Keep Concrete Crack Resistant

$50
2-4 Hours
Medium
There's nothing worse than a cracked, heaved, or sunken concrete pad.

Chances are you've experienced one of these 3 things if you're a homeowner (i'm in this club myself, and unfortunately it doesn't involve a cool jacket).
Fortunately you can avoid issues of this nature by making your concrete's expansion joints watertight.
With spring coming there's no better time to do this project and it's certainly a weekend DIY task.
Here's a short description
+Remove old sealant or felt from between expansion joints
+Use an angle grinder to detach stubborn sealant or felt
+Wear goggles and gloves to protect your self from the sparks or debris from the grinder
+Vacuum or blow out any dust, dirt, or debris from the joint
+Add closed cell foam backer rod between expansion joints
+Ensure the backer rod is 1/8 inch wider in diameter than the joint
+Place the backer rod 1/4 beneath the surface of the concrete pad
+Apply self-leveling sealant onto of the backer rod (I used Sikaflex SL)
+Don't walk or drive on the sealant for 3-5 days
You can buy the self-leveling sealant at Home Depot or your local hardware store.
For more tips, pictures, and two short videos check out my post at http://www.homerepairtutor.com/concrete-expansion-joints/
Make concrete expansion joints watertight with a self-leveling sealant
Sika makes a great sealant that you can use with a caulking gun
Fill expansion joints with foam backer rods
Make sure the backer rod is 1/8 inch wider than the joint and 1/4 inch below the concrete surface
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
  1 question
  • Tlygjy Tlygjy on Oct 29, 2017

    What about cracks in aggregate concrete

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  • Kathy Busillo Kathy Busillo on Mar 12, 2013
    how about sunken slabs? is there a sure way to fix them without pulling up the entire piece?
    • Norris720 Norris720 on Jun 21, 2017
      ONE is Slab Lifting where they bore holes and lift the slab level and back fill by pumping mortar into the holes under the slab.
  • Home Repair Tutor Home Repair Tutor on Mar 15, 2013
    Hi @Kathy Busillo, wish I knew an answer to your question. You should post that question here on Hometalk :)
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