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cowboyro
Premium Member
join:2000-10-11
CT

cowboyro to Hahausuck

Premium Member

to Hahausuck

Re: Concrete cracks -Revisited

said by Hahausuck:

What caused the crack and shift?

Probably the soil shifting under the slab.
said by Hahausuck:

Bascially what you are saying is it wouldnt matter if I undercut it and repaired with cement mixture or if I caulked in a poly sealant material. Correct?

Correct. That will only prevent water from getting into the crack for a while. Eventually the pieces will shift further. How soon would only be a guess. It could be 1 month or 3 years. That repair material will not magically add shear strength to the concrete.
said by Hahausuck:

If that is the case then the only repair is busting all of it out and pouring a new slab?

Unfortunately yes.
Hahausuck
Premium Member
join:2003-12-14

Hahausuck

Premium Member

Thanks. Figured as much.

Should I even then bother undercutting it before I fill it?

cowboyro
Premium Member
join:2000-10-11
CT

cowboyro

Premium Member

said by Hahausuck:

Should I even then bother undercutting it before I fill it?

Definitely won't hurt. If you have an angle grinder with a concrete cutting wheel it shouldn't be a big issue. Just wear a dust mask and goggles...
Hahausuck
Premium Member
join:2003-12-14

Hahausuck

Premium Member

Alright.

I know someone mentioned using the cutting wheel to me in another thread and how to keep the thing wet. How critical is that? Could the wheel be run dry?

leibold
MVM
join:2002-07-09
Sunnyvale, CA
Netgear CG3000DCR
ZyXEL P-663HN-51

leibold

MVM

No. The blade will wear down too fast and you are making the dust problem far worse (it is easier dealing with the mud puddles then widespread concrete dust).

When I rent a concrete saw here they measure the blade diameter and fees are based on how much the blade is worn down (a big incentive to keep the blade cooled with water).
Hahausuck
Premium Member
join:2003-12-14

Hahausuck

Premium Member

OK sounds good.

I guess the time has come to spring for an air compressor. Thanks. I'll report back later.
eagleknight
join:2002-11-08
Troy, OH

eagleknight to leibold

Member

to leibold
Might be worth it to pick up an angle grinder. You can get a diamond blade for around $20 at Lowes or Menards. They cut like butter compared to the masonry wheels. You can run them without water.
Hahausuck
Premium Member
join:2003-12-14

Hahausuck

Premium Member

I know there are grinder wheels that are meant for dry use but I just can't see using them for any long duration. They'd have to wear faster than a wet wheel.

robbin
Mod
join:2000-09-21
Leander, TX

2 edits

robbin to eagleknight

Mod

to eagleknight
That's what I would use -- diamond blade dry.

edit -- Diamond wheels last a long time, even dry. No need for an air compressor either. Cheap electric grinder works well for this.
Hahausuck
Premium Member
join:2003-12-14

Hahausuck

Premium Member

Thanks Robbin.

Looks like a Harbor Freight trip for a grinder is in order.
averagedude
join:2002-01-30
San Diego, CA

averagedude

Member


decorative coating
Once you have all the concrete filled...
Have you thought about decorative concrete coatings like the attached picture (that I borrowed from Google search images).

Even a garage epoxy style coating will cover up the repairs.
Hahausuck
Premium Member
join:2003-12-14

Hahausuck to robbin

Premium Member

to robbin
Grabbed a grinder that was on sale at Harbor Freight and a wheel at home d. Last night I did some research on materials and I found Quickrete has a resurfacing product with polymer in it that can be used for repair and resurface. Grabbed a bag of it at lowes.

My plan is to undercut the crack, and then rinse it out. Mix up the concrete repair as per label for a mortar mix and fill the crack then top it and brush the finish to help blend it.

I know it's not the be all end all fix as some day I'll have to replace the slab.