How To Repair Cracked Concrete Patio

Pitiful Patio? five Ways to Rescue a Deteriorating Concrete Patio

Don't take the sledge or jackhammer to your concrete patio just yet. Learn about five common means a patio fails, and what you tin can practise about information technology.

Photo: istockphoto.com

If your patio has seen better days, don't worry; you're not solitary. While physical is incredibly strong and durable, natural occurrences like freeze-thaw cycles and ground movement can take their toll on a patio surface. But what can you do most a deteriorating patio?

The solution depends on the issue you lot're facing. Some repairs are small, while others might take more attempt and know-how. Proceed reading to learn about five of the most mutual bug with deteriorating patios, and what you can do about them.

Photo: istockphoto.com

1. Fill and seal common concrete cracking with a caulk-based fissure repair product.

More likely, your concrete patio has a few cracks in its surface. This happens for many reasons, including ground shifting, improper pouring conditions, and just the nature of concrete. But that does non mean you have to alive with them simply considering these cracks are typical.

The all-time product for sealing and repairing cracks is a flexible caulk-based product similar Quikrete Concrete Repair. This acrylic-based caulk is matte gray, textured to blend in with surrounding concrete. All it takes to employ this product is a caulk gun and a utility knife to cutting the tip. For hairline cracks, chisel the crevice open a bit (wearing safety glasses, of course) to ensure the product flows all the way into the crack. Once filled, Quikrete Concrete Repair can be tooled smooth with a trowel.

For a more in-depth look at how to utilise this product, check out this video from Quikrete.

Photograph: quikrete.com

2. Straighten out crumbling corners with a concrete cleaner and patching compound.

1 of the most common patio bug facing homeowners is a chipped or aging corner. These corners deteriorate from age, water, and typical foot traffic. They start life every bit a precipitous, bonny angle and wind up rounded over and crumbly. Luckily, there's an piece of cake solution to fix this on your own.

You need to repair the corner, but the first step is cleaning it thoroughly so the repair production can adhere properly. Beginning past using a brush and clearing any loose droppings. Then, pour some Quikrete Physical & Asphalt Cleaner onto the damaged corner and scrub information technology with a castor. Exist sure to rinse the area thoroughly.

Later cleaning the repair area, you're ready to showtime rebuilding the corner with Quikrete Polymer Modified Structural Physical Repair. This repair compound is a rapid-setting, high-strength repair material designed for vertical and horizontal structural repair, and so it'due south platonic for a crumbly corner.

To employ, but add 1.4 liters of h2o for each 20-pound pail of dry mix, and ensure that the existing surface is dampened but free of standing water. Then, trowel a thin layer with heavy force per unit area onto the repair surface area. Adjacent, rebuild the corner with a trowel, tooling it to match the vertical and horizontal angles of the corner. In one case satisfied, allow the corner to cure similar to whatever physical repair. In truly hot, dry out, or windy conditions, go on the patch covered and damp for at least 24 hours.

Photo: istockphoto.com

three. Wearing apparel up an older, unattractive space past covering your patio with pavers.

Like annihilation else, patios go worn and dated. Yous tin can upgrade the look all together by covering your patio with pavers. While y'all might presume this is a pricey project that requires professionals, you lot can really do this on your own!

Pavers might seem intimidating, simply if you take your time and lay out your design (starting at the corner that's closest to 90 degrees), it'southward an achievable job. To make it even easier, products like the Milano Pavers by Pavestone come in varying sizes, allowing DIYers to reach the look and layout of their dreams. Simply utilize a bit of sand to pitch the patio surface away from the house for drainage purposes, lay out your blueprint, and then glue the perimeter course (also known as a soldier course) in place on the existing patio. Apply some polymeric sand, sprinkle with water, and enjoy your new patio.

For a clearer picture of how this is done, cheque out this video tutorial.

Photo: istockphoto.com

4. Create a smooth, fresh surface atop your patio past resurfacing the slab.

While they don't rot, horizontal concrete surfaces are prone to pitting, spalling, and neat. While covering the surface with pavers is always an option, a less expensive and easier route is to resurface the slab.

Quikrete has a product specifically designed for the job. The brand's Re-Cap Physical Resurfacer is a strong, durable solution that creates a polish, uniform surface over unsightly patios, and it'southward easy to apply.

Start by deep-cleaning the patio surface with a iii,500 PSI pressure washer to ensure whatever grease, oil, clay, and other adhesion inhibitors are removed. This is the time to patch any large chunks or damaged corners (which you can do with Re-Cap mixed to a thicker consistency). Then, simply mix the production with water according to the directions to a syrup-like consistency. Working in small sections, pour the Re-Cap onto the patio surface and squeegee it out smoothly. After a few minutes, use a physical broom (though a pushbroom will piece of work besides) to utilize non-slip texture to the surface.

You tin bank check out the step-past-step procedure in this video, courtesy of Quikrete.

Photograph: istockphoto.com

v. Repair and seal expansion joints to keep them working equally designed.

Not all cracks and gaps in concrete surfaces are bad. Expansion joints—the gaps created during installation between two concrete surfaces—are designed to allow the slabs to move, or requite them somewhere to crack other than the field of the patio. Information technology'south of import to repair and seal these joints to proceed plants, bugs, water, and other undesirable objects from calling the scissure dwelling and causing harm.

The first stride to repairing and sealing expansion joints is to ensure they're make clean. Brush any dirt, grit, pebbles, and grit out from the expansion joint. If whatever oil or grease are present, remove it by using a scrub brush and Quikrete Concrete and Cobblestone Cleaner.

Once the joint is make clean, use Quikrete Advanced Polymer Self-Leveling Sealant to both repair and seal the joint. This polyurethane-based product is flexible and it allows the slabs to move without violent. This product comes in a caulking tube, and then all that'due south required is a caulk gun, and a utility knife. Simply cutting the tip of the sealant and clasp it into the joint. This sealant is very fluid, so it's likely to disappear into larger gaps. The good news is you can dam those gaps with Quikrete Backer Rod (which is a cream rope designed for stuffing into expansion joints).

Be sure to sentry this video from Quikrete for a complete overview of the process.

This content has been brought to you by Quikrete. Its facts and opinions are those of BobVila.com.

Source: https://www.bobvila.com/articles/pitiful-patio-5-ways-to-rescue-a-deteriorating-concrete-patio/

Share this post