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Two additional tips when working with the 45 SSL: you can fill the crack to almost over filling it because it does shrink a bit when it dries. Second: I ended up dumping a large amount of sand over the entire crack once it was filled and then came back the next day and swept/ blew the excess off. It ends up blending much better and does a good job hiding any over fill pointa
This is a good way to make it blend better. But it will also significantly shorten the life expectancy of the sealant. It severely restricts the sealants ability to stretch. In fact as a professional caulker if I do this I void the manufacture’s warranty. Having said that , for most homeowners aesthetics are more important than ultimate performance. But in the future if you do decide to use sand, try to use very fine sand and just dust it on top. The more it sinks into the sealant the more damage you do to the lifespan. My suggestion is don’t do it. As the sealant ages and dulls it will blend better
@@genecarden780 I assumed those were probably the trade-offs by going the more aggressive route that I did. You are spot on though: I'm more concerned about the appearance and general effectiveness than having maximum longevity. I'll see how it holds up, but I'll likely need to replace my driveway at some point in the next few years so I knew this was only a band-aid solution for my particular situation
@@benjaminwells3233 this is a crack and I totally “get” trying to make it blend better as long as you understand the trade off. You obviously do. But many, probably most ,don’t understand that. About 95% have no idea how sealants actually function.There is so much misinformation about sealants on TH-cam that I kinda feel I should at least try to give homeowners the correct information.As a professional caulker I would never put sand on wet sealant. As a homeowner I have done it.But never in a situation where I was trying to stop water infiltration
@@benjaminwells3233 The best approach is to wait for the surface to begin to skin, then lightly dust the surface with fine sand and powdered colorant, and immediately blow it off. The net effect is a pre-aged appearance with minimal impact on the elasticity of the sealant.
I live up here in the northwest. The big problem about cracks in sidewalks or driveways is water getting in the cracks and freezing. The frozen water expands the crack further damaging the area. I use 45 psi compressed air to clean out the debris. I enjoy your videos. Thank you.
I'm so glad I stumbled upon your video. I have almost an identical crack near my garage and need to address it as soon as it warms up. Thanks so much for taking the time to film this process!!
I have multiple very small cracks. I first slightly enlarged the cracks, then cleaned edges and add sealant! Final step was to add small sand/gravel to match but can adhere to the sealant. It is a 24-year old driveway in the Texas heat and cold and still looks good!
I had to use the "pool noodle" method! I've got some areas which I forgot to prep . . . and needless to say, the sealant kept going down and I will have to go back and prep it and then add some more sealant. Funny thing . . . my wife question the "pool noodle" method and said, "Where did you learn that, TH-cam?" LOL! Thank you for your videos, they have save me a bunch of mistakes and money. On the end, where the crack really opened up, I used an aluminium, square blank that I had from other projects (4X4) piece and tapped it into the ground next to the end of my front porch. It served as a rigid dam at the end. Worked really good.
Another very comprehensive but easily understood video. He seems never to miss important details and explains how to work around them. Keep up the fine work !!
Hey man pretty good tutorial. A few tips from a guy that has owned a caulking company for 30 years. If you use a 2 part polyurethane caulk you stop a lot of bubbling issues because it cures all at once. Instead of the top curing first. Another tip, Sonneborn, now Masterseal SL-2 Slope grade works way better. You can over shoot it, then back tool excess and you have a perfect joint. That material would have also bridged the height difference of the crack at that one end. There are way more colors with the SL-2 too.
I have installed miles of SL2 ,very seldom use anything but slope grade. You are absolutely correct that it is a better product. I can give many examples of it lasting 20-30 +years when installed correctly( it will fade )For one thing it has to be tooled to insure 100% contact with the substrate.But 2 component ( actually 3) is out of the skill and equipment range of 99% of homeowners. And the bubbles on very hot days are usually ( not always) because of not properly preparing the joint. 1. Not grinding the sides of the joint, when talking about jagged cracks, leaving small voids that trap air. Tooling can help 2 .leaving gaps in the backer rod.again leaving air pockets. Again tooling can help 3. Using sand as a backer. Sand is never acceptable. Doesn’t matter if you tool it there will always be air trapped in the sand. I have seen it many times. Even with multi component sealant and lousy workmanship. Often if you cut out sealant that was installed over sand you will find it filled with small air bubbles. It appears fine on the surface but will fail prematurely. I have been a professional caulker for over 45 years and spent a lot of those years proving why sealant and waterproofing systems failed, for a group of architects and attorneys that would hold incompetent contractors accountable. (BTW it wasn’t always the contractors fault) And your comment about backtooling. Back tooling alone is never sufficient. It needs to be tooled in both directions. No Exceptions. Not saying you meant backtooling was all you need just clarifying for homeowners.
For asphalt cracks there's a material called CIM, or CIM 1000. You can get it in side by side cartridges. It's expensive, but it will stick to asphalt REALLY well. You have to apply it when the substraight is cooling in temperature or it will bubble. Also the working time is short, so be fast. That's the best stuff, but if the job doesn't support the material cost you can use an asphalt based one part material that will do the job. It just won't last as long. I hope this helps.
Great video and prep technique. I can say this is the most effective long term solution, as over 20 years ago I repaired my concrete parking lot using multiple methods (some areas used quikcrete other areas used Solonlastic SL1 with backer rod) the ladder method has held up for 20+ years. All the quikcrete repairs broke up after a few years. Of course a professional would know that would happen, but for me at the time it was an experiment…
You can buy a concrete cutting/grinding blade for your angle grinder to open and clean the crack for prep. Also you can grind down the high side to prevent tripping hazards by rounding the edge.
I have done this professionally for over 45 years. This is actually the correct way to repair this type of crack. It should always be ground open. In fact professionals use a “ crack chaser” diamond blade. It is “ V” shaped and makes it very easy to follow the crack. It is more expensive ( about $45) but will last a homeowner several lifetimes no matter how many rental properties he has
I did the same thing to my driveway two days ago but used the Sika self leveling sealant from Home Depot. So far it looks good. (I’m a diy person with little experience so I watch lots of videos on TH-cam. Thanks for your video.
@@genecarden780 when you have a crack in peice of concrete, I had now because 2 peices of concrete. In the same day there is enough temperature change between night and day to make the 2 peices of concrete to move due to temperature change causing it to expand and retract. Is Seka strong enough to hold 2 large slabs of concrete together . I don't think so.
@@drmidnight680-kz2le It does not hold them together. The slabs will still move thermally but the sealant will stretch when crack is bigger and compress when the crack is smaller. That is actually exactly what sealant is designed to do. If you actually “hold them together” it will most likely just crack somewhere else. Depending on why it cracked in the first place.
@@genecarden780 temperature changes from different months will higher causing the adhesive to fail and the crack will come back after several months. It may not take long at all if you drive car over it.
GREAT video. I like the prep work to ensure it sticks and lasts. I didn't know about SSL, and have only used the thinner stuff. I've got some gaps over 1" after slabs shifted when ground was saturated due to a neighbor blocking drainage (with my driveway on a berm). Using backer rod is the trick. Problem here (near St. Louis) is water/melting snow gets down in cracks and freezes/expands in winter, and pushes slabs apart and pops up more concrete
When I would do this, I always hated the filler not blending into the concrete and thus contrasting colors as an obvious repair. To fix that issue once I would add the filler to level it with the surrounding concrete, I would use either sand or pulverized concrete and add it as a light topper to blend it in, and what a HUGE difference that made as the sand\concrete would adhere to the filler and would be almost impossible to remove and would make the whole job look a million times better.
Excellent suggestion! I've done the same on a previous project however the sand didn't adhere too well to the self-leveling caulk, not sure why. Thanks
@@arminius301it does come at a cost. It WILL shorten the lifespan of the sealant. But unless you are good at caulking it can look like a mess, and VERY LIGHT dusting can make it look better.
I use Quickrete straight out of the bag after angle grinding to minimize slope, adding backer rod, and filling with sealant. Definitely makes it far less obvious!
Great topic and instruction. I used that same Valkem product here in WI several years ago, We have temps from as high as 100+ to lows as low as -20 and this product works beautifully. Yes. per tube its a little pricey but it's worth it as it will last for years to come
Out of curiosity, because the distal piece is higher than the proximal piece, won’t water still accumulate along the crack? This also doesn’t seem to address the trip hazard? What would be the best way to make it a more level surface between the two pieces? Thanks for the info! 👍🏻
Some water will still accumulate along the crack. However, the sealant will prevent it from going straight down under the crack. He indicated there was only 1/4 inch difference in height, so it shouldn't be too much of a trip hazard, but a possible solution would be grinding down the high side or lifting the lower side.
Hello Scott, When a crack on a sidewalk has different elevations, I'll take a grinder with a concrete grinding wheel and I'll grind the higher elevation so that there is a taper that levels where the crack is and gradually gets higher (a six inches taper in total). This way, when water travels across the sidewalk, it won't collect where the crack is & I've eliminated a trip-hazard. .... Then, I'll proceed with similar steps as you've shown in this video to seal the crack. 👍
I was thinking about doing that on mine, but due to time constraints and lack of access to a concrete grinder, I did have to resort to the "pool noodle method" which works surprisingly well!
Thank you. I am planning to work on some cracks on the garage floor and this just what aI need. Cracks are much smaller but the video seems to address the questions I had.
I use a 5 in 1 tool for digging around in the cracks. Myself, I have several of these, and use my older beat up ones because it will take the edge off the tool. Also, I make sure I keep the tubes warm so they flow easier causing less hand fatigue.
I prepared the crack as you and used Sika pro select self-leveling sikaflex*polyurethane 3 years ago. I pressure washed last week, and it still looks nice. I was going to add sand, but I figured it would promote growth.
I use my leaf blower to clean out the cracks. 200mph wind power works well along with my power washer. Have any of you ever tried using Great Stuff expanding foam to fill the cracks with a base layer before sealing over it???
I didn't use the Tremco Voice 45 SSL but Silka Pro Select Construction Sealant for my concrete drive way and side of my house is way much better. Why? Everything that I buy, I've always read the customer reviews (has to be 4.7 out of 5.00) based on their experiences and I've had no regrets before they have always worked .
I did my driveway and sidewalk expansion joints last summer and used Silka Pro as well. I ended up buying a big caulking gun and using the 29oz tubes (use 6 total) because they were considerably a better deal. Prep work was a bit of work but the sealant went down quick and had no issues. Hope to finish the sidewalks coming up to the house this summer, they ran out of Silka at the local HD last summer and didn't get any back in stock before the rainy season. lol
I am a professional caulker and Sika products are VERY good. But in this instance SSL is a better product. It is specifically formulated for this specific application. And for the customer reviews they are a very good way to judge a lot of products. But can any of those reviewers claim to have the installed over 100 MILES of sealant?
Silka rep informed me that they will soon be releasing a self leveling for slopes i.e. somewhat self leveling. I dusted the nearly set surface with sand with great aesthetic results. Sands come in varying colors (gray to brown) and found one that was similar gray to my concrete pool surround. I also used a combo of no sag and self leveling to fill cracks created between the pool coping stones. Used a 4" stone grinding wheel to enlarge the crack allowing for an adequate width of sealant, preventing water seepage and freeze/thaw issues. Time will tell how well the materials hold up over a few winters.
I am trying to repair a crack between my concrete walkway and the house foundation by the front door. I've watched this video several times and started by cleaning out the dirt and broken concrete in the crack. But I find it is bigger than what you show in this video. Looks like it was formerly filled with some concrete or mortar that has deteriorated over the years. And below those crumbled pieces I find sand. When that is removed I have a space that is 1 inch wide, 3 inches deep and about 5 feet long. Can I use this technique with the backer rods and pool noodles to stuff a gap that is 3 inches deep? Or do I need to do something to fill part of this up so it is smaller? Gravel, sand, mortar?? And then put the backer rod on top of that? And then sand and sealant on top of that?
Excellent, thank you! A very nice demo with great visuals. Also great tips from the comment section. I finally figured out how to shop at your store. You have to click on the right panel to get that sub grouping. Yay! Thanks so much for this series. Very good demos.
I get so much out of your videos. My partner and I are new homeowners learning to DIY, to revive our fixer upper to all of it's 1967 glory. Thank you a million times over!
So this was VERY helpful. I have a question... what if we're dealing with the surface degradation? We have a patch of concrete that's surface has broken and the agrigate is now chipping off. Do you have a video of this kind of repair?
I recently did moms drive. She had same issue. I put polymeric sand in first then watered it as Per instructions then did the SLC and did the sand trick on top to blend it in. She couldn’t believe how good it was
Using polymeric sand is a very bad idea for several reasons. 1 backer rod gives the sealant the proper profile. 2 the sealant will bond to the polymeric sand creating a 3 sided bond. THE WORST CARDINAL SIN YOU CAN CREATE WHEN INSTALLING SEALANT. The addition of sand on top of the sealant , while it may look good shortens the lifespan even more. As a professional anyone did any of these things I would be fired.
@@genecarden780 I don't get #2: At worst the polymeric sand will shear at the point of contact with the sealant, and there goes your 3 sided bond. Also, won't the sealant bond to the closed cell foam 'rod' and create a '3 sided' bond?
@@luisderivas6005 no it usually won’t shear,it will usually pull free from the sides first. It takes surprisingly little restriction of movement to cause sealant to fail. Just being slightly too thick will cause the sealant to fail prematurely. There are always exceptions. But that is only a matter of luck. No,sealant does not bond to backer rod.
Forgot to mention this was in her car pad. It cracked due to drainage issues which we did fix. As well once done with the crack fixes, we painted the floor with porch paint. It looks amazing. But points well taken
Something I do when repairing cracks and the cement has raised in some places is I will go and use a 4” diamond cup disc on my angle grinder to flatten it out then bacically paint the selant onto the cut portion and then apply some sand, for white/grey cement I’ll use a white/tan/black sand mix to match the original texture/color
The expansion joints had rotted out on our patio. When I fixed that the first time I used the backer rod. Using that technique on larger cracks can lead to problems when the backer rod shifts under the sealant. IMO, a much better technique was to fill the crack with sand, pound it in using a board that was just smaller than the crack and a hammer. Then use a self made wooden scraper that left about 3/8 of an inch of sand in the crack. That produced a nice looking long lasting patch. One thing he might have mentioned ,that was at least true of the sealant I used, that stuff sticks like mad. He alluded to the problem when he talked about having something to lay the caulk gun down on was a good idea. Absolutely, if you are using full self leveling compound a lot of care is necessary to keep from getting the sealant in the wrong place. It is hard to get off. One other thing I learned in that project was how to remove sealant from a crack if it needs to be removed: Oscillating saws work very well for cutting the old sealant free.
I spoke with more than one technical rep at trempco regarding the vulkem ssl45. They unhesitantly said to not Sprinkle any sand regardless of playground sand or finishing sand or any kind sand) over the polyurethane ssl45 product because the product was not meant to have any aggregate (like sand) in it or on it. They said it can cause premature or earlier degradation in terms of some possible surface blotches when the elastomeric polyurethane expands in hot weather and contracts in cold weather and interacts with the sand even though just a light dusting. It takes the product about a week to cure starting from the outside of what was applied and finally the inside - it cures 1/16 of an inch per day so if you applied 3/8 inch in the crack...3/8 divided by 1/16 = about 6 days at least or so.... about a week/7 days. It cures faster in hotter weather. Also don't apply if rain is expected in next 24 to 48 hours to have best result. And to have best results dont have any cars over it for couple days. Yes things might be fine if not waiting that long... but that's what they advised. I realize and they realize many trade people have sprinkled sand over ssl45 or sikaflex type polyurethane elastomer crack caulk products and even over silicone non sag crack products. They still say it's not good/advisable regardless what people do. I decided id rather not sprinkle any sand and possibly not have the color match as well - but have the product to have best chance to last longer. Also the playground sand i saw at home depot and lowes and mulch/stone specialty store was an ugly tan color that definitely did not match my gray concrete driveway anyway. There is also limestone dust that is concrete color (limestone is a common ingredient in portland cement) sold at mulch and stone stores. But definitely dont use that to sprinkle over the crack polyurethane caulk. I called a sales rep who sells limestone dust for a mulch/ stone company and he said when it rains or gets wet, the limestone dust would get sludgy .... and that wouldn't be good in interaction with the ssl45 type product. Limestone dust also hardens more than sand so another aggregate not meant to combine with. The vulkem tech rep said theoretically it can be painted over but only if the paint (whether acrylic or enamel or whatever) is made to go over polyurethane elastomer. But in reality there aren't paints at any companulies i could find made to go over/adhere to polyurethane elastomeric crack fillers. Gor example I called Benjamin Moore and they said they dont have any paint made to go over and stick to polyurethane elastomeric like vulkem ssl45 or any other polyurethane brand such as sika products. .... because it won't adhere and perform properly when the polyurethane expands/contracts. If there were such a paint, i was thinking to find a grey color to blend over the crack filled polyurethane ssl45 but no longer thinking of that. Trempco also said when you tape both ends of the crack to keep the material from running out, to not remove it right away and to be safe leave it on forv the 6-7 days it takes for ssl45 to fully cure. If the tape stuck it wouldn't be a big deal because likely wouldn't be seen or lawn edging could block view or because the tape would only be over the tiny crack width. A great thing about vulkem ssl45 is the rep said it can be applied up to 150 degree F air temperature and up to 185 degree F concrete surface temps. So if it's 85 -90 degrees outside and surface of crack is 120+, that's do-able.
I’ve had voids develop, washed out by the drainage behaviour you demonstrated. Without support any repair would flex & crack. I just had to drill a pattern of holes along the crack and up to a foot either side, holes pitched 6” apart. Then it was a matter of injecting grout very carefully to avoid hydraulic jacking of the concrete. A few holes took pints of grout, clearly voids! After a month to let everything cure I finished filling the crack, no need for backer. Four years on and no new cracks, phew,
Thank you for the video. I have a home with a large circular driveway which has many cracks big and small. I was considering grouting and then painting / sealing to get a better looking result.
I totally agree with you about the tree root possibility helping or causing that crack. Thanks I have driveway cracks I need to fix with no close trees. So I will follow your advice! thanks so much!
So much great information, thank you. My question is, will this work on concrete roofs. Or would it be better to just go over with thin concrete coating like Quikrete? I know you said you didn't care for that method in the beginning of the video but rooves and driveways are different. Also, I really appreciate the tip about temperature, I live in a very hot climate, good to know that will make a difference. Thanks again for a very informative video.
From my experience choosing the right size of backer rod and/or filling deep voids is important. Last time I did this I found one or two spots where the caulk just drained away and I had to quickly come up with a solution to plug the leak.
Scott to your point of looking ahead actually try to “push the bubble” ahead of the tip. Takes a little experience but you have the skill and it will improve your caulking. I have taught MANY apprentices. The bubbles in high temps are more due to improper prep. Trapping air in your installation. Primarily due to using sand.Stop using sand. Search out “ sof rod” backer rod. It is an open cell backer rod( open cell is generally a bad choice for flatwork) but sof rod has a waterproof coating kind of making it a kind of hybrid that is significantly softer allowing it to be installed in much smaller joints. Also buy a “ crack chaser” blade for your mini grinder. It is specifically made for this and it’s “V” shape makes it very easy to follow the crack. This is what true professional caulkers do. I have repaired miles of these type cracks. I have many examples that are 20 plus years old Another reason to repair this is that much water running into the crack when it rains will also undermine the concrete leading to bigger issues down the road.
What type of caulk should I use? I currently bought 2 Sikaflex + which is the self-leveling sealant with polyurethane. Is this a good product? I probably shouldn’t have bought the self-leveling, because my driveway is on an angle. I live in Utah.
@@jasonbingham1818 how high you fill it is kinda of up to you. The closer you get to flush the more susceptible it is to damage by abrasion. So if it is on a driveway I would leave it very slightly recessed. You can sprinkle it with sand if you want, but it will shorten the lifespan. So again it’s kinda up to you. As a professional caulker we never use sand
Thank you. Unfortunately we had an earthquake. There is a difference in angle, where one has dropped lower than the other. To fix this properly, I would have to have a cement company come and inject and raise the pad, the do the sealant. Technically I need to replace the whole driveway because there is a lot of spiderwebbing going on. I just don’t have the funds. The square footage would be approximately $10k. I have watched videos of masonries use cement-all, then apply a sealant (?) coating, which makes it look like new concrete. However I would have to price it out
There's a long crack where the basement window wall meets the outdoor patio. Years ago when we hired concrete guys to redo our front steps, looks like they troweled a swathe of concrete over the gap. Well that swathe is cracking away. Water snd bugs are probably loving that space. I'm thinking backer rod and SSL might work here? Guess it can't hurt.
Super helpful video! I ended up using regular polyurethane caulk for my driveway crack. Any idea how long it needs before it can be driven over? I'm assuming it doesn't need the full cure time?
Once you do this, can you use an exterior self leveling style concrete to refinish your driveway? I'm prepping my house for sale and want to make improvements for curb appeal.
I believe it would be helpful to have a discussion of when to address cracking. We recently had a driveway poured that began to display cracking within a year of installation and was was faced with the consideration of what is normal and when should I intervene. I eventually intervened and applied a self leveling sealant (sika) that failed within a year. I am well aware that the elevated adobe clay content of the soil and high water table of the region are two factors that absolutely screw our chances of success, but still feel like the conversation would be beneficial.
It’s too late since your driveway is already poured. Pavers are more forgiving with cracking since they are already “cracked” via being floor bricks and the cost vs concrete is about the same or only slightly more.
You should sue whoever installed the concrete. There are very specific protocols and regulations to address this. In every region. This is unacceptable.
So this demo was extremely detailed oriented & it 100% looks like he fixed the problem. HOWEVER, It still looks horrible. How does appearance get improved?
Great video as always. I am dealing with similar issue on our driveway where there is some settling in the apron area as well as the stoop where there is a section of a through-concrete crack as well. For the area where the concrete is cracked all the way through, one side of the concrete is a bit higher than the other like you showed in this video (closer to the tree). For my fix, I was planning to use the steps in your other video to raise the slab using foam and hopefully bring the two sides closer in height before filling the gap with backer rod or pool noodle (as in yet another of your video) and then the sealant on top. As I was watching this video, I was wondering why you decided not to lift with foam where there was a height difference between the two sides of the concrete (closer to the tree) before filling with backer road and sealant? Just trying to learn if there might be criteria (e.g. use foam if the height difference is more than x inches?). Thanks for another informative video.
Excellent video. Thank you. But, how do you finish it? You said you had 1 inch height difference between two slabs, how did you make the sudden height difference in to smooth inclination? Or is it not possible with concrete?
For this one I was more concerned with minimizing future settling by stopping the water draining into the crack. You could grind the lip down (prior to adding the sealant) so you don't have the lip/edge. The section that you grind down will be noticeable but depending on your situation might be a good move like removing a trip hazard on a sidewalk.
I think this was a great video. But if you going to do all that work I would of taken a expanding spray foam such as “Great stuff” (not the most rigid out there once it dries but the original formula is actually pretty stout) and sprayed it down into the crack. If you have a crack larger than a quarter inch or 6-12 months old you most likely have under washing beneath the driveway. Some subsurface erosion. If driveway had proper gavel, tamping, and installation. Only roots or water erosion will cause uneven heights in concrete. So the expanding foam will fill in all the holes and gaps left over from water erosion. And prevent for an extra extended period of time the sinking concrete sinking farther. Can’t be the extra soft cell stuff for like around windows and doors though. Then trim it 48 hours later and it will also act as your backer rod. Then seal it with any quality sealant like you used in video. Using the foam should buy you at least few years before any additional slab sinking and sealing the crack prevents future water erosion buying you at least a few years also. Lastly I would dig to and chop the roots 2’ back from the driveway. They should be only 4”-12” deep and close to in line with crack if it was involved. Well that was a fun book to write lol. Thank you to the 1 person that eventually reads this whole thing ha
Thank you for communicating that. Not sure why people are so averse to reading words these days. Books are considered bad? Your comment was appropriate and VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.
I read it all the way through. Thanks for posting, and sharing your tips. I will follow your suggestion for some larger gaps. Thanks, and thank you Scotty!
I wonder if your trick with the sand would work better if you used a polymeric sand rather than just conventional sand. You may not even need to apply the sealant since polymeric sand will harden once it is wetted. Maybe on larger cracks it would be necessary to do both sealant and polymeric sand. Polymeric sand is the same type of sand used for pavers and it works fairly well in that application. I've never tried it on a driveway crack, but your video got me thinking that maybe it would work better.
A better solution occurred to me that I used for a relative’s driveway. His didn’t contain cracks. However, the individual pads had lifted or sunk over the years, creating trip hazards and interfering with water drainage. He hired a contractor to inject expansion foam that re-leveled the pads. Afterwards, I filled the gaps between the pads with POLYMERIC SAND. It has performed well. Unlike mortar, it allows for movement. Unlike caulk, it blends perfectly with the concrete. I’m going to fill cracks in my driveway with it.
@@randallsemrau6911 An UPDATE: Have just returned from a visit. The polymeric sand (generically referred to as grouting sand) is failing in some places. There were deep cavities under the gaps between the concrete pads. Eventually, the polymeric sand collapsed into those cavities. To prevent this, I would do the repair in stages. First fill the deeper recesses with ordinary sand. Allow it to settle for a month. Rain and vehicle vibration will hasten settling. Repeat where it has settled more than 1/2 inch below the desired grout level. If the sand is still visible after another month, top it with the polymeric sand. Apply the poly sand in THIN layers, watering it thoroughly so that its adhesive is activated.
Wish I would have found this video before I started using the Dap concrete silicone filler. Going forward with the rest, I'm going to try your method. Thank you!
After watching your video I have to wonder if epoxy resin and sand might not be a good way to approach this. Pour in some resin add some sand until you have filled the crack with mix of sand saturated with epoxy I would think the sand/epoxy mix would add some mechanical strength to the repair at least in shear strength. and probably a moisture seal. I have a crack that I haven't repaired yet and have been noodling over how I might approach the repair.
Absolutely bad idea.I have been a professional caulker fir over 45 years. If I use anything as a filler other than backer rod the warranty is void. Backer rod provides 3 essential functions in caulking. It provides depth control. It prevents a 3 sided bond but probably most important function is it provides the proper profile for the sealant to perform correctly. ALWAYS USE BACKER ROD
Could you slightly underfill a crack with this product and then apply a concrete patch repair over it to give a smoother finish? Or would that weaken the bond of the concrete patch? I have a similar crack across the front of my garage, which is slightly pitched to allow drainage out the front (1950's build, no floor drain). I'd like to be able to smooth over the repaired surface so that I don't impede that drainage.
Thanks for this great tutorial, you explained it so well that I feel I can do this myself instead of waiting for my husband to do it 😂. I was wondering what do you think of using spray insulation foam instead of pool noddle for bigger and wider cracks? Since in the end is the same material as the pool noodle I think it can be great for bigger and deeper cracks, especially those that get narrower as the bottom and are hard to fill, the spray foam insulation nozzle can reach those narrow nooks and crannies with more precision.
Thanks for the video I have only hairline cracks left in my driveway which were not as bad as you are showing, but over the past years I cleaned them out and applied sand as needed and used a concrete sealer from Lowes as needed , and after watching this video I looked at my driveway cracks and am only seeing hairline cracks where I applied the concrete sealer, and am thinking of just getting your vulcum sealer you were using or maybe just getting the one from Lowes just to fill them in, any thoughts or opinions on this , does not appear to be in large tree roots around the driveway ?
Is there a different technique to use if you're repairing a hydronically heated interior concrete floor? The cracks are much smaller than exterior driveway cracks. Also what do you recommend to use to replace the caulk/grout(?) between the interior heated floor rectangular sections? Does cement grout work for both? Thanks, Al
Use a grinder with a masonry blade to decrease the height difference between the two sides and reduce tripping hazard. You may need to blend the high side back several inches if there is substantial difference between the two sides. Use the same grinder to V- groove or bevel the the top edge. This removes the undercut concrete that will ultimately chip off. No need to go crazy, just enough to knock off any thin areas of concrete (minute 2:29 shows some undercut areas that could be knocked back with a grinder). Once the crack is prepped, slightly overfill the cracks where possible as the product will shrink just a bit and it will leave a flush repair. Load the sealer up with sand before it dries, broom or blow off excess the next day. If the crack is old and has water draining into it for years, there could be a substantial hollow spot underneath. Fixing the crack will only be a temporary repair if the slab continues to sink or lift. I always use sand prior to backer rod on old concrete. I have dumped several pounds of sand in the same spot and the cracked never filled. In that situation, I use a hammer drill to bore several holes around the crack and fill with expanding foam. This gives a more solid backing to the concrete preventing further sagging and the repair will last longer. If the two sides of the slab are not even, bore and fill with foam on the lower slab first. The foam can actually lift the slab a little and may prevent the need for grinding out the difference in height.
I have an exposed aggregate driveway with some small cracks throughout. The cracks are about 1/16 in. wide, so I can't get any backer in it. Would you still recommend me grinding it out and making the crack wider so I can put in 1/4 in. backer rod, or should I just fill those with sand instead?
I’m redoing the seams in my driveway. I need to power wash it and fill the seams with new sealant. In your opinion, should I power wash it first and apply protective sealer then apply the sealant in the seams or vice versa?
If you are able to use sand as a backing on the smaller cracks that are too small for a backing rod, I wonder if you could just use sand for the whole crack leaving enough room on top for the sealant.
@@extraart1 he means any concrete chips or stones that you may end up finding in the crack itself. If you smash them into sand it will match the color of the driveway and will look much better after sprinkling over the sealant. Otherwise, like most of these videos, it comes out looking like absolute garbage.
BLet me tell u sand(or pulverized concrete)is almost a must. If u dont use it when cone back you'll have ants, flies, garbage stuck to the sealant making it look awful. The sand trick is also usefull in high traffic areas so it doesn't get stuck on shoes. A Little Sand on top has no affect on longevity of the sealent. Your getting this info from the crackmaster himself.
? I have a small …less than an inch…gap between the blacktop and concrete apron of my driveway. This gap had been filled by the road crew when some roadwork was done several years ago and now the sealant is crumbling away. Would I use the same method/ products that you used on your concrete driveway?
Why not level the concrete by just grinding that two feet? Also, can you cover that sealer if you want to resurface the driveway with new Crete or something?
Grinding would affect the strength I’d imagine. Losing half an inch of a 3 inch slab is probably somewhat significant I’d imagine especially holding loads like cars going over it if they’re near the edge
The trouble with grinding it is that as well as seeing the crack you see the grind. You could put a thin coat over the slab to hide it but that will become an ongoing maintenance problem that has to be redone more often than the crack, and will cost more. You could grind partly and then needle gun which may give a better match. It is also probable that the slab is moving. So grinding may help but not solve. If it is proving to be a trip hazard it may be easier to relay part or all of the slab. Make sure the long side of the resultant slab/s are less than twice as long as wide, square is best, or they will crack sooner (all concrete cracks).
Structurally very good advice and undoubtedly a durable repair. But cosmetically, was hoping for a more robust way to blend in the concrete repair to the existing concrete. Because now you have a visually much bigger crack then originally. The sand is not much of a camoflage.
This sealant won't keep the concrete from separating further. What happens when then Does the patch tear? Can this be used in a concrete basement floor?
Hi, I have a patterned concrete drive that has a very fine crack forming along it, the drive is sloping. It doesn’t matter about the sealant colour as I will be repainting the whole drive anyway. The crack is only about 1-2mm wide at most. Can I get crack repair that will fill such a small crack? Or should I wait until the crack is more substantial? I don’t want the cold winter months to do more damage.
Why didn't you fill it so that it was level with the concrete surface? If I did that here in Nebraska, water would pool in the crack and during the winter, the freeze thaw cycle would just make that crack larger because of the water standing there.
That tree been effected yet? I’ve done a lot of waterproofing over the years and I’ve had it kill the tree that was initially causing the issue (cracks in concrete and pipes). Is what it is. Just curious if you noticed anything.
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Two additional tips when working with the 45 SSL: you can fill the crack to almost over filling it because it does shrink a bit when it dries. Second: I ended up dumping a large amount of sand over the entire crack once it was filled and then came back the next day and swept/ blew the excess off. It ends up blending much better and does a good job hiding any over fill pointa
This is a good way to make it blend better. But it will also significantly shorten the life expectancy of the sealant. It severely restricts the sealants ability to stretch.
In fact as a professional caulker if I do this I void the manufacture’s warranty.
Having said that , for most homeowners aesthetics are more important than ultimate performance. But in the future if you do decide to use sand, try to use very fine sand and just dust it on top. The more it sinks into the sealant the more damage you do to the lifespan. My suggestion is don’t do it. As the sealant ages and dulls it will blend better
@@genecarden780 I assumed those were probably the trade-offs by going the more aggressive route that I did. You are spot on though: I'm more concerned about the appearance and general effectiveness than having maximum longevity. I'll see how it holds up, but I'll likely need to replace my driveway at some point in the next few years so I knew this was only a band-aid solution for my particular situation
@@benjaminwells3233 this is a crack and I totally “get” trying to make it blend better as long as you understand the trade off. You obviously do. But many, probably most ,don’t understand that. About 95% have no idea how sealants actually function.There is so much misinformation about sealants on TH-cam that I kinda feel I should at least try to give homeowners the correct information.As a professional caulker I would never put sand on wet sealant. As a homeowner I have done it.But never in a situation where I was trying to stop water infiltration
@@benjaminwells3233 The best approach is to wait for the surface to begin to skin, then lightly dust the surface with fine sand and powdered colorant, and immediately blow it off. The net effect is a pre-aged appearance with minimal impact on the elasticity of the sealant.
@@genecarden780 Good luck with your manufacture warranty! Not worth a s***.
I live up here in the northwest. The big problem about cracks in sidewalks or driveways is water getting in the cracks and freezing. The frozen water expands the crack further damaging the area. I use 45 psi compressed air to clean out the debris. I enjoy your videos. Thank you.
I'm so glad I stumbled upon your video. I have almost an identical crack near my garage and need to address it as soon as it warms up. Thanks so much for taking the time to film this process!!
I have multiple very small cracks. I first slightly enlarged the cracks, then cleaned edges and add sealant! Final step was to add small sand/gravel to match but can adhere to the sealant. It is a 24-year old driveway in the Texas heat and cold and still looks good!
Solid video for a busy dad who is clueless on this stuff and needs to fix about 4 cracks lol. Thanks Man.
You bet, we are here to help!
Why a dad?
@@evhvariac2 Because, ummm…..I am a dad…………………..?
I had to use the "pool noodle" method! I've got some areas which I forgot to prep . . . and needless to say, the sealant kept going down and I will have to go back and prep it and then add some more sealant. Funny thing . . . my wife question the "pool noodle" method and said, "Where did you learn that, TH-cam?" LOL! Thank you for your videos, they have save me a bunch of mistakes and money. On the end, where the crack really opened up, I used an aluminium, square blank that I had from other projects (4X4) piece and tapped it into the ground next to the end of my front porch. It served as a rigid dam at the end. Worked really good.
Another very comprehensive but easily understood video. He seems never to miss important details and explains how to work around them. Keep up the fine work !!
Thanks for the feedback 🙌
Hey man pretty good tutorial. A few tips from a guy that has owned a caulking company for 30 years. If you use a 2 part polyurethane caulk you stop a lot of bubbling issues because it cures all at once. Instead of the top curing first. Another tip, Sonneborn, now Masterseal SL-2 Slope grade works way better. You can over shoot it, then back tool excess and you have a perfect joint. That material would have also bridged the height difference of the crack at that one end. There are way more colors with the SL-2 too.
Thanks so much for the feedback. I had good luck with Sika in the past but never used the Masterseal SL-2 for any of the jobs. 👍
I have installed miles of SL2 ,very seldom use anything but slope grade. You are absolutely correct that it is a better product. I can give many examples of it lasting 20-30 +years when installed correctly( it will fade )For one thing it has to be tooled to insure 100% contact with the substrate.But 2 component ( actually 3) is out of the skill and equipment range of 99% of homeowners.
And the bubbles on very hot days are usually ( not always) because of not properly preparing the joint.
1. Not grinding the sides of the joint, when talking about jagged cracks, leaving small voids that trap air. Tooling can help
2 .leaving gaps in the backer rod.again leaving air pockets. Again tooling can help
3. Using sand as a backer. Sand is never acceptable. Doesn’t matter if you tool it there will always be air trapped in the sand.
I have seen it many times. Even with multi component sealant and lousy workmanship. Often if you cut out sealant that was installed over sand you will find it filled with small air bubbles. It appears fine on the surface but will fail prematurely.
I have been a professional caulker for over 45 years and spent a lot of those years proving why sealant and waterproofing systems failed, for a group of architects and attorneys that would hold incompetent contractors accountable. (BTW it wasn’t always the contractors fault)
And your comment about backtooling. Back tooling alone is never sufficient. It needs to be tooled in both directions. No Exceptions. Not saying you meant backtooling was all you need just clarifying for homeowners.
I have this situation but it is asphalt. Some of the gaps are approaching and inch. Any recommendations?.....thanks....
For asphalt cracks there's a material called CIM, or CIM 1000. You can get it in side by side cartridges. It's expensive, but it will stick to asphalt REALLY well. You have to apply it when the substraight is cooling in temperature or it will bubble. Also the working time is short, so be fast. That's the best stuff, but if the job doesn't support the material cost you can use an asphalt based one part material that will do the job. It just won't last as long. I hope this helps.
Great video and prep technique. I can say this is the most effective long term solution, as over 20 years ago I repaired my concrete parking lot using multiple methods (some areas used quikcrete other areas used Solonlastic SL1 with backer rod) the ladder method has held up for 20+ years. All the quikcrete repairs broke up after a few years. Of course a professional would know that would happen, but for me at the time it was an experiment…
You can buy a concrete cutting/grinding blade for your angle grinder to open and clean the crack for prep. Also you can grind down the high side to prevent tripping hazards by rounding the edge.
Not a bad idea, thanks for the feedback.
Yes, good thinking.
I have done this professionally for over 45 years. This is actually the correct way to repair this type of crack. It should always be ground open. In fact professionals use a “ crack chaser” diamond blade. It is “ V” shaped and makes it very easy to follow the crack.
It is more expensive ( about $45) but will last a homeowner several lifetimes no matter how many rental properties he has
Plus you can "reshape" the crack with the grinder so it looks better and more uniform, thats what i did.
@@drumswest5035 the crack chaser wheel makes this very easy
I did the same thing to my driveway two days ago but used the Sika self leveling sealant from Home Depot. So far it looks good. (I’m a diy person with little experience so I watch lots of videos on TH-cam. Thanks for your video.
Did it start to crack again
I am a professional caulker. We use Sika products all of the time. It was an excellent choice
@@genecarden780 when you have a crack in peice of concrete, I had now because 2 peices of concrete.
In the same day there is enough temperature change between night and day to make the 2 peices of concrete to move due to temperature change causing it to expand and retract. Is Seka strong enough to hold 2 large slabs of concrete together .
I don't think so.
@@drmidnight680-kz2le It does not hold them together. The slabs will still move thermally but the sealant will stretch when crack is bigger and compress when the crack is smaller. That is actually exactly what sealant is designed to do. If you actually “hold them together” it will most likely just crack somewhere else. Depending on why it cracked in the first place.
@@genecarden780 temperature changes from different months will higher causing the adhesive to fail and the crack will come back after several months.
It may not take long at all if you drive car over it.
GREAT video. I like the prep work to ensure it sticks and lasts. I didn't know about SSL, and have only used the thinner stuff. I've got some gaps over 1" after slabs shifted when ground was saturated due to a neighbor blocking drainage (with my driveway on a berm). Using backer rod is the trick. Problem here (near St. Louis) is water/melting snow gets down in cracks and freezes/expands in winter, and pushes slabs apart and pops up more concrete
When I would do this, I always hated the filler not blending into the concrete and thus contrasting colors as an obvious repair. To fix that issue once I would add the filler to level it with the surrounding concrete, I would use either sand or pulverized concrete and add it as a light topper to blend it in, and what a HUGE difference that made as the sand\concrete would adhere to the filler and would be almost impossible to remove and would make the whole job look a million times better.
Excellent suggestion! I've done the same on a previous project however the sand didn't adhere too well to the self-leveling caulk, not sure why. Thanks
@@arminius301it does come at a cost. It WILL shorten the lifespan of the sealant. But unless you are good at caulking it can look like a mess, and VERY LIGHT dusting can make it look better.
YOU should have made the video!
I use Quickrete straight out of the bag after angle grinding to minimize slope, adding backer rod, and filling with sealant. Definitely makes it far less obvious!
Great topic and instruction. I used that same Valkem product here in WI several years ago, We have temps from as high as 100+ to lows as low as -20 and this product works beautifully. Yes. per tube its a little pricey but it's worth it as it will last for years to come
Out of curiosity, because the distal piece is higher than the proximal piece, won’t water still accumulate along the crack? This also doesn’t seem to address the trip hazard? What would be the best way to make it a more level surface between the two pieces? Thanks for the info! 👍🏻
Some water will still accumulate along the crack. However, the sealant will prevent it from going straight down under the crack. He indicated there was only 1/4 inch difference in height, so it shouldn't be too much of a trip hazard, but a possible solution would be grinding down the high side or lifting the lower side.
Hello Scott, When a crack on a sidewalk has different elevations, I'll take a grinder with a concrete grinding wheel and I'll grind the higher elevation so that there is a taper that levels where the crack is and gradually gets higher (a six inches taper in total). This way, when water travels across the sidewalk, it won't collect where the crack is & I've eliminated a trip-hazard. .... Then, I'll proceed with similar steps as you've shown in this video to seal the crack. 👍
I was thinking about doing that on mine, but due to time constraints and lack of access to a concrete grinder, I did have to resort to the "pool noodle method" which works surprisingly well!
Thank you. I am planning to work on some cracks on the garage floor and this just what aI need. Cracks are much smaller but the video seems to address the questions I had.
Thanks!
You bet, I appreciate the support 👊
I use a 5 in 1 tool for digging around in the cracks. Myself, I have several of these, and use my older beat up ones because it will take the edge off the tool. Also, I make sure I keep the tubes warm so they flow easier causing less hand fatigue.
I prepared the crack as you and used Sika pro select self-leveling sikaflex*polyurethane 3 years ago. I pressure washed last week, and it still looks nice. I was going to add sand, but I figured it would promote growth.
I use my leaf blower to clean out the cracks. 200mph wind power works well along with my power washer. Have any of you ever tried using Great Stuff expanding foam to fill the cracks with a base layer before sealing over it???
I didn't use the Tremco Voice 45 SSL but Silka Pro Select Construction Sealant for my concrete drive way and side of my house is way much better. Why? Everything that I buy, I've always read the customer reviews (has to be 4.7 out of 5.00) based on their experiences and I've had no regrets before they have always worked .
I did my driveway and sidewalk expansion joints last summer and used Silka Pro as well. I ended up buying a big caulking gun and using the 29oz tubes (use 6 total) because they were considerably a better deal.
Prep work was a bit of work but the sealant went down quick and had no issues. Hope to finish the sidewalks coming up to the house this summer, they ran out of Silka at the local HD last summer and didn't get any back in stock before the rainy season. lol
I am a professional caulker and Sika products are VERY good. But in this instance SSL is a better product. It is specifically formulated for this specific application.
And for the customer reviews they are a very good way to judge a lot of products. But can any of those reviewers claim to have the installed over 100 MILES of sealant?
Silka rep informed me that they will soon be releasing a self leveling for slopes i.e. somewhat self leveling. I dusted the nearly set surface with sand with great aesthetic results. Sands come in varying colors (gray to brown) and found one that was similar gray to my concrete pool surround. I also used a combo of no sag and self leveling to fill cracks created between the pool coping stones. Used a 4" stone grinding wheel to enlarge the crack allowing for an adequate width of sealant, preventing water seepage and freeze/thaw issues. Time will tell how well the materials hold up over a few winters.
I am trying to repair a crack between my concrete walkway and the house foundation by the front door. I've watched this video several times and started by cleaning out the dirt and broken concrete in the crack. But I find it is bigger than what you show in this video. Looks like it was formerly filled with some concrete or mortar that has deteriorated over the years. And below those crumbled pieces I find sand. When that is removed I have a space that is 1 inch wide, 3 inches deep and about 5 feet long. Can I use this technique with the backer rods and pool noodles to stuff a gap that is 3 inches deep? Or do I need to do something to fill part of this up so it is smaller? Gravel, sand, mortar?? And then put the backer rod on top of that? And then sand and sealant on top of that?
Excellent, thank you! A very nice demo with great visuals. Also great tips from the comment section.
I finally figured out how to shop at your store. You have to click on the right panel to get that sub grouping. Yay! Thanks so much for this series. Very good demos.
I get so much out of your videos. My partner and I are new homeowners learning to DIY, to revive our fixer upper to all of it's 1967 glory. Thank you a million times over!
Partner? Do you mean a spouse?
To clean the crack, you might consider power washing. I did not quite see the final result. Was the surface levelled and smooth?
So this was VERY helpful. I have a question... what if we're dealing with the surface degradation? We have a patch of concrete that's surface has broken and the agrigate is now chipping off. Do you have a video of this kind of repair?
Great video. Here in cold Canada cracks means ice will form and ice will completely destroy the driveway in a few short years.
Very helpful. Few extra steps i never thought were necessary. Thanks for the quality tips.
You bet!
I recently did moms drive. She had same issue. I put polymeric sand in first then watered it as
Per instructions then did the SLC and did the sand trick on top to blend it in. She couldn’t believe how good it was
Using polymeric sand is a very bad idea for several reasons. 1 backer rod gives the sealant the proper profile. 2 the sealant will bond to the polymeric sand creating a 3 sided bond. THE WORST CARDINAL SIN YOU CAN CREATE WHEN INSTALLING SEALANT. The addition of sand on top of the sealant , while it may look good shortens the lifespan even more.
As a professional anyone did any of these things I would be fired.
@@genecarden780 I don't get #2: At worst the polymeric sand will shear at the point of contact with the sealant, and there goes your 3 sided bond. Also, won't the sealant bond to the closed cell foam 'rod' and create a '3 sided' bond?
@@luisderivas6005 no it usually won’t shear,it will usually pull free from the sides first. It takes surprisingly little restriction of movement to cause sealant to fail. Just being slightly too thick will cause the sealant to fail prematurely. There are always exceptions. But that is only a matter of luck.
No,sealant does not bond to backer rod.
Forgot to mention this was in her car pad. It cracked due to drainage issues which we did fix. As well once done with the crack fixes, we painted the floor with porch paint. It looks amazing. But points well taken
Something I do when repairing cracks and the cement has raised in some places is I will go and use a 4” diamond cup disc on my angle grinder to flatten it out then bacically paint the selant onto the cut portion and then apply some sand, for white/grey cement I’ll use a white/tan/black sand mix to match the original texture/color
Grinding the high side with a diamond cup is a good idea everything else you said ud plain ignorant
I just purchased caulk backer, caulking & sealant as my driveway is doing this from so much rain. Thank you for this!
The expansion joints had rotted out on our patio. When I fixed that the first time I used the backer rod. Using that technique on larger cracks can lead to problems when the backer rod shifts under the sealant. IMO, a much better technique was to fill the crack with sand, pound it in using a board that was just smaller than the crack and a hammer. Then use a self made wooden scraper that left about 3/8 of an inch of sand in the crack. That produced a nice looking long lasting patch. One thing he might have mentioned ,that was at least true of the sealant I used, that stuff sticks like mad. He alluded to the problem when he talked about having something to lay the caulk gun down on was a good idea. Absolutely, if you are using full self leveling compound a lot of care is necessary to keep from getting the sealant in the wrong place. It is hard to get off.
One other thing I learned in that project was how to remove sealant from a crack if it needs to be removed: Oscillating saws work very well for cutting the old sealant free.
I spoke with more than one technical rep at trempco regarding the vulkem ssl45. They unhesitantly said to not Sprinkle any sand regardless of playground sand or finishing sand or any kind sand) over the polyurethane ssl45 product because the product was not meant to have any aggregate (like sand) in it or on it. They said it can cause premature or earlier degradation in terms of some possible surface blotches when the elastomeric polyurethane expands in hot weather and contracts in cold weather and interacts with the sand even though just a light dusting. It takes the product about a week to cure starting from the outside of what was applied and finally the inside - it cures 1/16 of an inch per day so if you applied 3/8 inch in the crack...3/8 divided by 1/16 = about 6 days at least or so.... about a week/7 days. It cures faster in hotter weather. Also don't apply if rain is expected in next 24 to 48 hours to have best result. And to have best results dont have any cars over it for couple days. Yes things might be fine if not waiting that long... but that's what they advised.
I realize and they realize many trade people have sprinkled sand over ssl45 or sikaflex type polyurethane elastomer crack caulk products and even over silicone non sag crack products. They still say it's not good/advisable regardless what people do. I decided id rather not sprinkle any sand and possibly not have the color match as well - but have the product to have best chance to last longer. Also the playground sand i saw at home depot and lowes and mulch/stone specialty store was an ugly tan color that definitely did not match my gray concrete driveway anyway.
There is also limestone dust that is concrete color (limestone is a common ingredient in portland cement) sold at mulch and stone stores. But definitely dont use that to sprinkle over the crack polyurethane caulk. I called a sales rep who sells limestone dust for a mulch/ stone company and he said when it rains or gets wet, the limestone dust would get sludgy .... and that wouldn't be good in interaction with the ssl45 type product. Limestone dust also hardens more than sand so another aggregate not meant to combine with.
The vulkem tech rep said theoretically it can be painted over but only if the paint (whether acrylic or enamel or whatever) is made to go over polyurethane elastomer. But in reality there aren't paints at any companulies i could find made to go over/adhere to polyurethane elastomeric crack fillers. Gor example I called Benjamin Moore and they said they dont have any paint made to go over and stick to polyurethane elastomeric like vulkem ssl45 or any other polyurethane brand such as sika products. .... because it won't adhere and perform properly when the polyurethane expands/contracts. If there were such a paint, i was thinking to find a grey color to blend over the crack filled polyurethane ssl45 but no longer thinking of that.
Trempco also said when you tape both ends of the crack to keep the material from running out, to not remove it right away and to be safe leave it on forv the 6-7 days it takes for ssl45 to fully cure. If the tape stuck it wouldn't be a big deal because likely wouldn't be seen or lawn edging could block view or because the tape would only be over the tiny crack width.
A great thing about vulkem ssl45 is the rep said it can be applied up to 150 degree F air temperature and up to 185 degree F concrete surface temps. So if it's 85 -90 degrees outside and surface of crack is 120+, that's do-able.
I’ve had voids develop, washed out by the drainage behaviour you demonstrated. Without support any repair would flex & crack. I just had to drill a pattern of holes along the crack and up to a foot either side, holes pitched 6” apart. Then it was a matter of injecting grout very carefully to avoid hydraulic jacking of the concrete. A few holes took pints of grout, clearly voids! After a month to let everything cure I finished filling the crack, no need for backer. Four years on and no new cracks, phew,
Thank you for the video. I have a home with a large circular driveway which has many cracks big and small. I was considering grouting and then painting / sealing to get a better looking result.
Scott..suggestion (or video) for how i can fill gaps between my house & patio pavers?
I totally agree with you about the tree root possibility helping or causing that crack. Thanks I have driveway cracks I need to fix with no close trees. So I will follow your advice! thanks so much!
So much great information, thank you. My question is, will this work on concrete roofs. Or would it be better to just go over with thin concrete coating like Quikrete? I know you said you didn't care for that method in the beginning of the video but rooves and driveways are different. Also, I really appreciate the tip about temperature, I live in a very hot climate, good to know that will make a difference. Thanks again for a very informative video.
From my experience choosing the right size of backer rod and/or filling deep voids is important. Last time I did this I found one or two spots where the caulk just drained away and I had to quickly come up with a solution to plug the leak.
Scott to your point of looking ahead actually try to “push the bubble” ahead of the tip. Takes a little experience but you have the skill and it will improve your caulking. I have taught MANY apprentices. The bubbles in high temps are more due to improper prep. Trapping air in your installation. Primarily due to using sand.Stop using sand. Search out “ sof rod” backer rod. It is an open cell backer rod( open cell is generally a bad choice for flatwork) but sof rod has a waterproof coating kind of making it a kind of hybrid that is significantly softer allowing it to be installed in much smaller joints. Also buy a “ crack chaser” blade for your mini grinder. It is specifically made for this and it’s “V” shape makes it very easy to follow the crack. This is what true professional caulkers do. I have repaired miles of these type cracks. I have many examples that are 20 plus years old
Another reason to repair this is that much water running into the crack when it rains will also undermine the concrete leading to bigger issues down the road.
What type of caulk should I use? I currently bought 2 Sikaflex + which is the self-leveling sealant with polyurethane. Is this a good product? I probably shouldn’t have bought the self-leveling, because my driveway is on an angle. I live in Utah.
@@jasonbingham1818 Sika makes really good products. It should say on the cartridge or online how much slope is ok.
Thank you for your speedy reply!
Question: do you fill the crack flush with existing cement, and do you add just a sprinkle of sand afterwards
@@jasonbingham1818 how high you fill it is kinda of up to you. The closer you get to flush the more susceptible it is to damage by abrasion. So if it is on a driveway I would leave it very slightly recessed. You can sprinkle it with sand if you want, but it will shorten the lifespan. So again it’s kinda up to you. As a professional caulker we never use sand
Thank you. Unfortunately we had an earthquake. There is a difference in angle, where one has dropped lower than the other. To fix this properly, I would have to have a cement company come and inject and raise the pad, the do the sealant. Technically I need to replace the whole driveway because there is a lot of spiderwebbing going on. I just don’t have the funds. The square footage would be approximately $10k. I have watched videos of masonries use cement-all, then apply a sealant (?) coating, which makes it look like new concrete. However I would have to price it out
There's a long crack where the basement window wall meets the outdoor patio. Years ago when we hired concrete guys to redo our front steps, looks like they troweled a swathe of concrete over the gap. Well that swathe is cracking away. Water snd bugs are probably loving that space. I'm thinking backer rod and SSL might work here? Guess it can't hurt.
Super helpful video! I ended up using regular polyurethane caulk for my driveway crack. Any idea how long it needs before it can be driven over? I'm assuming it doesn't need the full cure time?
Once you do this, can you use an exterior self leveling style concrete to refinish your driveway? I'm prepping my house for sale and want to make improvements for curb appeal.
I believe it would be helpful to have a discussion of when to address cracking. We recently had a driveway poured that began to display cracking within a year of installation and was was faced with the consideration of what is normal and when should I intervene. I eventually intervened and applied a self leveling sealant (sika) that failed within a year. I am well aware that the elevated adobe clay content of the soil and high water table of the region are two factors that absolutely screw our chances of success, but still feel like the conversation would be beneficial.
The crack will surface tru the sealant or overlay
It’s too late since your driveway is already poured. Pavers are more forgiving with cracking since they are already “cracked” via being floor bricks and the cost vs concrete is about the same or only slightly more.
You should sue whoever installed the concrete. There are very specific protocols and regulations to address this. In every region. This is unacceptable.
So this demo was extremely detailed oriented & it 100% looks like he fixed the problem. HOWEVER, It still looks horrible. How does appearance get improved?
Replace the slab.
There's room for improvement on the appearance without replacing
Great video as always. I am dealing with similar issue on our driveway where there is some settling in the apron area as well as the stoop where there is a section of a through-concrete crack as well. For the area where the concrete is cracked all the way through, one side of the concrete is a bit higher than the other like you showed in this video (closer to the tree). For my fix, I was planning to use the steps in your other video to raise the slab using foam and hopefully bring the two sides closer in height before filling the gap with backer rod or pool noodle (as in yet another of your video) and then the sealant on top.
As I was watching this video, I was wondering why you decided not to lift with foam where there was a height difference between the two sides of the concrete (closer to the tree) before filling with backer road and sealant? Just trying to learn if there might be criteria (e.g. use foam if the height difference is more than x inches?). Thanks for another informative video.
Great video! Can you do o a video on fixing cracks in asphalt driveways?
I still see a HUGE crack. How do you fill that up so it's more level?
Your right. The crack still looks ( horrible ). The water won't run underground but this was a complete waste of time. Just put in a new driveway.
Excellent video. Thank you. But, how do you finish it? You said you had 1 inch height difference between two slabs, how did you make the sudden height difference in to smooth inclination? Or is it not possible with concrete?
For this one I was more concerned with minimizing future settling by stopping the water draining into the crack. You could grind the lip down (prior to adding the sealant) so you don't have the lip/edge. The section that you grind down will be noticeable but depending on your situation might be a good move like removing a trip hazard on a sidewalk.
Best tutorial I’ve seen on crack filling…thanks!
Thanks for watching!
I think this was a great video. But if you going to do all that work I would of taken a expanding spray foam such as “Great stuff” (not the most rigid out there once it dries but the original formula is actually pretty stout) and sprayed it down into the crack. If you have a crack larger than a quarter inch or 6-12 months old you most likely have under washing beneath the driveway. Some subsurface erosion. If driveway had proper gavel, tamping, and installation. Only roots or water erosion will cause uneven heights in concrete.
So the expanding foam will fill in all the holes and gaps left over from water erosion. And prevent for an extra extended period of time the sinking concrete sinking farther. Can’t be the extra soft cell stuff for like around windows and doors though. Then trim it 48 hours later and it will also act as your backer rod. Then seal it with any quality sealant like you used in video.
Using the foam should buy you at least few years before any additional slab sinking and sealing the crack prevents future water erosion buying you at least a few years also.
Lastly I would dig to and chop the roots 2’ back from the driveway. They should be only 4”-12” deep and close to in line with crack if it was involved.
Well that was a fun book to write lol. Thank you to the 1 person that eventually reads this whole thing ha
Thank you for communicating that. Not sure why people are so averse to reading words these days. Books are considered bad? Your comment was appropriate and VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.
I read it all the way through. Thanks for posting, and sharing your tips. I will follow your suggestion for some larger gaps. Thanks, and thank you Scotty!
@@freedomofreligion3248 Reading words?
I wonder if your trick with the sand would work better if you used a polymeric sand rather than just conventional sand. You may not even need to apply the sealant since polymeric sand will harden once it is wetted. Maybe on larger cracks it would be necessary to do both sealant and polymeric sand. Polymeric sand is the same type of sand used for pavers and it works fairly well in that application. I've never tried it on a driveway crack, but your video got me thinking that maybe it would work better.
I ground up some of the old concrete and sprinkled that on a crack and it blended in beautifully. Course you need the original concrete to do that.
Great video. Answered questions than I never knew I had!
A better solution occurred to me that I used for a relative’s driveway. His didn’t contain cracks. However, the individual pads had lifted or sunk over the years, creating trip hazards and interfering with water drainage. He hired a contractor to inject expansion foam that re-leveled the pads. Afterwards, I filled the gaps between the pads with POLYMERIC SAND. It has performed well. Unlike mortar, it allows for movement. Unlike caulk, it blends perfectly with the concrete. I’m going to fill cracks in my driveway with it.
Wow, Polymeric sand. Where do you find it? Is there any other name for it?
@@randallsemrau6911 An UPDATE: Have just returned from a visit. The polymeric sand (generically referred to as grouting sand) is failing in some places. There were deep cavities under the gaps between the concrete pads. Eventually, the polymeric sand collapsed into those cavities. To prevent this, I would do the repair in stages. First fill the deeper recesses with ordinary sand. Allow it to settle for a month. Rain and vehicle vibration will hasten settling. Repeat where it has settled more than 1/2 inch below the desired grout level. If the sand is still visible after another month, top it with the polymeric sand. Apply the poly sand in THIN layers, watering it thoroughly so that its adhesive is activated.
Thanks for informative video. First time i have seen your channel. To me it still looks obvious that there is a crack. How can we make it look better?
Wish I would have found this video before I started using the Dap concrete silicone filler. Going forward with the rest, I'm going to try your method. Thank you!
After watching your video I have to wonder if epoxy resin and sand might not be a good way to approach this. Pour in some resin add some sand until you have filled the crack with mix of sand saturated with epoxy I would think the sand/epoxy mix would add some mechanical strength to the repair at least in shear strength. and probably a moisture seal. I have a crack that I haven't repaired yet and have been noodling over how I might approach the repair.
What's your opinion of using minimally expanding foam instead of backer rod?
Absolutely bad idea.I have been a professional caulker fir over 45 years. If I use anything as a filler other than backer rod the warranty is void. Backer rod provides 3 essential functions in caulking. It provides depth control. It prevents a 3 sided bond but probably most important function is it provides the proper profile for the sealant to perform correctly. ALWAYS USE BACKER ROD
Do you have guides on roof deck cracks that has water leaks under the concrete when there is water or rain?
Semi- self leveling. Who knew. I've only ever used self leveling.
Thank you!
I like to use sand as a backer. I then screed it to 1/2 inch
Could you slightly underfill a crack with this product and then apply a concrete patch repair over it to give a smoother finish? Or would that weaken the bond of the concrete patch? I have a similar crack across the front of my garage, which is slightly pitched to allow drainage out the front (1950's build, no floor drain). I'd like to be able to smooth over the repaired surface so that I don't impede that drainage.
The concrete patch is a very bad idea on any active ( moving)crack period. This joint is obviously active. Very few concrete cracks are static
Thanks for this great tutorial, you explained it so well that I feel I can do this myself instead of waiting for my husband to do it 😂. I was wondering what do you think of using spray insulation foam instead of pool noddle for bigger and wider cracks? Since in the end is the same material as the pool noodle I think it can be great for bigger and deeper cracks, especially those that get narrower as the bottom and are hard to fill, the spray foam insulation nozzle can reach those narrow nooks and crannies with more precision.
I wonder if you have considered poly-foam injection to level the driveway to the ideal gradient?
Sure have and would love to find a reasonable DIY option to give it a go.
Thanks for the video I have only hairline cracks left in my driveway which were not as bad as you are showing, but over the past years I cleaned them out and applied sand as needed and used a concrete sealer from Lowes as needed , and after watching this video I looked at my driveway cracks and am only seeing hairline cracks where I applied the concrete sealer, and am thinking of just getting your vulcum sealer you were using or maybe just getting the one from Lowes just to fill them in, any thoughts or opinions on this , does not appear to be in large tree roots around the driveway ?
Is there a different technique to use if you're repairing a hydronically heated interior concrete floor? The cracks are much smaller than exterior driveway cracks. Also what do you recommend to use to replace the caulk/grout(?) between the interior heated floor rectangular sections? Does cement grout work for both? Thanks, Al
Can you sprinkle cement instead of sand on top? For concrete colour?
How does wet SSL adhere to dry SSL. If I run out mid job or want to split across multiple days will that cause a problem ?
Instead of sand to blend it. can you apply a layer of concrete to seal it even more? If so How long do you wait for the sealant to dry?
I used a power washer on the cracks, then used DAP Gray Cement 1.62-lb Crack Filler, powder then just spray lightly with your hose.
Will fail shortly. Dap makes inferior consumer products
Thank you for your video. I have hairline long crack on my driveway which is visible when it wet. Any way to stop it now from further expansion?
Use a grinder with a masonry blade to decrease the height difference between the two sides and reduce tripping hazard. You may need to blend the high side back several inches if there is substantial difference between the two sides. Use the same grinder to V- groove or bevel the the top edge. This removes the undercut concrete that will ultimately chip off. No need to go crazy, just enough to knock off any thin areas of concrete (minute 2:29 shows some undercut areas that could be knocked back with a grinder). Once the crack is prepped, slightly overfill the cracks where possible as the product will shrink just a bit and it will leave a flush repair. Load the sealer up with sand before it dries, broom or blow off excess the next day. If the crack is old and has water draining into it for years, there could be a substantial hollow spot underneath. Fixing the crack will only be a temporary repair if the slab continues to sink or lift. I always use sand prior to backer rod on old concrete. I have dumped several pounds of sand in the same spot and the cracked never filled. In that situation, I use a hammer drill to bore several holes around the crack and fill with expanding foam. This gives a more solid backing to the concrete preventing further sagging and the repair will last longer. If the two sides of the slab are not even, bore and fill with foam on the lower slab first. The foam can actually lift the slab a little and may prevent the need for grinding out the difference in height.
Yes, I would do that too. Grind down high spots. Save the dust for finishing the cosmetic blending look.
Jim do you use the grinder to decrease the height difference before or after putting the Volkem 45 SSL in the crack? Thank you in advance!
I have an exposed aggregate driveway with some small cracks throughout. The cracks are about 1/16 in. wide, so I can't get any backer in it. Would you still recommend me grinding it out and making the crack wider so I can put in 1/4 in. backer rod, or should I just fill those with sand instead?
I’m redoing the seams in my driveway. I need to power wash it and fill the seams with new sealant. In your opinion, should I power wash it first and apply protective sealer then apply the sealant in the seams or vice versa?
If you are able to use sand as a backing on the smaller cracks that are too small for a backing rod, I wonder if you could just use sand for the whole crack leaving enough room on top for the sealant.
One trick for matching concrete would be to pulverize the chips you remove and sprinkle that on the top instead of sand.
Pulverize the chips you remove? Have another beer. You must be retired government employee.
@@extraart1 he means any concrete chips or stones that you may end up finding in the crack itself. If you smash them into sand it will match the color of the driveway and will look much better after sprinkling over the sealant. Otherwise, like most of these videos, it comes out looking like absolute garbage.
What a stupid reply- it’s a great suggestion to get a good color match
@@extraart1you should not “ sprinkle” anything o top if the sealant it WILL shorten the sealants life significantly
BLet me tell u sand(or pulverized concrete)is almost a must. If u dont use it when cone back you'll have ants, flies, garbage stuck to the sealant making it look awful. The sand trick is also usefull in high traffic areas so it doesn't get stuck on shoes. A Little Sand on top has no affect on longevity of the sealent. Your getting this info from the crackmaster himself.
How can you blend the crack more to the old concrete? What kind of sand are you using?
What about spray expanding foam? Client you fill the gaps with that let dry and then come back and cut any over fill then seal the concrete.
What kind of sand do you recommend? Fine play sand or coarse construction grade sand?
? I have a small …less than an inch…gap between the blacktop and concrete apron of my driveway. This gap had been filled by the road crew when some roadwork was done several years ago and now the sealant is crumbling away. Would I use the same method/ products that you used on your concrete driveway?
how do you level the 1/4" rise?
Why not level the concrete by just grinding that two feet? Also, can you cover that sealer if you want to resurface the driveway with new Crete or something?
Grinding would affect the strength I’d imagine. Losing half an inch of a 3 inch slab is probably somewhat significant I’d imagine especially holding loads like cars going over it if they’re near the edge
@@baxt1412 I think most driveways are thicker than 3”. 🤷🏽♂️ I fixed the sidewalk that runs into my driveway and it was 6” thick.
@@robertboyer5498city sidewalks are thick because they spec it that way, driveways are usually poured too thin IMO because there is no spec.
@@thebigmacd not mine. It’s a monolithic pour.
The trouble with grinding it is that as well as seeing the crack you see the grind. You could put a thin coat over the slab to hide it but that will become an ongoing maintenance problem that has to be redone more often than the crack, and will cost more. You could grind partly and then needle gun which may give a better match.
It is also probable that the slab is moving. So grinding may help but not solve.
If it is proving to be a trip hazard it may be easier to relay part or all of the slab. Make sure the long side of the resultant slab/s are less than twice as long as wide, square is best, or they will crack sooner (all concrete cracks).
Can you use high pressure water jet to clean up the crack? Isn't this easier?
I was wondering if there is a similar product for Vulkem 45 SSl...this is very expensive
Do you fill stress relief seams that haven't cracked?
Thank you for the video. What do you suggest for a walk in cooler at temps at 34-42 degrees?
Structurally very good advice and undoubtedly a durable repair. But cosmetically, was hoping for a more robust way to blend in the concrete repair to the existing concrete. Because now you have a visually much bigger crack then originally. The sand is not much of a camoflage.
This sealant won't keep the concrete from separating further. What happens when then Does the patch tear? Can this be used in a concrete basement floor?
Hi, I have a patterned concrete drive that has a very fine crack forming along it, the drive is sloping. It doesn’t matter about the sealant colour as I will be repainting the whole drive anyway. The crack is only about 1-2mm wide at most. Can I get crack repair that will fill such a small crack? Or should I wait until the crack is more substantial? I don’t want the cold winter months to do more damage.
Do you ever grind the concrete? More level where it's lifted up
Did you explore tree side to check your root theory? Another technique would be to get some pea gravel and compress into sealant help hide repair.
What does the sand do does that take up some of the space the void
Why didn't you fill it so that it was level with the concrete surface? If I did that here in Nebraska, water would pool in the crack and during the winter, the freeze thaw cycle would just make that crack larger because of the water standing there.
Very informative. but I will need to look for a product to use on my asphalt driveway cracks.
Is polyurethane sealer last longer than silicon based one? I thought the other way for some reason.
CAN YOU PAINT the sealant after applied and dried
thank you for teaching me how to work all the sides of a deep crack
*hits pipe*
That tree been effected yet?
I’ve done a lot of waterproofing over the years and I’ve had it kill the tree that was initially causing the issue (cracks in concrete and pipes).
Is what it is. Just curious if you noticed anything.