How to fix cracks in garage floor?

[maa139]

I have some very thin cracks that are several feet long. There is also a spot near the garage door (not the doorway to the interior of the house) that is about 4 inches wide by 8 inches long and about 2 inches deep where a chunk of concrete popped out. What is the best way to fix these cracks/holes. Please also include the kind of concrete that I should use.

Thanks in advance.

Matt

 

[89vert]

Rustoleum makes two great repair products . I've used them both with excellent results .

For small cracks :

www.rustoleum.com/product.asp?frm_product_id=650&SBL=1

For larger holes/cracks

www.rustoleum.com/product.asp?frm_product_id=176&SBL=2

 

[Ryan Wilke]

Around here, Wintertime temps below zero *F isn't unusual for days on end....

Would you recommend these Rust-Oleum products for a concrete driveway exposed to freezing temps and weather?

If not, do you (or anyone else) have any suggested products that do work under such conditions?

Thanks!
RW

 

[89vert]

Around here, Wintertime temps below zero *F isn't unusual for days on end....

Would you recommend these Rust-Oleum products for a concrete driveway exposed to freezing temps and weather?

If not, do you (or anyone else) have any suggested products that do work under such conditions?

Thanks!
RW

Rustoleum claims that their epoxy patching products are 4 times as strong as concrete , so I'd be fairly confident that they'll work. Just make sure that you prepare the crack properly by removing any loose pieces and brushing or blowing any dust away.

 

[GearHead_1]

Rustoleum claims that their epoxy patching products are 4 times as strong as concrete , so I'd be fairly confident that they'll work. Just make sure that you prepare the crack properly by removing any loose pieces and brushing or blowing any dust away.

I have no doubt that their product is stronger than concrete, the problem is that the concrete still moves. Even when there is a lot of steel in a pour, concrete cracks and moves to some degree. When a little water gets in and freezes, that's all she wrote. Chances are that the filler/patch you put in will pop when subjected to extreme weather. You end up with a strong but not attached patch. I do believe that this isn't the same result when performed on an environment that is less extreme. I have a friend who is a remarkable general contractor. He's always said the he can gaurantee cement, he gaurantees that sooner or later it will crack.

 

[bobbyd]

Low viscosity crack injection epoxy for the thin cracks. The one in the link will move about 14% when cured to allow for a little differential movement. However, 14% of a narrow crack still isn't much, but should remain pretty stable. I've used this stuff with success even in climates with large temperature swings, say from -0 to over 100.

http://www.simpsonanchors.com/catalog/adhesives/eti/crack_pac.html

The Rustoleum product linked above is to high viscosity to reliably penetrate the depth of the crack and acts more like a cover than a true repair.

As far as the spalled area, or the hole, you won't have much luck repairing this permanently. Stick with an epoxy based product or polymer-modified cementitious product for best results. Use a concrete bonding agent applied directly to the surface and mixed with the patch material. Examples are Weld-Crete or Acryl 60. It will always look like a patch though.

 

[Ryan Wilke]

Thanks for the info, Fellas!

RW

 

[homediyer]

Low viscosity crack injection epoxy for the thin cracks. The one in the link will move about 14% when cured to allow for a little differential movement. However, 14% of a narrow crack still isn't much, but should remain pretty stable. I've used this stuff with success even in climates with large temperature swings, say from -0 to over 100.

http://www.simpsonanchors.com/catalog/adhesives/eti/crack_pac.html

The Rustoleum product linked above is to high viscosity to reliably penetrate the depth of the crack and acts more like a cover than a true repair.

As far as the spalled area, or the hole, you won't have much luck repairing this permanently. Stick with an epoxy based product or polymer-modified cementitious product for best results. Use a concrete bonding agent applied directly to the surface and mixed with the patch material. Examples are Weld-Crete or Acryl 60. It will always look like a patch though.

I've patched concrete using a bonding agent and no matter how much I prepped, it never lasts more than a few years.

Your comment that it won't be permanent makes me a bit nervous. I have a llot of spalling in my garage and I want to apply Rust-Oleum Garage Floor Coating once I fix it. But if the fix won't be permanent, does that mean I pretty much can't put anything on this floor?

 

[kartracer23]

I just patched an interior concrete slab last night with DAP patch. S*&t already cracked! I was just trying to fill some voids in the concrete and feather them out for a VCT job so it's not a big deal, but man, if it can't hold up 12 hours in a stable, climate controlled room, I'd hate to think what it would do outside.

 

[Floorguy]

If the slab is still moving there is not much that you can do. IF you think it has stopped then you can do a repair. I use a diamond grinder to widen the crack and fill with a dual tube epoxy. Let it setup and then grind it back to level with the floor. You need to make sure that whatever you fill the cracks with will be compatible with the epoxy you intend to use if that is your floor choice.

 

[larry4406]

My concrete contractor uses a product called "Thames Patch" for concrete repairs. It seems to bond well and can range from a skin coat up to about an inch. We used it to skim out an entire basement slab that got rain damaged during its initial pour. Have also used it for repairs. There will be a color difference between the patch and the base concrete.