Garage Door Entry Levels

Building Industry Experience Shows

	Concrete driveways often cover the cladding baseline to the sides of the garage door.
	Damp framing is the norm in these areas.
	Compression cracks can develop in the cladding at the baseline as the building settles and the cladding becomes crushed.
	Driveways are paved after the cladding has been installed and no one checks for compliance.

What needs to happen.

An entranceway to the garage would not be serviceable if it had the necessary clearance to ground level required by the building code.  Normally the maximum step acceptable is 20mm which is enough to shed water.  Therefore where the cladding covers the bottom plate 60mm to the sides of the garage door opening, the concrete must be shaped in such a way that it does not cover the cladding.

There are several ways to do this

	Form temporary boxing to retain the concrete pour to keep the concrete away from the cladding baseline.
	Free form the concrete driveway so it ridges away at the sides.

Remember car tyres do not require concrete to the full width of the garage opening.

Ensure the fall on the driveway is away from the house even if it is only one metre to a sump. 

It all helps.

Why this is important.

Concrete holds water and if the concrete encapsulates the cladding this allows sufficient pressure from capilliary action (dampness) to climb up behind the cladding and raise the moisture level of the timber framing.  This is most important on rain exposed openings that have little or no fall for the run-off of surface water.

Treat front doors and ranch sliders in the same way if clearances are tight.  This will ensure the cladding meets the necessary clearance for code of compliance.

Here is one solution

Page last updated Tuesday, 08 March 2005