What to Do When Decorative Concrete Cracks

by Sue Marquette Poremba

There is at least one thing all concrete installers agree on: Concrete cracks. They differ, however, on how to approach repairing those cracks.

The American Concrete Institute report "Causes, Evaluation, and Repair of Cracks in Concrete Structures," prepared by ACI Committee 224, lists a dozen different ways to repair cracks, so it is no surprise that installers use different methods and approaches. According to the report, "cracks need to be repaired if they reduce the strength, stiffness, or durability of the structure to an unacceptable level, or if the function of the structure is seriously impaired ... In addition, repairs that improve the appearance of the surface of a concrete structure may be desired."

Cracks often appear because not enough joints have been cut in the concrete, notes Scott Metzger of Metzger/McGuire. "Once the crack has been induced, you already have a plane of weakness."

Getting started
So when it comes to crack repair, where to start? John Heidmann, general sales manager for Concrete Polishing Solutions, says the first thing to do is to clean the crack. "You use a crack...