How To Restore Cracks in a Concrete Driveway (7 Steps)

For minor cracks, you usually want solely to use somewhat resurfacing compound, however deeper cracks require somewhat extra work. You’ll have to seal the fissures with filler to cease them from spreading and restore your driveway’s look.

In both case, although, you might be able to do the work your self. Right here’s the way to full this DIY restore venture.

Instruments and Supplies

• One-part polyurethane sealant
• Caulk gun
• Fast-setting concrete combine, like Quikrete
• Oscillating multi-tool with grinding wheel
• Wire brush or store vacuum
• Pointing trowel
• Spray bottle full of water
• Nitrile disposable gloves

Steps

1. Clear the driveway to take away any free particles, grime, oil, or stains. Permit the driveway to dry in case you spray it with cleansing merchandise and water.
2. Use an oscillating multi-tool fitted with a grinding wheel to widen and deepen the crack if it’s too slim or shallow for filling.
3. Take away mud and particles utilizing a wire brush or a store vacuum. You may also blow it out utilizing your air compressor or leaf blower.
4. Put the one-part polyurethane sealant within the caulking gun and fill the complete size of the hole with sealant. Firmly push the tip of the sealant tube towards the driveway as you pull the set off to get the fabric deep into the broken space.
5. Unfold the surplus sealant flush with the driveway floor utilizing a pointing trowel. Be sure that to easy it out evenly alongside each side of the crack.
6. Whereas carrying gloves, sprinkle dry Quikrete over the sealant to assist the restore mix into your driveway floor.
7. Spray the concrete combine with water to activate it and pat it down towards the sealant together with your gloved palms. Repeat with extra dry combine and water if there are any naked areas.

Repairing cracks in your driveway is a worthwhile venture, even when the sight of them doesn’t hassle you within the slightest. These are simply a few of the advantages you’ll take pleasure in after fixing the harm.

A well-maintained driveway retains the floor secure for you and your guests to stroll on and drive over. If small cracks don’t get repaired, they will shortly flip into tripping hazards, leading to twisted ankles and even harmful falls. The broken floor can even pose a danger to your automobile’s tires and wheel alignment in case you hit the bumps too onerous.

Repairing your driveway on the first signal of harm retains minor cracks from turning into big voids. With out repairs, the extra harm occurs shortly because the water will get into the hole and freezes or erodes the underlying supplies. Water additionally carries chemical substances and street salts that may quickly deteriorate the concrete construction.

A concrete driveway can last as long as 50 years with correct care — and that features repairing cracks once you see them. If fissures increase previous ¼” broad, you might be taking a look at a full alternative, costing $4,800 to $9,000 on common. So, performing the repairs immediately might prevent some huge cash in the long term.

Earlier than finishing any repairs, assess the severity of the cracks in your driveway. The harm usually ranges from hairline to deep cracks and isn’t restricted to just one space. A number of crevices can seem at any given time. As current concrete cracks meet, they have an inclination to widen, which complicates the restore course of.

To evaluate the driveway harm severity, check out the next classes and match them to what you’re seeing at your property.

A hairline crack seems as a high quality line of as much as an ⅛” broad proper on the floor of your driveway. When the high quality traces first develop, they’re superficial and primarily have an effect on how the floor seems. They solely seem one by one, in contrast to crazing which creates a big net of high quality traces.

Because the harm is simply floor stage, you may apply an elastomeric concrete filler to maintain water out. For the complete restore, you have to widen the hole with a grinder and fill it with a one-part polyurethane sealant.

DIY repairs will price you $20 or much less in supplies for both technique. A concrete restore skilled prices as much as $1 per linear foot for labor plus the price of supplies. You might also need to pay a service name payment, which generally ranges from $75 to $125. At that worth, a 10-foot hairline crack might price round $155 to have professionally repaired.

A minor crack is wider than a hairline crack however doesn’t exceed ¼” broad. The minor harm goes deeper into the floor, though it’s unusual for it to go during. There may also be indicators of widening at sure factors as unstable items break free across the edges.

For a long-lasting restore, minor crevices have to get widened and full of a one-part polyurethane  sealant. You may full this DIY residence enchancment venture for round $30 if you have already got the instruments. If you happen to’d like to rent an expert, they could cost $1 to $2 per linear foot plus materials prices. A service name payment of $75 to $125 might apply. At that charge, you’ll pay as much as $175 to have a 10-foot minor crack fastened.

A serious crack is something wider than ¼”. At this stage, the harm usually extends by means of the complete depth of the concrete slab. You may additionally discover jagged areas the place chunks broke off, leaving even wider gaps.

You may fill severely broken areas with a one-part polyurethane sealant and a backer rod however don’t count on it to final. Vast fissures level to an underlying downside that can trigger much more concrete driveway cracks to seem.

If you wish to full the momentary repairs, count on to pay as much as $50 for supplies. Hiring an expert will price you $3 or extra per linear foot plus the price of supplies. Your restore professional may apply a service name payment of $75 to $125. Skilled repairs will run you $205 or extra for a 10-foot main crack.

Though one-part polyurethane sealant is the gold normal for driveway restore, you’ve gotten different choices to contemplate, akin to:

Concrete Patch

Concrete patch is a pre-mixed compound constituted of Portland cement, sand, and a polymer-based bonding agent. It’s greatest for hairline cracks, however it may possibly work for minor harm with a depth of 1” or much less.

To use this patching compound, you need to:

1. Use a wire brush and store vacuum to scrub the crack and the encircling space.
2. Tough up the sides of the hole and about 2” between its borders on both sides.
3. Evenly dampen the work space with clear water.
4. Stir the patch materials till it’s easy, after which use a putty knife to push it into the crack.
5. Solely fill a ¼” at a time to make sure good adhesion. Repeat steps one by means of three till it’s stage with the floor.

The simple utility course of and 180-minute set time present quick outcomes. On the draw back, the patch materials dries easy and lightens to a pale grey shade, making it stand out towards most concrete driveway surfaces.

Vinyl concrete patch is a flexible restore materials constituted of Portland cement, sand, and an exterior grade vinyl resin. You’ll discover it really works greatest for minor voids between ⅛” and ¼” broad.

To use this patch materials:

1. Take away mud and particles utilizing a trowel and store vacuum.
2. Use a concrete and asphalt cleaner to wash the world and rinse with water.
3. Combine in keeping with the package deal instructions. The ratio is often 10 ounces of water to five kilos of vinyl patch.
4. Firmly press the ready vinyl patch materials into the crack utilizing a trowel. Solely apply a ¼” layer at a time.
5. Let the patch materials dry for 2 hours, after which repeat the appliance as wanted to fill the hole.
6. Cowl the patch with polyethylene movie for twenty-four hours if it’s sizzling, windy, or dry.

You’ll have to keep away from strolling on the floor for the primary 24 hours and hold your autos off the driveway for 3 days. The fabric dries to a lightweight grey that comes near matching many driveway surfaces.

Polyurethane Foam

Sealing your driveway helps your repairs final and protects the remainder of the driveway from harm. The sealant offers further safety towards water penetration, stopping cracking from freeze-thaw cycles.

To get one of the best outcomes, you have to use the proper sealant in your concrete sort, native local weather, and desired end. Sealers additionally range of their sturdiness and best reapplication intervals. See the desk under for assist selecting one of the best sealer in your driveway.

As soon as you choose a sealant product, you’re prepared to use it to the driveway floor. You must at all times comply with the producer’s utility instructions, however you’ll undoubtedly transfer by means of these steps:

1. Use a stress washer and degreasing agent to completely clear the complete floor of your driveway. Let it dry fully earlier than transferring on to the subsequent step.
2. Mentally divide the driveway into sections that can will let you work from one finish to the opposite. Plan your route rigorously, so that you don’t need to stroll again over the finished surfaces.
3. Evenly apply the sealer to the driveway floor utilizing a curler, sprayer, or brush. Don’t spray an excessive amount of or it would puddle and look uneven.
4. Permit the sealer to totally dry for wherever from one hour to every week, relying on the kind of sealer you employ.
5. Apply extra coats if wanted to get your required stage of safety and end.

After permitting the sealant to treatment, you’re in a position to make use of your driveway like regular. To assist the sealer final, clear your driveway repeatedly and hold site visitors to a minimal.