Repairing Concrete Slabs or Walkways
Easy DIY Concrete
Repairs
Introduction:
Concrete is tough
stuff and can last for decades, but even
concrete cracks and crumbles. Nature’s moisture
and temperature extremes can cause damage to
concrete slabs and walkways.
The DIY homeowner
can make these easy concrete repairs to restore
these areas. The job requires a few tools and
no special skills, although a strong back may
be required. Concrete is very heavy, and mixing
it is hard work. Care should be taken to
prevent injuries.
Tools and material
required:
Repairing concrete slabs and
walkways:
-
Badly damaged slabs or walks are best
repaired by removing and replacing the damaged
area. This is a big job that involves more
preparation and the mixing of a large amount of
concrete.
-
Use a sledge hammer to break up the damaged
area of the concrete into pieces.
-
Remove the larger pieces of concrete from
the area and distribute the smaller pieces of
rubble to create a firm bed on which to pour
the new slab.
-
Clean the edges of the remaining slab with
a broom.
-
Set up wooden (2 x 4 or 2 x 6) forms along
the edges of the area to be repaired. The tops
of the forms should be flush with the desired
height of the finished slab. The forms will
give you a guide for smoothing the new slab
area.
-
Mix the concrete in a wheelbarrow according
to the manufacturer's instructions.
-
Dampen the area to be repaired with water.
-
Fill the area between the forms with
concrete mix. Begin in one corner and work to
the middle. Then, begin in the opposite corner
and work to the middle again. Fill until the
concrete reaches the tops of the forms.
-
Using
a board wider than the repair area, drag the
board along the forms to smooth out the surface
of the repair area. This is called screeding.
Remove any excess concrete that piles up along
the front of the board.
-
Tap the sides of the forms to settle the
concrete.
-
Smooth the surface of the concrete with a
wooden trowel, working in large half circles
from one side to the other. Stop when water
appears on the surface.
-
After the water has evaporated, smooth the
surface with a trowel.
-
Allow the concrete to set, then smooth or
brush it to match the existing slab or walk.
Insert a trowel between the concrete and the
form and run it along the inside edge of the
form to free the form from the hardened
concrete.
-
To accurately match the look of the rest of
the slab or walk, you may need to run an edger
along the forms and the new concrete. A hand
edger is a special tool that rounds and shapes
the edge of a poured concrete surface. A hand
jointer, also known as a groover, is a tool
used to create a joint in a concrete surface
like a crack in a sidewalk. Use these tools as
necessary to reproduce the look of the slab or
walk you are repairing.
Keep off the patched area
until it has had time to cure according to the
manufacturer's instructions. A slow cure is best
for concrete. For this reason, the manufacturer may
recommend that you mist the fresh concrete with
water and cover it with plastic for at least three
or four days.
See related articles:
Lightweight Concrete verses Regular Concrete
Mixing Cement
Mixing Concrete and Mortar
Muriatic Acid for Cleaning Masonry
