Recently discovered a crack in your concrete driveway or walkway? If you’ve taken care to maintain your concrete, it can be frustrating to find it damaged. But, it’s also important to know what causes different types of damage and how to repair it. Some issues are quick, easy fixes, while others are easily preventable with certain precautions.
Rock It Concrete Ltd. in Calgary offer professional concrete installation and repairs. They share some common causes of concrete damage and what repairs are needed to fit them:
Narrow cracks: resurface repair
If your driveway or walkways have hairline cracks, it’s nothing to be concerned about. These cracks are caused when the cement dries too quickly during installation. The quickest way to repair these is to resurface your concrete.
Narrow or small cracks are also easily be repaired with resurfacing once the cracks are filled. The main risk from these is the chance of water seeping in, freezing and then expanding. This will quickly worsen the problem, so do any crack repairs quickly. These types of cracks are typically caused by having excess water in the cement mix. As concrete dries, the water evaporates and the concrete shrinks. The more water in the mix, the more it will shrink, which causes cracking. Make sure the cracks are filled and dried before resurfacing everything.
Pitting: repair and resurface
When water on concrete surfaces seeps into the pores and freezes, it causes damage to the surface by flaking the concrete. Pitting, as it’s called, is typically caused by improper mixing of the cement before it’s applied. Another cause, though, can be from using salt in the winters. Salt speeds up the melting process of ice and invites the unnecessary risk of freeze-thawing. That’s why it’s better to use sand instead of salt for traction on your driveway and walkways during the winter. Still, pitting is easily repaired by filling in the holes with new cement. Once everything has set and dried, resurface the area to protect it! You can also add a decorative overlay for double the protection. Take a look at some of these decorative concrete overlays for inspiration!
Lifting: replace
Either freeze-thaws or tree roots can be the culprits causing cement to lift up. Aside from being a safety hazard, raised concrete invites the risk of water moisture seeping in and freezing. If left unrepaired, the damage can quickly worsen and become much more costly. When lifting occurs, it’s better to replace the damaged concrete and find the cause. If tree roots are the source, then consider a root barrier system to protect from it happening again.
Concrete Contractors in Calgary
At Rock It Concrete Ltd., they pride themselves on transforming their customers’ yards with concrete additions. They offer concrete installation, repairs, as well as a wide selection of concrete finishes and colours. No concrete job is the same, as Rock It Concrete Ltd. will turn your custom concrete dream into a custom reality.
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