If you notice cracks in your garage floor made of concrete, it could be an indication of structural difficulties. We are interested in knowing as purchasers or owners when we should start to worry.
Fortunately, most garage floor cracks are harmless and unobtrusive. However, there are a handful that point to the need for repairs or potential structural issues.
Settlement, shrinkage, faulty installation, and inadequate drainage are some of the most typical causes of cracks in garage floors. Cracks may not always be cause for concern. After all, if you labour with concrete long enough, eventually it’s going to crack. Garage floor cracks are considered serious if the aperture is 1/8 inch or wider and/or if the crack has raised edges on one side.
The prospect of learning garage floor repair doesn’t have to be as daunting as it first may sound. Performing simple repairs on your own can save you money and time, and you might be shocked to realise how many there actually are. When it comes to garage floors, surface cracks, pitting, and spalling are among the most frequently encountered issues that necessitate repair. Repairing pitting and spalling is not much more difficult than fixing a typical crack.
Make sure your garage floor is fully fixed so that it is as defect-free as possible before applying a sealer, paint, or epoxy system. Let’s say you’ve decided to instal a tile or mat floor. Unless you’re seeking to halt a recurring issue, like pitting and spalling, or are concerned about water penetration, you might not need repairs in that scenario.
Why do garage floors crack?
The concrete in garages inevitably breaks down. A non-ductile substance, concrete cannot be bent or stretched without cracking. It does crack because its dimensions change as the temperature rises and falls.
As a result, most flooring will crack, but that’s okay, because it’s planned for. Deep grooves or saw cut connections in the concrete create the illusion of four individual slabs within a standard two-car garage. These grooves weaken the concrete along their path, thus cracks tend to stay in one place rather than spreading out.
Despite the effectiveness of contraction joints, some areas of the concrete may still break as a result of curing problems, shifting soil beneath the slab, or other factors beyond your control. It’s good news that most cracks are merely aesthetic and not dangerous. As a result, they may be easily modified to accommodate various types of garage flooring after being damaged.
Types Of Cracks In Concrete
Certain fissures warrant greater concern than others. What causes them, and how to fix them, are outlined here.
- Surface hairline cracks should be fixed if they are becoming wider over time, posing a safety risk, collecting dirt, or simply being unsightly.
- When concrete is curing, shrinkage fractures can form, but they can be minimised or avoided altogether with well-placed joints.
- There were settlement fractures because the ground beneath the slab wasn’t compacted properly, causing a section of the concrete to sink.
- Repair or replacement of the concrete is necessary if there are structural cracks larger than a credit card or if the cracks extend throughout the entire slab.
Acceptable Crack Widths
How wide of a crack in concrete can you safely walk across? This is a common concern, but there is, however, no concrete solution. This varies widely from project to project. What may be acceptable to the contractor, engineer, or architect may not be acceptable to the owner who has look at the crack every day. When it comes to determining whether or not a crack needs repair based on width and other considerations, not even the American Concrete Institute has any standards or recommendations.
Cracks in concrete that are wider than a credit card and reach deeper into the material are usually structural and may indicate deeper issues (see Concrete Crack Repair Evaluation). It’s not common to tolerate flaws of this nature. To find out what caused the break and how to fix it, you need go to an engineer or concrete repair expert.
The answer to the question of what is appropriate for concrete with hairline cracks or other non-structural defects is less certain. Often, the following variables determine at what width they become an issue and need to be repaired:
- When you look at the crack, does it stay the same size or does it grow? If the crack is not fixed, it can spread and signal a more serious structural issue.
- Is the crack deep enough to cause a tripping danger if it’s on a horizontal surface like a floor or slab?
- Is the fissure in the wall or floor of the building big enough for water to get in?
- If dirt gets stuck in the crack, will it be a problem for cleaning and upkeep?
- Is the hole in a highly visible spot and an eyesore?
If you do choose to patch the break, keep in mind that the overlay you choose to hide the repair may still be apparent. A fracture can be seen at first glance, but it is typically easy to hide or emphasise it through saw cutting, staining, or other methods.
Your Cracked Concrete Garage Floor Will Likely Get Worse
A little fissure in any concrete slab is a major issue, despite what anyone could say.
Granted, some of those fractures you see might just be cosmetic, and won’t harm the structural integrity of your garage at all. However, the slab’s state could easily deteriorate, so it’s not safe to assume that this will always be the case.
A slab made of concrete is easily compromised by even the smallest of fissures. The break will widen if moisture gets through to the slab underneath. Over time, your garage’s integrity may be compromised.
Foundation settling is a common cause of active fractures in a concrete floor, which can lead to serious structural damage if they are not rectified promptly.
Cracked Concrete Repair Protects Your Home’s Value
Even if you have no current plans to sell or refinance your home, you never know what the future holds.
If you want to keep your home’s value from dropping, fixing the broken concrete is a must. Because you want to get the most money out of your home when you sell or refinance, ideally, the market value should be as high as feasible.
When it comes time to sell your property, unattractive cracks in the concrete can turn off potential buyers. Selling your home at a low price could be difficult, if not impossible.
How to Repair a Cracked Concrete Garage Floor
Epoxy mortar is useful for mending small, superficial cracks. However, you should have an expert opinion from a concrete restoration specialist before committing to this strategy. If the foundation is settling beneath the slab, you might not notice the cracks on the surface.
Have your garage floor inspected for structural issues just to be safe.
Joint sealer won’t work if the cracks are actively spreading. Instead, you might try mudjacking, also known as concrete jacking, to fix the concrete. Quick and easy, mudjacking leaves no mess behind. Furthermore, the cost of this sort of fix is minimal.
Typically, the price of concrete jacking is only $850. While larger projects would obviously cost more, the average cost of a mudjacking job for a single family home is between $ 500 and $1 207.
The foundation of your house could be jeopardised if you put off repairing the garage floor. For really severe cases of foundation settlement, mudjacking is not a viable solution. Instead, pier supports must be put in place. Structural concrete repairs can set you back an average of $4,726.
Repairing Cracks In Your Garage Floor
One of the first steps in fixing a crack is to “chase” it. This is accomplished by chipping away at the fracture using a hammer and cold chisel to remove any loose edges or debris. The strength of the repair depends on the surface on which it is adhered.
You can pick up a cold chisel from any hardware store or order one from Amazon if you don’t already have one. Those equipped with a hand guard are our top pick.
You can follow the crack with a cold chisel if you hold it at an angle that parallels the fracture. Give it a few good whacks with a sledgehammer or a heavy hammer. Hitting the chisel with a hammer will dislodge any debris. Carry on in this manner until you have followed the crack completely.
After loose debris has been removed with a shop vac, thoroughly cleanse the crack using a sharp wire brush. Doing so will get rid of any feeble laitance and get the surface ready for the repair compound. When you’re ready to apply the patch, vacuum out the crack once again.
Always read and follow a product’s instructions before using it. For best results when using a 2-part epoxy gel or 2-part epoxy sand slurry, make sure to work it thoroughly into the crack to expel any air bubbles. As soon as it has been worked in, as much of the material as possible should be troweled smooth before it sets. Keep an eye out for low areas that may require filling in with repair material.
For wider cracks, silica sand should be used before applying Simpson Strong-Tie or a comparable product. Simpson Strong-Tie should be used above the sand and below the concrete. Give it a few minutes to sink in, and then reapply to the bare regions.
After 20 minutes, spread a light layer of sand over the patch and let it dry. Once it has dried, you can remove the surface coating with a putty knife or paint scraper.
If you plan on painting over the repair or using an epoxy coating, wait until the repair has set before grinding it flush. This will ensure that most repairs are hidden from view by the coating.
A reverse or inverted angle cut can be made without resorting to chiselling fractures, contrary to popular belief. Using concrete or a cement-based patch, this is only necessary for major repairs.
Because fresh concrete doesn’t stick well to dry concrete, this angled incision is essential for preventing the material from rising out. In contrast, crack repair materials made of epoxy, polyurethane, or polyurea make a strong bind to properly prepared concrete and don’t require an inverted cut.
Cracks can also be chased effectively with a small 4′′ angle grinder fitted with a crack chasing masonry wheel. The wheel is angled in such a way that it cuts a precise groove in the ground.
Repairing severe cracks requires partial filling with silica sand. In this way, the patch won’t sink into the concrete and lose its effectiveness. It prevents you from wasting material and leaving holes that need to be filled in later.
Low Spots And Other Repair Issues
Sunken slabs were left out of our discussion. These aren’t easy to cure and often end up costing more than they’re worth to correct. Extreme soil sinking, slabs that were not properly strengthened, or even subsurface water issues are all potential causes. It may be necessary to remove an existing concrete slab before re-pouring the slab on a more stable foundation or if the soil is not compacted enough.
However, there is a solution if your only problem is a few low spots in your slab that collect water due to sloppy finishing. To cover the depressions, apply a self-leveling polymer-modified topping or an epoxy slurry. Keep all of your flexion joints unfilled. Once it hardens, you may scrape it out. Make sure the item you use can withstand the elements, though.
If you fix your garage floor the right way, it will survive for years, if not forever. Taking the time to patch a wall before painting shows that you have the expertise to do the same for your floor, saving you the cost of hiring a professional.
Common Reasons There are Cracks in Your Garage Floor
Shrinkage
Shrinkage-related cracks are rather common and usually don’t warrant any concern. Cracks in freshly poured concrete are common due to the material’s natural shrinkage during the curing process.
Settlement
It is possible for your home or building to sink and shift in the ground over time due to a phenomenon known as settlement. Even if some floor cracking is to be expected in garages after years of use, major settlement is not. In most cases, shrinkage cracks aren’t as problematic as settlement cracks. The width of the crack and whether or not it widens further determines the severity.
Open buckets waiting to catch water are the fractures that develop when settlement progresses. The pooling of water, while not immediately problematic, can lead to more serious issues, such as the settling of your garage’s floors. The possibility of floods is substantially heightened.
The pressure exerted by tyres on various surfaces in a garage varies greatly from one spot to another. The garage’s foundation may settle and crack as a result.
Wide fissures with a higher elevation on one side should raise red flags since they could suggest more serious settling problems. You should call a specialist right away if you have any suspicions, as the sooner problems are found, the better.
Bad Installation
If your garage floor has developed several fissures, the original building may be to blame. It’s likely that the builders laid down too little gravel for the foundation, didn’t use enough rebar, or both. The following are examples of typical errors:
- Improper base, disturbed or uneven soil
- Too low mpa of concrete
- Not enough gravel
If the slab for the garage was poured at the wrong level, water could potentially seep through and into the house. In addition, while pouring the slab for the garage, it should be done so that it slopes ever-so-slightly away from the house to aid drainage.
Flooding/Underground Water Source
If water is not able to properly drain away from your house, it might seep into your garage and cause cracks in the floor. Heavy clay or other dense soils tend to hold onto water. In the winter, water-rich soil may freeze, expanding to exert significant pressure on the garage slab. Damage like as heaving and cracking may result.
The area around the garage door is particularly vulnerable to frost and cold, and as a result, cracks often appear there. Make sure that your garage is completely watertight by inspecting its exterior for any cracks or openings. Ideally, the ground outside your garage would be at least six inches lower than the bottom of your floor.
Garage flooring often develop cracks, and sometimes those flaws show up immediately after the concrete is placed (i.e. shrinkage cracks). As the house settles a little bit over the first year, other cracks will form.
Most people expect to find more cracks in older houses or those constructed on expansive soils, but even if they do, the question remains of whether or not the cracks are major.
It’s important to keep an eye out for fractures in concrete slabs since they can be an indicator of underlying structural or foundational issues. In such a circumstance, the owner or potential buyer should look into a variety of different aspects of the home.
Conclusion
Most garage floor cracks are harmless and unobtrusive. However, there are a handful that point to the need for repairs or potential structural issues. Repairing pitting and spalling is not much more difficult than fixing a typical crack. Performing simple repairs can save you money and time. Most cracks in concrete are aesthetic and not dangerous.
Hairline cracks should be fixed if they are becoming wider over time, posing a safety risk, collecting dirt, or simply being unsightly. American Concrete Institute has no standards or recommendations on acceptable crack widths. How to repair a cracked concrete floor in your garage. A crack in any concrete slab is a major issue, despite what anyone could say. Repairing the problem now will keep your home’s value high when it comes time to sell or refinance – avoiding unattractive cracks could help you attract potential buyers.
Have your garage floor inspected for structural issues just to be safe. Average cost of a mudjacking job for a single family home is between $ 500 and $1 207. Structural concrete repairs can set you back an average of $4,726. Repair depends on the surface on which it is adhered. Repairing severe cracks requires partial filling with silica sand.
Simpson Strong-Tie should be used above the sand and below the concrete. Cracks can also be chased effectively with a small 4′′ angle grinder fitted with a crack chasing masonry wheel. If you fix your garage floor the right way, it will survive for years, if not forever. Garage flooring often develops cracks, and sometimes those flaws show up immediately after the concrete is placed (i.e. shrinkage cracks) It’s important to keep an eye out for fractures in concrete slabs since they can be an indicator of underlying structural or foundational issues.
Content Summary
- If you notice cracks in your garage floor made of concrete, it could be an indication of structural difficulties.
- Fortunately, most garage floor cracks are harmless and unobtrusive.
- However, there are a handful that point to the need for repairs or potential structural issues.
- Settlement, shrinkage, faulty installation, and inadequate drainage are some of the most typical causes of cracks in garage floors.
- Cracks may not always be cause for concern.
- The prospect of learning garage floor repair doesn’t have to be as daunting as it first may sound.
- When it comes to garage floors, surface cracks, pitting, and spalling are among the most frequently encountered issues that necessitate repair.
- Repairing pitting and spalling is not much more difficult than fixing a typical crack.
- Make sure your garage floor is fully fixed so that it is as defect-free as possible before applying a sealer, paint, or epoxy system.
- Why do garage floors crack?The concrete in garages inevitably breaks down.
- Despite the effectiveness of contraction joints, some areas of the concrete may still break as a result of curing problems, shifting soil beneath the slab, or other factors beyond your control.
- It’s good news that most cracks are merely aesthetic and not dangerous.
- What causes them, and how to fix them, are outlined here.
- Repair or replacement of the concrete is necessary if there are structural cracks larger than a credit card or if the cracks extend throughout the entire slab.
- When it comes to determining whether or not a crack needs repair based on width and other considerations, not even the American Concrete Institute has any standards or recommendations.
- To find out what caused the break and how to fix it, you need go to an engineer or concrete repair expert.
- The answer to the question of what is appropriate for concrete with hairline cracks or other non-structural defects is less certain.
- Often, the following variables determine at what width they become an issue and need to be repaired:
- When you look at the crack, does it stay the same size or does it grow?
- If the crack is not fixed, it can spread and signal a more serious structural issue.
- If dirt gets stuck in the crack, will it be a problem for cleaning and upkeep?
- Granted, some of those fractures you see might just be cosmetic, and won’t harm the structural integrity of your garage at all.
- Over time, your garage’s integrity may be compromised.
- If you want to keep your home’s value from dropping, fixing the broken concrete is a must.
- When it comes time to sell your property, unattractive cracks in the concrete can turn off potential buyers.
- Epoxy mortar is useful for mending small, superficial cracks.
- If the foundation is settling beneath the slab, you might not notice the cracks on the surface.
- Have your garage floor inspected for structural issues just to be safe.
- Instead, you might try mudjacking, also known as concrete jacking, to fix the concrete.
- Typically, the price of concrete jacking is only $850.
- Structural concrete repairs can set you back an average of $4,726.Repairing Cracks In Your Garage FloorOne of the first steps in fixing a crack is to “chase” it.
- This is accomplished by chipping away at the fracture using a hammer and cold chisel to remove any loose edges or debris.
- You can follow the crack with a cold chisel if you hold it at an angle that parallels the fracture.
- For best results when using a 2-part epoxy gel or 2-part epoxy sand slurry, make sure to work it thoroughly into the crack to expel any air bubbles.
- Keep an eye out for low areas that may require filling in with repair material.
- For wider cracks, silica sand should be used before applying Simpson Strong-Tie or a comparable product.
- Simpson Strong-Tie should be used above the sand and below the concrete.
- After 20 minutes, spread a light layer of sand over the patch and let it dry.
- Once it has dried, you can remove the surface coating with a putty knife or paint scraper.
- If you plan on painting over the repair or using an epoxy coating, wait until the repair has set before grinding it flush.
- This will ensure that most repairs are hidden from view by the coating.
- A reverse or inverted angle cut can be made without resorting to chiselling fractures, contrary to popular belief.
- Using concrete or a cement-based patch, this is only necessary for major repairs.
- In contrast, crack repair materials made of epoxy, polyurethane, or polyurea make a strong bind to properly prepared concrete and don’t require an inverted cut.
- Cracks can also be chased effectively with a small 4′′ angle grinder fitted with a crack chasing masonry wheel.
- Repairing severe cracks requires partial filling with silica sand.
- In this way, the patch won’t sink into the concrete and lose its effectiveness.
- Low Spots And Other Repair Issues
- Sunken slabs were left out of our discussion.
- However, there is a solution if your only problem is a few low spots in your slab that collect water due to sloppy finishing.
- If you fix your garage floor the right way, it will survive for years, if not forever.
- Taking the time to patch a wall before painting shows that you have the expertise to do the same for your floor, saving you the cost of hiring a professional.
- Common Reasons There are Cracks in Your Garage FloorShrinkageShrinkage-related cracks are rather common and usually don’t warrant any concern.
- Even if some floor cracking is to be expected in garages after years of use, major settlement is not.
- In most cases, shrinkage cracks aren’t as problematic as settlement cracks.
- The pooling of water, while not immediately problematic, can lead to more serious issues, such as the settling of your garage’s floors.
- If your garage floor has developed several fissures, the original building may be to blame.
- The following are examples of typical errors:Improper base, disturbed or uneven soil Too low mpa of concrete Not enough gravelIf the slab for the garage was poured at the wrong level, water could potentially seep through and into the house.
- Flooding/Underground Water SourceIf water is not able to properly drain away from your house, it might seep into your garage and cause cracks in the floor.
- Make sure that your garage is completely watertight by inspecting its exterior for any cracks or openings.
- Ideally, the ground outside your garage would be at least six inches lower than the bottom of your floor.
- It’s important to keep an eye out for fractures in concrete slabs since they can be an indicator of underlying structural or foundational issues.
FAQs About Garage Floor
Where Can I Find A Solution To The Leak In My Garage Floor?
Seal the floor with concrete repairing compound. If you only seal the damaged concrete, the leak will eventually find another crack to leak through. Always use a silicate-based product that is water-resistant for the best defence against the elements.
What Caused The Cracks In My Garage Floor?
The thin top layer of concrete dries up faster than the remainder of the concrete, leading to these hairline cracks, which are caused by poor troweling and placing. In most cases, they pose little threat to the stability of the building.
Why Does My Garage Floor Keep Becoming Damp?
When humid air meets the cold concrete of the garage, condensation forms. When air and concrete come into contact, condensation forms on the surface because the air cools below the dew point. The garage floor now appears hazy.
Does The Garage Floor Need To Be Painted?
A garage floor paint job is a smart investment because it protects the surface from dirt and grime and makes cleanup a breeze. The worst kind of stain is oil, because it penetrates porous concrete and leaves a slippery surface that attracts dirt and is tracked indoors.
For A Garage Floor, What Kinds Of Tiles Are Appropriate?
Porcelain tile is the only option for garage flooring that provides a positive return on investment without sacrificing aesthetics or functionality.
