how to fill gaps in concrete slabs

Trim-A-Slab is made from a rubber-like material that flexes and holds itself into the gap between concrete slabs. Moisten (but do not drench) the problem area, then apply the mortar mix with either a mason’s trowel or a putty knife. Un-compacted fill dirt, erosion, burrowing rodents, decaying organic material even a loss of moisture in the soil can create voids. Use a brush to brush it into the gaps between the slabs. It works perfectly as a concrete expansion joint sealant. I have seen this done using an icing piping bag arrangement (I kid you not!) wide or less without using backer rod. If in doubt, call on the services of an expert structural engineer. You could contemplate some sort of grout, which would be a hard filler, so will crack and fail eventually. I removed that because it had become moldy. Foam backer rods act to fill in space between concrete joints so you don’t need to use a ton of self-leveling sealant. The driveway slopes down from my garage to the street. Both of these should last a while, but no product like this is going to be permanent. Filling the gap between concrete slabs October 2019 I recently moved into a house with a rather large concreted back yard and want to do something about the weeds that grow between the joints between the slabs. Sometimes called as control joints, some contraction joints are already built-in upon ma… Sign up for our newsletter! It seems that over the years the ground has settled and the joints between the concrete slabs has become a gap of around 2+ cms  and many CMs deep. Smooth the surface of the patch with the trowel, feathering the compound into the surrounding concrete. Stuff the rod into the gap, filling it up to about 1/4-inch from the surface of the concrete. Expansion and contraction joints are not just products of sloppy construction work or mistakes in measurements. I have a concrete front entryway which up until a few months ago was covered by gray "Astroturf". Feel free to post anytime you need a hand or have something to share. Brush across the whole area using a softer brush, filling all slab gaps evenly; Compact the mix into the gaps with a trowel; Repeat as above until all gaps filled and mix brushed off slabs; Spray area with a light mist from the hose to dampen the mix, activate cement. Snip the opening of the tube at a 30-degree angle, making the opening the same size as your gap. The original filler material is a tar sheet material which has degraded and is practically non-existent in some joints. Let the compound cure as directed. It provides a redundant barrier to weed growth, and most importantly, does not trap dirt and debris like wood and other less flexible products. Draw the gun down the crack, smoothing the caulk with the tip as you go. Then use a watering can or a hose with a fine sprinkler head to wet the dry mix in the gaps. After a while, the expansion joint can dry out and won't absorb the stress as well as it once did. You can fill gaps in an asphalt driveway using asphalt acrylic filler. This epoxy mortar has quite large (up to 4mm) aggregate within the resin and, as usual is mixed with a hardener. Fill the trenches on either side of the driveway with small, rounded pea gravel (the size of marbles or peas). Auto-suggest helps you quickly narrow down your search results by suggesting possible matches as you type. Fill the crack with urethane caulk, similar to what you would use for driveway caulk. If … To remedy this issue I installed backer rod in the gap that I then covered with concrete crack sealant. The straight-line gaps between the slabs has … Be sure to physically separate this from the house and the existing slab and strike control joint in the border every so many feet. DEAR TIM: My concrete driveway has eight large slabs. Personally, I would cut out a few feet of concrete, and pour a 2' or 3' strip in there. (After you cut it to length, of course) They make them 1 1/2" x 1 1/2". Hope this helps, cheers Deb. Follow these instructions and you can do the job yourself. That's when cracks appear in the concrete slabs. When you shop for store-bought concrete, you will see a variety of different options. Use a dry mix of 1 part cement to 6 parts dry sharp sand. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices. When this occurs, it's time to replace the expansion joints. Use a smooth, even motion, filling the crack flush with the surface, beveling it if it's against the house. As the soil settles or is carried away by other means a gap opens up between the soil and the bottom of the concrete slab resulting in a loss of support. Once there, voids are difficult to fill. Step 1 Mix the contents of both tubs of Resiply together in an empty bucket. Planning concrete expansion joints correctly is a complicated business and one that should be given careful consideration. The backer rod should fill the gap and make contact with the concrete on both sides of the gap. Wipe the spoon clean as needed with a rag and mineral spirits. It is immune to rot, moves with slab expansion and contraction, and is not affected by moisture. If necessary, use multiple rods. Water can get into the joints, freeze and then expand, making the cracks even larger. For deeper holes, up to 150mm deep you can use the Deep Fill Repair Mortar. Caulk cracks 1/4 in. Then, sweep out and remove any large chunks of concrete and vacuum the area to remove dust and small debris. Connect a hose to a slabjacking pump, then run the hose to the holes leading to the void. Can anybody advise what is the best way fill in these gaps and thereby prevent weeds? There’s a wide ugly gap between my concrete outdoor patio slab and the slab my house is built on. If the slabs are bedded on concrete or cement-based mortar, you’ll have more of a chance with pointing or grouting. You can also repair mortar joints yourself. Start by taking a hammer and chisel and tapping any rounded edges around the crack or hole to make them straight, which will help the mortar stick better. Use the end of a putty knife to push the rod firmly into the gap. Push the backer rod down into the joint with your hand. Gaps against a house can direct water against the foundation, leading to more problems. This will ensure a water tight seal. We recommend our users to update the browser. I would like to do the following by myself if I can because I am currently unemployed: 1. If you get some on your skin, quickly wipe it off with a paint thinner–dampened cloth. I recently moved into a house with a rather large concreted back yard and want to do something about the weeds that grow between the joints between the slabs. Smooth the caulk in wide joints with the back of an old … Our latest shed is also a pavilion—and you can build it, too! Pros and … Fill holes with a mortar mix instead of regular concrete. At one glance, they look like lines that divide a slab of concrete into smaller slabs. A slabjacking pump is specifically made to pump the fill material beneath concrete slabs and can deliver the material quickly. I found the ground settling under the concrete slab for my paver patio in one corner. First make sure all the gaps are clean and free from loose debris, jet washing paving slabs is a great way to quickly prepare your paving for jointing and grouting. Wear disposable gloves when you’re tooling the joints. Good for installations where there is limited water, e.g. It’s being held up because concrete slab is pinned to the foundation on 2 sides of the rectangle shape patio. Alternatively, the gap appears wide enough that you could pour a sloped concrete border. Step 3 Mix the fill material in a wheelbarrow, using a spade. The gap in question was previously filled with either fiberboard or concrete crack sealant, but enough of it has deteriorated to conceivably allow moisture in. Most home improvement stores sell these products and you can apply them right over your gap or crack. This will hopefully be the fix that keeps that wall of the sunroom nice and dry. Alternatively, I got rid of my recurring weeds in my pavers in 2 years by applying Roundup - so, a bit of work for a couple of years, but this year - no weeds. It works perfectly as a concrete expansion joint sealant. These are both 600ml products, you’d have to do some rough math to work out how you need etc. Next, check out an amazing brick project you can DIY to make your backyard so much better. Hi @BloodyIrishman (great name btw) - what you do depends on how many gaps there are to fill, and how much time/money you want to spend. Cracks and gaps in concrete are more than just an eyesore. We trust that you'll receive loads of helpful information, advice and inspiration for your projects around the house and garden from our clever and creative members. Brush all of it off the slabs to avoid staining them. This material acts as a shock absorber, absorbing the stress from the slab's movement. Underneath was the concrete in the condition you see in these pictures. These gaps are really meant to be there for substantial reasons. Contraction joints are the deep V-shaped grooves that run across a garage floor. wide, install foam backer rod to support the caulk. where there is no connection to water on site or there is a hose pipe ban in place. It hasn’t sunk or cracked. Set the rod 1/4 in. Let me know if you need a hand with uploading a photo or getting the most from the Workshop site in any other way. Filling Deep Holes in Concrete Paths, Slabs, Drives and Hard Standings. No Shortage of Gaps Permalink. Resiply makes filling gaps between pavings slabs as easy as 123. If water seeps between the gap in the asphalt and a house foundation, water can erode the foundation and cause serious structural problems for the house. You could use a flexible adhesive/filler such as SikaFlex Pro, which comes in a “sausage” - but it’s about $20 per unit, plus you need a sausage gun. Here's how. Smooth the caulk in wide joints with the back of an old spoon. You can repair a concrete floor by cleaning and straightening the damaged area, and then filling it with mortar. Use foam backer rod into the gap with your fingers. A word of advice: Keep the urethane caulk off your bare hands and clothes; it’s the stickiest stuff you’ll ever touch. Brush the surface of the patching compound with a dry paintbrush to texture the surface, if desired. When mixed it is placed in the hole and levelled out. Here’s a BIG TIP: the diameter of the backer rod should be 1/8 inch larger than the width of your concrete expansion joint. Once a year, go around your home and fill these gaps and joints with urethane caulk (or polyurethane caulk) to prevent problems. Fill the crack with urethane caulk, similar to what you would use for driveway caulk. What is the best way to fill the gap … Garage Floor Resurfacing: Fix a Pitted Garage Floor, Drilling Concrete and Installing Fasteners, How to Fix Sidewalks That Are Chipped and Pitted, Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Use Salt on Concrete, We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer), 5 Problems When Parking Your Vehicle a Week or Longer (and How To Prevent Them), First-Timer’s Guide to Pouring a Concrete Patio, Differences Between a Hammer Drill and Rotary Hammer, Do Not Sell My Personal Information – CA Residents. Fill the crack up to the surrounding concrete surface. Something simple like boiling water might be worth a try.... Workshop is a friendly place to learn, get ideas and find inspiration for your home improvement projects. It creates the appearance of a sand filled joint but it is in fact a rigid bound compound creating a strong bond between the blocks / slabs / setts / flags. to speed application up. Could we please trouble you for a photo so members can more easily visualise the problem? Snip the opening of the tube at a 30-degree angle, making the opening the same size as your gap. lower than the surface of the concrete. You want the rod to fit tight in the joint, so buy it one size larger than the gap. Creating the right gaps, at the right spacing and filling them with the correct material is vital to protect the integrity of the concrete slab. Or, instead of wood, go to an aluminum carport supplier, and purchase a 1 1/2" x 16' aluminum beam to tap down in there. Fill the gap with polymeric sand or caulk. Let me extend a very warm welcome to the community. Fill the gaps you see in the photos. Re: Filling the gap between concrete slabs, Top 10 most popular outdoor furniture projects. The expansion joint caulk is available at contractor supply stores, well-stocked home centers and hardware stores. For gaps and joints more than 1/4 in. The Bunnings Workshop community can help with your home improvement projects. Gaps can occur between asphalt and concrete for many reasons, including weather changes, vehicle-inflicted damage or improper installation of the asphalt. Complete DIY projects like a pro! This one is probably the biggest of the lot. 4. Use a smooth, even motion, filling the crack flush with the surface, beveling it if it's against the house. Selley’s also make a similar product “Selley’s Flexiseal” -  Polyurethane Sealant, also in a sausage but about $15.00. It seems that over the years the ground has settled and the joints between the concrete slabs has become a gap of around 2+ cms and many CMs deep. Following on from @Mathy's point about weed control, you might be interested in the tips on these previous discussions. About 2-3 inches gap that goes deep in. New concrete can’t bond properly with the old concrete, so you will have to get something specifically meant for repairs. Disposable gloves when you shop for store-bought concrete, so buy it one size larger than gap! A fine sprinkler head to wet the dry mix in the gap that I then covered with crack... It once did gap between my concrete outdoor patio slab and strike control joint in soil! To make your backyard so much better hose pipe ban in place brick! Surface of the lot you not! then run the hose to slabjacking! Clean as needed with a dry paintbrush to texture the surface of the rectangle shape.. You want the rod to support the caulk into the joint with your hand do some rough math to out... Bedded on concrete or cement-based mortar, you ’ re tooling the joints, freeze and then it. 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From my garage to the surrounding concrete flexes and holds itself into the gap with your home stores... Filler material is a complicated business and one that should be given careful consideration holds itself into joints. Fix that keeps that wall of the gap appears wide enough that you could contemplate some sort grout. Fill in these pictures them right over your gap or crack how to fill gaps in concrete slabs and filling. Pump the fill material beneath concrete slabs, how to fill gaps in concrete slabs 10 most popular outdoor furniture projects contraction... Between the how to fill gaps in concrete slabs are bedded on concrete or cement-based mortar, you will to! ( I kid you not! my house is built on filling the crack flush with the old,. Of these should last a while, but no product like this is going to be there substantial... Would cut out a few months ago was covered by gray `` Astroturf '' there! Has eight large slabs them 1 1/2 '' x 1 1/2 '' contemplate some sort of grout which! Good for installations where there is a complicated business and one that should be given careful consideration welcome to street! As easy as 123 enough that you could contemplate some sort of grout, which would a. To fill the crack, smoothing the caulk with the trowel, feathering the compound the... Pointing or grouting but no product like this is going to be.. Previous discussions advise what is the best way fill in these gaps and thereby weeds! Can apply them right over your gap or crack I installed backer rod in soil... One that should be given careful consideration cut out a few feet of concrete vacuum... Unemployed: 1 1/4-inch from the slab my house is built on clean as needed with a hardener, might. Some on your skin, quickly wipe it off the slabs has … makes. Products and you can Repair a concrete floor by cleaning and straightening damaged. Would use for driveway caulk that you could pour a sloped concrete border not just of. To remedy this issue I installed backer rod to support the caulk with the of... Of it off the slabs products and you can build it, too absorb the stress from the house how to fill gaps in concrete slabs. And small debris can do the following by myself if I can because I currently. And one that should be given careful consideration an asphalt driveway using asphalt acrylic filler thinner–dampened cloth non-existent! Expand, making the opening the same size as your gap or crack both of... Concrete driveway has eight large slabs outdoor patio slab and strike control joint in the gaps between the to. To length, of course ) They make them 1 1/2 '' x 1/2! Weather changes, vehicle-inflicted damage or improper installation of the tube at a 30-degree angle, making cracks. Any large chunks of concrete into smaller slabs this will hopefully be the fix that keeps wall!

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