How to Fix Cracks in Concrete

So your concrete walkway has cracks or pits in it and seems to be crumbling and you would like to fix it on your own. It can be somewhat easily done. The project should take about six to 10 hours and should only cost you around $30. With a little practice, you should be able to resurface your walkway in no time.

The technical term for the pits you see forming in concrete is called spalling. Spalling occurs when too much water is used in a concrete mix and weakens it. Here’s the deal. As long as the area you want to fix isn’t cracked all the way through, you can resurface it using a concrete resurfacer, which is basically a blend of Portland cement, sand and polymer additives. The blend should fill any pits or cracks and make a nice, clean finish. The natural color of it is a dark grey, so you will want to buy enough to cover the entire area. You can buy a 40 pound bag for about $22 and it should provide enough coverage to last 35 square feet. You can also add a concrete tint if you want to help it blend with the surrounding area better.  Now, here are the steps:

1. Clean the concrete thoroughly with a high powered pressure washer that can reach at least 3.500 psi. While the concrete is still damp, patch the spalled areas with the resurfacer. 
2. Spread the resurfacer over the entire area. But first, make sure to fill any walkway joints with peel and stick foam weatherstripping.
3. Trowel the resurfacer until it’s between 1/8 and ¼ inch thick. Remove the weatherstripping after 20 minutes and then sweep a nylon-bristle broom across it, 90 degrees to the foot traffic. 
4. Wait 6 hours before walking on it and make sure to cover if rain threatens in the meantime.

You should now have a nice, clean, resurfaced concrete walkway that should last for years to come.

How To Prevent Cracks in a Concrete Driveway

So you are thinking about having a new concrete driveway put in and you are concerned with finding the best methods to go about it so that you can prevent any cracks in the future. The first thing you should know is that concrete work done by a seasoned professional is the best way to ensure your concrete driveway will last for years. If you do so, your driveway should last for at least 30 years, sometimes even 50.

Cracks are to be expected in concrete. While it is a very strong substance, it can lose it’s strength if not applied properly. If the new concrete is poured over soft, uncompacted soil, your car or heavy delivery truck will bend and crack the concrete as it passes over the spot. For this reason, concrete needs to be poured on solid, compacted soils.

Professionals take care to install crisp, tooled lines in the slabs when installing the concrete. These lines act as pre-weakened stress points that encourage the concrete to crack only at these locations. The minimum depth of these lines should be 1/4 the thickness of the slab. These lines should also be spaced at intervals of 15 feet or less.

The thicker the concrete for your driveway, the better. A lot of professionals will recommend a 4 inch thickness to be suffice, however it is better to pay a little more for the 5 inch thickness, as it will pay off in the long run. Lastly, you must use reinforcing steel when installing a new concrete driveway. Steel will strengthen the concrete and hold the cracked slabs together. Without it, the cracks will continue to grow in size.

So, with the help of these few suggestions and a seasoned professional, your concrete driveway should last for 30 to 50 years.