Patching & Repairing Concrete

Concrete is one of mankind’s greatest inventions. Very durable, it can also be aesthetically pleasing. Concrete is also often a major building material in and around homes. Over time, however, concrete can deteriorate. Patching and repairing concrete can be easy or difficult, depending on the project and the amount of deterioration. Most repair projects are fairly simple using some of the specially formulated patch and repair products available these days. Learn how to determine what concrete is suitable for repair by understanding concrete repairand get a comprehensive overview of the process from ConcreteNetwork.com.

Concrete is basically made by mixing together four ingredients, Portland cement, sand, crushed stone or gravel and water. These ingredients must be mixed in the proper proportions. You can mix the ingredients yourself, or purchase premixed products, blended for specific chores.

Specialty concretes are very user friendly, and have distinct characteristics such as fast initial or final setting times, high early or final strength, or increased resistance to cracking and chipping. It’s important to choose the correct specialty concrete product for the specific job. Regardless of the product chosen, it’s also extremely important to follow the instructions and safety precautions on the package.

The first step is to chip down to solid material

and clean away all loose materials and debris.

You’ll need a few tools, including a cold chisel, ball-peen hammer or 8-pound sledge for larger areas, protective goggles and gloves. A brush and broom or hand vac is also necessary, as is a plasterer’s trowel and pointing trowel. If you’re resurfacing steps and slabs, you’ll need an edger as well. You may also need lumber for forming some repairs.

Sweep and/or vacuum away all debris.

And, of course, you‘ll need the appropriate repair product. From the Quikrete Company this includes Concrete Bonding Adhesive, Acrylic Fortifier or Vinyl Concrete Patcher or packaged concrete. For interior floors you’ll need Self-Leveling Floor Resurfacer.

Moisten the area according to the package

instructions.

It’s extremely important to prepare the repair area properly before applying the concrete product. Remove all cracked and crumbling areas. On small areas you can do this with the point of a heavy-duty trowel. For larger areas use a sledge and cold chisel to break away any thin or loose edges. Then sweep, vacuum or hose away all dirt and debris down to a solid base.

Get tips on concrete crack repair and find products at ConcreteNetwork.com.