How to Repair Cracks in Concrete
Covering Your Crack
Although cracks in concrete can't be made completely invisible, cracks can be repaired and made to look better. Anyone can repair cracks in concrete. It doesn't take a professional to repair a simple crack and improve the appearance of a concrete driveway or sidewalk.
Hairline Crack Repair
It's obviously best to patch a hairline concrete crack when it is first noticed. Patching a hairline crack in concrete can help prevent that crack from expanding into a much larger crack. Concrete sealer can be used to fill a hairline crack. Concrete sealer is available at most larger home improvement stores, and it is well worth the cost of preventing a much larger problem further down the road.
Large Crack Preparation
A hairline crack that isn't repaired right away often turns into a larger crack when winter weather arrives. Freezing water settles into the crack causing it to expand. Those with slightly cracked concrete sidewalks and driveways sometimes notice the crack expanding in the winter. That's why it's important to take care of hairline cracks as soon as possible.
If a hairline crack in concrete has turned into a large crack, it will need to be cleaned out before the patching and repairing process. Remove any loose concrete and brush out any other bits and pieces with a wire brush.
It will be necessary to expand the crack so it is wider at ground level than on the surface. Use a cold chisel and sledgehammer to properly widen the crack. If the concrete has not cracked all the way to the base, the crack must be at least ½ inch deep for the repair to be effective. Deepen the crack if necessary.
Remove the concrete chips, brush away any debris with a wire brush, and sweep out the crack with a broom. Finish cleaning the crack with a mixture of trisodium phosphate (TSP) and water. To clean concrete, the proper solution is ½ cup of TSP mixed thoroughly with 2 gallons of warm water. Wear rubber gloves, and thoroughly scrub the crack with the trisodium phosphate mixture. TSP contains sodium meta-silicate and can cause burns to eyes, skin, and mucous membranes, so take care using the product.
Large Crack Repair
For the best results, patch large cracks using vinyl concrete patch cement. This product is easy to use, and it bonds quite well to existing concrete. The finished results are worth the extra money to buy this concrete repair product.
Fill the crack using a cement trowel. Pack the crack well, and smooth the top of the concrete patch cement. Cover the repair with a piece of wet burlap, and be sure to keep the burlap damp for about two days. After two days have passed, the cement should be dry and solid.
Published by Crystal Ray - Featured Contributor in Lifestyle
Crystal Ray is an award-winning freelance writer and artist from the Chicago area. Her passion is interior design, but she also loves entertaining and crafting. She is continually developing unique and creat... View profile
- Fixing Cracks in a Cement Walkway Repairing cracks in cement walkways is something that anyone can do by following these steps
-
Which of These Home Dangers is in Your House?
Fixing the home to make it as accident free as possible
- Contractors in the Fort Worth,TX Area We all think we can do-it-ourselves on a project, but some things are best left to a professional contractor. Whether equipment is clanking or water is spewing, call the listed Fort Worth contractors for your project...
- Waterproof Your Leaky Basement Constantly damp basements are an ongoing problem on par with fighting weeds, visiting in-laws, and keeping our gutters clean.
- Subfloor Surfaces: Tips on How to Lay Ceramic Floor Tile the Right Way Get ready to learn the basics of how to lay ceramic floor tile right here and make that beautiful ceramic tile floor that you and your family have always wanted.
- Tips on How to Keep Your Concrete or Blacktop Driveway from Cracking
- How to Fix Cracks in Concrete
- How to Fix or Repair Chipped and Cracked Concrete
- How to Get Rid of a Musty Basement Odor in Your Home
- How to Stain and Seal a Concrete Floor
- Concrete Repairs Made Simple
- Learn How to Install Ceramic Tile Flooring in 5 Easy Steps
|
|
- You don't have to hire a professional to repair or replaced cracked concrete.
- Large cracks as well as hairline cracks are easy to fix.
- For best results use vinyl concrete patch cement. The quality and performance is worth the price.
13 Comments
Post a CommentRepairing your foundation can very costly to repair if it is cracking or crumbling. If you suspect damage to your foundation you should always contact a concrete foundation repair contractor in order to ensure that your home is safe.
Also, if you catch the damage in time it could save you a lot of money.
I just replaced my old wood exspansion joints with GapArmour! Easy install,looks very clean,blocks weed's... 5 year warranty ! Check it out @ www.gaparmour.com
There are two types of concrete. Concrete which has cracked and concrete which will crack. You must construct expansion joints and crack inducer joints to get the concrete to crack where you want it to, in straight uniform lines.
i have a poured concrete floor in my kitcher and it a cracked diagonally and it aslo as dropped creating a ledge about a quarter of an inch or less and was wondering if there is any way to repair it and how
I have two hairline cracks in the concrete right outside our front door. We want to fill them but don't want to make them more noticeable in the process. What should we do and what product to you suggest? Thankc
We sold our house and had some cracks in the driveway so we filled them. Now it looks worst than it did before because the concrete doesn't match. Any suggestions?
I have multiple cracks in my pool. The contractor that built it wants to repair from the inside and not do anything to the backside of the pool. The pool leaked for over a year before I got them to return. Will an inside patch prevent further leaking if the crack goes all the way through?? Thanks.
I HAVE A VERTICAL CRACK IN THE POOL, NOT A PLASTER CRACK, BUT A STRUCTURAL CRACK, SIDE TO SIDE OF THE WALL, 1/2" WIDE. HOW CAN I FIX IT?
Just build a house last year and my driveway has cracks all over. Guy said its from the salt.
ALL CONCRETE WILL CRACK SOONER OR LATER NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO TO TRY TO PREVENT IT