What to do with this crack in cement porch slab?


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Old 06-05-18, 10:03 AM
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What to do with this crack in cement porch slab?

Help!! We have owned this house for over twenty years and I've repaired this crack in the cement porch floor numerous times. No matter what I use, the repair only lasts at the most a couple of years. This floor was poured by the previous owner, who was supposed to be a professional cement contractor. As with most of the repairs or additions to this house that was made by this man, his sons and friends, it was not done correctly. The nightmare stories I could tell!!

Anyway, I believe that the reason this patch job will not last is that this particular rebar was placed too close to the surface of the slab, therefore it tends to rust and swell popping up through the cement.

Can anyone give me some ideas on how to repair it without tearing up the whole 10x10 section of cement? I've wondered if it was possible to just cut out the offending rebar and patch over it? Will this fly, it is obviously not doing it's job as is.


Thanks, Linda
 
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Last edited by LPradetto; 06-05-18 at 10:03 AM. Reason: Miss spelled word it title
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Old 06-05-18, 10:14 AM
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Looks to me like that is the joint between 2 separate pours of concrete... maybe "new" and old. Joints like that move slightly, and if that's caulk in between, that would explain why no repair lasts long. Expansion joints need to be caulked, and should not be mortared over.
 
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Old 06-05-18, 12:03 PM
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. I've been told by one of his sons and a friend of his that helped him with a lot of repairs that they put on this full porch, pouring the floor and putting on the roof. There is an original slab inside the house that was converted from an exterior porch into an entryway. There are five full 10x10 sections of cement that make up the porch, this one that sits in front of my door and four running in front of the house forming an L shaped porch. I suppose it could be piecemealed, know the guy who did the work, but I know for a fact that that is a rusty rebar running through that crack. I've messed with it enough over the years.

This is a crack in the middle of the 10x10 section in front of my door. I can give you a expanded view if needed. It is definitely a crack where the rebar runs. That line that looks like a run of caulk is actually the rusted rebar that lays almost on the surface of the cement. It has been deteriorating for years. I've chipped the rusted part off and that is why it looks flat. The crack runs half way across the slab but is bad for about three feet in front of the door and really bad for the 6 to 8" that I'm showing.

Linda
 
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Old 06-05-18, 01:06 PM
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Chip out anything that is cracked (hammer and cold chisel) then mix up some vinyl patching cement (usually sold in small 10 or 20 lb bags) and patch it up. Wet the concrete first with some water before you patch it.

It's likely always going to be a maintenance problem... don't know what else to tell ya. There's no magic wand to fix something that was poorly done. The vinyl patch will be the best cement to use.
 
 

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