Crack Repair for Concrete Driveways
Our Boots On Enterprises truck at a home doing cracked concrete repair in Columbia, SC.
If your driveway is concrete, chances are good that, eventually, you’ll be interested in repairing concrete cracks.
As a concrete driveway contractor, we are very familiar with how to fix concrete cracks and want to share some of our tips and knowledge with you.
In this post, we’ll talk about all things related to repairing concrete cracks like:
Why does concrete crack?
How to prevent cracks in a concrete driveway
During driveway installation
For an older concrete driveway
6 common types of concrete cracks
How to fill cracks in concrete
What’s the best concrete crack filler?
What do concrete sealants do?
What’s the difference between concrete sealer and concrete crack sealer?
What is concrete resurfacer vs. concrete resurfacing?
Ready to find a concrete driveway contractor near you in Columbia, SC?
Concrete driveway crack repair can get your driveway back in great shape again and protect it from further damage and erosion.
At Boots On Enterprises, we handle driveways (concrete and asphalt) — whether you need installation, sealing, repair, resurfacing, or replacement.
If you have a cement driveway and are ready to do something proactive about repairing concrete cracks, we can help.
Contact us today for a FREE quote!
Phone: 803-521-4978
Email: bootsonenterprises@gmail.com
A closeup view of a large crack in a concrete driveway with a tuft of grass growing in it.
Why does concrete crack?
Concrete is an extremely strong material. But it is not very flexible. So when extreme conditions happen frequently over time, concrete cracking may begin to occur in your pavement.
What causes cracks in concrete?
Extreme temperature changes.
Water erosion.
Ice expansion in small cracks.
Poor soil compaction or settling below the slab.
Heavy forces above from commercial vehicles.
Tree roots lifting from below.
Chemical damage from de-icers and other harsh chemicals.
A close-up view of an expansion joint in a concrete driveway — this allows for contraction and expansion of the pavement while preventing cracks.
How to prevent cracks in a concrete driveway
Preventing driveway cracks involves two different angles. One is during construction and the other is after the driveway is finished.
6 ways to prevent concrete cracking during driveway installation
Add control joints
Another good design idea for concrete driveways to help prevent cracks later is to pour the concrete in smaller slabs, allowing for control joints. This means that you intentionally break up the concrete with groves to create space for movement. If you pour one large concrete slab for the entire driveway, the chances are a lot greater that cracking will happen because there is no room for concrete shrinkage and expansion over time.
Adjust the concrete composition
One thing we do to help prevent cracks in a concrete driveway installation is to mix up the concrete differently depending on the temperature and weather conditions. This gives the concrete the best chance of being as strong and crack-resistant as possible.
Allow the concrete to cure properly
If fresh concrete dries too quickly, this could increase the risk of cracking. So contractors will often hydrate the concrete over time to control the drying process.
Include rebar or wire mesh reinforcements
Having a grid of steel rebar or wire mesh (depending on the thickness of the concrete) in place before the concrete is poured provides a great deal more strength to concrete which can help to prevent cracks and other damage.
Install the concrete at the right thickness
If concrete is not at least 4-5 inches deep, it may not be strong enough to carry the load of the vehicles you’ll have on your driveway.
Make sure the base is compacted
You can pour the best concrete slab in the world, but if the base below the slab is loose instead of compact, that concrete is likely to crack because it is not well-supported below.
Two ways to keep a concrete driveway from cracking after installation
Not all cracking can be prevented. And tiny hairline cracks may not need to be treated. But the best way to prevent further driveway cracking once your driveway has cured is to give your cement driveway some TLC with routine maintenance on a regular basis.
Seal coat the driveway
While sealing a driveway won’t necessarily be a good method of crack repair for concrete once a crack gets bigger, it is awesome at preventing weathering and preventing cracking.
And when it comes to hairline cracks, a good driveway sealant can cover over a multitude of little cracks to protect your driveway from weathering and hold off further damage.
Repair cracked concrete
Repairing concrete cracks early gives you a huge advantage in preventing further cracking. Why? Because if you can fill up the existing cracks you’ll prevent water, chemicals and ice from being able to get down in the existing cracks to do more damage.
Also, when you use concrete crack fill and correct the cracks, plants won’t start growing and causing havoc and you’ll buy yourself a lot more time and longevity for your driveway.
A cracked concrete driveway that is in need of some attention from Boots On Enterprises.
6 common types of concrete cracks
There are quite a few kinds of concrete cracks you may see on your driveway. Each one has a different cause and may require its own special remedy.
Crazing cracks
These surface cracks look a lot like spiderwebs and may happen if the concrete dries too quickly. Thankfully, they are not an indication of a structural problem.
Expansion cracks
These cracks happen when concrete contracts and expands due to rapid changes in temperature over time. Having expansion joints between slabs helps to prevent this by providing room for the concrete to expand and flex.
Hairline cracks
These thin little cracks are barely noticeable unless you look closely. Some driveway sealant will help to keep them from getting worse.
Heaving cracks
If a slab undergoes many severe freezing and thawing cycles, it can lift when frozen then thaw and settle back down and this can cause cracking. Especially in cold climates.
But tree roots from large trees can also create pressure under a slab and cause it to lift up and crack. It’s important to take care of tree roots near concrete right away before they cause damage.
Overloading cracks
If excessive weight (like a very heavy RV, fire truck, commercial vehicle or dumpster bin) sits on a thin concrete slab for too long, this could cause cracking. But for residential concrete driveways, overloading from large vehicles usually isn't the issue.
More often, overloading happens due to heavy rains affecting the soil below the slab. And as the concrete becomes too heavy for the soft soil underneath, the weight of a heavy vehicle may become too much.
Settling cracks
If the ground under a slab settles and shifts for some reason, creating air pockets where there is no support below the concrete in some areas, this can cause the concrete to crack.
A homeowner sitting on a mat on the driveway filling cracks in the concrete with concrete caulk/concrete crack filler.
How to fill cracks in concrete
Filling cracks in concrete is something that some DIYers prefer to do themselves. If you just have a few small cracks in your concrete driveway, you may decide to use some concrete filler/concrete caulking and fill the concrete cracks yourself.
Of course, if sitting or kneeling on the driveway for hours in the cold, sun, or heat doesn’t float your boat, call a local concrete driveway repair company near you.
Filling concrete cracks in your driveway
If you simply have fine surface cracks (crazing) where the surface of the concrete dried out too quickly while it was curing, you can repair the concrete cracks yourself, if you want to. Of course, if you see heaving, crumbling, depressed areas, or major damage, it’s time to call in the expert local driveway repair guys.
For small cracks that are up to ¼-½ inch wide or so
Here is a brief overview of the process Quikrete recommends.
Clean the area with a wire brush and concrete & asphalt cleaner.
If the crack is deep, fill it with sand to within ¼ inch of the surface.
Use a concrete crack seal product as directed.
Reapply more layers, as needed.
Check out Quikrete’s tutorial here.
For cracks over 1/2 inch wide
We recommend calling a concrete expert to check on the structural integrity of your concrete driveway and to best protect the value of your investment by fixing concrete cracks professionally.
What’s the best concrete crack filler
Our favorite concrete filler for cracks is Quikcrete crack filler. Quikrete has products designed for homeowners and professional contractors from self-leveling concrete crack filler to concrete resurfacer and almost anything you could need to repair concrete cracks.
Concrete sealant being applied with a roller onto a concrete slab.
What do concrete sealants do?
You may wonder if concrete sealants are good at filling a crack in concrete. The tricky thing is — there are different types of concrete sealants which can make this a bit confusing.
In general, “concrete sealers” or “concrete sealants” are referring to a thin liquid that weatherizes the entire surface of the concrete driveway.
These sealants protect your driveway from water damage, UV light, oil and chemical stains, and more. This protection helps to seal very small cracks and is great at preventing larger cracks from forming. But these types of concrete sealants aren’t used to fill larger cracks.
Penetrating concrete sealants
There are penetrating concrete sealers that go down into the concrete without affecting the appearance of the pavement. The most important thing is to find a good concrete sealer for driveways that protects from water and freeze/thaw cycles while also being non-slip.
Topical concrete sealants
Topical concrete sealers provide a very protective coat and film over the top of your concrete. They also alter the look of the concrete and can make it look wet or glossy.
Some concrete sealants are designed for driveways and others are for indoor use.
What’s the difference between concrete sealer and concrete crack sealer?
Concrete crack sealers sound similar to concrete sealants, but concrete crack sealant is specifically designed to repair cracked concrete. It almost looks like a bottle of caulking and is a thick pasty liquid. You squeeze a bead of it directly into a crack to fill it up rather than applying a layer to the entire driveway.
Crack sealant is gray to match your concrete and is latex-based. Because it is self-leveling, you don’t have to smooth it with a putty knife or finger which makes it one of the less messy options for crack repair. It may require multiple layers with time to dry between layers.
What is concrete repair caulk?
Concrete caulking can be used like concrete crack sealant for smaller cracks. It’s applied like caulking with a caulking gun and is made of latex but mixed with sand. It can also be applied in multiple layers (with drying time in between layers) to get to the right depth, unlike regular caulk. And it can be used on vertical surfaces, like walls, not just on floors or driveways.
What is concrete resurfacer vs. concrete resurfacing?
Concrete resurfacer is a rather thin liquid (made of cement, sand, and binders) that is applied in very thin layers indoors or outdoors. If you just have small cracks or stains, a concrete resurfacer may be a great option for refreshing your pavement. It involves adding a very thin veneer to the surface of your concrete.
Concrete resurfacing is a process that a concrete driveway contractor uses that is much more heavy-duty, adding a new layer of concrete on top of your existing driveway. This new layer is generally 1-2 inches thick and is a great way to have a beautiful new-looking driveway if your old concrete doesn’t have severe structural damage.
For severely damaged concrete, replacing the driveway may be the best option.
Your concrete driveway repair company can help you decide on the best option for you.
Need help repairing concrete cracks in the Columbia, SC area?
For repairing concrete cracks or concrete patching, resurfacing, or replacing your concrete driveway, we can help.
Contact us today for a FREE quote.
Phone: 803-521-4978
Email: bootsonenterprises@gmail.com
We handle all kinds of concrete and asphalt needs, as well as hardscaping, landscaping, sprinkler systems, and wood fencing.
