How to Repair Small Cracks on a Concrete Driveway

Posted on: 24 October 2017

Concrete is a popular choice of construction material for many residential and commercial driveways because it is durable, readily-available, eco-friendly and cost-efficient over the long-term. Although concrete driveways are durable, they can develop small cracks over time due to weathering and the extremes of everyday use. When you begin seeing cracks on your concrete driveway, you will need to carry out prompt repairs. This would make the repair job easier to perform, as cracks tend to become larger with time if left unattended. 

Here are basic DIY work steps to follow in order to achieve satisfactory results when making small crack repairs on your concrete driveway:

Clean the driveway. First, clean your entire driveway with a pressure washer while making sure you remove any debris trapped in the cracks on the surface of the concrete. Once your driveway is clean and dry, chisel out the cracks with a chisel and a hammer. This will make the inside of the crack large enough to work on. Making the cracks bigger will help when patching them up with filler material. Be sure to clean off the dirt that may be obtained from chiselling out.

Patch up the cracks. You will need to use concrete filler to fill the cracks on your driveway. If it is not the first time that the cracks are being patched up, the old filler material will have to be chiselled out before new filler can be compacted into the cracks — you can use a trowel to do this. The new filler material should be allowed to cure properly before a concrete sealer can be applied.

Sealcoat your driveway. Fresh concrete is highly porous, meaning it can easily absorb water and stains. It is, therefore, advisable to offer some sort of protection from the elements, which may accelerate wear of your concrete driveway. Apply concrete sealer onto the surface of your driveway once the filler material has cured properly. You can cover your driveway with polyurethane sheeting to ensure the sealer cures well. Certain weather conditions such as rain can tamper with the curing process. Allow your sealer to cure well before using your driveway again. 

It is important to repair cracking on your driveway as soon as you spot it. This would prevent the small cracks from becoming larger, which would call for extensive repairs. Follow the steps above steps to ensure effective repair of small cracks on your concrete driveway. Contact a concrete contractor if you need help with any concrete driveway repair job.

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