Concrete patios are made to last for hundreds of years However, eventually, many concrete patios develop small cracks, gaps crevices and holes. If your concrete pathway or driveway is beginning to appear to be cracking, it might be time to fix the problem quicker instead of later. While it might require assistance from professionals, nearly anyone can repair a cracked concrete patio.
Here are some ways to make your cracked concrete patio appear brand new.
Sealers and caulks are quick and cheap, non-structural patches that are designed to be used for cracks that are less than 1 wide, such as hairline cracks. Concrete cracks that are narrow may be filled with an elastomeric filler which can be applied using the caulking gun. However, the majority of sealer and caulk options are packaged in bottles that have an applicator tip that is specifically designed for this purpose.
Sealer and caulk compounds are usually blended with water and then applied using a putty blade or trowel. They have the same texture as grout. They can be smoothed out or textured to blend in with the surrounding area. When you’ve found the best caulk or sealer, put the mixture in the caulking gun and begin to fill in the crack. Spreading a little bit of sealer or caulk on the crack will create an edging to ensure that the foundation remains dry and prevent the spread of water or widening the crack. However, you should ensure that you put it deeply in the crack(s) to ensure that it expands to fill the entire gap. Once it has expanded, apply a bit more on trowel or putty knife and rub it over the crack’s edges to give it a smooth, beautiful appearance.
Resurfacing the concrete yourself is a less expensive semi-structural method of repairing the concrete up to the entire thickness of the fracture. This is cracks that are half-inch or more as it’s difficult to push your new cement into narrow cracks that extends to the thickness of a 6-inch concrete slab. This also gives your patio a fresh appearance for a fraction of the cost for hiring a professional and the cracks that you cover will not recur for a long time.
Before starting before you begin, you should spend about $2.25 each square foot to cover your patio but if you’d like certain patterns or colors it is likely to cost between $4 and $8 to $8 per square feet. Before you can resurface your existing concrete, you’ll need remove any concrete that is unsound and fix any minor cracks to ensure that your new concrete has an solid foundation to attach to. Since concrete is comparatively thin in its structure it can’t stop slab movement when the foundation isn’t 100% solid. For the best results, obvious cracks should be cut using the help of a chisel, forming an inverted V-notch to ensure maximum hold strength at the junction between the old and new concrete.