While concrete is strong, it isn’t indestructible. If you’ve noticed cracks in your driveway or other concrete surfaces around your home, you may wondering what caused them and how to prevent them from occurring. Though some cracking is typically inevitable on any concrete surface, you can reduce the chances by addressing specific causes of cracking. Here are three of the most important ones to pay attention to. 

3 Reasons Your Concrete is Cracking

1. Improper Installation

If your concrete is fairly new and it’s already cracking, it was likely improperly installed. If the ratio of concrete to water is incorrect — either too wet or too dry — the mix will crack as it dries. When a mixture is too wet, it leaves behind pockets of space when the water dries, causing the slab to be brittle and prone to cracking. A mixture that lacks enough water, on the other hand, will dry too quickly and crack.

2. Settling Ground

When the ground below the concrete settles over time, the concrete will shift and eventually crack. Settling occurs for a number of reasons, but it’s often because something was removed from the property. A tree pulled from your lawn may have had roots that stretched under your concrete driveway or walkway. As the roots decompose, the ground will settle around the newly open space. Plumbing and underground wiring can also contribute to shifts in the ground below your concrete. 

3. Excessive Pressure

Pressure cracks occur when objects that exceed the concrete’s PSI (pounds per square inch), such as vehicles, sit on the concrete for long periods of time. Concrete mix has a PSI rating indicating how much pressure it can handle before it begins to crush the concrete. Excessive weight puts stress on the concrete and can even alter the ground below it, leading to cracks. Avoid these cracks by refraining from leaving heavy objects on the concrete for prolonged periods of time without moving them. 

 

 

If you have cracks in your concrete driveway or other surfaces, turn to UsealUSA™in Bloomfield, CT. Replacing concrete is often an expensive and unnecessary endeavor; in many cases a seamless seal is all that’s needed. Visit them online to check out their wide range of concrete sealing and crack repair products. Call them at (860) 324-6015 to learn more about their waterproof concrete sealants and how they can keep your driveway crack-free.