structure. And after that, decide whether to carry out the repairs yourself or call a team of specialists.
Assessment of the technical condition of the balcony slab
If there are significant cracks on the floor, then you must first consult with a specialist about the wear of the reinforced concrete slab and the selection of the necessary materials and techniques for repair.
Minor cracks on the surface of the loggia floor can be repaired with your own hands. At this stage, dismantling work must be carried out and a new screed made. It is extremely important to maintain the slope of the floor surface from the wall to the fence for the natural drainage of rain or snow on the balcony without warm glazing. For screeding, use a standard solution of a mixture of cement and sand. When performing this work, do not forget about the weight of the concrete slab. Cement mixtures significantly make the structure heavier and can be used if it is necessary to level the surface by less than 5-7 cm.
