Though concrete is a solid flooring material, it is not insusceptible to damage caused by erosion, freezing or blunt trauma. This being the case, a small crack in the concrete can often grow, resulting in a much larger crack over time. The best thing to do if you notice a crack in your concrete is to repair it as soon as you can to prevent the crack from getting larger. If you want to repair a cracked concrete floor, all you need to do is follow a short process.
Repairing Concrete Cracks
Cleaning-the first thing you need to do is clean the area around the crack. Remove all debris, weeds and rubble from the area. You can also use a grease cleaner to make it as smooth as possible, though this is not always necessary. Once the exterior debris is cleaned, you can use a chisel to get into the crack to get all of the extra debris out. Finally, use a vacuum to clean out any remaining bits.
Filler-using a concrete filler material and a filler material gun, spread the filler inside the crack. If the filler comes out of the crack at any point, that is fine. The main focus at this point should be making sure that the crack is as full as possible. Wait for a few minutes after laying the filler to see if it has properly settled. If so, you may need to add some additional filler. If not, allow the filler to cure for 24 hours or more.
Leveling-after 24 hours, go back to the crack and use a thick chisel to level out the concrete. Place the chisel parallel to the ground and smooth out the floor to where it is as flush as possible.
Sealing- use a standard polyurethane sealant to cover the crack. This will provide additional longevity to the seal to ensure that the crack does not easily open up again. Make sure that your sealant is water-resistant and suited for the environment that the concrete is in.
Sealing a concrete crack may cost a few dollars in materials, but it will protect the quality of your concrete surface for much longer, as the crack will effectively be cured. Though it will not always look pretty, you can rest easy knowing that the concrete surface will have many more years of use once the crack has been sealed properly.