How to Repair Cracked Concrete

With weather and temperature changes, concrete can crack fairly easily. When you’ve got cracked concrete, it can look unsightly and become annoying. Here are three easy steps to repair cracked concrete so you don’t have to worry about it any longer.

1. Find a concrete repair product

One common myth is that you can repair cracked concrete with more concrete. But this isn’t the case. You’ll need a special type of repair product for this job. The three most popular types of product are:

• Epoxy
  • Useful for cracks in concrete up to 1/8 inch wide or smaller
• Latex patching
  • Best used in the same situation as Epoxy repair products
• Mortar
  • This is perfect for larger cracks or cracks along edges

2. Prepare the concrete for repair

When you prepare your concrete for repair, always make sure to read the instructions on your concrete repair product fully before beginning prep.

In order to get the best results from your repair, you want to make sure you’re working with a smooth surface. This means that you’ll want to remove any loose, chipped, or crumbling pieces of concrete. Use a chisel or another similar tool to help you with the removal.

Once you’ve removed all large loose pieces, you’ll want to rinse out the area. Rinse the cracked area with water and use a brush or another non-damaging tool to remove any smaller pieces of loose concrete.

3. Repair cracked concrete

Once again, it is always important to fully read the directions before beginning your repair.

For epoxy and latex repairs

First, mix the solution according to directions. Then, use a putty knife or a trowel to apply the mixture to the crack. Make sure the mixture takes up all space in the crack, and is even with the concrete surface. Finally, smooth the surface of the mixture so it is even, and let it cure.

For mortar repairs

Sometimes concrete cracks more than just epoxy or latex can fix. For this, you’ll want to purchase mortar. Then, once you have the mortar mix, you’ll want to wet the damaged area of concrete. You don’t want this area to be too wet or the mixture will not properly work. Instead dampen it just enough so that it will be able to adhere to the mixture without any sliding happening.

Once you’ve done this, you can start applying the mortar mix with a putty knife or trowel. Make sure you press down on the mix to release any pockets of trapped air. Then, you’ll want to smooth the surface so it is level with the undamaged concrete nearby.

With mortar, the curing process is more involved than with epoxy or latex. For mortar repairs, you have to let it sit for a couple hours before covering the repaired area in plastic sheeting. It is important to keep the mortar moist, so every few days you’ll want to spritz it with water until it is completely hardened.

What about preventing cracked concrete?

Preventing cracked concrete is the best way to avoid repairs! It is important to care for your concrete from the beginning. We have tips on sealing concrete, spring maintenance, and winter maintenance. Keep your concrete in top shape by following these guidelines.

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