Not only is your video thorough and easy to follow, you also took the time to list what materials you used and a purchasing source for the materials....Many Thanks!
The worst is pulling the woods out. A little rotohammer with a Chisel bit does the work for you. You can rent it. Just make sure the bit's width is less than the joint width.
@@rdumas6787 I know what you're talking about. But if it does not provide waterproofing, it has to come out and be replaced by a watertight system like the one in this video.
hi Luis. Please share this with all your homeowner friends. Not many people know about the importance of Expansion Joints. And they wait until it's too late and they have to replace concrete.
NON HANDYMAN DID IT!!! I learned as I went; digging out the old wood to some time; From reading the packaging on the backer rods, I found that twisting 2 tight together and cramming them it made them stay better in place. My driveway is 17 feet wide. I used 3 tube of self-levelling compound and could have used one more for filling in. It went far easier than I had imagined.
@@nancyfoster971 congrats! You have helper your driveway a lot. In regards of the backer rod, sorry to inform you that twisting it is not recommended, when you trwist it, you generate large voids that later get filled with the sealant, leading to very thick sealant in some areas. Home Depot only sells 3/4 inch diameter backer rod. But in reality, existant driveways have joints of 1inch or some times even more. For everybody reading this, please ensure that the backer rod you buy is always thicker than the width of the joint. I always use the 1-1/4" backer rod. Never available at Home Depot or Lowes, only commercial construction supply stores.
Sloped driveways should technically be addressed with NON-SAG polyurethane. But these are rarely available in regular home improvement stores, the size and color options are limited. So if I was going to use the self leveling cartridges, I would start from the top and work towards the lower side, and stop the pour at about 2 to 3 feet away from the bottom end of the joint. Wait and assess how far the material flow, if it needs more, pour from the top, it is an art. Otherwise, you have to use professional grade products, where you mix a bulk portion of component A + B + a color pack. You can get bulk versions in Self Leveling and Non-Sag. And even the Self Leveling version of the bulk package is not as flowable as the self levelers from regular home improvement stores.
Could you please help me this question: 1. Do you use “dry” sand for under Back Rod?? what’s the name of dry sand ? I can’t find “dry” sand in Home Depot or Lowes. 2. same question for top of glue.
Hi! To prevent the tires from damaging the product. This video is old, now we pour them a little higher. But always maintaining the proportion of "thickness of sealant = half of the width"
Not recommended, but we have done it. If you use S.L. on a sloped driveway, make sure the slope is not too much and don't do it on a cold day, as the sealant will continue running off for 24 hrs. My trick on sloped driveways is to start the pour on the highest point and stop at least 2 feet away from the lowest point of the driveway, monitor how much the sealant is running on its own, it may flow all the way down and stop right at the lowest point, and if more sealant is required, apply it from upstream and let it run down. I suggest you to buy 1 single bottle of S.L. and do a test area. If it doesn't work, you only wasted a bottle and you can still switch to Non Sag solution, materials are compatible. Good luck!
The most important is: If the expansion joint's width is 1 inch, the thickness of the sealant should not be more than 0.5 inches, otherwise, the sealant will not be elastic and will fail early. In this case, our customer didn't want the sealant to get stained with tire marks, so we poured 1/4 inch below surface level. You can pour the sealant all the way up if you want, just remember the magic width to depth rate "2 to 1".
All those prefabricated joint gaskets are good for driveways in a good condition. But if the driveway already has some settlements and gaps that vary in width, you can not use slab gasket, and the best is to use a liquid polyurethane that would adjust to the shapes of concrete, and truly making it water proof. Prefab gaskets work better on new driveways of driveways that have not gotten any settlements.
It wasn’t saw cut, it was formed that way. In the days before continuous pours and diamond saw cutting expansion joints, it was common to place an organic expansion joint material between the formed slab pours. It’s still often used next to existing structures.
Leveling the sand is not as important as leveling the backer rod. However, we hold a Chisel around 1inch away from the tip. Then, with the hand slightly touching the concrete surface, we drag it along the joint edge. But you can also use a cardboard gage....there are many ways, just get creative.
Now we do! For the last 4 years at least. This video is little outdated. But you know, as long as there is no moisture under the slab that will try to evaporate, primer is not realy necessary, at least under my geographic environment.
24 hrs is enough in hot weather. 2 days recomended in cold weather. However, if you pour the joint 1/4 below the concrete surface, you can drive over them anytime, as the tire never touches the joint.
I have seen people using something like toilet paper to put on top of the new sealant before fully cured between two concrete slaps to protect people from stepping on the sealant and making footprint all over the concrete slaps. Do you know what that paper called? Thank you so much.
You may be talking about the sticky mesh paper used for drywwall work. I never use it. It is still not stong enough to prevent someone to step on the fresh sealant. In fact, it may be messier to clean up after the "accident" if you have the mesh installed. Thats why i pour in a way the my sealant is 1/8 in below the walking surface. In case people walk or drive. But nothing as efficient as blocking your driveway with caution tape for at least 24 hrs after the pour. Material will continue drying for up to 3 days, but the crust will start to dry in the first 6 hrs.
@@Darkice77 it is not recommended by the manufacturers as the sand makes the sealant less elastic. However I am up front with my customers and warn them about the benefits and deficiencies of using the sand, and most of the time they still like the sand. If you want to see how my joints look with the sand please refer to my video shorts.
Product: Sikaflex SL (self leveling) if you are in USA.....you can find this stuff at Home Depot or Lowes. But there are many other brands that you can find at your local commercial construction store. We have found that Polyurethane elastomeric sealants work good for our applications. There are many other brands.
I actually just had a new driveway poured. Should I just be able to use the SL sealant then? And after what length of time should this be applied or this process performed?
@@LG-jy9nc if your driveway was just poured, the woods between the concrete slabs can provide some degree of water tightness for around two to three years. The minimum you should wait for the installation of an elastomeric sealant is around a month, because the concrete is still changing throughout that time (shrinkage). And about the material, regardless if it is self-leveling or non sag , you have to use an elastomeric sealant, we have found that polyurethane S. L. gives us the best results, just watch for the spills.
Hi Rima, we also love the way sand looks on tge upper surface of selant but, most manufacturers dont recommend that, as it changes the elastic propperties of the sealant, making it more susceptible to early failure. And we try to provide our customers with long lasting solutions.
Very informative video …… BUT BEFORE YOU FOLLOW ALL THE STEPS of this Video …. have a good look to make sure your Driveway is level ……. if your Driveway is sloped, the
You are correct, sand under the backer rod is not a requirement. However, as a contractor, I want to ensure long life on my product and I go beyond the specs to do so. Adding sand under the backer rod does not stiffen the joint, therefore does not affect the elasticity and durability of the sealant. Sand would just add extra load bearing capacity to the joint system in case of a high heel or similar events.
Regardles of where they are (top or lower)....the most important is to not pour them too thick. Always maintain your 2(width) to 1(height) ratio. We also pour them at top sometimes. But when they are high, they get dirty with hot tire.
yup. Do not spray solvent based sealer over the material, it will re-emulsify the sealant (polyurethane). Its is pretty much the same with all brands of polyurethane sealants, not just this one. HOWEVER, there are solutions: a) Power wash and seal (solvent based) your driveway first and then install the exp. j. sealants. b) do the exp. j. sealants first and then do your surface sealer without touching the sealant, protect your sealant with tape, spray the whole driveway with sealer, then remove the tapes and brush the joints corners with sealer without touching the sealant. Anyways, sealants are not meant to be sealed.
We try to be as unbiased as possible....but we used SIKAFLEX SL, you can buy it from H. D. or Lowes. They have 2 color options. If you go to professional stores you can find even up to 20 different colors.
The sand we apply in the bottom is a quick foundation for the backer rod. The sand topping you see on other videos is for decorative purposes. Sand decorative toppings are not recommended as they reduce the flexibility of the sealant, leading to early cracking of the sealant
lol...new houses also need waterproofing of joints. Commercial projects are always delivered with sealed joints. Sadly, residential build don't have an engineer overseeing the driveway build.
Our initial intention back in the days was to prevent tires from staining and damaging the sealant, which is a technical solution, but not so aesthetic. We have now raised the sealant (but not the thickness), but still not flush with the concrete. Working on a new video showing our latest method.
Not only is your video thorough and easy to follow, you also took the time to list what materials you used and a purchasing source for the materials....Many Thanks!
Very nicely done and easily explained. Thanks!
We are gathered here today to celebrate the bugs life up until 1:25. He was a good bug. RIP.
RIP that bug
o7
true hero
What type of backer rod (closed cell or concrete expansion joint replacement) and what size of backer rod did you use in this video?
I'm attempting to give this a try. I'm a female and am determined to get my work done. Thanks for sharing your video.🙋♀️👍
The worst is pulling the woods out. A little rotohammer with a Chisel bit does the work for you. You can rent it. Just make sure the bit's width is less than the joint width.
@@oliveraguirreconcreterepai4826 there is no wood in my patio and walkway. It has like a dark spongy type product. No idea what it is.
@@rdumas6787 I know what you're talking about. But if it does not provide waterproofing, it has to come out and be replaced by a watertight system like the one in this video.
@@oliveraguirreconcreterepai4826 thank you
WOW!!! Did it your way step by step, came out perfect! Thanks!!!!!
Edward, this ecourages me to continue uploading.
1:23 - Man down! MAN DOWN!!!
lmao
Hahaha beat me to it!
😂
Stepped right in front of the wheel of death.
ROFL!!!! I was gonna post about that too hahahaha!!!!!
Thanks!!! Followed step by step, worked perfectly! Great video.
What is the name of the tool you used with the wheels that you went over the backer rod with?
I did this to my driveway, similar product. Works good.
Thanks so much for the video. I learned a lot. Saving people tons of money.
hi Luis. Please share this with all your homeowner friends. Not many people know about the importance of Expansion Joints. And they wait until it's too late and they have to replace concrete.
NON HANDYMAN DID IT!!! I learned as I went; digging out the old wood to some time; From reading the packaging on the backer rods, I found that twisting 2 tight together and cramming them it made them stay better in place. My driveway is 17 feet wide. I used 3 tube of self-levelling compound and could have used one more for filling in. It went far easier than I had imagined.
@@nancyfoster971 congrats! You have helper your driveway a lot.
In regards of the backer rod, sorry to inform you that twisting it is not recommended, when you trwist it, you generate large voids that later get filled with the sealant, leading to very thick sealant in some areas. Home Depot only sells 3/4 inch diameter backer rod. But in reality, existant driveways have joints of 1inch or some times even more. For everybody reading this, please ensure that the backer rod you buy is always thicker than the width of the joint. I always use the 1-1/4" backer rod. Never available at Home Depot or Lowes, only commercial construction supply stores.
Excellent. I wonder if you can use this product on a steep driveway without any problem or is there another product for these kind of driveways?
Sloped driveways should technically be addressed with NON-SAG polyurethane. But these are rarely available in regular home improvement stores, the size and color options are limited. So if I was going to use the self leveling cartridges, I would start from the top and work towards the lower side, and stop the pour at about 2 to 3 feet away from the bottom end of the joint. Wait and assess how far the material flow, if it needs more, pour from the top, it is an art.
Otherwise, you have to use professional grade products, where you mix a bulk portion of component A + B + a color pack. You can get bulk versions in Self Leveling and Non-Sag. And even the Self Leveling version of the bulk package is not as flowable as the self levelers from regular home improvement stores.
The bug that got murdered by the wheel thing: ✖️👄✖️
He walked right into it man I have it on video I swear !
😂
Good eye😂
what's the size of the backer rod? mine need at lease 2" diameter and I can't find them on line
What do you use for a slopped driveway??
You'll want a non sag caulk. This same company makes that option as well.
This is what we need. If you are in Vegas, plz advise. We want darker grout though…
What kind of sand did you use? Thx
What kind of sand should I use and which tool to level out the backing rod? Thx
regular coarse sand and the tool, just type "backer rod insertion tool" on any search engine, and you will find all buying options.
toss some playground sand on top b4 it hardens to blend it a bit.
Could you please help me this question:
1. Do you use “dry” sand for under Back Rod?? what’s the name of dry sand ? I can’t find “dry” sand in Home Depot or Lowes.
2. same question for top of glue.
Wow, a lot of tripping hazards still in the final product! Why would you not fill flush flush the the surface??
Hi! To prevent the tires from damaging the product. This video is old, now we pour them a little higher. But always maintaining the proportion of "thickness of sealant = half of the width"
Great video! I really like to do the sand finish.
Is an expansion joint that is 1.5" width too wide to use this method, or it is okay. 2x4 were used as expansion joint in the past.
Those joints look good!
Wouldn't you want that to be as flush with the top as possible? Those seem like areas that could contribute to chipping or excess wear
What is the backer product? It looks like some sort of foam tubing?
Dollar general use the water tubes for summer
Can you use self-leveling sealant on sloped driveways? If not, what do you use instead?
Not recommended, but we have done it. If you use S.L. on a sloped driveway, make sure the slope is not too much and don't do it on a cold day, as the sealant will continue running off for 24 hrs. My trick on sloped driveways is to start the pour on the highest point and stop at least 2 feet away from the lowest point of the driveway, monitor how much the sealant is running on its own, it may flow all the way down and stop right at the lowest point, and if more sealant is required, apply it from upstream and let it run down. I suggest you to buy 1 single bottle of S.L. and do a test area. If it doesn't work, you only wasted a bottle and you can still switch to Non Sag solution, materials are compatible. Good luck!
Use SIKAFLEX SL where it's level and SIKA Crack Flex on the slope!
thumbs up just for the memory of the bug.
What is the name of the sealant that you used ?
I think this has been answered in previous comments. But I used to sikaflex self leveling polyurethane sold by most home improvement stores.
I just bought a house here in the city and I would like to know if anyone can repair and patch concrete surfaces on my driveway??
He killed that bug dead at 1:21 😝
There's still a bit of a gap there. Will this create a tripping hazard? Why not add more of the base seal?!
The most important is: If the expansion joint's width is 1 inch, the thickness of the sealant should not be more than 0.5 inches, otherwise, the sealant will not be elastic and will fail early. In this case, our customer didn't want the sealant to get stained with tire marks, so we poured 1/4 inch below surface level. You can pour the sealant all the way up if you want, just remember the magic width to depth rate "2 to 1".
@@oliveraguirreconcreterepai4826 so if you want to keep.the right ratio and be flush just use more sand?
What do you feel about 'slab gasket'? Just started doing my research.
All those prefabricated joint gaskets are good for driveways in a good condition. But if the driveway already has some settlements and gaps that vary in width, you can not use slab gasket, and the best is to use a liquid polyurethane that would adjust to the shapes of concrete, and truly making it water proof.
Prefab gaskets work better on new driveways of driveways that have not gotten any settlements.
Looks great
I’mma gonna try that, thanks 🙏🏽!!!
any one can explain how the joint was saw cut? was it done by two line cutting? because saw blades dont come that wide thickness.
It wasn’t saw cut, it was formed that way. In the days before continuous pours and diamond saw cutting expansion joints, it was common to place an organic expansion joint material between the formed slab pours. It’s still often used next to existing structures.
how about using a vinyl gasket? is that way also acceptable?
Yes, but in old driveways with uneven joint gaps due to years of settlement, the vinyl won't fit evenly. Liquid sealant adjust to the terrain.
How do you ensure that sand is even?
Leveling the sand is not as important as leveling the backer rod. However, we hold a Chisel around 1inch away from the tip. Then, with the hand slightly touching the concrete surface, we drag it along the joint edge. But you can also use a cardboard gage....there are many ways, just get creative.
1:25 that little bug just wanted to home
Where can I find this at store wise?
If you are in the USA, the 2 mayor home improvement stores have it in the concrete materials area.
Ok.. thanks!
2:08 Sheesh! What did that caulking gun do to you???
What kind of sealant that you used?
You should use a primer befor applying the caulk on a porous surface
Now we do! For the last 4 years at least. This video is little outdated. But you know, as long as there is no moisture under the slab that will try to evaporate, primer is not realy necessary, at least under my geographic environment.
After this process is completed, how long should you wait before driving vehicles over the joint? BTW: nice video.
24 hrs is enough in hot weather. 2 days recomended in cold weather. However, if you pour the joint 1/4 below the concrete surface, you can drive over them anytime, as the tire never touches the joint.
I have seen people using something like toilet paper to put on top of the new sealant before fully cured between two concrete slaps to protect people from stepping on the sealant and making footprint all over the concrete slaps. Do you know what that paper called? Thank you so much.
You may be talking about the sticky mesh paper used for drywwall work. I never use it. It is still not stong enough to prevent someone to step on the fresh sealant. In fact, it may be messier to clean up after the "accident" if you have the mesh installed. Thats why i pour in a way the my sealant is 1/8 in below the walking surface. In case people walk or drive. But nothing as efficient as blocking your driveway with caution tape for at least 24 hrs after the pour. Material will continue drying for up to 3 days, but the crust will start to dry in the first 6 hrs.
If you sprinkle sand on top (right after you pour it), It will look nicer and protect the joint.
@@Darkice77 it is not recommended by the manufacturers as the sand makes the sealant less elastic. However I am up front with my customers and warn them about the benefits and deficiencies of using the sand, and most of the time they still like the sand. If you want to see how my joints look with the sand please refer to my video shorts.
What sealant do you use? Can a homeowner buy it direct?
Product: Sikaflex SL (self leveling) if you are in USA.....you can find this stuff at Home Depot or Lowes. But there are many other brands that you can find at your local commercial construction store. We have found that Polyurethane elastomeric sealants work good for our applications. There are many other brands.
@@oliveraguirreconcreterepai4826 Thank you for responding so quickly. I have some concrete joints that need some attention.
I actually just had a new driveway poured. Should I just be able to use the SL sealant then? And after what length of time should this be applied or this process performed?
@@LG-jy9nc if your driveway was just poured, the woods between the concrete slabs can provide some degree of water tightness for around two to three years. The minimum you should wait for the installation of an elastomeric sealant is around a month, because the concrete is still changing throughout that time (shrinkage). And about the material, regardless if it is self-leveling or non sag , you have to use an elastomeric sealant, we have found that polyurethane S. L. gives us the best results, just watch for the spills.
Looks great!
I would also put sand on top of the wet sealant
Hi Rima, we also love the way sand looks on tge upper surface of selant but, most manufacturers dont recommend that, as it changes the elastic propperties of the sealant, making it more susceptible to early failure. And we try to provide our customers with long lasting solutions.
How do you clean it? I powerwash once in a while.
Very informative video …… BUT BEFORE YOU FOLLOW ALL THE STEPS of this Video ….
have a good look to make sure your Driveway is level ……. if your Driveway is sloped,
the
Sika does not recommend putting sand before the backer rod.
You are correct, sand under the backer rod is not a requirement. However, as a contractor, I want to ensure long life on my product and I go beyond the specs to do so. Adding sand under the backer rod does not stiffen the joint, therefore does not affect the elasticity and durability of the sealant. Sand would just add extra load bearing capacity to the joint system in case of a high heel or similar events.
You killed the bug at 1:25 mark
RIP bug
If you where in central Texas, I would give you a 10% discount in my services, just because you noticed the bug lol.
@@oliveraguirreconcreterepai4826 LOL!!!!
We always fill to top of joints...
Regardles of where they are (top or lower)....the most important is to not pour them too thick. Always maintain your 2(width) to 1(height) ratio. We also pour them at top sometimes. But when they are high, they get dirty with hot tire.
They just look the best when poured to the top ...
@@stevensgordan5998 agree
Bug killed at 1:25
Are there other concrete repair videos you would like me to upload? please write in comments!
Poor bug getting ran over at 1:23 lolol
I just used this product and in the fine print you CAN NOT use a lacquer based concrete sealer. Im so bummed out.
yup. Do not spray solvent based sealer over the material, it will re-emulsify the sealant (polyurethane). Its is pretty much the same with all brands of polyurethane sealants, not just this one. HOWEVER, there are solutions: a) Power wash and seal (solvent based) your driveway first and then install the exp. j. sealants. b) do the exp. j. sealants first and then do your surface sealer without touching the sealant, protect your sealant with tape, spray the whole driveway with sealer, then remove the tapes and brush the joints corners with sealer without touching the sealant. Anyways, sealants are not meant to be sealed.
1:23 rip the bug
Killer!
Sealant name....
Yeah that's what im looking for but i think they think that will b free advertising..lol
We try to be as unbiased as possible....but we used SIKAFLEX SL, you can buy it from H. D. or Lowes. They have 2 color options. If you go to professional stores you can find even up to 20 different colors.
check my "how to seal a crack" video...you can use the same material once you are fixing your joints. th-cam.com/video/7B046P-X-4g/w-d-xo.html
Someone can slip and fall from those gaps
it's too low!
I should be coming up with an updated video on this same procedure. Now i pour them a little higher.
i fill it to the top. When it dries up i trim the top off with an oscillating tool, makes it flush.
one guy did the sand last.
The sand we apply in the bottom is a quick foundation for the backer rod. The sand topping you see on other videos is for decorative purposes. Sand decorative toppings are not recommended as they reduce the flexibility of the sealant, leading to early cracking of the sealant
When this happens, I just buy a new house
lol...new houses also need waterproofing of joints. Commercial projects are always delivered with sealed joints. Sadly, residential build don't have an engineer overseeing the driveway build.
@oliveraguirreconcreterepai4826 with money anything is possible!😅 (satire)
Not high enough .
Our initial intention back in the days was to prevent tires from staining and damaging the sealant, which is a technical solution, but not so aesthetic. We have now raised the sealant (but not the thickness), but still not flush with the concrete. Working on a new video showing our latest method.
That looks like crap
Too much misinformation here. I don't know where to begin, so I won't.
1:25 never saw it coming...
I just bought a house here in the city and I would like to know if anyone can repair and patch concrete surfaces on my driveway??