Frequent usage of your concrete floor and accidents will definitely cause damage to your floor. Knowing how to repair the slab as an owner is very important. Impact from heavy objects and temperature changes can lead to the formation of cracks and holes on your concrete. First you need to determine the extent of the damage, and decide the best method to use for the repairs. This article will explain how to repair cracks and holes by use of patching mortar. While patching the damaged floor is an easy task, you can also seek professional services from experts like Floor Shields.
Materials required
- Mortar
- Bonding agent
- Protective gear: gloves, goggles, and a dust mask
- Bucket
- Water
- Long and short trowel
- Paintbrush
- Chisel and hammer
- Wire brush and broom
Step 1: Put on the protective safety gear
This job emits lots of dust and concrete debris into the air. Your safety is the priority; wear the glove, goggles, and dust mask to protect yourself. To ensure you are comfortable while kneeling, you can wear knee pads or lay a padded mat.
Step 2: Chisel the sides of the crack or hole to obtain a square
Use a chisel and hammer to level the cracks or holes to ensure that the bonding material will stick to the edges. Straighten the round edges for quality results after repair. If the edges are already square, you can jump to the next step.
Step 3: Cleanup the hole or crack
It is advisable to remove the large chunks of concrete and vacuum the hole; this ensures the bonding agent makes a good seal. Use the wire brush and broom to sweep them. Dip the wire brush in water and scrub the hole’s edges to give the bonding material a greater surface area to adhere to.
Step 4: Apply bonding agent
A bonding agent is a liquid that helps concrete adhere better. Dip a paintbrush into the bonding agent, then spread it evenly in the hole ensure you cover every part. The type of bonding agent you use has its specific amount to use and drying duration stick to the instructions.
Step 5: Laying of the mortar
Cracks are patched using mortar. Look for the specific mortar that is used to repair concrete at your store. Pour out the mortar into a bucket, add appropriate amounts of water, mix with a trowel until it has some butter-like thick consistency. The mortar should not be too watery because it will not bond well. The amount of mortar used depends on the size of your hole.
Scoop the mortar using the trowel; while pressing it down, fill the hole until it makes a cover over the concrete surface. Remember to press the mortar against the edges to ensure long-lasting bounding. Level the surface by scraping a trowel across the mortar length-wise; in a swaying motion, move the trowel back and forth and scoop away any mortar that scrapes off. Repeat this until the mortar is level.
Make the mortar flush with the floor, using a smaller trowel scrap along the crack’s edges, removing mortar and pushing it to be even with the floor. It may consume much time for the floor to be even with the mortar, but it’s worth it. As the final pass, use a long steel trowel to scrape the floor to remove excess mortar in a back and forth manner. Make several passes if the floor doesn’t flatten out.
Cover the mortar while it dries if it’s exposed to direct sunlight, do this by using cardboard or any other material. The covering material should not contact the mortar to avoid sticking. Let the mortar dry for at least 24hrs before walking on it, mark the area off to ensure no one steps on it. If it’s a garage floor, wait for at least a week before driving over it.
