Tips on How to Repair Cracks on Your Garage Floor

Concrete is a fickle substance, yet it can function with resilience and permanence in the appropriate circumstances. Concrete can crack for various reasons, including sideways expansion, improper drainage, severe temperatures, or ground shifting and settling beneath the concrete.

The good news is, you can handle this repair in most circumstances. However, it’s a fairly easy DIY fix and purely aesthetic for tiny cracks or ones that aren’t causing any big problems. However, if it’s a very substantial crack and your garage foundation is greatly moved and irregular, it may be time to call in a professional.

But for minor cracks, keep reading below to learn how to fix the cracks on your garage floor yourself.

Before Fixing the Cracks

As a general rule, if the surrounding concrete is the same height on both sides of the fracture, you can patch a concrete crack yourself. However, if the concrete is uneven on either side of the partition, that may be a sign of a deeper issue that needs to be examined by a professional.

You will save time, effort, and money in the future by considering the underlying reason for the concrete fracture. Although the causes of a crack are not always obvious, there are a few instances where they are, such as when a tree’s roots displace the concrete or when there are clear indications that there is standing water in the vicinity of the crack, which will undoubtedly freeze and contribute to the concrete’s failure.

You don’t want to be back in your garage performing the same task again after a month or so.

How to Repair Cracks on Your Garage Floor

If you’ve decided to handle this yourself, this is the best course. The space is first prepared and cleaned before being filled in.

Cleaning the Area

Your first step is cleaning the damaged area. First, sweep the garage to determine the location of the crack. Using your power washer to hose off the area and remove any extra moisture. When you start working on the crack, you should have your vacuum close by to remove any tiny concrete fragments.

The typical materials that spill on garage flooring, such as oil and grease, can leave your garage floor stained. If this is the case, get Trisodium Phosphate (TSP), a substance available at any hardware store, to remove these stubborn stains from your garage floor, especially close to the crack region.

Even though it may seem like extra labor, removing any contaminants will allow your concrete filler to settle perfectly. Unfortunately, it gets worse before it gets better when it comes to fixing concrete. In most cases, you’ll need to make the crack bigger before filling it.

It will enable you to remove the debris from the crack before applying new filler. Use a wire brush to eliminate any smaller particles, and remove any large chunks of concrete that may have fallen loose or broken off.

Create wide grooves on either side of the crack to make it simple to add filler to the channel. You will need a fan to regulate the dust in the garage and force it outside, and you will need to wear a respirator for safety. Use a maul and chisel to remove any additional cracked or chipped pieces.

Filling in the Cracks

It’s time to use your concrete filler now that you have completely cleaned and vacuumed up the area to remove any last bits of trash, filth, and grime. For the filler to attach successfully, you should have a clean surface.

You can choose one of two types of filler. Self-mixing filler is a fantastic option for minor cracks. However, you’ll probably discover that mixing your filler is more cost-effective and feasible for larger and longer cracks.

In any event, there are a variety of commercially available goods for this, and any hardware store can assist you in selecting the one that is appropriate for your location. Keep in mind your local weather (how weather-proof does it need to be?).

Larger fissures are frequently patched using epoxy and polymerized concrete mixtures. As a binder, the polymer aids in holding the filler to the remaining portions of the original concrete on your floor.

To properly apply and mix your concrete filler, follow the directions on the product’s packaging. Allow the filler to settle for a few minutes after you’ve added a little to the crack. Then, you should add additional sealant.

At this stage of the procedure, patience is essential. It would be great if you gave the concrete a few hours to cure, ideally overnight, regardless of the filler you use or the mixture the concrete product is mixed with. For information on the recommended dry time, refer to the labeling on your products.

Adding the Sealant

Applying a sealer or resurfacing compound to the new filler can help protect it because you don’t want your new repair to develop another crack. Your garage floor is subjected to significant loads from vehicles and equipment, as well as heavy foot traffic, which, combined with temperature changes, can lead to cracking again, and you wouldn’t want that.

In these circumstances, a heavy-duty water-based polyurethane sealant should work, and the best part is that this product cures fast so that you can apply more coats for effectiveness. If the garage floor is uneven, use a broom or other tool with thick bristles to apply the sealer and push it into the surface’s ridges and crevices.

After that, use a roller or a squeegee to smooth the sealant. Depending on what the directions say, you should be able to apply your second coat of sealant within a few hours. Applying three or even four layers of sealant may be necessary if your crack is in a location with a lot of foot traffic.

You should get professional advice if you are concerned about the underlying reasons for the cracks in your garage floor. The nominal cost of a consultation will be justified in addressing the underlying cause of the cracking. In terms of fixing the concrete fractures, it may only require a small amount of concrete filler and some sealer.

Final Thoughts

Repairing a cracked garage floor is simpler than you think. It might be the perfect place if you’re starting your investigation or trying to justify a startling estimate you received from a contractor by learning more about what’s involved by reading above mentioned tips.

To ensure your garage floor is as spotless as possible before painting or applying an epoxy floor coating, ensure it has been thoroughly repaired. It is crucial if you want to avoid cracks or other flaws to show through.

Use the proper concrete repair solutions while sealing the garage floor to prevent moisture infiltration.

After that, all that’s left to do is combine the chosen substance, apply it to the crack, level it out, and wait for it to dry or cure, as the matter may be.

You can certainly complete the project yourself, but again, be cautious about ensuring no more serious structural problems.

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