Are Cracks in Concrete a Problem?

Rest assured that even with the best floor design and proper construction, cracks in concrete are very common and, in some situations, unavoidable. Fortunately, they can usually be repaired. Generally speaking, most types of cracks do not affect structural stability or durability. CSC), as we know it today, was formed in 1958 through the merger of three premixed companies.\Although concrete is a very strong building material, it has its limits.

Placing excessive amounts of weight on a concrete slab can cause cracking. When you hear that a concrete mix has a strength of 2000, 3000, 4000, or more than 5000 PSI, it refers to the pounds per square inch that would be needed to crush that concrete slab. Tight cracks are common in concrete slabs.\In general, if the crack is stable and does not leak water, it does not indicate a structural problem. In most cases, these are shrinkage cracks that formed when the concrete cured.

Concrete provides structures with strength, rigidity and resilience against deformation. These characteristics, however, result in concrete structures lacking the flexibility to move in response to environmental or volume changes.\Cracking is often the first sign of distress in concrete. However, there may be deterioration before cracks appear. Cracking can occur in both hardened concrete and fresh concrete or plastic as a result of volume changes and repeated loads.\Concrete cracks may seem scary at first, but they are common in almost every home that has a concrete floor.

If someone tells you that your concrete floor shouldn't have any cracks, be careful, you don't know what you're talking about. Read here about methods to cure concrete and understand how your contractor will cure concrete.\In general, cracks wider than a credit card and going through the depth of concrete are structural in nature and could be a sign of more serious problems (see Evaluating Concrete Crack Repair). This means that, as the concrete contracts, steel springs help the concrete contract in the ground it sits on, preventing cracks from forming or, at least, spreading apart.\For a narrow crack like this, you can use a self-leveling concrete crack filler to seal the crack before painting or finishing the surface. Concrete Decor is a valuable source of information, ideas, product news and training relevant to commercial and residential work in decorative concrete and related specialties.

If the steel reinforcing bars are close to the surface and are not sufficiently covered with concrete, the concrete bends backwards around the fastener and cracks at the apex.\Volume differences are likely to develop in concrete when different temperatures occur in a concrete section. Proper site preparation, quality mixing and good concrete finishing practices can go a long way in minimizing the occurrence of cracks and producing a more aesthetically pleasing concrete project. This increase in volume increases the pressure on the concrete and causes radial cracking as the concrete fails under tensile stresses.\This is applied to oppose tensile forces at the bottom of the concrete that is drying on the surface, which causes a cracked concrete profile. But it's important for concrete contractors to follow well-established guidelines regarding concrete placement.\When it's hot, a concrete slab will expand as it heats up and pushes against any object in its path, such as a brick wall or an adjacent concrete slab.

However, a large majority of concrete used in residential work has too much water added to the concrete on the job site.