On Tue, 8 Nov 2005 21:35:43 -0000, "Brian G"
wrote:

--s-p-o-n-i-x-- wrote:
Background: Garage floods to 1/4" deep through end wall whenever it
rains.

Tonight I went to see the gut that owns the patio but he was out.
However, I climbed up and looked over his fence.

It appears as though there *is* 6" of gravel around his patio although
I'm unsure how deep it is. The soil round here is clay and I suspect
the gravel doesn't go very deep. The top of the gravel is about level
with the DPC.

If the ground is clay and above or level with any DPC, then this will hold
the water in the gravel and if the wall is only a half brick thick (41/2
inch single skin wall) then the water will drain away through this as most
bricks are porus.

Cure, is to dig either a drainage trench to a lower level so the water runs
aways (can then be filled with coarse gravel) or dig an even deeper trench
to about two foot below DPC, backfill with coarse rubble and use this as a
soakaway. Or alternatively, dig a trench to the footings level and 'tank'
the wall or give it about half a dozen coats of clear silicone using a
'rough' spray and then lay a loose course or so of ordinary concrete blocks
against this to protect it and then backfill with rubble and gravel to
finish off.

Up against the back of the garage he's contructed one of those small
wooden cupboard for storing garden tools in. There appears to be a 1"
gap between this and the garage wall.

This won't cause a problem.

He has painted the garage wall in something that is white and slightly
shiny-it's either gloss paint or masonry paint-it's difficult to tell
what as the bricks are rough.

If as I suspect, its only a 41/2 inch single skin wall then he's probably
done you a favour by sealing the wall. Get rid of the clay to below DPC and
that should cure the problem.

Snipped

Hope this helps

I hope so to..