Concrete shrinks as it dries and causes a kind of tug of war causing the slab to crack as the tremendous forces in the slab literally pulling it apart causing cracks to occur.
Good strong and high-quality concrete is achieved by using the right amount of water in the mix and an experienced team that has right amount of manpower to be able to use a slightly dryer stiffer concrete mix.
The ideal way to cure any concrete is to build up barriers around the slab and flood the surface with water and if possible leave the slab flooded for 7 days to ensure a really strong concrete slab. Wetting the Concrete and covering it with plastic or a tarp to slow down the evaporation works okay but the problem is that you will have to rewet the slab daily and you could do some damage to the concrete taking off and replacing the covering. You know the old saying build your house on stone and not on sand or less cryptically the better the site is prepared and compacted the less likely your slab will crack, if the ground has been disturbed in any way or if you have to level the site then good preparation.
So what is good preparation? That will depend on the ground if it is a natural state and the topsoil and grass and any weeds or old tree stumps have been removed then a layer on road-building gravel with a thin layer of sand would do the job as long as the road base material is compacted there is no need to compact the sand or fine crusher dust.
Another thing to be mindful of is the correct placement and the use of a vibration tool to settle the concrete and leave no voids or hollows in the concrete the aim is to have a uniform thickness over the whole slab area. Steel reinforcement can prevent concrete cracks if the right size is used for the expected load on the concrete. Sizing of the reinforcement is critical to the life and therefore the structural integrity of the concrete.
They may not be pretty but there is nothing to worry about this is usually only cosmetic and the slab is still structurally sound. If too much weight is placed on concrete, it can alter the ground beneath the slab, or simply break the slab itself. Otherwise, you might see pressure cracks or breakage. Last but certainly not least, crazing and crusting occur when laid concrete is improperly dried.
Both crazing and crusting are entirely cosmetic - easily repaired and easily avoided. Generally, cracked concrete is cosmetic unless it occurs in a supporting structure such as a cement pillar or it water gets into a crack when freezing occurs.
There are ways to repair some specific cases of cracked concrete, but in almost all cases your best bet is to call in professionals. We are able to assess the specific issues that caused your cracking and determine whether your best course of action is repair or replacement.
Call now for a free estimate Customers wonder why they can appear even in a newly poured foundation. A homeowner will question why it is cracking and wonder if they received substandard workmanship or products.
When installed properly, concrete is one of the most durable and long lasting products you can use around your home. But it is important that concrete contractors follow well-established guidelines with respect to concrete placement.
Durable, high strength and crack resistant concrete does not happen by accident. Often we see simple settlement cracks. Concrete does not require much water to achieve maximum strength, however, a much of concrete used in residential pours tends to have too much water added to the concrete on the job site.
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