Concrete Heaving News
I read your web site with great interest and would like your opinion on my situation.
I live in Lincoln, NE about 30 yards from a natural lake. I have a concrete patio (~650 sq. ft.) that we had an overlay done on it about 4 years ago. Through the freezing/thawing cycle, it has cracked and the contractor routed out the crack and then filled it with black caulk (really, really ugly) and, of course, it still cracks and heaves during the winter– coming back into “level” as spring comes.
I wonder about doing a flagstone overlay using the existing concrete patio as the base, laying a thin (?) layer of sand and then filling the “joints” with silica sand. I understand that we will still have freeze/thaw but would this not “float” and eliminate the ugly problem I now have?
The alternative is to remove all the concrete and start over…….which is way too expensive. The other alternative is to cover it with indoor/outdoor carpet.
What is you opinion of this situation and possible remedies?
Thank you for you time and attention.
Regards,
Don G
Hi Don,
Thanks for letting me help. Don’t throw good money after bad. You cannot stop the heaving. An overlay will do exactly what the underlay is doing, it is a law of physics. You could put memory foam and it would still eventually break. It is moving and cement cracks when it moves even a microscopic amount.
As you have found, repairing the cracks only draws attention to the crack – kind of like in life when you focus on the mistake, that is all you see and quite frequently the mistake gets bigger. Either live with it as is. Or tear it out and replace it taking into account your freeze thaw cycles by putting footings below the frost line.
You will have almost everyone that can sell you something convince you that their remedy will fix it, do not be taken in. It is quite simple: thermodynamics is almost as powerful as gravity or magnetism – there are no overlays or epoxies that can remedy your situation. Sorry.
Yours in Masonry,
Rusty
I believe that reality is a sublime comedy staged for my education and amusement,
and that there is a benevolent conspiracy to liberate me from my ignorace and help
transform me into the unique master piece that I was born to be! ~Rob Brezney~
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