Repairing poured concrete foundation cracks

Hi Everyone,

Has ANYONE had any experience with these polyurethane foam concrete repair kits ?

40' Contractor Foundation Crack Repair Kit-Urethane - Applied Technologies

Also, is epoxy, "better" and more durable than poly foam, for an interior or exterior crack repair ?

I need some direction, as to "what" to use, and do it myself.

Thanks for ALL of your advice and comments.

Mike

 

They do the job. But if you want the patch to hold, you'll need to insert some re-bar in there.

Rent a hammer drill and make a hole from one side of the crack to teh other. Start about 6-8" on one side of the crack, drill at an ingle in towards the crack, and down, so you reach the crack about halfway thru the foundation wall. Then do the same thing again from the other side of the crack.

Then pound two lengths of 1" rebar in there and once they're in, mix up some thinset cement extra watery and pour that in there as well so the re-bar sets in the holes real tight. That's gonna hold the two sides of the crack together and prevent them from moving again. Then go ahead and ream out the crack, insert your tubes, seal up the crack with cement, and inject the sealer starting from the bottom tube and working your way up.

 

What kind of cracks you are repairing will determine what method will work.

If it is just a common shrinkage crack in a poured wall, there are many types of "goop" that will perform satisfactorily.

If it is a structural crack, then you get into a more complex repair that epoxy will not work for. This would involve determining he cause of the cracks and the appropriate repair/reinforcing methods that will work. Normally, poured wall have more cracks than masonry foundations (especially shrinkage cracks) and are more difficult to repair.

Dick

 

Mike - My advice would be to watch the crack for a while. Like a couple of years. If it doesn't move I wouldn't worry about it.

I have 3-4 cracks in my foundation that haven't changed in 25 years. They showed up shortly after I bought the house (new)and I was concerned. I repaired one and then decided to wait before tackling the others. I'm still waiting.

We have a cottage that has had some crack repair in the foundation. Whoever did it used 1/4" thick steel straps bolted across the cracks, inside and out. I don't know how well it worked other than the fact that the cracks haven't grown.

 

The house, itself, is 22 years old.

I believe, they are shrinkage cracks.

There is also, one crack, in the foundation of the chimney, which my oil burner uses.

Would ALL of these cracks, be repairable with the poly/epoxy foam stuff ? Or something more, durable ?

Or would I have to insert re-bar, as per, "works_from_home" suggested ?

"Why" I'm concerned, is that one crack...half way down the foundation, from the structure to the ground, resulted in a water leak, already.

This was "corked", and the grade of the dirt, surrounding the foundation, was built-up, some, around the foundation, where needed.

Thanks FOR ALL of your help, My Friends !

Mike