Part of driveway and path to front door. Crack near sewer plate.
Asked on Nov 23, 2020
After almost 2 years concrete still dark color with cracks. WWYD?
by Maegirl
+35
I bought a new home in a subdivision which had to be built from ground up, after purchase. When finished, I noticed the concrete had a wierd color to it, very dark, and was told in a few months it would lighten to look like the new concrete is was. Several other new homes around me have the same problem but theirs isn't as bad and others are not discolored at all. Well, almost 2 years later it is still a dark color, a few cracks have appeared and even some spots have crackle patterns. Note that the discoloring affects all the concrete in the front of my house except the sidewalk. I understand there will be some variations in concrete but mines is the extreme and it looks centuries old. My biggest concerned is about quality. Anyone experience this issue and if so were you able to resolve and how? Appreciate the feedback. Thanks
Closer look at path to front door.
You can always get ahold of the concrete company and let them know that the concrete still hasn't lightened and see what they have to say about it. They may be willing to help do something about this discoloration because customer service is huge for a lot of companies, especially now.
Calcium chloride in concrete is a primary cause of concrete discoloration. ... The resulting low water-cement ratio affects the hydration of the cement ferrites, which contributes to a darker color. Concrete surfaces that are troweled too early will increase the water-cement ratio at the surface and lighten the color.
https://www.nevadareadymix.com/concrete-tips/discoloration/#:~:text=Calcium%20chloride%20in%20concrete%20is%20a%20primary%20cause%20of%20concrete%20discoloration.&text=The%20resulting%20low%20water%2Dcement,surface%20and%20lighten%20the%20color.
try contacting your builder again and telling him the issues are not better and now you have cracks- give him an opportunity to fix this issue. here is info to help you out
https://www.foundationarmor.com/articles/discolored-concrete/
https://www.concretedecor.net/departments/concrete-repair-restoration/handling-common-cracks-in-concrete/
Hello. I’m not sure I see it in my situation. We have a 5 year old : 200 foot concrete driveway and the sidewalk that goes to the side garage door. We do have some cracks and crumbling at the edges but not a dark discoloration. I hope you find your answer.
Hi Marie, depending on where you live, most new homes come with a warranty for several years and you should be able to contact the builder of the homes. If everyone is having the same problem then there is probably a problem with the concrete mix. They most likely subcontracted the job out but should replace them... especially if they are starting to crack as that will allow water to seep in.
First, you can patch the crack. Check into a product called Sika.
Next, I wouldn't be terribly concerned about quality because you would have crumbling and worse cracks after 2 years however the mix may not have been proper for the time of year and that may, over a long period of time, cause some issues. Just keep an eye on it.
Finally, there's not a long you can do about the color other than if you want to stain it or do sidewalk art.
Have another concrete contractor assess the concrete. They may explain the problem and a solution. You may have to sue the builder and concrete contractor
if you have trees anywhere near by, roots can cause the damage as they are seeking water. First deep water all vegetation always, anywhere near the cement and then see if the concrete can be raised - does not sound like rebar was used
ARDEX cd is the best concrete refinisher little goes along way
You don’t say where you live. If in the south it could be mildew. Try pressure washing a small dark section to see if it cleans up. If it does,clean the rest of it and after drying apply some “Wet & Forget”. I live in the southern part of SC and I have to do this once a year.
The dark color is fine. Should not affect quality. Im just guessing, but was it raining or wet out right after they poured it?? If so then the dark color may have came from concrete being wet, which is GOOD for concrete...
First I would try pressure washing with a good cleaner degreaser that you can buy in an auto store. Then I would call the builder and see if your walkways are under warranty. Possible solutions are use ARDEX or get a good concrete stain at Home Depot of Lowes.
Thanks everyone for all the suggestions. I plan to involve another contractor to check their work and provide his/her opinion but I have all the great suggestions that were made here. Please consider this question answered.
A similar situation happened to me. I think you made the right choice by involving another contractor.
i would contact your builder again and telling him the issues are not better and now you have cracks-
It may already have been said but this concrete needs cleaned with pressure met before any one comes out to look at it. Do your neighbors all have dark concrete? As for the crack of is common as ground settles and the seasons change, winter is particularly hard on concrete.
Is this a licensed bonded contractor? My brother works in concrete this is not normal and the contractor must fix it. Contact the city that issued the contractors licsense and file a complaint. They need to replace the concrete or resurface. A friend of mine had a similar problem sued and the contractor had to replace their sidewalk and garage floor. It will never get better. I will shoe the pictures to my brother he contracts to the city and mag know how to help you resolve legal.