5 Steps to Concrete Driveway Crack Repair

Cracks can form on your asphalt or concrete driveway due to a variety of reasons. If the surface coating was not laid out properly, there is always the risk that the concrete will be weak and this makes it vulnerable to cracking. Another common reason why concrete driveways crack is due to the seepage of water into the concrete. This water freezes and thaws across different seasons, leading to expansion and contraction of the concrete. Eventually, this action leads to cracks.

If you have cracks in a concrete driveway, the good news is that it is relatively straightforward to fix them. Here are some steps in fixing cracks on your concrete driveway.

Closely Inspect The Surface

This involves looking at the extent of the cracks on the driveway in order to get a rough idea of what materials you are going to need. If you have cracks that are wide, you can use a ruler to measure them to give you a clear understanding of how such cracks will need to be fixed.

Clean Out The Surface

If there are cracks on the driveway, there is a good chance that there will be vegetation growing in the cracks. Use a weed-removal tool to carefully pluck out any weeds that may be growing. When sealing cracks, it is important that the crack be wider at the bottom than at the top. For this reason, you will need to use a chisel and hammer to wind the bottom of the cracks. Once you have chiseled the cracks, you can use a stiff brush to remove all the loose particles from the area.

The next phase of cleaning is to remove any stains that may be on the driveway, especially around the areas that you need to fix. There are special driveway cleaning agents that are very effective in removing such stains.

Wash The Driveway

The next step is to hose down the driveway. For this task, you should consider using the maximum pressure possible. In fact, if you could get a hold of a pressure washer, the better the results will be. Hose down the driveway, ensuring that all loose particles are cleaned away. It makes work easier to wash down the incline so that any debris does not flow back to the cleaned-out areas. You can also use detergent for the cleaning job in order to remove any stains that may have remained. If you apply detergent, you will need to scrub it with a stiff broom before washing it off again with the pressure washer. When done properly, the water should eventually run clear of any soap. Allow the surface to dry completely.

Remove Remaining Debris

We recommend using a small vacuum cleaner to clear out any remaining debris from the cracks. It is not a good idea to use air pressure as it will simply blow the dirt particles on the surface that you have just cleaned out.

Fill The Cracks

Then the surface of your driveway and cracks are spotless, you can now go ahead to fill the cracks. The best compound to use is a concrete bonding adhesive. Use a brush (even a used one will do) to work the compound as deeply into the crack as possible. Once the area is primed, apply the patching compound (best results come from a vinyl patching compound) using a trowel or putty knife.

Once done, you should allow your driveway to dry and avoid driving vehicles over the repaired driveway until the compounds are dry.