How to clear up screeding under tile of the outside balcony?

[Laura3]

Hi all,
Does anyone know what tools should be used to clear up screeding, existing membrane, tile adhesive etc.. Please see the photos below.

 

Appreciated your help.

Laura

[MitchellMc]

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @Laura3. It's brilliant to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about removing screeding.

I'd be keen to know the end goal here and what you want to finish the area with. It might actually be easier to use self-levelling cement over the area to smooth it off instead of trying to remove the screed that's there. That would certainly be a lot less work.

If you'd like to remove the screed, you'd have to use a demolition hammer with a chisel bit. This will be quite a lot of work, and you're not going to achieve a smooth finish. You'll most likely still need to use a self-leveller to give a flat surface if that's your intended result.

I'm keen to learn more about your project and off further advice. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

[Laura3]

Hi Mitchell,

Thanks for your help. It is for the outside balcony of first floor, and there is no roof for it. The builder trying to fix the leaking issue for few years, but I do not think they are doing the right thing. They keep add new waterproofing/screed on existing layer, and it does not fix the issue. Also, there is not a big height difference between the balcony and my living room. I am worried if it is getting higher and higher, water will come through my living room.

Also, the substrate of the balcony (i guess it is cement board) has many cracks and holes, we want to apply whole sheet membrne on it directly.

However, the builder not happy to do that even he already agreed on VCAT. And I do not think his team are using right tools to remove it.

Regards,
Laura

[MitchellMc]

Hi @Laura3,

Perhaps you might like to enlist the services of another builder to provide a quote on the repair work and assess what needs to be done. At least then, you'd have two opinions and can pursue the one that makes the most sense to you. As opposed to a builder, it might be best to seek out someone that specialises in waterproofing balconies as this can be a rather specialised area.

Mitchell