Repairing a Cracking Sidewalk

A damaged sidewalk is one of the most visible parts of the exterior of a property and can easily hurt the curb appeal to your home. Fortunately, sidewalk repair is fairly simple and can be done in short order by our construction team or even by you. To repair a sidewalk you will need to follow these steps:

1. Determine the type of damage that’s on your sidewalk. Some damage is easy to repair but not all damage is. Big sections of sidewalk that have heaved and broken into pieces are not easy to fix and will most likely require a contractor to fix the problem

2. Determine why the damage occurred. It could have happened from  a lack of control joints, tree routes, or even seismic activity.

If your sidewalk is cracking you might want to consider installing a few extra control joints. You can install control joints by using a masonry blade to cut lines in the concrete. Cut about ½ inch into the sidewalk, not the whole way. The control joints allow the concrete to expand and contract in certain weather conditions. If a tree route seems to be the cause of the crack, clear around the tree roots and cut them away with pruning tools. Be very careful though, this can stunt the growth of the tree and sometimes even kill the tree.

The type of material you use to a repair a crack in the sidewalk depends on how large the crack is. For little cracks, you can use concrete grout. Larger cracks can be fixed with caulk and the largest cracks of all will need to be repaired with a concrete patching compound.

Keeping Safe while Making Repairs during Winter Months

Just because the weather turns cold in the winter doesn’t mean construction or repairs stop. Damage still happens and repairs still need to be made. Keeping safe through the cold, rain and snow is of paramount importance for construction workers and home owners making their own repairs. There are two main difficulties to overcome when it comes to staying safe during the winter: drastically reduced temperatures and much shorter daylight hours.

Staying safe in the cold is all about producing warmth in your body at every opportunity. Layering clothing is the primary defense against the cold, but it is also advantageous to have heating elements near the worksite to help the body stay warm. When working out in the cold it is important to know the signs of hypothermia so that you or any workmate can get the help necessary immediately.

Staying safe in winter is also about being able to deal with the increased amount of working hours taking place in darkness. The obvious solution to this problem is to create more light around the working environment. One of the best solutions for this is an LED light tower, which provides plenty of bright light for any environment. LED towers can be a bit heavy and bulky, however, so other options such as lighting balloons, work lamps, and flashlights might be enough for any particular situation. Either way, make sure to watch your step and be aware of your surroundings at all times.