Who can take a pile of bricks and turn it into a cottage? A contractor can. Who can take a few loads of concrete and turn them into a sidewalk? A contractor can. Now, not all contractors have the same skills. A contractor who primarily works on cottages would probably have difficulty making a sidewalk, for example. However, those in this industry are very used to collaborating and reaching out to others when they come across work they don't specialize in. If you think contractors and their work are awesome, then you've come to the right place. This is a friendly blog where you can read more about the topic.
Construction & Contractors Blog
If your concrete driveway has cracks in it, you'll want to repair the cracks as soon as you can. Cracks are not always a sign of serious problems in your driveway, but since rain can get in the crack, freeze, and expand, small cracks can eventually become a lot bigger and let rain down to the base under the concrete.
Extreme cracks might signal a need to replace your driveway, but most cracks can be sealed. You can hire a concrete contractor to do this, but if you feel comfortable doing the work, you might be able to do the crack sealing yourself. Here are a few crack sealing solutions to consider.
1. Concrete Patch Filler
Large cracks can be repaired using concrete filler. This crack sealing solution involves cleaning out the crack and then pouring in some sand or putting in a foam rod to provide some stability before the filler is added. The patch filler is made by mixing it with water. Then the filler can be put in the crack using a trowel. It's important to get the filler even with the top of the crack so the surface is level before the patch material dries and gets hard.
2. Flexible Crack Sealant
Small cracks can be filled in with a flexible crack sealant. Look for concrete crack filler so you buy the right product. Flexibility is important so the sealant will expand and contract along with the concrete. You can use a caulk gun to inject the sealant or you can buy crack sealer in a bottle with an injection tip on the end.
Clean the area first by pulling weeds out of the crack and washing away sand. Then inject the crack sealing product into the crack and let it harden. Before it gets hard, use a trowel to smooth over the surface so the sealer is level with the top of the crack.
3. A Resurfacing Product
If the surface of your driveway is covered with tiny cracks, you can use a concrete resurfacing product to correct the problem. These cracks are called concrete crazing, and they develop when the surface of new concrete dries out too fast. The cracks don't usually affect your driveway, but they can make your driveway look ugly.
You can apply a concrete resurfacer to fix this problem. First, you pressure wash the concrete. Then you mix the resurfacer with water until it becomes a thick mixture you can pour over the surface of your driveway. You'll need to use a trowel to smooth the resurfacer across the concrete being sure to make the layer very thin, just so it's thick enough to cover the surface and hide fine cracks and repaired areas.
One important final step is to use a brush to rough up the concrete before the resurfacer dries. This adds texture to the surface that keeps your driveway from being too slick. Contact a contractor to learn more about crack sealing options.
Share17 May 2022