Waterproofing block paving step

[Jeahgreg]

Hello all,

We've a block paving step leading up to our back door (old victorian house). They look like concrete blocks to me.

Below the step is our cellar which is reasonably dry - unless it rains in which case water cascades down through this step. From the underside it's a concrete slab and it's just coming in at the edge/lip of that, dripping in.

So my question is, is it possibly to get a waterproof grout or similar that can be brushed into the joints and then for me to seal the whole lot? Or should i look to lay a paving slab over the whole section (it's circa 1000mm x 1000mm) sealed around the edges with mortar? The step on one side is against a brick wall to what is now the downstairs loo (also above the cellar) and at the front it meets the house via a concrete step.

Any help would be much appreciated as the cellar is a good, useful, dry space were it not for this - and it's a significant amount of water that comes in unfortunately!

many thanks
Greg

[seanandruby]

You need to waterprood that. Maybe repointing and a waterproof membrane stuck to the wall. Something like preprufe membrane, wall needs to be primed first to help it stick.

[Jeahgreg]

Hi Sean,

Would this require us to lift the blocks? if it comes to it we will - but we were hoping there would be a solution that doesn't involve that... I even started thinking about using some nice black and white tiles over the top of the block paving - possibly with a membrane underneath?
Cheers

[seanandruby]

If you can get to the join from the inside you can try something like sika4 to push into the gap, you just mix it with cement but be warned it goes of in seconds so you need to mix small amounts. There are other mixes on the market like stop gap. Maybe a good idea to post photo's so others can help.

[Jeahgreg]

Thanks Sean, will take some pictures tonight to try and highlight the issue. It's difficult/impossible to get at it from the inside as there's a steel in the way that it drips beyond... and I didn't think squirting a couple of cans of expanding foam would quite do the job haha!
Cheers