Restoring Concrete Expansion Joints the Hard Way
- Use a scraping tool, like a 5-in-1, to scrape out the old concrete expansion joint filler.
- Vacuum out the concrete expansion joints.
- Use a caulk gun with your filler of choice and refill the joints.
- Scrape the sides and top of the joints to leave a clean finish.
How to fill expansion joints in driveway?
- thermal expansion and contraction caused by temperature changes,
- sway caused by wind,
- seismic events, etc.
How do you repair a concrete expansion joint?
- Cleaning: Keep dirt and debris out of your expansion joints. Debris can encourage moisture to seep into your expansion joints, causing them to crack.
- Drying: Don’t allow standing water to remain on your expansion joints for too long. ...
- Weeds and plant growth: If you see weeds and plants growing in your expansion joints, remove them immediately. ...
Why to replace concrete expansion joints?
Concrete expansion joints are designed to prevent moisture from seeping under the pads. When this happen, the level of the concrete can sink or cracking on the surface can result. The expansion joints allow for expansion and contraction during extremes of heat and cold, dryness and humidity. When these joints wear out, the concrete becomes more ...
How to replace the wooden joints in the driveway?
- Sikaflex self-leveling sealant
- Caulking gun for 29-ounce tubes
- Utility knife
- Rags (you’ll need several)
- Safety glasses
- Nitrile gloves
- DeWALT 4 1/2 Inch Angle Grinder
- DeWALT Tile Blade for Angle Grinder (this works way better than the blade I used here)
- Acetone
- These Amazon affiliate links help support HRT…thank you for using them
How do you repair an expansion joint?
Restoring Concrete Expansion Joints the Hard WayUse a scraping tool, like a 5-in-1, to scrape out the old concrete expansion joint filler.Vacuum out the concrete expansion joints.Use a caulk gun with your filler of choice and refill the joints.Scrape the sides and top of the joints to leave a clean finish.
Should you replace concrete expansion joints?
This material acts as a shock absorber, absorbing the stress from the slab's movement. After a while, the expansion joint can dry out and won't absorb the stress as well as it once did. That's when cracks appear in the concrete slabs. When this occurs, it's time to replace the expansion joints.
What material is used for expansion joints in concrete?
A pliable material is used (asphalt coated, cork, plastic) to construct these types of joints. The material should extend the depth of the slab and extend the full width of the slab. Ideally, for expansion joints on the exterior of a structure, sealing these joint is preferable.
How do you remove old concrete expansion joints?
0:141:18How to Reseal Concrete Expansion Joints Part 1 - Remove Old SealantYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipInto both the left and right side of the joint. This will cut the sealant. And foam backer rodMoreInto both the left and right side of the joint. This will cut the sealant. And foam backer rod remove remove as much of the old sealant in backer rod as possible.
How do I fill the seams in my driveway?
1:4911:17How To Seal A Gap Between Concrete Slabs - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipI do recommend some sand for that and filling those voids in before you seal off the top with theMoreI do recommend some sand for that and filling those voids in before you seal off the top with the tremco.
What is the best concrete joint filler?
Epoxy and polyurea-based joint fillers are two of the most popular filler solutions. They help extend the lifetime of concrete floors and allow them to perform as intended throughout their usable years.
Should you caulk driveway expansion joints?
Even expansion joints in your concrete driveway should be caulked. They can be the biggest culprit of water under your slabs. Notice how the caulking is slightly lower than the concrete slab around it. This protects the caulk from wear and tear of people walking and driving over it.
Can you add expansion joints after concrete is poured?
You can install concrete expansion joints before or after the concrete is laid.
What happens if you dont put expansion joints in concrete?
Concrete expansion joints give the slabs just enough room to move which helps prevent cracks & buckling. Without these joints, even a little movement creates pressure and stress on the concrete. Eventually weak spots can crack or buckle.
Is it normal for expansion joints to crack?
These settlement cracks are perfectly normal and occur as a result of your new home - and all of its weight - settling in on its foundations. "Every new building will settle, but with the correct building process and expansion joints, the cracks will be limited.
Are expansion joints necessary?
Expansion joint failure can happen for several reasons, but regardless concrete needs a buffer as it goes through the natural cycles of expansion and contraction. So, this has always been the case, and this is why expansion joints are necessary.
What happens if you dont use an expansion joint?
If you have a concrete floor in your commercial building, you know expansion joints are necessary to allow for the natural expansion and contraction that occurs from temperature changes. Without these joints, large cracks can travel across your floor, creating costly damage.
How do you fill expansion gaps in concrete?
Foam backer rods act to fill in space between concrete joints so you don’t need to use a ton of self-leveling sealant. Here’s a BIG TIP: the diameter of the backer rod should be 1/8 inch larger than the width of your concrete expansion joint. This will ensure a water tight seal.
What material is used for expansion joints in concrete?
Minimize Concrete Cracking and Damage with Expansion Joints. ASPHALT EXPANSION JOINT is composed of a blend of asphalts, vegetable fibers, and mineral fillers formed under heat and pressure between two asphalt -saturated liners. It is waterproof, permanent, flexible, and self-sealing.
What is the best concrete joint filler?
Akonaflex™ Expansion Joint Filler is a superior-grade, one-component, urethane sealant and filler to be used in concrete joints as well as a wide variety of substrates.
Can you fill concrete expansion joints?
Just remember that expansion joints should always be sealed and filled with a flexible joint sealer and never be epoxied or coated over. Contraction joints can be filled in the same manner after a coating or sealer is applied.
Should you caulk concrete expansion joints?
Even expansion joints in your concrete driveway should be caulked. They can be the biggest culprit of water under your slabs. Notice how the caulking is slightly lower than the concrete slab around it. This protects the caulk from wear and tear of people walking and driving over it.
What is the difference between expansion joints and control joints?
A control joint is a continuous vertical joint filled with mortar, but with a bond breaker on one side so that tensile stress cannot develop across the joint. An expansion joint is a continuous vertical or horizontal joint, left completely free of mortar and filled with elastomeric sealant to keep it watertight.
Do concrete driveways need expansion joints?
Every concrete slab, inside (basements, garages, etc.) or outside ( driveways, patios, entries, etc.) are required to have joints every eight feet horizontally and vertically. Expansion Joints provide space between concrete slabs as a buffer for expansion on hot days and contraction when it is cold.
What is the best concrete joint filler?
Akonaflex™ Expansion Joint Filler is a superior-grade, one-component, urethane sealant and filler to be used in concrete joints as well as a wide variety of substrates.
Can you use polymeric sand for expansion joints?
Pool PM says it doesn’t matter as long as there is a 3/8-½ inch expansion joint there. The deck builders say they often use polymeric sand between the pool beam and deck pavers. I heard that self-leveling sealant with a backer rod may be better from someone.
Should you fill concrete expansion joints?
Just remember that expansion joints should always be sealed and filled with a flexible joint sealer and never be epoxied or coated over. Contraction joints can be filled in the same manner after a coating or sealer is applied.
Should you caulk driveway expansion joints?
Caulking Concrete Cracks and Expansion Joints Even expansion joints in your concrete driveway should be caulked. Notice how the caulking is slightly lower than the concrete slab around it. This protects the caulk from wear and tear of people walking and driving over it.
What do you fill driveway expansion joints with?
Foam backer rods act to fill in space between concrete joints so you don’t need to use a ton of self-leveling sealant. Here’s a BIG TIP: the diameter of the backer rod should be 1/8 inch larger than the width of your concrete expansion joint. This will ensure a water tight seal.
What material is used for expansion joints in concrete?
Minimize Concrete Cracking and Damage with Expansion Joints. ASPHALT EXPANSION JOINT is composed of a blend of asphalts, vegetable fibers, and mineral fillers formed under heat and pressure between two asphalt -saturated liners. It is waterproof, permanent, flexible, and self-sealing.
What should I put between wood and concrete?
In most cases, either pressure-treated lumber or naturally durable lumber (defined by the IRC as the heartwood of redwood, cedar, black locust, and black walnut) is acceptable. In some cases, separating wood from concrete with a water-impervious membrane or vapor retarder is all that’s required.
What is an expansion joint?
An expansion joint is a material placed in the cracks (or joints) between concrete slabs to protect the slabs from cracking when they contract and expand as the temperature changes. This material acts as a shock absorber, absorbing the stress from the slab's movement. After a while, the expansion joint can dry out and won't absorb ...
How to bond concrete to old concrete?
Apply a bonding adhesive, usually epoxy, into the joints with a brush. This will help the new material to bond to the old concrete. Let the adhesive dry for about 10 to 15 minutes. Don't leave the adhesive for any longer than that because it should be sticky to touch, not completely dry. Insert foam backer rod.
How to make a shock absorber?
This will be your new shock absorber. Measure the amount of backer rod you need and cut off a piece that's the right size. Push the strip into the joint with a putty knife, making sure to push it in all the way. Cover and seal the joint. Apply a liberal layer of self-leveling urethane sealant.
How wide should a control joint be in a driveway?
Control joints in driveways should be spaced at intervals about equal to the slab width, but drives wider than about 10 or 12 feet should have a longitudinal joint down the center. Also it may help to try to make the panels of the driveway approximately square.
Why are concrete joints called control joints?
A.: Strictly speaking, these joints are control joints rather than expansion joints, because they are put in to accommodate the drying shrinkage that takes place after the concrete has cured. Normally the concrete does not expand to a size greater than its original length as cast.
