Sealing Hairline Cracks In Concrete Walls

Plus a hairline crack is enough for moisture to seep into the concrete surface and hurt.

Sealing hairline cracks in concrete walls.

As the name implies these cracks are very small about 0 003 inches 0 08mm in width and can be very shallow. Cracks and gaps in concrete are more than just an eyesore. Sand clean dry may be used as a filler for cracks an easier approach if you are repairing an irregular crack in a floor. Concrete consists primarily of cement sand gravel and water.

As the water in the slurry evaporates the remaining ingredients cure into a hard monolithic slab. Water can get into the joints freeze and then expand. These types of cracks don t usually pose a threat to the structural integrity of a house but they do allow for a potential opening for groundwater insects and radon gas. Hairline cracks are commonly observed in freshly placed concrete and their occurrence is owed to the phenomenon of plastic shrinkage.

People often ignore hairline cracks thinking it s not a major issue. We recommend using backer rods also if sealing wide cracks in concrete walls or floors but first you need to have those cracks evaluated to determine the cause as other important structural repairs could be needed first. Do cracks in walls indicate a structural problem. Contents causes of hairline cracks in concreteprevention of hairline cracks in concreterepair of hairline cracks in.

Seal cracks in concrete with durable urethane caulk. But these hairline cracks eventually turn into deeper and wider cracks. You can do it in less than a half hour. Outside of hairline cracks larger stress cracks occur when a house settles or the ground beneath it shifts.

Unfortunately the curing process causes the concrete to shrink slightly often resulting in hairline cracks. Sealing the cracks with quikrete is an easy project for any skill level.