Instead of pulling out the concrete and starting over, you can often save money by repairing your driveway, as long as the structure is sound. If you are unsure of the structural integrity of your driveway, it is best to consult a professional to assess the condition of the concrete and make repair recommendations. Concrete driveways can crack for many reasons, such as repeated freezing and thawing, heavy loads, tree roots, and soil changes. When you learn how to repair cracks in a concrete driveway, you may be able to stop them before they cause major problems.
Fortunately, filling in the cracks in a concrete driveway is a simple and relatively inexpensive DIY project. You can purchase concrete repair putty, concrete crack repair epoxy, concrete repair mixes, and latex patch material. For larger cracks, you will need to use a mortar mix. Although it seems contradictory, cracks and holes in concrete driveways cannot be repaired with normal concrete. Pour enough dry concrete mix into a 5 gallon bucket to repair cracks and repair damaged areas.
A sand mix or a concrete grinder, which does not contain gravel, can be used if the area to be repaired is not large or deep. A standard concrete mix containing gravel works best for patching large or deep areas. If you want to repave your concrete driveway, many consider it to be the “middle point of caring for your driveway”. Concrete is a porous material, which means that throughout its service life it begins to deteriorate due to its structure. Patching driveways requires more time, effort and expense but you can still make this a DIY project with a hammer, chisel, wire brush, trowel, straight-edged board and concrete bonding liquid.
If it is necessary, your concrete driveway specialist will wait until better conditions are available. Keep in mind that any repairs are temporary although some will last longer than others possibly many years. Instead contractors can come and address widespread damage by pouring a new layer of concrete over the existing driveway after removing the top layer. Over time you may start to notice small cracks on the surface of the concrete entrance. Cracks in concrete can be caused by tree roots and soil movement as well as freezing and thawing cycles in winter and expansion during summer. After that filling small cracks is an easy DIY project but for best results watch this concrete crack repair video before you start.
If you work with a concrete driveway between twenty and twenty-five years or older you will benefit from a replacement. To learn how to proceed first identify the type of crack you're dealing with and determine what caused it then go ahead with the following tips from Quikrete's concrete experts. Repairing a driveway involves grinding the top of existing concrete and adding a new top concrete level.
