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Will this work on concrete pool deck cracks? After that is applied, can it also be gone over with a new cool deck coating And not show the crack That was just repaired?
Nice video! When I was in Commercial Construction,we had a crack like that and what we did was use a pneumatic crack chaser we rented for the tool rental store. It was a chipper that the point was “U” shaped. So, you followed the crack and it would leave a “U” crack. I believe they are making a grinder blade that has the “U” shape. Tool Rental stores are a great source of equipment! A two part Epoxy works great! However, it can be expensive. At Home Depot and Lowe’s in the Quikrete area they sell 1-2 gal buckets of “Hydraulic Cement”. It is a great product ! Be sure to wear Nitrile Gloves! It will eat up the skin on your hands! Follow instructions by adding the correct amount of water. It will become the consistency of dough. Mix small amounts for the first few time so you can see how fast it sets up. Put some in your and roll it like Play dough. Roll it to the width or just a little smaller of the crack in the shape of a rope and press it into the crack. You will feel it get warm while rolling it out. Let the magic happen! Hydraulic cement expands as it fill all the voids. In fact, it will rise above the floor. Just take a trowel or and strike it flush. Hydraulic Cement is a a great product! I saw pool repair guy use on the pool under water and it worked! He mixed it up and put in a ziplock bag and dove down and pressed it around a crack where the new light left a void. We use it in block and around pipe sleeves in a concrete wall where water was leaking through it. 10 minutes later no more water leaked through!
I used a fine mortar mix for my cracks and it seems to have worked great for my situation. Same prep steps as you did, then filled crack with unmixed mortar mix and sprayed water on it till it saturated down thru the depth of the crack. That way I could get the crack filled to the top (which is near impossible with it already wet & mixed. Ground it down and it came out great. The epoxy looks like ti works as well, but I spent $8 on my bag of mix.
Keep in mind, cement-based products do not bond to concrete anywhere near as well as epoxy. The tensile strength of epoxy is at least 10 times stronger than cement.
This is some work. Living in my house for almost 30 years it might take me 2 days to empty where the cracks are. Great job demonstrating this technique. Thank for sharing
Nice work. It could get real expensive real quick with epoxy. I've also done this similar type of repair with Sika selv-leveler. It goes nicely into the crack and has a ton of glue which bonds to the concrete really well. Much much cheaper at like $20 a bag which makes close to 5 gallons of liquid.
All the Sika leveling products I've seen are meant for use as underlayment meaning they would be covered with stone or tile afterwards. Do they make a product which could be used in a garage which will ultimately be covered by an epoxy coating? SikaQuick might work but not sure how well it would hold up over time since some minor shrinkage is possible with the product. Epoxy is more expensive, but it is also incredibly strong and is likely a lifetime repair. The extra $$$ may be worth it in a case like this, although for many repairs (especially interior cracks) I'm sure there are a number of less expensive alternatives.
@@Phormify A subcontractor used it to flatten part of the garage floor on my previous house. It only cracked right at the edges, where it was almost paper thin, and even there only after years of rolling heavy stuff over it. For the rest of it, where the self-leveler was at least a 1/4 inch, it wore as well as the rest of the concrete floor, for more than 20 years. So I think it could be used to fill that crack, and much less expensively. I've used it recently, and properly mixed, it dries very hard and strong, and adheres extremely well.
I didn't do near that amount of work. Scraped, used no grinder or mask, dug out cracks, swept, filled with a tube of concrete filler. Two years later, is fine. Even if I have to re-do in a few years, it beats all of this for me. But hat's off to you for your excellent video.
Yeah, all the grinders seem excessive. Running a file down the crack, then vacuuming it out would probably work about as well and leave you less to fill in. Plus, much less electricity and fewer tools required.
@@FuckGoogle502 it is excessive to do all that prep until you have a bonding issue. For anyone that would be a really costly "probability" My buddy that runs an epoxy flooring business will not put any epoxy coatings on even a fairly new poured floor without mechanically grinding the whole floor with a walk behind diamond planer. Yep, he had bonding issues just a few times and learned the lesson and now he gets no recalls for that issue
A couple of tips: running the shop vac with the hose near where you're using the angle grinder will suck up most of the dust. Also, running the shop vac as you pick at the crack will suck up dust and debris as you go. Third, if you have a crack that's propogating you'll want to use a concrete blade on a circular saw to extend the crack in a straight line in order to control where it propogates.
@@richardbetzenderfer8577 the dustless bags are definitely recommended when dealing with the fine dry dust. They're better than cleaning a wet/dry filter.
I've had to do a lot of this in my foundation (vertical cracks) and I found that a hammer drill on hammer-only mode (no spin) with an old (or new, if you don't care) masonry bit (in my case, 1") makes a nice tapered opening and it takes almost no time to do it (and it creates a lot less dust than grinding). You can make a pretty consistent enlargement / cleanout with that technique. Once you get to a depth, sometimes you can angle the bit up or down and zip right through the material in a line. Not going to be as smooth as precise as what you did, but for time & effort, it's pretty good. Then I either foam the opening, core fill, and then dig the foam out later and repair mortar that smooth, or I just put a flat form against the outside and core fill it all with fluid grout. Helical stitch ties, stainless allthread, frp rebar, or heavy stainless wire/rod can be used to help prevent the crack from returning. Sorry, I know that's a tangent to this.
Very good work, especially on the prepping that is so crucial to get a proper result. Just 2 details that I would change to make the fill stronger: There is a reason why the crack happened in the 1st place, which is that the parts are drifting apart (or: were). Hence, I’d suggest to link the 2 platters by applying concrete connectors. I‘d also suggest to, depending on the depth of the crack, to apply the epoxy on the sand in 2 layers to go for sure the epoxy soaks in deep enough and fill in really all the crevices, i.e. layer one first, sand only half full, get it really soaked, then apply 2nd layer of sand and do the final fill as you were doing.
The fact that the crack ran along the entire length, and that the previous attempt didn't hold, means there's a big chance the floor is still under stress, and that crack will open up again. What you SHOULD'VE done is to cut deep notchs (every 3ft or so) perpendicular to the crack, put a staple in each notch, and then do the epoxy throughout the crack and the notches. You can still add them in now, before you do the epoxy finish.
Thanks for the feedback. I actually want to try out the staples. This garage never had gutters (and now it does) so I am curious is the water along the foundation for years led to the settling.
@@EverydayHomeRepairs Could be. Depends if it's a slab on grade (with a slab edge), or actual foundations with footings. If it's a slab on grade, it could've happened even if you had gutters. Can't really know if the soil finished settling or not. Staples will ensure that no matter what, it will have a much higher chance to stay in one piece. The fact that it's fully connected to the driveway, makes me think it's a slab on grade.
I curious if there is any gravel under the or the slab was just poured on clay. A gravel base would have helped stabilize the soil clay doesn't do as good a job of it.
@@bobbg9041 Depends when it was built. If it's less than 60 years old, than building codes require a gravel (stone dust) base for slab on grade. Another conundrum about the slab is whether or not they've put rebar in it. Doesn't matter now though. The best and most cost efficient solution is to staple and re-finish....Unless you want to spend 25K to demo epour the entire thing, while lifting\supporting the structure from underneath.
@@EverydayHomeRepairs Also, you see how the smaller cracks that are almost perpendicular to the larger crack, are all on one side of the main crack? If that side is the side of the exterior wall that had no gutters... Then that might have been your issue. The side that these smaller cracks point to, is the side that settles the most.
From the Structural Repair Specialists' point of view, I like this solution for some applications, but I agree that staples or carbon fiber stitching may be needed for floors that are still under stress and are active. And as for floors that have heaved or have poor drainage, this is a very "not permanent" solution. Don't get yourself into hot water for a sponsor. You're better than that.
Great video, I work in commercial construction and see a lot of polished concrete, what you did is very similar to what the professionals do but use a different epoxy manufacturer and a machine that mixes the two parts on demand. An open crack like your's they would use a carbon fiber type mesh to bridge the crack. The theory is the crack is likely to come back, the mesh keeps you from seeing it when it comes back.
What was the original cause of the crack? Is it heaving or sinking of the floor in spots? How long would this solution work without addressing the underlying issue?
Lipstick on a pig if the slab is poorly supported or has failed. You have to get those issues fixed or you have just wasted a bunch of time and money on a fancy repair.
Ditto ! What solution do you expect when all of society has learned only to treat the symptoms of every problem ! Before even watching the video , my suggestion would have been on the same page as the "staple" . Holes through the slab with 3/8 or better rebar at 2/3 the depth of the pour.
Great work, I did my garage floor during Covid, tons of filling and grinding. One recommendation I would make, build a homemade dust collector. A 5 gallon bucket, lid and a couple tubes or buy one. Probably carried 15 pounds of grinding out. And a dust collection shield for your grinder. Don’t want to breath that stuff, mask won’t cut it. Well done!
Totally agree on the dust collector. Without it your shop vac will lose suction in less than a minute with the dust clogging things up. Thanks for the feedback!
I did this 2 years ago to my garage. The only thing different I did was add more silica sand on top of the epoxy mixture causing it to form a paste that was slightly higher than the concrete. When dry the epoxy is completely filled with silica then grind it smooth.
Great jod explaining this. The only thing i would have liked to have heard about, in addition to what you mentioned, is addressing the vertical crack going up that stim wall.
Excellent video. I appreciate how you thoroughly explained your process and them demonstrated it. If you are not already a vocational teacher, you could be. And a good one.
Looks good! Any idea how it holds up if used on a basement floor that periodically gets flooded with rain water? My house was built in '35 and I have no idea how thick the floor is but there are a few cracks I've noticed that I might want to repair. Any input would be appreciated.
I would highly recommend a diamond v groove crack chaser for widening that groove and creating a perfectly clean surface for the filler product (epoxy in ths case) to bond too. It really is the perfect tool for the job.
I agree, the V groove makes quick work. Those blades are a bit hard to find at a normal big box store. My local Harbor Freight usually carries V groove wheels but were out for this project.
amazon is your friend. sometimes it can get to you the same day if you're anything like me and remember that tool that you need at 1:am.@@EverydayHomeRepairs
I was concerned when you introduced the idea of using fine sand under the epoxy. I've seen videos of sand being used under expansion joint caulking to reduce material volume used. This is a BAD IDEA because sand will prevent the joint from closing and opening with temperature changes. For caulking, foam backer rod is the product of choice. For repair of a settlement crack where movement is actually undesireable, fine sand is actually very good idea. The fine sand serves as "aggregate" that actually pulls the epoxy further into the crack, and absorbs the epoxy until saturation. Nice repair.
Expansion joint only for bricks, because brick clay /from kiln/ is bone dry and absorb moisture, after installation = expand . Fill up those gap w/ neoprene foam and caulk . In concrete there is lot of water , little for hydratation , most for spreadable, water later evaporate and cause shrinking - cause crack, To avoid this , slab are divided w/ Control joint/ C.j, always open up until water gone and stops. Temperature changes are minimal . Of course , outside slab needs seal w/ caulk, backer rod necessary, against water seepage under and ice build up.
If you’re going to finish your basement, this would be a good practice to do on the concrete basement floor and possibly some smaller cracks in the walls to help with future problems. Bigger ones in the wall have to be dealt with a bit differently but very close to this process especially all the cleaning and grinding. Great video.
That crack is now the moving joint for the slab, since there wasn't one cut in at the time the slab was installed. What it to keep it from opening up again when the slab starts to move when moisture, temperature, and earth movements continue?
I will eventually need to do this in my garage too as i have a similar crack but the smaller slab is also off but a few degrees from flat and was thinking of getting someone to level it first by either pumping slurry or foam underneath...
Yep great repair and prep video! and, it will hold up way better than any concrete repair mortar. As a quicker alternative, I use a Medium setting epoxy myself (635 thin US Composits medium hardner) for better flexibility in case of movement. After prep, I prime the crack a few minutes before with the mixed epoxy and brush in and then add Cabosil to my mix to thicken it to a drywall mud type consistency and trawl into the joints with a drywall knife. The Cabosil strengthens the epoxy too. No need to wait and keep applying epoxy either. One and done. If you are going over it again with say an epoxy floor system, don't forget to wash your finished epoxy joint when its dry with hot water, green abrasive pad and some dish liquid to remove any amine blush. Amine blush is fairly rare unless it's higher humidity and cooing off and is only water soluble. The waxy like blush will prevent a next coat of anything from sticking. I learned the hard way and even so called non blushing epoxies can blush in the right conditions. Boat builders avoid having to remove blush by putting the next coats on while the epoxy is still a bit tacky and not fully cured. *Added notes, I have about 15 years into my technique and no problems with re cracking even with heated floors expanding and contracting the concrete. This repair does not work at all outdoors unless the crack is painted with a UV protectant. Read the directions carefully, temperatures matter and epoxies can get so hot that it can ruin the job if applied too deep or if the concrete is really hot in summer. In winter in an unheated space the epoxy may never cure. Buy the epoxy for the weather conditions. Usually the hardener is changed for the weather. In colder conditions you can heat your epoxy bottles part a and b up in really hot water to make sure it cures and is not too thick,
I'd be curious to see if you would have vibrated that sand down, how much more would you needed to add, also after time that sand will settle, would it have a negative effect with the filler over time.
Scott, you mentioned this is not a cosmetic repair. What product/process would you recommend for cracks on already Polished Concrete floor? Thank you for all the help!!
Great job! What about concrete wall cracks?? What can be used for that? The outside wall cracked and went across the garage floor as well. Thanks in Advance!!!
I need to fill my expansion joints in my shop. Always filling up with dirt and crap. I thought of using some type of silicone but a bit harder version so they would still be expansion joints but just not dirt and crap filled. Watched this in hopes it could work for that but I see this is just for cracks.
I had good luck with Sika Self Leveling Sealant and Tremco Vulkem 45 SSL after pressing backer rod into the gap. th-cam.com/video/OUnUkrqsbA8/w-d-xo.html
Scott, I know you said a future project was re-pouring the driveway but that crack is running all the way to what is either the wall footer or your house foundation. You are about to hit freezing temps and that long driveway crack is going to freeze and that, freeze and thaw, over and over until it brings back a hairline crack in that nice epoxy floor you are putting down. Run a relief cut between your garage and your driveway even if you plan to re-pour it later. Remember ice > concrete or epoxy.
Hey Scott, I just watch your video that repair looks great. I have a question . I don't see any any expansion joints along the foundation. I would be concerned that this crack is an expansion crack. If so you repair may crack again. I would look into installing some expansion joints ( controlled saw cuts) in the floor before you epoxy your floor. looking forward to see the finish video.
Good call, I think they poured this pad/foundation as one large pour back in the day will no expansion and/or control cuts. I think you are right that I need to come up with a plan to put some cuts in prior to doing the epoxy coating to give it a chance of a long maintenance-free life. Thanks for the feedback.
eoxies don't have much flexure or elongation, and are hard coatings. I prefer using backer rod in place of the sand. This gives a bond breaker and then apply a 2 part polyurethane material in tube form. You need a dual type caulk gun. There is a mixing tip that comes with the two tubes for mixing.
First time on your channel (thanks, YT suggestions!). Liked not only the job you demonstrated but your overall approach--not too much detail, not too little; pacing, etc. However, a few questions or suggestions. First, I noticed how your crack extended through the garage and then up the foundation/ wall, a vertical crack. Do you plan to address that? If so, does Concrete Floor Solutions have a quite viscous product for such vertical applications. You mentioned that the solution you're demonstrating would work for basements and I imagine that vertical basement cracks are just as much an issue as horizontal ones. Second, for the crack extending out into the driveway--I believe you mentioned that you will be trenching an expansion joint between the garage and the driveway, and then repouring the driveway as well (wow, $$$). Will you be cleaning up and repairing the driveway crack first? Use the same CFS products? Plan on making another vid to demo all this? Finally, a suggestion: if I were doing this job, I'd have my trusty Gorilla Cart (four-wheel garden cart; nope, no sponsorship here) with me, with all consumables and tools to pull along gently with me as I made my way down the crack. Probably especially important given the fast-set nature of the product. Finally, you may wish to physically, visually lay out all tools (safety equipment, etc.) at some point as sort of a checklist for people to follow.
with a wide deep crack like that closed cell backer rod works well ,the problem with sand use you have to grind or catch hell with a scaper but just rod and epoxy the excess scrapes off real easy after it fires off
when doing the crack grinding if you grab a carriage bolt that fits the hole for the handle if the saw you can set that like a depth stop then you let the grind ride on the head of the bolt and angle for depth of cut fine control.
So, is there a reason why you didn't smack around the crack with a rubber mallet or upside down sledge to get the sand to settel deepper into the crack and into possable voids under the slab? Just wondering. Would you recomend filling/drilling holes and putting spray foam if you hear a void/hollow under the slab?
Thanks for this. We moved into an older house and the garage slab is badly cracked. I may have to attack it next summer. Any suggestions for dealing with low areas in the slab where water wants to pool?
Great tutorial! If I'm not doing an epoxy finish should I use something else to fill the crack? Is there a reason not to use concrete on concrete? Thanks!
If i'm using a concrete grinder across the entire workspace in preparation for the epoxy, do i need to hand grind the crack / epoxy repair in advance? Or simply let the beast concrete grinder do the work in one fell swoop?
Good Luck. I seen those fast patches mess up the seal coat. Bubbled and cracked. if it messes up clean the concrete with muriatic acid. any oil residue will cause seperation
We have a problem with water getting in between driveway and foundation. Previous owners filled with some type of sealant but not working. What could I use to fill void and seal?
I simply use sandkote which is a fine sand mixed with a clear or colored super acrylic binder and that's it. Sandpaper the finished job with 100grit and paint over with Florkote. Job done for 20years.
When he was doing the leveling he also used a shroud designed to contain the dust. Grinding concrete without a shroud like that is perhaps the messiest thing you can imagine. Glad to see he was using a respirator as well because even the best dust collection setup won't get everything and concrete dust is about the worst thing for lungs since asbestos fiber.
I'd be curious to see how it fairs out over time. I live in an area prone to small movement and don't know if I would just be refilling and redoing it year over year.
you mentioned that this repair is for an epoxy floor covering. If I wanted just a crack repair without any other finish coat then this product works for that as well?
How do you clean concrete garage floors after all the winter's salt? If i power wash it after thorough sweepings the salt just comes up again. All input appreciated!
A dust collector, like for woodworking, between the grinder and the vacuum helped control dust levels when I've ground concrete in the past. Still should wear a respirator but the vacuum filter doesn't clog up nearly as quickly meaning more dust gets collected than otherwise would be thrown into your work area.
I wonder if tapping the edges with a rubber hammer as you were adding the sand would have helped fill the gap more completely with sand and allowed the epoxy to wick down through the gap.
Instead of using pricey and hard to work with epoxy, I would think applying with a small brush, a liquid concrete binding agent(which allows new cement to bind with old) (available at hardware stores) to the old concrete crack and then filing in the crack with a mortar or thin set, would be the easiest and most cost effective and long lasting. Take care
Easy, yes, but the weakest repair method there is. The bond strength of epoxy is over 10 times that of cement-based products, even with the polymer bonding agent.
I’m not a pro, but I see that when securing anything, like a bolt to a foundation, or a bolt to concrete, epoxy is used as it is the strongest known non specialty adhesive. Given all the prep work, I would do it the “once and done” rather than a cheaper way. The next owner will appreciate it.
Did you check your footers for cracks that could be worth checking because it looks like the floor is settled that is the reason you have a crack in the first place
Good video. I've been in the Epoxy business since 1996 and my experience tells me some repairs will work, and other repairs done exactly the same way crack through the surface in as little as 6 months. Never really know what's going on under the slab, and if the rebar is rusting in the concrete it will continue to cause failures unless the total floor is replaced. I just tell customers the risk but 99% don't want the expense of replacing the total floor. Also not seen any difference in failure rates between filling with a self level product vs a Polyurea product. Just my 2 cents.
Is there a tree in the vicinity? Root uplift could be a cause for such a long crack. Never underestimate the power of a growing root. This was the case in my garage. My neighbor’s huge tree became a sail in every wind event, and the large roots running under the slab)which also contributed to the crack initially pulled up hard under the cement
I used to repair cracks in the concrete in a floor that had fork lifts crossing carrying heavy loads of steel. I used the clear epocsey from Home depot and poured it into the cracks without the sand. that material had a longer cure time and would settle to the very bottom of the crack and was self leveling at the top, so it would prevent further damage when the fork lift went over it. It would take a lot more material in a long crack, so it would get expensive, but i never had to redo the crack. The supposedly same stuff from Lowes would not work because it did not cure in the depth of the crack.
May as well pour cement grout down that crack since it is only a cosmetic repair.That epoxy is weakened by the sand filler and does not extend the full thickness of the slab.It cannot be guaranteed that the epoxy will bind all the way down the crack which has sand as a filler.Sand does not increase the strength of the epoxy it is just a cheaper filler.This needs to be shown between two pieces of Perspex filled with sand and then the epoxy poured over it to see the depth of penetration of the epoxy down to the sand. Then also the strength of the epoxy sand mix.
As sure as the sun sets, that crack will eventually come back. Stapling would be your best bet and that's even iffy on crack like that. Looks like they already tried to fix it with epoxy or caulk and it failed as the crack continued to widen and stretch the material. Can't stop expansion and contraction movement. Maybe if the garage is heated and cooled, you can minimize movement. If they're putting an Epoxy Flake system over it, that will help to camouflage the crack. That's a pretty major crack that has continued to grow over the years.
It is still holding strong but we are still within 1 year of the repair. I do want to try out the staples on another project. I like the carbon fiber staples even though they are a bit pricey.
I haven't done one on that situation. I have seen several kits and actually had a repair done in my current house prior to me purchasing. When I get a home that needs it I will definitely put out that video.
I used a $20 bag of polymeric sand to fill some driveway cracks, as well as filled sidewalk expansion joints where the original filler had disintegrated, and 1year later, they still are holding. Not sure about long term viability, but was by far the cheapest and easiest solution.
Hey...I have a furnace/ac unit that has the dripping going into the garage. The moisture runs with ac and heater. After a year of drippings, it has eaten the concrete. About 3 feet long, about 3/4 deep, and runs from drainage pipe to the indoor floor drain. Got any idea what it is? I remember dad collected it and stored it as distilled water.
Great video - thanks!! Can I do the same type of prep repair for pitted concrete, where the car tires have sat for years creating road salt damage, as a prelude to a flaked epoxy paint finish? The problem I see is with the grinding of the pits. It's not the same as grinding out a crack. How would you grind the small pits? Thanks again!
You can use this material to fix pitting in concrete, technically you should shotblast the concrete first, wire brushing would be the second alternative means of preparation. You must grind over the surface after you apply this epoxy before applying any coatings on top.
Is this product suitable for exposure to the elements, particularly our midwestern rain, snow, ice, and UV from the summer sun? Or is it just for sheltered/indoor use only? Also I'm thinking these cracks end up forming because there weren't relief cuts made in the concrete in the first place. I know my garage floor doesn't have any relief cuts and sure enough 10 years later there's a zig-zaggy crack just like the one in this video. There's a reason sidewalks have nice straight relief cracks. Because if you don't make them then nature will!
I agree with you about the lack of joints. The material can be used exterior, BUT, It is NOT UV stable. The material is designed to have coatings placed on top of it after it cures.
@@ConcreteFloorSolutions How about inside a garage, which is largely sheltered from both the sun (and therefore UV), but where I will not coat the floor? I just don't trust concrete coatings--they always seem to delaminate and flake off, at least here in the cold/hot midwest.
There are companies that drill holes in the floor and pump in products that level the floor. If the floor has droped what has it done to the frame of the garage?
Added suggestion: I personally wear hearing protection too while doing grinding operations such as this. I either use ear plugs combined with ear muffs, or even more enjoyable I put my Apple Air Pods Pro II and turn on noise cancellation while listening to an audio book or music.
Specifically this company calls for the sand which does mix with the epoxy so just following the directions. They will actually provide the specific sand in the kit.
My husband hired a company to build a big garage and then some of the employees helped him by pouring two floors in the porch and a barn lean to. No joints in any floor. Long settlement cracks on all in the end. I live in Florida so the sandy soil always settles a little.
Might not be a bad plan of attack especially if you have some smaller cracks where the end is visible and could be drilled to hopefully stop the propagation. Thanks for the feedback!
If theres anything people take away from this is make sure you have a good quality respirator. The dust that grinding kicks out is insanely hazardous to breathe in.
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Will this work on concrete pool deck cracks?
After that is applied, can it also be gone over with a new cool deck coating And not show the crack That was just repaired?
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Nice video! When I was in Commercial Construction,we had a crack like that and what we did was use a pneumatic crack chaser we rented for the tool rental store. It was a chipper that the point was “U” shaped. So, you followed the crack and it would leave a “U” crack. I believe they are making a grinder blade that has the “U” shape. Tool Rental stores are a great source of equipment!
A two part Epoxy works great! However, it can be expensive. At Home Depot and Lowe’s in the Quikrete area they sell 1-2 gal buckets of “Hydraulic Cement”. It is a great product ! Be sure to wear Nitrile Gloves! It will eat up the skin on your hands! Follow instructions by adding the correct amount of water. It will become the consistency of dough. Mix small amounts for the first few time so you can see how fast it sets up. Put some in your and roll it like Play dough. Roll it to the width or just a little smaller of the crack in the shape of a rope and press it into the crack. You will feel it get warm while rolling it out. Let the magic happen! Hydraulic cement expands as it fill all the voids. In fact, it will rise above the floor. Just take a trowel or and strike it flush.
Hydraulic Cement is a a great product! I saw pool repair guy use on the pool under water and it worked! He mixed it up and put in a ziplock bag and dove down and pressed it around a crack where the new light left a void. We use it in block and around pipe sleeves in a concrete wall where water was leaking through it. 10 minutes later no more water leaked through!
I used a fine mortar mix for my cracks and it seems to have worked great for my situation. Same prep steps as you did, then filled crack with unmixed mortar mix and sprayed water on it till it saturated down thru the depth of the crack. That way I could get the crack filled to the top (which is near impossible with it already wet & mixed. Ground it down and it came out great. The epoxy looks like ti works as well, but I spent $8 on my bag of mix.
Yes, this works great if your slabs aren’t drifting.
Keep in mind, cement-based products do not bond to concrete anywhere near as well as epoxy. The tensile strength of epoxy is at least 10 times stronger than cement.
That is a waste of time with a crack like the one in the Video....
Clearly, this channel continues to be some of the very finest TH-cam content!
Thanks for the feedback and support 👍
Bad repairs should never be broadcasted.
You do videos so an old lady gets it. Thank you so much.
Happy to help and thanks for the support.
This is some work. Living in my house for almost 30 years it might take me 2 days to empty where the cracks are. Great job demonstrating this technique. Thank for sharing
Nice work. It could get real expensive real quick with epoxy. I've also done this similar type of repair with Sika selv-leveler. It goes nicely into the crack and has a ton of glue which bonds to the concrete really well. Much much cheaper at like $20 a bag which makes close to 5 gallons of liquid.
All the Sika leveling products I've seen are meant for use as underlayment meaning they would be covered with stone or tile afterwards. Do they make a product which could be used in a garage which will ultimately be covered by an epoxy coating? SikaQuick might work but not sure how well it would hold up over time since some minor shrinkage is possible with the product.
Epoxy is more expensive, but it is also incredibly strong and is likely a lifetime repair. The extra $$$ may be worth it in a case like this, although for many repairs (especially interior cracks) I'm sure there are a number of less expensive alternatives.
@@Phormify A subcontractor used it to flatten part of the garage floor on my previous house. It only cracked right at the edges, where it was almost paper thin, and even there only after years of rolling heavy stuff over it. For the rest of it, where the self-leveler was at least a 1/4 inch, it wore as well as the rest of the concrete floor, for more than 20 years. So I think it could be used to fill that crack, and much less expensively. I've used it recently, and properly mixed, it dries very hard and strong, and adheres extremely well.
Liver the color of your eye!❤
Painter's 5 in 1 tool is also good for cleaning cracks, expansion joints and control joints.
I didn't do near that amount of work. Scraped, used no grinder or mask, dug out cracks, swept, filled with a tube of concrete filler. Two years later, is fine. Even if I have to re-do in a few years, it beats all of this for me. But hat's off to you for your excellent video.
Yeah, all the grinders seem excessive. Running a file down the crack, then vacuuming it out would probably work about as well and leave you less to fill in. Plus, much less electricity and fewer tools required.
Depends on the particulars of the crack?
@@FuckGoogle502 it is excessive to do all that prep until you have a bonding issue. For anyone that would be a really costly "probability" My buddy that runs an epoxy flooring business will not put any epoxy coatings on even a fairly new poured floor without mechanically grinding the whole floor with a walk behind diamond planer. Yep, he had bonding issues just a few times and learned the lesson and now he gets no recalls for that issue
Unless you're getting paid for it then you want to do it right.
A couple of tips: running the shop vac with the hose near where you're using the angle grinder will suck up most of the dust. Also, running the shop vac as you pick at the crack will suck up dust and debris as you go. Third, if you have a crack that's propogating you'll want to use a concrete blade on a circular saw to extend the crack in a straight line in order to control where it propogates.
Don't forget the dustless bags for the vacuum. They work great.
@@richardbetzenderfer8577 the dustless bags are definitely recommended when dealing with the fine dry dust. They're better than cleaning a wet/dry filter.
I've had to do a lot of this in my foundation (vertical cracks) and I found that a hammer drill on hammer-only mode (no spin) with an old (or new, if you don't care) masonry bit (in my case, 1") makes a nice tapered opening and it takes almost no time to do it (and it creates a lot less dust than grinding). You can make a pretty consistent enlargement / cleanout with that technique. Once you get to a depth, sometimes you can angle the bit up or down and zip right through the material in a line. Not going to be as smooth as precise as what you did, but for time & effort, it's pretty good. Then I either foam the opening, core fill, and then dig the foam out later and repair mortar that smooth, or I just put a flat form against the outside and core fill it all with fluid grout. Helical stitch ties, stainless allthread, frp rebar, or heavy stainless wire/rod can be used to help prevent the crack from returning. Sorry, I know that's a tangent to this.
Very good work, especially on the prepping that is so crucial to get a proper result.
Just 2 details that I would change to make the fill stronger:
There is a reason why the crack happened in the 1st place, which is that the parts are drifting apart (or: were). Hence, I’d suggest to link the 2 platters by applying concrete connectors.
I‘d also suggest to, depending on the depth of the crack, to apply the epoxy on the sand in 2 layers to go for sure the epoxy soaks in deep enough and fill in really all the crevices, i.e. layer one first, sand only half full, get it really soaked, then apply 2nd layer of sand and do the final fill as you were doing.
Cyclone dust trap from temu is great.
The fact that the crack ran along the entire length, and that the previous attempt didn't hold, means there's a big chance the floor is still under stress, and that crack will open up again.
What you SHOULD'VE done is to cut deep notchs (every 3ft or so) perpendicular to the crack, put a staple in each notch, and then do the epoxy throughout the crack and the notches.
You can still add them in now, before you do the epoxy finish.
Thanks for the feedback. I actually want to try out the staples. This garage never had gutters (and now it does) so I am curious is the water along the foundation for years led to the settling.
@@EverydayHomeRepairs
Could be. Depends if it's a slab on grade (with a slab edge), or actual foundations with footings.
If it's a slab on grade, it could've happened even if you had gutters. Can't really know if the soil finished settling or not. Staples will ensure that no matter what, it will have a much higher chance to stay in one piece.
The fact that it's fully connected to the driveway, makes me think it's a slab on grade.
I curious if there is any gravel under the or the slab was just poured on clay. A gravel base would have helped stabilize the soil clay doesn't do as good a job of it.
@@bobbg9041
Depends when it was built. If it's less than 60 years old, than building codes require a gravel (stone dust) base for slab on grade. Another conundrum about the slab is whether or not they've put rebar in it.
Doesn't matter now though. The best and most cost efficient solution is to staple and re-finish....Unless you want to spend 25K to demo
epour the entire thing, while lifting\supporting the structure from underneath.
@@EverydayHomeRepairs
Also, you see how the smaller cracks that are almost perpendicular to the larger crack, are all on one side of the main crack? If that side is the side of the exterior wall that had no gutters... Then that might have been your issue. The side that these smaller cracks point to, is the side that settles the most.
Structural engineer here. Great job! Very thorough, well explained, and well executed. The only upgrade I know of would be staples.
Thanks for the feedback! Really appreciate the support 👍
Please explain staples
@willbraswell4906 assuming you don't mean the office supply store or things they sell, what are staples?
@@hjackwingo Like sutures in a surgery, they are perpendicular to the incision/crack and are epoxied into grooves cut into the concrete.
From the Structural Repair Specialists' point of view, I like this solution for some applications, but I agree that staples or carbon fiber stitching may be needed for floors that are still under stress and are active. And as for floors that have heaved or have poor drainage, this is a very "not permanent" solution. Don't get yourself into hot water for a sponsor. You're better than that.
Great video, I work in commercial construction and see a lot of polished concrete, what you did is very similar to what the professionals do but use a different epoxy manufacturer and a machine that mixes the two parts on demand. An open crack like your's they would use a carbon fiber type mesh to bridge the crack. The theory is the crack is likely to come back, the mesh keeps you from seeing it when it comes back.
I have did that on cracks in sheetrock the mesh works great.
What was the original cause of the crack? Is it heaving or sinking of the floor in spots? How long would this solution work without addressing the underlying issue?
@dosadoodle I bet you that this guy will not show this slab 6 months from now.
Lipstick on a pig if the slab is poorly supported or has failed. You have to get those issues fixed or you have just wasted a bunch of time and money on a fancy repair.
Ditto ! What solution do you expect when all of society has learned only to treat the symptoms of every problem ! Before even watching the video , my suggestion would have been on the same page as the "staple" . Holes through the slab with 3/8 or better rebar at 2/3 the depth of the pour.
Great work, I did my garage floor during Covid, tons of filling and grinding. One recommendation I would make, build a homemade dust collector. A 5 gallon bucket, lid and a couple tubes or buy one. Probably carried 15 pounds of grinding out. And a dust collection shield for your grinder. Don’t want to breath that stuff, mask won’t cut it. Well done!
Totally agree on the dust collector. Without it your shop vac will lose suction in less than a minute with the dust clogging things up. Thanks for the feedback!
It actually works
I did this 2 years ago to my garage. The only thing different I did was add more silica sand on top of the epoxy mixture causing it to form a paste that was slightly higher than the concrete. When dry the epoxy is completely filled with silica then grind it smooth.
Dude that’s a good tip 👌👌
Great jod explaining this. The only thing i would have liked to have heard about, in addition to what you mentioned, is addressing the vertical crack going up that stim wall.
Excellent video. I appreciate how you thoroughly explained your process and them demonstrated it. If you are not already a vocational teacher, you could be. And a good one.
Thanks!
Thanks so much for the support 🙌
Looks good!
Any idea how it holds up if used on a basement floor that periodically gets flooded with rain water? My house was built in '35 and I have no idea how thick the floor is but there are a few cracks I've noticed that I might want to repair. Any input would be appreciated.
This is Michael. Great thorough explanation and your job was very well done
I would highly recommend a diamond v groove crack chaser for widening that groove and creating a perfectly clean surface for the filler product (epoxy in ths case) to bond too. It really is the perfect tool for the job.
I agree, the V groove makes quick work. Those blades are a bit hard to find at a normal big box store. My local Harbor Freight usually carries V groove wheels but were out for this project.
amazon is your friend. sometimes it can get to you the same day if you're anything like me and remember that tool that you need at 1:am.@@EverydayHomeRepairs
Yes, I have an EDCO crack chaser for just this type of work.
great demonstration! There's a few things I'll be doing to my driveway and garage floor thanks to your videos. - John
Thanks John 👍
I was concerned when you introduced the idea of using fine sand under the epoxy. I've seen videos of sand being used under expansion joint caulking to reduce material volume used. This is a BAD IDEA because sand will prevent the joint from closing and opening with temperature changes. For caulking, foam backer rod is the product of choice. For repair of a settlement crack where movement is actually undesireable, fine sand is actually very good idea. The fine sand serves as "aggregate" that actually pulls the epoxy further into the crack, and absorbs the epoxy until saturation. Nice repair.
Expansion joint only for bricks, because brick clay /from kiln/ is bone dry and absorb moisture, after installation = expand . Fill up those gap w/ neoprene foam and caulk . In concrete there is lot of water , little for hydratation , most for spreadable, water later evaporate and cause shrinking - cause crack, To avoid this , slab are divided w/ Control joint/ C.j, always open up until water gone and stops. Temperature changes are minimal . Of course , outside slab needs seal w/ caulk, backer rod necessary, against water seepage under and ice build up.
If you’re going to finish your basement, this would be a good practice to do on the concrete basement floor and possibly some smaller cracks in the walls to help with future problems. Bigger ones in the wall have to be dealt with a bit differently but very close to this process especially all the cleaning and grinding. Great video.
Looks like a good job on filling that long crack. But I'm guessing that this won't do anything at all to prevent the crack to continue to grow.
It won't prevent anything and is not at all permanent.
Do you recommend the same process and epoxy for a concrete outdoor driveway?
That crack is now the moving joint for the slab, since there wasn't one cut in at the time the slab was installed. What it to keep it from opening up again when the slab starts to move when moisture, temperature, and earth movements continue?
I will eventually need to do this in my garage too as i have a similar crack but the smaller slab is also off but a few degrees from flat and was thinking of getting someone to level it first by either pumping slurry or foam underneath...
Yep great repair and prep video! and, it will hold up way better than any concrete repair mortar.
As a quicker alternative, I use a Medium setting epoxy myself (635 thin US Composits medium hardner) for better flexibility in case of movement. After prep, I prime the crack a few minutes before with the mixed epoxy and brush in and then add Cabosil to my mix to thicken it to a drywall mud type consistency and trawl into the joints with a drywall knife. The Cabosil strengthens the epoxy too. No need to wait and keep applying epoxy either. One and done. If you are going over it again with say an epoxy floor system, don't forget to wash your finished epoxy joint when its dry with hot water, green abrasive pad and some dish liquid to remove any amine blush. Amine blush is fairly rare unless it's higher humidity and cooing off and is only water soluble. The waxy like blush will prevent a next coat of anything from sticking. I learned the hard way and even so called non blushing epoxies can blush in the right conditions. Boat builders avoid having to remove blush by putting the next coats on while the epoxy is still a bit tacky and not fully cured.
*Added notes, I have about 15 years into my technique and no problems with re cracking even with heated floors expanding and contracting the concrete. This repair does not work at all outdoors unless the crack is painted with a UV protectant. Read the directions carefully, temperatures matter and epoxies can get so hot that it can ruin the job if applied too deep or if the concrete is really hot in summer. In winter in an unheated space the epoxy may never cure. Buy the epoxy for the weather conditions. Usually the hardener is changed for the weather. In colder conditions you can heat your epoxy bottles part a and b up in really hot water to make sure it cures and is not too thick,
That's the best stuff I've seen for cracks. Wonderful.
Thanks, I was really happy with the results. Not cheap but I feel great about the end result.
Can you use the same product for driveways?
I'd be curious to see if you would have vibrated that sand down, how much more would you needed to add, also after time that sand will settle, would it have a negative effect with the filler over time.
Scott, you mentioned this is not a cosmetic repair. What product/process would you recommend for cracks on already Polished Concrete floor? Thank you for all the help!!
Great job! What about concrete wall cracks?? What can be used for that? The outside wall cracked and went across the garage floor as well. Thanks in Advance!!!
I need to fill my expansion joints in my shop. Always filling up with dirt and crap. I thought of using some type of silicone but a bit harder version so they would still be expansion joints but just not dirt and crap filled. Watched this in hopes it could work for that but I see this is just for cracks.
I had good luck with Sika Self Leveling Sealant and Tremco Vulkem 45 SSL after pressing backer rod into the gap. th-cam.com/video/OUnUkrqsbA8/w-d-xo.html
Yes to the initial question. Cut joints in the slab to begin with . 4 feet is a good starting point.
Scott, I know you said a future project was re-pouring the driveway but that crack is running all the way to what is either the wall footer or your house foundation. You are about to hit freezing temps and that long driveway crack is going to freeze and that, freeze and thaw, over and over until it brings back a hairline crack in that nice epoxy floor you are putting down. Run a relief cut between your garage and your driveway even if you plan to re-pour it later. Remember ice > concrete or epoxy.
For sure, I will be cutting this week to give some separation between the garage and driveway 👍
Hey Scott, I just watch your video that repair looks great. I have a question . I don't see any any expansion joints along the foundation. I would be concerned that this crack is an expansion crack. If so you repair may crack again. I would look into installing some expansion joints ( controlled saw cuts) in the floor before you epoxy your floor. looking forward to see the finish video.
Good call, I think they poured this pad/foundation as one large pour back in the day will no expansion and/or control cuts. I think you are right that I need to come up with a plan to put some cuts in prior to doing the epoxy coating to give it a chance of a long maintenance-free life. Thanks for the feedback.
eoxies don't have much flexure or elongation, and are hard coatings. I prefer using backer rod in place of the sand. This gives a bond breaker and then apply a 2 part polyurethane material in tube form. You need a dual type caulk gun. There is a mixing tip that comes with the two tubes for mixing.
Nice. I wish I could find that stuff in the UK. Surprised you didn't repair the foundation wall as that was cracked too.
I wonder if it would work on a vertical surface?
@@stephenburnage7687 Sir, there are different products available for vertical applications depending what the problem is.
First time on your channel (thanks, YT suggestions!). Liked not only the job you demonstrated but your overall approach--not too much detail, not too little; pacing, etc. However, a few questions or suggestions. First, I noticed how your crack extended through the garage and then up the foundation/ wall, a vertical crack. Do you plan to address that? If so, does Concrete Floor Solutions have a quite viscous product for such vertical applications. You mentioned that the solution you're demonstrating would work for basements and I imagine that vertical basement cracks are just as much an issue as horizontal ones. Second, for the crack extending out into the driveway--I believe you mentioned that you will be trenching an expansion joint between the garage and the driveway, and then repouring the driveway as well (wow, $$$). Will you be cleaning up and repairing the driveway crack first? Use the same CFS products? Plan on making another vid to demo all this? Finally, a suggestion: if I were doing this job, I'd have my trusty Gorilla Cart (four-wheel garden cart; nope, no sponsorship here) with me, with all consumables and tools to pull along gently with me as I made my way down the crack. Probably especially important given the fast-set nature of the product. Finally, you may wish to physically, visually lay out all tools (safety equipment, etc.) at some point as sort of a checklist for people to follow.
with a wide deep crack like that closed cell backer rod works well ,the problem with sand use you have to grind or catch hell with a scaper but just rod and epoxy the excess scrapes off real easy after it fires off
when doing the crack grinding if you grab a carriage bolt that fits the hole for the handle if the saw you can set that like a depth stop then you let the grind ride on the head of the bolt and angle for depth of cut fine control.
Interesting 🤔 thanks for the feedback
Have you done a water vapor test to see if moisture is raising from below the slab because of no moisture barrier?
So, is there a reason why you didn't smack around the crack with a rubber mallet or upside down sledge to get the sand to settel deepper into the crack and into possable voids under the slab? Just wondering. Would you recomend filling/drilling holes and putting spray foam if you hear a void/hollow under the slab?
Thanks for this. We moved into an older house and the garage slab is badly cracked. I may have to attack it next summer. Any suggestions for dealing with low areas in the slab where water wants to pool?
Great tutorial! If I'm not doing an epoxy finish should I use something else to fill the crack? Is there a reason not to use concrete on concrete? Thanks!
If i'm using a concrete grinder across the entire workspace in preparation for the epoxy, do i need to hand grind the crack / epoxy repair in advance? Or simply let the beast concrete grinder do the work in one fell swoop?
Good Luck. I seen those fast patches mess up the seal coat. Bubbled and cracked. if it messes up clean the concrete with muriatic acid. any oil residue will cause seperation
KINDA HARD TO TAKE YOUR TIME AND DO IT RIGHT WHEN YOU ONLY HAVE ,45 SECONDS BUT YOU MADE IT LOOK EASY GREAT VIDEO
Its like Drag Racing. you snooze, you loose !!!
Can I assume that if my crack is already level from side, I would skip the grinding and just remove the sealer? 3:50
We have a problem with water getting in between driveway and foundation. Previous owners filled with some type of sealant but not working. What could I use to fill void and seal?
Usually I do something like this - th-cam.com/video/P28ZpR9I56g/w-d-xo.html
I simply use sandkote which is a fine sand mixed with a clear or colored super acrylic binder and that's it. Sandpaper the finished job with 100grit and paint over with Florkote. Job done for 20years.
Good to see, you are using a guard with the grinder. A grinder is one of most dangerous tools in the shop!
When he was doing the leveling he also used a shroud designed to contain the dust. Grinding concrete without a shroud like that is perhaps the messiest thing you can imagine. Glad to see he was using a respirator as well because even the best dust collection setup won't get everything and concrete dust is about the worst thing for lungs since asbestos fiber.
I'd be curious to see how it fairs out over time. I live in an area prone to small movement and don't know if I would just be refilling and redoing it year over year.
If you have issues with some water coming through the floor from hydrostatic pressure, will this work vs, hydraulic cement?
Thanks for a very comprehensive video. Crack repair is on my spring project list. No excuses now.
Thank you, Scott. Most helpful and very well explained.. Awesome, great video, very useful! Much appreciated!.
How is that abrasive wheel for removing paint either before or after using a stipper?
Wow, Scott, you're really cranking out the content. Thank you!
You bet!
Awesome! Do you have a video of doing the actual epoxy to the your whole garage floor?
you mentioned that this repair is for an epoxy floor covering. If I wanted just a crack repair without any other finish coat then this product works for that as well?
How do you clean concrete garage floors after all the winter's salt? If i power wash it after thorough sweepings the salt just comes up again. All input appreciated!
A dust collector, like for woodworking, between the grinder and the vacuum helped control dust levels when I've ground concrete in the past. Still should wear a respirator but the vacuum filter doesn't clog up nearly as quickly meaning more dust gets collected than otherwise would be thrown into your work area.
Or use a decent vac designed for fine dust. The cordless one used here was clearly hopelessly underpowered.
What grit sandpaper would you use for the sanding? I have an orbital, would that be ok and with what type of paper? Thanks!
What product can you recommend to repair a cracked roof cement tile (mastic or sealant possibly or rt600)?
I wonder if tapping the edges with a rubber hammer as you were adding the sand would have helped fill the gap more completely with sand and allowed the epoxy to wick down through the gap.
Not a bad idea 👍
Instead of using pricey and hard to work with epoxy, I would think applying with a small brush, a liquid concrete binding agent(which allows new cement to bind with old) (available at hardware stores) to the old concrete crack and then filing in the crack with a mortar or thin set, would be the easiest and most cost effective and long lasting.
Take care
Easy, yes, but the weakest repair method there is. The bond strength of epoxy is over 10 times that of cement-based products, even with the polymer bonding agent.
I’m not a pro, but I see that when securing anything, like a bolt to a foundation, or a bolt to concrete, epoxy is used as it is the strongest known non specialty adhesive. Given all the prep work, I would do it the “once and done” rather than a cheaper way. The next owner will appreciate it.
Did you check your footers for cracks that could be worth checking because it looks like the floor is settled that is the reason you have a crack in the first place
Good video. I've been in the Epoxy business since 1996 and my experience tells me some repairs will work, and other repairs done exactly the same way crack through the surface in as little as 6 months. Never really know what's going on under the slab, and if the rebar is rusting in the concrete it will continue to cause failures unless the total floor is replaced. I just tell customers the risk but 99% don't want the expense of replacing the total floor. Also not seen any difference in failure rates between filling with a self level product vs a Polyurea product. Just my 2 cents.
Is there a tree in the vicinity? Root uplift could be a cause for such a long crack.
Never underestimate the power of a growing root.
This was the case in my garage. My neighbor’s huge tree became a sail in every wind event, and the large roots running under the slab)which also contributed to the crack initially pulled up hard under the cement
9:41 Should one use a small stick to compact the sand?
I used to repair cracks in the concrete in a floor that had fork lifts crossing carrying heavy loads of steel. I used the clear epocsey from Home
depot and poured it into the cracks without the sand. that material had a longer cure time and would settle to the very bottom of the crack and was self leveling at the top, so it would prevent further damage when the fork lift went over it. It would take a lot more material in a long crack, so it would get expensive, but i never had to redo the crack. The supposedly same stuff from Lowes would not work because it did not cure in the depth of the crack.
Will crack again after a while due to no expansion joint, hope there is reinforcing installed when poured the concrete at first
May as well pour cement grout down that crack since it is only a cosmetic repair.That epoxy is weakened by the sand filler and does not extend the full thickness of the slab.It cannot be guaranteed that the epoxy will bind all the way down the crack which has sand as a filler.Sand does not increase the strength of the epoxy it is just a cheaper filler.This needs to be shown between two pieces of Perspex filled with sand and then the epoxy poured over it to see the depth of penetration of the epoxy down to the sand. Then also the strength of the epoxy sand mix.
As sure as the sun sets, that crack will eventually come back. Stapling would be your best bet and that's even iffy on crack like that. Looks like they already tried to fix it with epoxy or caulk and it failed as the crack continued to widen and stretch the material. Can't stop expansion and contraction movement. Maybe if the garage is heated and cooled, you can minimize movement. If they're putting an Epoxy Flake system over it, that will help to camouflage the crack. That's a pretty major crack that has continued to grow over the years.
It is still holding strong but we are still within 1 year of the repair. I do want to try out the staples on another project. I like the carbon fiber staples even though they are a bit pricey.
How soon after this process can you epoxy floor?
About 1/2 hour😊
what happens to the crack on the side wall?
Do you have any videos for vertical crack in basement walls?
I haven't done one on that situation. I have seen several kits and actually had a repair done in my current house prior to me purchasing. When I get a home that needs it I will definitely put out that video.
I used a $20 bag of polymeric sand to fill some driveway cracks, as well as filled sidewalk expansion joints where the original filler had disintegrated, and 1year later, they still are holding. Not sure about long term viability, but was by far the cheapest and easiest solution.
Now how do you repair the part of the crack that goes up the wall? Or is that not important?
Hey...I have a furnace/ac unit that has the dripping going into the garage.
The moisture runs with ac and heater. After a year of drippings, it has eaten the concrete. About 3 feet long, about 3/4 deep, and runs from drainage pipe to the indoor floor drain.
Got any idea what it is? I remember dad collected it and stored it as distilled water.
I have similar cracks in my basement, I’m assuming I can use this same process for cracks ?
Great video - thanks!! Can I do the same type of prep repair for pitted concrete, where the car tires have sat for years creating road salt damage, as a prelude to a flaked epoxy paint finish? The problem I see is with the grinding of the pits. It's not the same as grinding out a crack. How would you grind the small pits? Thanks again!
You can use this material to fix pitting in concrete, technically you should shotblast the concrete first, wire brushing would be the second alternative means of preparation. You must grind over the surface after you apply this epoxy before applying any coatings on top.
@@ConcreteFloorSolutions Great, thanks for getting back! I'm looking to take this on in summer 2024. Be well...
Is this product suitable for exposure to the elements, particularly our midwestern rain, snow, ice, and UV from the summer sun? Or is it just for sheltered/indoor use only? Also I'm thinking these cracks end up forming because there weren't relief cuts made in the concrete in the first place. I know my garage floor doesn't have any relief cuts and sure enough 10 years later there's a zig-zaggy crack just like the one in this video. There's a reason sidewalks have nice straight relief cracks. Because if you don't make them then nature will!
I agree with you about the lack of joints. The material can be used exterior, BUT, It is NOT UV stable. The material is designed to have coatings placed on top of it after it cures.
@@ConcreteFloorSolutions How about inside a garage, which is largely sheltered from both the sun (and therefore UV), but where I will not coat the floor? I just don't trust concrete coatings--they always seem to delaminate and flake off, at least here in the cold/hot midwest.
My installers cut relief cracks into the concrete. Nature made her own cracks anyway.
There are companies that drill holes in the floor and pump in products that level the floor. If the floor has droped what has it done to the frame of the garage?
Added suggestion: I personally wear hearing protection too while doing grinding operations such as this. I either use ear plugs combined with ear muffs, or even more enjoyable I put my Apple Air Pods Pro II and turn on noise cancellation while listening to an audio book or music.
High-end stuff right there. Thanks for the feedback!
What wheel did you use for the final grind?
wouldnt leveling cement work in those cracks?
hi..why did you use dry fine sand and not the backer rod you used in the other video?
Specifically this company calls for the sand which does mix with the epoxy so just following the directions. They will actually provide the specific sand in the kit.
Nice video , but what are those 2 black thing in back ? Are they generators? Or powerbanks ?
My husband hired a company to build a big garage and then some of the employees helped him by pouring two floors in the porch and a barn lean to. No joints in any floor. Long settlement cracks on all in the end. I live in Florida so the sandy soil always settles a little.
What about the crack going up the side of the foundation? Will you use the same stuff or something else?
Does this method work for basement slab crack ?
What about drilling a few holes as crack arrestors as you would with steel
Might not be a bad plan of attack especially if you have some smaller cracks where the end is visible and could be drilled to hopefully stop the propagation. Thanks for the feedback!
Can you use this technique for an outside cement porch?
Yes but if you don't plan on coating with epoxy just remember the repair will be very noticeable.
Great content, thanks. Can this be used on a small crack outside, too?
If theres anything people take away from this is make sure you have a good quality respirator. The dust that grinding kicks out is insanely hazardous to breathe in.