Repairing or Replacing Concrete Sidewalks

It’s something we’ve all done. When you’re rushing to a meeting or going out for dinner, it happens. You take a trip. We hope you only stumble, feel foolish for a bit, and then go about your business. However, sometimes you hurt more than your pride when things don’t work out that way.

The thought of a customer, tenant, or visitor to your business getting hurt on your property probably makes you cringe a bit. Most likely, you’re very much afraid of a lawsuit, as well as compassion for your fellow-man suffering an injury.

The maintenance of concrete sidewalks and curbs is a must for facility managers. The building’s curb appeal is also enhanced by this preventative measure.

Property Access

Check out the curbs and sidewalks of your facility right now. Is there unevenness, raisedness, cracks, or scarring? If so, a paving contractor can fix them:

Uneven Concrete Sidewalks

Although most people think uneven sidewalks require extensive concrete sidewalk repairs, they are not as bad as they appear. In some cases, concrete sidewalks need to be completely replaced and others simply need to be repaired.

Concrete Replacement

If your sidewalk slab is broken, sunken, raised, or uneven, your paving contractor will break it up with a masonry drill. His first step will be to remove the crumbled concrete and then level the ground.

It is possible that a tree nearby caused the uneven concrete. No matter what the cause, when these issues are resolved, the concrete will most likely be pumped into the new slab using a form that will hold it in the correct shape.

After the wet concrete is leveled with a trowel, the connecting sections will be flushed. We will remove the form once it has dried and reopened the sidewalk to pedestrian traffic.

Concrete Repair

Mudjacking is a concrete repair procedure that can be applied if the damage isn’t too severe. This process involves a concrete slab being drilled and then filled with grout mixture to force it to rise and level. After leveling, concrete sidewalks can be used immediately without waiting for drying time, allowing the process to be completed in a single day. In addition to being able to repair concrete sidewalks inexpensively, this type of arrangement also eliminates the need to tear out and replace damaged sidewalks.

Additional Concrete Issues

It is not uncommon for concrete sidewalks to have problems. According to concrete contractors, contrary to the common belief that surrounds concrete work, it is a difficult task to accomplish, and even the best of them may have to redo the concrete they laid. There are several reasons why a concrete sidewalk needs repair.

This could happen because of the uneven distribution of melted concrete.

Move unusually heavy objects and vehicles from the sidewalk area to avoid cracking and crumbling.

It can also occur if the water and concrete mix is not proportioned properly.

Change in weather can also cause the concrete to crumble over time because of unusual contraction and expansion.

Concrete contractors can assist with the repair of crumbling sidewalks regardless of the cause. 

Here are a few ways to repair a spalling sidewalk:

Concrete slabs that are saggy and spalling can easily be repaired and restored to a good condition for quite some time by sidewalk repair contractors. Among the methods of doing so is to apply cement stucco to the sidewalk cracks. Mixtures such as this can penetrate cracks in a slab and hold it together. Stucco should not be thicker than a quarter-inch if the sidewalk is to remain in good condition.

For the making of stucco, there are 3 varieties of sand available: fine, medium, and coarse. By using medium sand, the sidewalk will look more even once the stucco is dried and the sidewalk is finished. Coarse sand gives better results than fine sand, but fine sand will take longer to hold together. It is also sometimes necessary to use the other varieties.

Only the deformed layer of a concrete slab can be permanently removed before the stucco mix is poured onto the sidewalk. Holding the pressure washer at a low angle and close to the concrete surface will help raise up these weak areas of concrete.

If you’d like a free quote on your concrete driveway project and live in the Boca Raton to Boynton Beach to West Palm Beach area, call us at (561) 889-2615 or click here.