Damaged concrete outside the house can be an eyesore and a safety hazard. Fortunately, repairing concrete is a cheaper and safer alternative to costly replacement projects. The patch mix is made of vinyl, Portland cement, and sand, and it can cover cracks up to Â1⁄2 inch wide. To apply it, dampen the area around the crack and then spread the mixture with a trowel.
Smooth the surface with a trowel or small float. Concrete surfaces cannot be repaired with concrete, so you'll need to use a concrete repair mix instead. These are available at home centers and online, and they come in various forms such as epoxy compounds, latex patch material, and mortar mixes. The latter option works best for filling large cracks (or chipped edges), while the other products are suitable for concrete cracks -inch wide or narrower.
Chipped or flaked concrete surfaces can also be repaired quite easily. To do this, apply a thin layer of Sand Mix with Acrylic Fortifier added at a ratio of half a gallon of Acrylic Fortifier to 80 pounds of Sand Mix and smooth with a trowel. Professional contractors and home experts advise that concrete cracks should be repaired as soon as possible. Most repair projects are quite simple using some of the specially formulated patches and repair products available today.
For larger cracks, Sakrete Concrete Crack Filler is a flexible, pourable concrete material for long-lasting repairs. If repairing less than an inch, adding acrylic fortifier to quick-setting cement will increase bond strength. Technology has kept pace with repair products that dry faster, stronger, and longer lasting than their predecessors. Economic realities have made less expensive repair options more attractive, as have pressures for a more sustainable and greener construction environment. When time, money, aesthetics, and sustainability are priorities, repair becomes a very attractive alternative.
Polymers help create a strong bond between new and old concrete, acrylics add strength, and attractive finishes disguise patches and other repairs. As long as steps have structurally sound meaning, don't chip, flake, or break completely, you can repair most surface problems.
