A properly maintained residential or commercial building will look great and last a long time if concrete crack sealant and concrete crack repairs are not made before problems arise that could lead to serious structural damage. Identifying problems is critical since it can be very costly if they’re ignored for too long.
Cracks in concrete can be a big problem. They can cause structural problems as well as appearance issues. Concrete cracks are categorized as either shrinkage or expansive. Shrinkage cracking occurs when the ‘shrinkable’ aggregate has been washed out by erosion, solution, etc. Expansive cracking is caused by several factors which include changes in soil moisture levels, groundwater fluctuations and the heave of plant roots.
In this article let’s discuss on how you can successfully complete a concrete crack sealant repair procedure:
- Concrete Cracking Sealant:
You may have noticed these tiny little bottles on the shelves of your local home improvement store labelled “concrete crack sealant.” These sealants are not formulated for use on new concrete drives. New concrete is cured using high humidity and low temperatures. During this curing process, the concrete micro-cracks that provide it strength actually close up. This creates a microscopic barrier against any penetrating sealer or coating material. Any crack sealing done before the proper curing time has lapsed will fail to achieve its intended purpose of preventing further moisture penetration and damage from freeze-thaw cycles.
- Crack Repair And Crack Filling:
Cured concrete is extremely strong, but these very same cracks are where moisture gets in at the most opportune times, freezing and thawing out during winter months. As long as water remains in these cracks, your driveways will continue to deteriorate rapidly because of exposure to moisture that’s looking for a way into your home’s structure. Concrete crack sealant will keep water out of your concrete cracks
- Concrete Sealer Application:
The best time for this work is in the dry summer monsoon season when there’s little chance of rainfall for at least twenty-four hours following the application process. Concrete crack sealants are applied with a garden sprayer or roller. You can use either a pressure regulator or an improved pressure/atomizing nozzle on your garden hose to regulate the flow rate. If you use a roller, do so carefully so as not to gouge the surface during application. Simply pour the sealer into a paint tray or garden sprayer and apply it on your concrete cracks. Allow enough time for the sealant to dry before driving on it.
- Crack Repair Sealer Application:
The next step is to take care of any concrete crack repairs and filling that may need attention. If you have some low spots that require additional material, then mix up some quick-setting cement with an easy-to-pour powder type mix similar in consistency to pancake batter. Pour this mixture into each low spot and allow it to cure completely before overfilling with standard curing/finishing materials. Drainage issues can be handled by applying a layer of standard ready-mix finishing material over the top of the patching mix. Allow all cured materials to cure for seventy-two hours before applying a topcoat of standard curing/finishing material.
- Crack Filling Materials:
You’ll need a ready-mix repair mixture bag, depending on the size of your cracks and patching areas. You should even consider hiring a professional concrete crack sealant and repair service that will apply the sealant, fill in any cracks and add the finishing touches with a concrete levelling product when they’re done sealing it.
We hope that this article has helped you to understand the appropriate procedure for concrete crack sealant and concrete crack repairs for your building.