Concrete patching should be considered to help you get the most out of your investment; protecting it now from further damage will save you in the long run. Over time, concrete tends to show wear and tear from normal use. Maintaining and patching your concrete when it is damaged or showing its age can help prolong its life.
Inspect the Concrete Surface
Before you can proceed with patching your concrete, you need to determine whether or not the concrete itself is structurally sound. If the concrete you’d like to patch has heaved or dropped significantly, any patch or repair you do will only result in a short term fix; a problem like this will likely continue to worsen. If your concrete has large, deep cracks that appear to stretch deep into the slab, you’re also likely working with concrete that may be too far gone to repair. A repair on damage like this will also only be a short term repair.
Prepare For Repair
Before you begin to repair your concrete, you need to make sure you’re working with the best surface possible by prepping the damaged area first. This will ensure a better outcome for your patch. This can usually be done with a stiff brush or standard garden hose or nozzle, used to wash out loose debris such as gravel, rock, leaves, and dust. If your damaged area includes materials such as oil that have seeped down into the concrete, don’t hesitate to chip off small amounts of existing concrete until you have an ideal area to work with.
Beginning Repair
You can now begin to repair your cracked concrete with your preferred patch method (vinyl patch, mortar patch, latex compound). Fill the crack until it has fully reached all affected areas with patch material.
Smooth & Finish
Once filled, smooth over your patch with a trowel. Smooth until you’ve reached the desired finish and match to surrounding concrete.
Inspect Your Work
Wait for your patch job to dry and harden, it should take 4-6 hours. Inspect your work to ensure it dried and set properly. Your patch should be able to handle foot traffic within about 24 hours, and can withstand vehicle traffic within 48 hours.
Get In Touch
Small concrete jobs can be done by yourself in most cases, but if you’d like help from a contractor, Almand Bros should be your one-stop destination. We have been delivering high-quality construction projects in New Jersey since 1985.
Our services include concrete and masonry installation and repair, custom stonework, basement waterproofing, grading and watershed, and snow removal services. You can call us at (856) 310-1390 to get a free estimate. You can also fill our online contact form to get in touch.