How to Repair Cracks in your Concrete Driveway

25.04.2017
We all know that first impressions count.  When it comes to a house, we start developing our thoughts of what to expect inside the home before we even get to the front door.  We cast our eye over the front garden and the driveway, and if the driveway looks a state with minor cracks or larger crevices, we immediately get the sense that it will be pretty much the same on the inside. So, whether you are preparing your house for sale or you simply want to impress family and friends, it is time for some DIY on your driveway if it isn’t up to scratch.

But my driveway is concrete!

People are often under the impression that concrete driveways can’t be repaired cheaply.  This is true in the old days, since your only option would have been to jack-hammer the old concrete and pour in a new mixture.  Fortunately, time has moved on and there are now driveway repair products made with cement and polymers that you can use to fill those cracks.  Not only are these products relatively inexpensive, they are also easy to use, meaning you can carry out repairs yourself and save on labour costs.

Why concrete cracks

Concrete is a popular material for construction because it is incredibly durable and requires little maintenance.  In essence, it is a mixture of sand, aggregate, water and cement.  Its strong point is that it cannot be easily compressed, but its weak point is that it can expand and crack. While you don’t need to do too much to look after your concrete driveway, this material can be damaged by the elements.  For example, freezing water, standing pools of water, overheating, shifting of the ground, creeping tree roots, excessive weight, and even bacteria can cause concrete to fracture.

Steps to repair

Whether your driveway suffers from hairline cracks or larger crevices, here are some tips on how you can carry out DIY repairs.

1) Cleaning

To ensure the old concrete and the new repair material bonds properly, you need to clean the crack by removing any loose bits or debris.  All you need for this task is a chisel and a wire brush.

2) Filling

Once you are happy that the repair site is clean, you can move on to fill the crack.  If the crack is small, you can use something like concrete caulking.  For more significant fractures, you can fill it with pourable concrete mixture or a concrete sealer.  You will need a trowel or something similar to ensure you pat the repair material tightly into the crack.

3) Curing

Now you can just wait for the patch to dry.  The time it takes for this to happen would depend on the product you are using, as some are designed to dry out quicker than others.

4) Sealing

Finally, you can protect your concrete from future cracks by applying a sealer over it.  This would prevent future water damage.
Published: April 2017

We’re very happy our new imprinted concrete driveway, the quality of workmanship is second to none and we would not hesitate in recommending Premier Surfacing to all.

Anita Hancock
Shropshire